Thursday, March 28, 2024

Short Tails: Chet & Bernie Short Stories

by Spencer Quinn

Libby audiobook 2 hours

Read by Jim Frangione

Published: 2022

Genre: detective stories

 

This book had three stories: Upper Story, The Iggy Papers, and The Numbers After Two. I love Chet's (the dog) POV but remembered what I DON'T like about Quinn's character of Bernie. 

 

Upper Story was fairly short. Chet is working a case with Rick Torres because Bernie's in the hospital. The police work is great, but the good part of the story is when they visit Bernie in the hospital and the nurse shares that the prognosis isn't good. Rick and Chet should say goodbye. But Chet's nose tells him a different story. With one doggy kiss, Bernie wakes up.


The Iggy Papers was a longer story with the sweet old neighbors the Parsons looking for palliative care with a new invention - the Galaxatron. Bernie and Chet do some investigating and send Nixon to act as a potential patient. I loved this story!!! Great detective work and a great outcome.


The Numbers After Two made me crazy! I had to keep pausing it as I drove because it was so stupid! The first part, with Chet and Bernie finding two crying kids in the canyon and getting them back to their parents was good. The parents giving Bernie thousands of dollars cash reward was fine . . . and having it be $10,000 instead of $5,000 was amazing.


But then Bernie falls victim to a scammer. The stupidest, most gullible crap I've ever heard / read. . . His intelligence and detective abilities didn't let him see a con artist right in front of his face? The ongoing joke about their finances being a mess - the Hawaiian pants in a storage unit, the tin futures that were wrecked by an earthquake, . . . it's so frustrating! He basically gives the scammer $5,000 and gets NOTHING (not even a phone number) in return. Then he donates the other $5,000 to a random homeless man. Ugh! Bernie is too stupid to be a protagonist in these stories!

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The Last Exchange

by Charles Martin

Dakota County Library hardcover 353 pages

Published: 2023

Genre: realistic action, mystery


I didn't tag this as Christian fiction, because that seemed a bit tenuous in this novel. Our book club has read a lot of Charles Martin books and I know he's a believer, but God didn't seem to feature very prominently in this book.


The main characters include Maybe Joe Sue, a frog-turned-princess character whose early life cycling through foster homes brought her into connection with a movie producer who helped her become a superstar; Kelly MacThomas Pockets, an ex-Scottish forces soldier and protector of the Queen; Syd, a skanky superstar married to Joe; and Amber, a high school dropout turned makeup artist turned Joe's best friend and surrogate.


Fertility issues were one main theme of this book, as well as selflessness, drug addiction, hope, and integrity. One of the discussion questions was about allegory . . . but none of us really saw that. (Discussion was last night. We had a delightful conversation.)


Page 149: "'If someone intends you harm, then they're saying by their actions, "I value me more than you." Or "I want what you have and I intend to take it." For whatever reason, they've come to the selfish conclusion that they matter more. That in their sick and twisted mind, they have more right to be here. To take something from you, whether your body or your possessions, simply because they want it.'"


Pockets is definitely my favorite character. He is a wise protector and counselor to Joe.


Page 161: "'One thing is true of all of us: nobody has their stuff together. Not presidents. Not paupers. Not soldiers. Not actors.' He glanced at her. 'We are all a mess. And no amount of money, and no amount of drugs, changes that. When you're broken, life is about finding the beauty in the mess.'"


The "beauty in the mess" theme came up quite a lot. It's interesting in a time period where "social influencers" make their lives look so effortlessly perfect that this message would have so much impact.


Page 170: "She smirked. 'Are all you Brits like this?'

'I'm Scottish, mum.'

She tested him. 'Same thing.'

He shook his head. 'No mum. Not by a long shot.'"


This type of repartee came up a few times. Pockets made me laugh!


Page 171 had some funny alliteration, again courtesy of Pockets: "I pray for the grace to remain armed with righteous restraint and not regress into retrograde reciprocity, or responsive revulsion rising out of an unrighteous rescue."


Page 261: "But if you press me, love is what makes us who we are. Hope is how we express us. Hope is love with legs."


This language (and the idea of love and hope being such an integral part of who we are) made me happy. This is my favorite quote from the book.


