The Sleeping

Caroline Maun

ISBN 0-9712676-2-6e

Merrick Press 2006

 

 

 

Maun, as a poet writes reasonably accessible poetry as presented in this collection.  By accessible, I mean that most people could read it, and understand what she is trying to communicate.  Since she is trying to communicate about her perceptions about various activities, it helps that her readers, whether casual poetry readers or devote's get her message.

 

I must say up front, that I don't believe I am her target audience.   The poems Maun has made for this collection are quite obviously feminine, both in tone and point of view.  She writes of going to the OBG-YN, and how her body is treated in that situation, also how her body is treated by a lover, she is treated by a distant father, and more.

 

This is not poetry that will sing to your soul, sweep you away on tides of emotion.  However, it doesn't strike me as that was Maun's intent.  It strikes me as poetry designed to speak quietly, or whisper, to make you ponder and think about the ideas and scenes Maun is writing about here.  Her voice in this collection is deceiving.  By that, I mean it appears simple, yet there is a level of poetic brilliance here that adds to the illusion.  For example, from the poem 'Affirmations' Maun writes
 

 

I have postcards with a few lines,

that tell me, even when you are far away

you bring me along.

 

These few lines communicate so much, the missing persons actions, and what it means to the poet.  Each word significant, each word needed, but nothing superfluous.  There is a concise precision to  her poetry.   Stripped of emotional hyper-activity, the emotions actually flow better, are more raw and more real.  Stripping away the gloss, to allow the shine to come through in a more natural fashion.

 

Or so it seems to me.  Not being an expert on poetry, these are simply my observations on Caroline Maun's fine collection of poems.  I would recommend this book to anyone, intended audience or not.  It is poetry of our time, for our time, which makes it vital and alive.

 

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for purposes of this review.

Romans and Mormons and Mystery, Oh My!

The idea behind Lammers second Novella is that Joe Smith, considered the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was following the trail of Roman Soldiers from the time of the Roman Empire who has left written records of their sojourn in North America. It was from this written record that Smith created what became the Book of Mormon.   Mayhem ensues...

Lammers excels in creating memorable and believable characters. Their actions are logical, fit with the personalities and make the characters seem like real people. He writes convincing dialogue and situations. The plot was tight, and had a solid beginning, middle and end. Lammers knows how to tell a story.

My only two complaints with the Novella are distribution (he self publishes this himself, at the local copy center and sells them directly through the mail, or through a couple of book stores) and a couple of in jokes really took me out of the story. Another well done story, well worth tracking down.

You can order a copy from the Missouri Botanical Garden gift shop

http://www.mbgpress.info/index.php?task=id&id=90901

INRI
Raul Zurita
Translated by William Rowe
Marick Press 2009
ISBN 978-1-934851-04-3

I would never had picked this book.  Had I seen this book on the shelf, I would have put it back after reading the blurb on the back.  Shows what I know.

The theme of this book is The Disappeared from the days of the regime of Pinochet in Chile from 1973-1990.  He was moved to write this, to try to express that which did not exist until it was announced in 2001 by the President of Chile, Sr. Ricardo Lagos.  There was one detail that really stuck out.  Before the Disappeared were killed, they had their eyes gouged out with hooks.  In the text, nobody hears and this is why.  The victims were blinded, killed, then thrown out of airplanes in the Pacific Ocean, lakes, the Andes and into volcanoes.  They were disappeared.

Zurita described the feeling of hearing what had been suspected all along as a noise, a screech that had no name.  That the solemness of the announcement put up against such brutality brought forth a shame, that it had no name.   Thus, the screech.....

The book is divided into three sections.  The poems are long, broken down into smaller pieces on the page and filled with rich, descriptive language about the broken bodies, the lands and seas that took them when they fell.

The first lines hit me like a right cross;

Think on those first three words for a moment.  "Strange baits rain"  These are not supposed to be where they are.  Something is horribly wrong.  And so he writes.  Coming back the this throughout the first poem (The Sea), white daisies, an injured rabbit with blood on its fang, and more in the second (Bruno Bends, Falls), pink snow in the next, (The Snow) and the hull of a ship where no ship should be in the final poem of Section One (The Desert).  He weaves images together, slowly building throughout each poem, each section, each line towards the last two sections.  He brings it all together but it is still a sorrowful tale.

The writing flows, doubles back on itself through wonderful use of repetition.  He literally paints what hasn't been seen for those who can't see.  Only through hearing can you see what he is trying to show you.  It makes for involved, deep reading.  Not something to toss in your bag for a day at the beach.

This is harrowing, wonderful, flowing, lovely, tear inducing, and spiritual all at the same time.  I never would have chosen this book.  I shall never forget this book and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  This is a work of true art.

=======

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for this review

I love me a good pot-boiler of a book.  Pot-boiler = Page Turner.  Oftimes, when I read it is solely to be entertained.  To go where the writer will take me.  And Gardner took me on a great trip this time.