Page 320 - the letter from Joe read in court. This had less impact on me because I learned about it at our discussion and then finished reading the last fifty pages after I got home from book club. Bad time management on my part!


Page 329: "He said he wanted the viewers to know that 'husbands who love their wives do what is required because that's what love does.' Then he clasped a cross hanging around his neck, something he'd taken to lately for its strength, and talked about how 'greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.'"


Syd is such an awful character! ***Spoiler alert!*** Not only are his words and actions orchestrated to gain sympathy, he was actively working to prevent Joe holding on to her pregnancies. The trauma of her miscarriages was entirely his fault! What a complete jerk. Pockets, on the other hand, really did have the attitude of laying his life down for his friends.


Page 339: "'How far would any of you go for someone you love? Really? How far? If someone took your wife, daughter, husband, or son, how far is too far? Where's your limit? Where does love stop you?' I looked at Joe then back at all of them. 'Is there anything you wouldn't do?'"


The courtroom scene did get a little over-the-top, but I really like Pockets anyhow! Even replacing Syd's "sample" with his own was fine with me because Syd was so awful.

 

Page 341: "There's only one thing in this universe or any other that cuts through prison bars and sets us free from the prisons in which we live. And that thing is the truth. Without it, there is no freedom."

 

 Pockets rocked this book. And yes, the truth shall set you free. But Martin doesn't name the Truth. He avoids swearing, shares that Pockets' dad was a preacher, and hints at faith in Christ, but this is basically a clean action story with a hint of suspense.



Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline (Enola Holmes #5)

by: Nancy Springer

Libby audiobook 3 hours

Read by: Katherine Kellgren

Published: 2011

Genre: YA historical detective fiction


I wish I'd read these books in order! This one started us in Scutari, Turkey during the Crimean War. Interesting - the screen on my car said "1885" but the voice said "1855." I'm guessing the first was Enola's time and the latter was the opening scene during the war.


I immediately knew Florence Nightingale was in this scene, even before she was referred to as "the lady with the lamp." It took Enola a long, long time to figure this out!


Mrs. Tupper has been kidnapped and the house ransacked. Enola goes to find a relative of the famous nurse, assuming she's long dead. (The comments about the elderly - past the age of 50! - made me laugh so hard.) Enola's interactions with Nightingale are delightful. This may be my favorite book in the series and does a great job of bridging the gap between lodging at Mrs. Tupper's and staying at the women's professional building.


All in all, an enjoyable book. Flory was a hoot, too!

Killing Floor

by Lee Child

Libby audiobook 18 hours

Published: 1997 (this version 2015)

Read by: Dick Hill

Genre: realistic action, thriller


I have seen many "Reacher" clips on YouTube - both from the Tom Cruise movies and the Alan Ritchson TV series on Amazon Prime. It made me curious, so I got this audiobook in anticipation of a few long car trips. Interesting . . . and horrible. 


The British author sets the story in the United States, presumably because of our gun culture and lawless attitude. I had already formed an opinion about the character of Jack Reacher based on clips I'd seen (and definitely prefer Ritchson to Cruise in this role!) but I didn't anticipate making my brain work this hard.


As I was listening, I was trying to calculate Jack's age . . . he was born in the 1960s and his brother Joe was born in the 1950s, but they were 36 and 38 years old in this book. So . . . 1959 and 1961? This would set the story in 1997, which fits with when Child published this book. I'm not sure, but the video versions may have changed this a bit. 


The only line that really caught my attention (and made me laugh) was one about someone "sleeping like a baby." Reacher's thought (paraphrased) is wondering if that meant they slept well or woke up screaming every ten minutes. Funny! And true.


The clues, mystery, and some details (like the barbershop guys) were delightful. The more violent and gory details (like how the Morrisons were tortured and murdered) were horrific. Warning: spoiler ahead!

 

Spoiler: I was worried briefly that Finlay would be the "tenth" person in the evil ring. Some of the bad guys were super easy to spot, but Finlay's FBI buddy was a surprise. 


My curiosity is appeased. I don't feel a need to read more of these books or watch the versions. There's plenty of darkness in the world . . . and if someone loves Jason Bourne, John Wick, etc., they will probably love Jack Reacher. I'm moving on!

 

Friday, March 15, 2024

The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan (Enola Holmes #4)

by Nancy Springer

Libby audiobook 4 hours

Published: 2008 (this version 2009)

Read by: Katherine Kellgren

Genre: YA historical fiction, detective story

 

This book is #4 in the series and brings us into contact with Lady Cecily again. This time, she is being married off to an odious young man (also her cousin) against her mother's wishes. Enola ends up being the hero, of course, and makes a tentative truce with Sherlock.

 

The orphans, the "Ha ha" man, the awful women trying to force the marriage, and all of Enola's disguises and attempts to avoid her brothers . . . the pink fan was an interesting detail. A cheap party favor with a plea for help written in invisible ink. Nice.

 

I don't like reading books out of order, but I do like this series pretty well. I like the language choices. I like this reader. 

Hardscrabble

By Sandra Dallas

Libby ebook  

Published: 2018

Genre: historical fiction, early 1900s


I really like this author! In this story, a family is heading west to join the father who is homesteading in Colorado. Mom is bringing the oldest daughter Carrie, 12 year old Belle (our protagonist), three younger children, and the baby. They are not quite ready for living in a sod house with neighbors few and far between.


Chapter Two: The Girl Homesteader 

"'So we're not poor?'

'Not poor at all,' Carrie insisted, turning to look at the family. 'How could we be when we have each other? It's just that we don't have money.'"


I love the idea of this! I liked saying to my young children that we were rich! We had a home to live in, we had a loving family, we had enough food to eat . . . that's wealth.


Chapter Two

"It's a hardscrabble life, but I love it."


The speaker is neighbor Lizzie, a young woman who is farming her own homestead. I like to see where a book's title originates. This is it. Lizzie is a fantastic character and a huge blessing to Belle's family.


Chapter Eight: A Homesteader Party

"A man stood beside the car, looking embarrassed. Frank called out, 'Get a horse!' as they passed. That was what people always yelled to a man whose motorcar had broken down."


Heckling isn't the nicest thing to do, but this hit my funny bone anyway.


Chapter Eleven: Staying with Lizzie

". . . she'd had (sic) dug behind her house."


Pet peeve alert: typos in action. "She'd had" is redundant . . . she had had . . . ugh. I should get over this, though. More and more with texting and using finger swipe to spell, I find typos in my own writing and even in my blog entries! I should edit my own work more carefully instead of just hitting "send" or "publish."


Chapter Thirteen: Becky

"'It means difficult,' Lizzie explained. 'You have to work hard to make it out here. Life isn't easy. You've already learned that. The land itself is hardscrabble - tough and dry as a board. And it has no mercy. Sometimes things are so rough that you want to give up, but you don't. You keep going, and you know what, Belle? It's worth it. I've learned that. So has your father. And maybe you have, too."

 

A further explanation of the title. Belle asks Lizzie about the word. Lizzie says more great stuff, but I'm moving on. Read the book! It's good.


Chapter Fifteen: The Rescue

"Bell (sic) studied the bed coverings. They were pretty, with bright designs, and the stitches were as fine as Mama's."

 

Okay, again with the pet peeve. A main character's name is misspelled. How does this happen? I also loved the quilts in this story. They weren't as prominent as in Persian Pickle Club, but the details make me happy!

 

Chapter Nineteen: Hank Comes to Mingo

 "Maybe she could be a cowboy - a cowgirl. Belle laughed to herself. There was no such thing. Girls didn't work cattle."


This whole thought process goes on but raises some great questions about gender roles, skills, etc. I love Belle's observation that Lizzie is "as good a farmer as Papa" and "Mrs. Spenser seemed to know as much about ranching as her husband."


Chapter Nineteen: Hank Comes to Mingo

"'Women out here sure are independent.' He turned to Lizzie. 'I guess we can fix that.' He grinned at Lizzie, and she smiled back."


This made me think, "Oh no! Don't marry him, Lizzie!" I won't put any spoilers here, but I do like this book a lot . . . I'll definitely read more of her books, but I'm playing catch-up right now.