This is the first book in the Doug Selby, District Attorney series.  First published in 1937, I was amazed at how much of the situations ring so true today.  For example, the book starts with Our Hero, Doug Selby winning a closely contested and divisive election for the job of District Attorney in a small town north of Los Angeles.  The Sheriff was also elected in that same election.  Instead of competing TV networks with their muck rakers like today, there were competing newspapers, The Clarion and The Blade.  They sling mud in print and make life interesting/difficult for the D.A.

The story starts with a dead body being discovered in the local hotel.  From all appearances, his name is Charles Brower.  However when Mrs. Brower shows up she says Brower isn't Brower.  And he wasn't.  That was just the beginning of a bizarre trail that involved a Hollywood Starlet, a lawsuit, a camera and a poisoned dog.  Oh, and Doug's "friend" Sylvia Martin.  Who just happens to work at the Clarion. 

Gardner's other series, Perry Mason, had already developed a successful and winning formula by 1937.  The Selby book didn't adhere to that formula so for me it was fresh and new.  More like a traditional whodunit, with very little legal angles thrown in.  Straight detective work with politics taking more of a center stage than any courtroom antics.

I recommend this book for lovers of a good mystery.  It's hardly dated, it was a good, solid page turnin' pot boiler of a novel. You really shouldn't have a lot of trouble finding a good readable copy on Amazon or eBay.  Gardner sold so many books between the 30's and 80's that they are still very common...

Augustus Green in the Lair of the Pye-a-Saw
by Thomas G. Lammers

There are self published books galore on Lulu.com, CreateSpace and elsewhere.  Then, there are self-published chap books such as Thomas Lammers debut foray into the realm of Tale-Telling.  This is a stellar example of the DYI ethic in action.  Self-printed, bound and stapled and available via mail order only.  

Tom Lammers is a botanist and that informs this particular tale of derring-do.  In Augustus Green, Lammers tells the story of Augustus Green, out collecting samples in the Louisiana Territory shortly before it is purchased by the United States.  He finds samples and an adventure that borders on the fantastic.

The story is set up with a nifty, if oft-used, framing sequence.  A present day Academic finds the heretofore unknown journal of Green, and gets caught up in reading it.  We do as well as the journal entries become the narrative vehicle for the framed part of the story.  What makes this work so well is Lammers journal entries.  They show the voice of somebody who was there, who was what he claimed to be.  Small sidesteps into botany flavor the journal with more than a little degree of authenticity.

Lammers Academic credentials inform the story, but don't get in the way.  This is no dusty, dry, boring tale written by a PhD with some time on his hands.  This was well thought, well plotted and well executed.  Dialogue was crisp, and believable.  Overall, this is a well written novelette.  And according to Lammers, "everything is true, except what I made up."

Sadly, this book is not available at fine book stores, nor even seedy book stores.  The only way to obtain a copy is to contact Tom directly.
tlammers@new.rr.com  Cost if $5 postpaid.  And worth every nickel.

Tell 'em Mark sent you.

Cover by Jeff Suntala

clipped from www.time.com That Hagen Girl (Warner) begins as a sociological case history and ends as a soap opera. The case: a wealthy smalltown family smuggles daughter home from somewhere on a night train. The doctor comes and the windows to daughter's room are barred. The town correctly guesses that she is insane. The same train has also brought a middle-aged townswoman and a baby. A few idle words of gossip connect the two events; a little more gossip surmises the parentage of the baby. Suspicion is documented when the middle-aged woman begins to receive a regular "insurance" check, and a young man (Ronald Reagan) who was in love with the sick girl leaves town. When the baby grows up to be Shirley Temple, she finds out why people have always referred to her as "that Hagen girl" and why parents and teachers deal her out of the lead in the high-school play.

There's more and you can read the rest of the review here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,793937,00.html 

It's interesting to read reviews of older movies from publications of the time.  To get a "current" look of the film even though it is over 60 years later.

I just saw this movie last week, thanks to TCM and the trusty DVR.  While it would never rate as a favorite or as a classic, I didn't feel like I had lost 90 minutes of my life.  In some respects, seeing Temple act opposite Reagen, knowing that her career was starting to spiral downward because people couldn't accept her a growing up, and that Reagen would someday be President is interesting.  But, the story swept me up.  I actually found myself getting involved in the story and while I tried to figure things out, didn't catch the ending coming.  It was a trifle unsatisfying and did strike me was the easy way out.  But, that was Hollywood in 1947.

Reagen always felt this was one of the least liked roles of his career, and it got listed in a 1978 book of the 50 worst films of all time.  Hardly that, but like I said, hardly a classic...

Peter Loon, A Novel
Van Reid
ISBN: 0142003115


Up front, I must state that it is difficult for me to be totally objective about Van's books.  He is a friend of mine, and I tend to gush.  Just thought I would get that out there before I commenced.