 


Thursday, March 14, 2024

Long Lost

By Jacqueline West

Libby audiobook 6 hours

Read by: Jesse Vilinsky

Published: 2021

Genre: YA mystery, paranormal

 

Most of this story was very interesting, but it's definitely written for an older elementary or middle school student. Fiona is our protagonist. The eleven-year-old is incredibly upset that her family has moved to a new town 100 miles from her friends. Her older sister Arden is a figure skater with Olympics aspirations and so Fiona feels as though she is being punished and her sister is being favored.

 

In parts of the book, Fiona's "poor me" attitude was just too much. At other points, I couldn't believe her parents weren't more tuned in to what she was experiencing. (Missing the long-awaited friend's birthday party, for example. They don't have ANY other options than not letting her go? No friends, co-workers, Ubers?)

 

The Library in the new town becomes her refuge. She finds an odd book in the mystery room of the converted mansion and starts reading. The book tells the story of sisters Hazel (13) and Pearl (11). The Searcher is a legendary child stealer in a black cloak.  


My favorites in this book were: the description of the library, the dog Pixie, and the resolution. I didn't care for the ghost story aspect.

Love Without Limits: Jesus' Radical Vision for Love with No Exceptions

By: Jacqueline A. Bussie

Hennepin County Library hardcover 190 pages plus notes

Published: 2018

Genre: non-fiction Christianity

 

My daughter-in-law's church was doing a book club / study with this title (as I learned on Christmas Eve from reading the bulletin). I was curious and requested it from the library, knowing I wouldn't make it to NE Minneapolis for any of the discussion component. This was not a book that spoke deeply to my soul, but it did make me think. A lot. About faith and theology and God's will. I put many post-it notes in this book!

 

Page 24: "Let's just say that after the loss of my mother in my twenties, I became Smokey, but with a major difference. Nothing I did earned me a 'good kitty!' from the people inside my house. Nobody intended me harm, as far as I can tell. Perhaps they were too busy to answer the door, or perhaps, like me when I was younger, they simply didn't understand that that was what I needed."

 

Her analogy of people praising the cat when it did the right thing, but not her when she needed affirmation . . . made me sad. She tells many personal stories in such a way that both emotion and logic are referenced.


Page 24-25: "Though I still wish things were different, at least I've come to see those early years living with my bio-family as something else: a top-notch training ground for love across difference. A gym for strengthening love's hamstrings to the level where they can leap beyond bloodlines or biology."

 

It's interesting that she has a perspective of learning from challenges and that she expresses it this way.


Page 39: "Of course, we are a broken people who like to jigsaw apart this wholeness. This is why God insists that we share the bread and wine not once but over and over again."

 

The idea that we need to continually return to the Lord; to have communion with Him makes a lot of sense. Some people think that baptism or repentance is a "one and done" situation and they can do whatever they want until they die. That's not what God's Word says.


Page 40: "In order to live into the call to radical agape, Christians today need to reimagine and redefine family."

 

This specific language made me uneasy. It was reminiscent of the "Reimagining" conference in 1993. Radical agape love that Jesus preaches doesn't change based on our modern era.


Page 42: "When your biological family hurts you, remember their hunger. When you're ready, open the door. In a world starved for love, forgiveness is food."

 

I love that last line! Yes! In a world starved for love, forgiveness IS food.


Page 46: "My grandma, whose name was Alice, wanted all of her grandchildren to have names that started with A. That was the actual answer my mother gave. Alliteration. Alice preferred alliteration to acknowledgment. Alice adored awkwardness and alienation in place of accuracy and attentiveness. This appalling answer failed to satisfy even my nine-year-old self."

 

Okay, names are important and I completely understood what the author was saying in this section of the book . . . but oh my word! I love how she used alliteration to get her point across in this paragraph. I was supremely entertained by her word choices! 


Page 47: "I regret that I never did this. My grandma was dead by the time I was sixteen, and in that short amount of time, I never mustered up the adolescent courage for such an adult confrontation."

 

The beauty and frustration of maturing is that you can let go of some past hurts. She can intellectually have a conversation with her dead grandma and communicate how hurtful it was to not be called by her name. But she cannot actually have that conversation when it would have been meaningful. Now she has to let go of the regret and move on.


Page 68: "One night, Jim told me that he believed coincidences are not coincidences at all, but God winking at the world."

 

This made me think of the GodWinks books! Corny books, but there's a lot to be said about God moving and interacting in our lives.


Page 70: "When Americans were asked cold turkey to say what words pop into their head when they hear the word Christian, the top three answers were: (1) judgmental, (2) hypocritical, and (3) antigay."

 

Oh, this makes me sad! I don't know what survey this was or how scientifically valid this is, but it sounds about right. Too many people today see Christians in such a negative light and it's often because of their interactions with "Christians" who are not living as Christ followers. We are to be people of love, truth, and kindness.


Chapter 5 Adoption (Elijah) - This whole chapter. So much to discuss here!


Page 73: "Let's get one thing straight: if our sins make us people who aren't 'real Christians,' then no one in this world is a Christian. 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23)."

 

I completely agree with her here.


Page 75: "How ironic, then, that Christians have for centuries used Romans 1 to condemn only LGBTQ people to hell and never envious people, braggarts, gossips, or rebellious teens. Maybe it's because gay people are an easy target, a cheap shot. Most Christians are straight, but all Christians envy, brag, gossip, and rebel."

 

This is also something I've struggled with. Sin is sin. Greed, gossip, etc. are sin. Why don't we rail against those sins the way many Christians are actively concerned about homosexuality? I honestly don't understand this.


Page 77: "I don't deny it. I don't take all of the Bible literally, nor do I follow all of its 600+ commandments. I am a self-confessed selective literalist. There's no pride in this statement, just honesty."

 

This again concerns me. I know that many people "cherry pick" their favorite Scriptures, but it feels as though she's actively selecting what to believe and then twisting some of that. I do not literally follow all of the "commandments" in the Old Testament. I don't cover my hair in church. I do speak out in church. But I feel as though she is pushing her perceptions onto God's Word. I'm not wise enough to give a strong rebuttal, but I'd love to discuss this with another Christian.


Chapter 6 Stop the Single Story (Khadijah, Rasheed, and Jamila) - Another great chapter (and the other one that her initial publisher rejected. Note to self: watch the TED talk "The Danger of the Single Story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.


Page 95: "Can those who claim to be followers of Jesus seriously prefer that folks of other religions have no relationship with him, unless it is on our terms? I can't in good conscience prefer this. I want everyone to know Jesus because he is wondrous and his love takes my breath away."

 

It was interesting to read her perspective on friendships with people of other faiths.


Page 105: "But on the third morning, as I lay awake at 5:00 a.m. listening to the adhan, my spirit awakened to a humbling realization. My Muslim brothers and sisters prioritized remembering God over everything, even sleep. Would I be willing to do the same? Suddenly, I felt not irritation but admiration. I structure my prayers around my life, while my Muslim friends do the exact opposite. They structure their entire lives around prayer."

 

How striking to realized that as an American Christian, I am like her - tired and crabby in the morning and praying when it works for me rather than prioritizing it for God.


Page 112: "'Comparison is the thief of joy,' she'd said, quoting Teddy Roosevelt."

 

I love Teddy Roosevelt and I love this quote! Comparing yourself against others is generally unproductive and discouraging.


Page 116: "All I can conclude for now is that nothing as petty and silly as the weather should hold us back from going where we are needed most. When God calls us, we need to go. I mean, imagine if when God invited Abraham and Sarah to the promised land, they'd RSVP'ed, 'Nahhh, God, we're not really into the whole desert thing. . . . '"

 

My favorite line is "when God calls, we need to go." Yes and amen!


Page 122: "The truth is: a positive attitude may annoy and cloy, but it also rubs off. Positivity is like patchouli. It clings to your clothes all day long, whether you want it to or not. You - and everyone around you - can't help but breathe it in."

 

Again, I really like her language choices here and the analogy of patchouli to positivity. Though to be honest, I really dislike the smell of patchouli! I've been thinking about the phrase "toxic positivity" lately. I don't want my positive attitude to be off-putting to people. I want to be prayerfully sensitive to where others are at emotionally and mentally (and spiritually!).


Page 125: "Take, for example, these essential paradoxes, without which our faith freezes. We are all saints and sinners, simultaneously (Martin Luther). We are God's enemies, as well as God's BFFs (Romans 5:10). Jesus is both human and divine. The kingdom of God is both already and not yet. The world is both wrecked and redeemed. People are both beautiful and broken, cruel and compassionate. Life is both hellish and hopeful, sublime and shitty. Our souls are filled with angels and angst, wonder and worry. God loves both the poor and the rich, the Christian and the Muslim, the Democrat and the Republican, the gay and the straight, the member of the NRA and the member of Greenpeace."

 

Some people reject Christianity because of these paradoxes. I love that she embraces them. I think sometimes we need this reminder.


Chapter 7 Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth? (Fargo)

Fargo Lessons

1 - Comparison is the root of unhappiness. Love yourself enough to stop already.

2 - Home is where love (not the weather) keeps you warm.

3 - Something good can come out of Nazareth.

4 - Survivors love the small things.

5 - Life is Both / And, Not Either / Or

 

She shares some really heartfelt stories about her journey of faith.


Page 144: "20 Things I've Learned About Self-Love" "Self-love is a reflection of your face in the ocean of God's love for you. . . . "

 

I want to get this blog entry done, but her entire chapter on self-love seems to be intended to counterbalance the idea that selflessness (my word for this year) can be destructive to people who already think little of themselves. I understand what she's saying, but I love the lesson I learned elsewhere. "Humility isn't thinking less of yourself; it's thinking of yourself less." People who don't know the immense love that God has for them NEED to learn that before they can truly die to self and live for Christ.


Page 157: "Church should be less like a palace and more like a dog park: a place where the truth bounds wildly about, off the leash at last."

 

This made me smile! I love dog parks!


Page 159: "Does Jesus misjudge the woman? Does Jesus change his mind? It sure seems like it. In this story, I believe Jesus models for us the moral courage it takes to admit when we've been suckered into buying a stereotype."


Matthew 15:24-28

This is one of those places where I think she's on dangerous ground. It sounds as though she's coming up with a completely different interpretation of this passage; one where Jesus messed up and admits his mistake. I couldn't possibly disagree more. She's putting her own twist on Jesus' words and intentions.


Page 163: "Blue Christmas - yes, it's actually a thing! - is a special service at Christmastime for those who are mourning the loss of a loved one. It acknowledges the sadness, fear, and longing that surrounds the holiday for many people."

 

I love when I learn something new. I'd never heard of this before.


Page 177: "That memory whispers in my ear: Sometimes Love picks the lock to your heart and takes over the space Fear used to rent. Please, please, please don't evict her."

 

Once again, I love her language choices! Don't evict love from your heart.


Page 177: "Only Jesus is a savior; we are merely wannabe Samaritans. As Shane Claiborne once said while speaking on my campus, 'I'm not Jesus; I'm just he ass he rode in on.'" 


This caught my attention. I'm most definitely NOT Jesus. But I do want to emulate Him and live to glorify Him.


Page 182: "One day during my prayers, a revelation struck me: the reason God made love a commandment and not a fun intramural option like flag football was because of the Darren Rodeos in our lives. If love for people-who-make-our-lives-less-than-wonderful was a choice, well, God knew, no one would ever sign up. Love's not extracurricular; it's the curriculum."

 

Darren Rodeo is a student who vexed her. I also love the idea that love is THE curriculum for life.


Page 183: "I don't know if prayers change the world, but I do know they change the person who says them. I know, because that day in the hallway, my heart nearly broke out of love for Darren Rodeo."

 

Yes! Prayer changes your own heart AND God loves when we pour out our praise, thanksgiving, petitions, etc. to Him! I love learning how prayer has changed situations and people's lives! 


I'm glad I read this book even though I didn't love it. I like to push myself in thought and prayer. Ultimately, The Bible is the place to go for answers. I'm glad that God provided us with directions for life!



Tuesday, March 05, 2024

Premeditated Myrtle

by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Libby audiobook 8 hours

Read by Bethan Rose Young

Published: 2020

Genre: YA historical mystery

 

There was a lot to like about this book! Interesting characters, lots of clues, intelligent vocabulary, . . . but main character Myrtle irritated me. It wasn't the vocal work, which was great! It was the clueless lack of awareness of other people (age-appropriate, but still irritating).

 

My quickly jotted notes in the car include "Myrtle - clueless, irritating, precocious . . . NO BOUNDARIES!"

 

The footnotes throughout the story were fine. I thought this would be an excellent book for advanced readers who are ready for a more intellectual challenge without the more mature content that often comes in middle school books.

 

The "Morbid Myrtle" nickname and the "mean girls" phenomenon were applicable to today's social dynamics. Set in the 1890s, I like Miss Judson's observation that "there are Aunt Helenas and LaRue (last name) everywhere." Yes, there are mean people everywhere and in every time.

 

I liked Miss Judson quite a bit. She's so much more than a governess! I like her sketchbooks, her calm, her curiosity, and her Socratic questions. The book definitely should have had more happen between her and Mr. Hardcastle (Myrtle's father).

 

The actual mystery of how their neighbor Mrs. Wodehouse died is at the heart of the story. I guessed the real culprit early on but enjoyed the development of the story. It just bothered me how often Myrtle was impulsive or rude. It was cool that she was observant, curious, and wanting to be an investigator rather than just a silly Victorian girl. It took me a few chapters to realize that the quotes at the start of each chapter were from her! "The Principles of Detection by H.M. Hardcastle" - SHE was Helen Myrtle (named after the awful aunt Helena) Hardcastle and she aspired to be a Sherlock Holmes.

 

I enjoyed it but don't plan to read others in the series. Myrtle is just not my kind of detective, though she is clever and the clues in this book were delightful. I think the law clerk was my favorite character after Miss Judson. And Cook.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Logan's Run

by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson

Hennepin County Library hardcover 148 pages

Published: 1967

Genre: Science Fiction


I had a vague notion of what this story was about since the movie premiered in 1976 and I remember seeing trailers for it. (I didn't go see it - I was only ten years old!) But my curiosity about it was piqued recently and I don't remember why, but I requested it from the library and read it.


I was not impressed. Some SciFi / dystopian fiction has a point to make and / or raises some deep questions. I remember the impending overpopulation crisis in my childhood, but this book just seemed like cheap thrills - sex and violence. Maybe I'm missing the point, but I watched a few YouTube clips last night and I definitely don't want to watch the movie. It looks worse than the book and most of the actors were over the age of 30!


In the book, you get a crystal implanted in your palm at birth. As it decays, it changes color. When you turn 21, it goes black and you need to "Sleep" (i.e. be put to death). If someone tries to avoid the mandated end of their life, they are called a "runner" and the DS tracks them and kills them. In the movie, the age limit is thirty, which is why I found it interesting that most of the principle actors (and mostly the men at that) were over that age.


The book caught my attention on page 70 with this description of Crazy Horse:


"And, with infinite slowness, the mammoth figure took its place against the Dakota sky: Tashunca-uitco. Crazy Horse. The ruthless Indian genius who directed the annihilation of Custer's Seventh on the Little Big Horn."


If I weren't so underwhelmed by this book, I'd include a picture of the entire page. I like the description of how Crazy Horse became a monument . . . started in 1948, it's still not done. The description of him as a "ruthless" genius who "directed the annihilation" of Custer is a far cry from Custer's Last Stand and what I've learned of Crazy Horse. Words have power . . .

 

This book was written in 1967 projecting the year 2116. From Wikipedia: "In the world of 2116, a person's maximum age is strictly legislated: 21 years, to the day. When people reach this Lastday they report to a Sleepshop in which they are willingly executed via a pleasure-inducing toxic gas."

 

The focus on pleasure and getting whatever you want until the end of your life at 21 just feels so incredibly empty and sad. My 2024 adult self kept saying, "the human brain isn't even fully developed until the mid-20s!" I also think it's interesting that the focus was pretty much just on America. Other cultures revere their elderly. You'd have a tough time trying to mandate killing everyone over the age of 21 across the entire globe.

 

I marked one other spot in the book. On pages 120-1, the authors write about the thirty-ninth amendment to the Constitution (Compulsory Birth Control Act). They also reference the year 2000 "as world population spiraled toward six billion" and "the Little War" which brought about this 21-year-old age restriction. SciFi is predicated upon what the author(s) think the future might bring. I understand that. But these specific pieces of info made me curious.

 

It's currently 2024. The Constitution has 27 amendments with the last being added in 1989. World population in 2000 was estimated at 6.1 billion (surpassing the authors' prediction a bit) and is currently estimated to be over eight billion.  


All in all, I just didn't like this book but now my curiosity is appeased!