Peter Loon is the main character, and the story is told from his point of view.  It essentially is a coming of age tale set 18 years after the Revolutionary War in the Maine Territory.  It was still part of Massachusetts at the time.  He is sent off by his mother to find an Uncle he didn't know he had, who wasn't really and uncle.  In many ways, the search for "Uncle" Obed was a MacGuffin.  A device to get Peter out of his home territory and out in the larger world around him.  As such, it wasn't a bad device.

In reality, Peter's adventure takes place over a few days.  Yet, so much happens in those few days.  At times, he appears clueless.  While true, it isn't accurate.  He's not an idiot, by any stretch.  He just doesn't know about some things.  And Reid does a nice job of showing his wonder, yet not making him out to be a bumpkin.  He learns from what he sees, who he meets and uses his own judgment as he sees himself being buffeted about.

He meets several girls along the way, meets up with a good-hearted Parson who looks after him and gets involved in jailbreak that isn't quite what it seems at the moment.  He comes off looking like a hero to others, yet doesn't see it in himself. 

Peter grows up some during the story. His view of the world around him changes and he sees more possibilities and more in people.  And in himself as well.  In this, the coming of age part of the novel works very well.

However, I was left wondering what happens next.  The close of the book was satisfying, yet more than hinted that more was planned.  That we were supposed to know more of what happens to Peter Loon and the people he has met in his life.  It was almost, but not quite, a cliffhanger ending.

I grew to like Peter Loon.  I also liked Parson Leach quite a bit.  The characters you were supposed to like, you did.  The ones you weren't supposed to like, you didn't.  Reid was effective in showing and not telling about these people.  They were real people, solid characters and people for the most part you'd enjoy meeting.

I recommend this book.  Affordable copies can be found on Alibris.com and outrageously overpriced copies can be found on Amazon.com.  If this book pleases you, the entire Moosepath League series is equally as wonderful and also recommended.

His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis


We see him almost everyday.  He's on the quarter, the dollar bill, Mount Rushmore and has the most famous phallic monument named after him.  Somewhat appropriate the he was called the Father of Our Country with that in mind, don't you think?

But what do you really know about Washington, beyond the Parson Weems legend about the cherry tree.  We all know that it's a legend and not true.  We know he had wooden teeth.  Or did he?  What do any of us know about our First President?

This is the angle that Ellis brings to the table with this well written and researched biography.  It's written in the more popular history/biography style that holds your interest.  It gives enough facts that you get a real sense of the man and his times, but not so much that you fall asleep or skip pages.  Or worse yet, put the book away before you've finished it.

Ellis' writing style is simple, almost lyrical in places.  He has some notes at the back, but he keeps his audience in mind and keeps them to a minimum.  This is an  outstanding biography, and a great place to start to get to know the enigma that is George Washington.  Washington, like all of us, was a complex man.  He had his faults and foibles like all of us do.  Ellis draws that out, puts some things in context and lets the reader make his own conclusions about others.  He doesn't pass judgment.  This book is highly recommended.

The Annotated Christmas Carol: A Christmas Carol in Prose by Charles Dickens (Michael Patrick Hearn, annotations, introduction)

I would be willing to be that while you know the story of The Christmas Carol from watching any number of film adaptations, that most haven't ever read the story that Dickens wrote in 1843.  I am an unrepentent fan of Dickens.  I've read several of his novels and enjoy them.  I do tend to get a bit confused at times during the novels as some of the references are quite dated.  This makes sense as these were mostly written during the Victorian Era (19th Century) and that was a heckuva long time ago.

That said, The Annotated Christmas Carol: A Christmas Carol in Prose is well worth reading.  Hearn republishes his book from 1976 with more research materials available to him which brings so much more to the reader's enjoyment.  Little entries about outdated words or word uses, common slang of the time is explained, and notes about possible locations used and sources for the scenes themselves as well as Dickens motivation behind them.

I found that even knowing the story so well, that I took great pleasure in reading Dickens words, his pacing, his sense of the time and of Scrooge.  There are bits of Scrooge in all of the film adaptations, yet none capture him completely as Dickens wrote him.  That's not a criticism, just an observation as film adaptations always differ in small ways from books.  Different medium and all.

Even if you know the story forwards and backwards, it would behoove you to read Dickens tale as he originally invisioned it.  Also included in the book is the Public Reading Copy Dickens employed in the last years of his life.  That hasn't been available for over a century.  Well worth the perusing in and of itself.

Van Reid, hands down.  His Moosepath League books are an absolute blast to read, and so flowing with brilliant prose that hearing him, with his Maine accent, read them aloud would be stupendous.

Sadly, his publisher has a severe case of HeadUpAssItis, and doesn't know how to publicize a book that got RAVES from the New York Times Book Review (a Notable Book, for the love of Mike!) because his books don't neatly fall into a particular genre.  They're just good.  Moron Book Publishers....the upside is that the books are cheap from places like Amazon.com and Alibris.com

Not that I'm bitter or anything...oh no!  (My copies are all autographed!)

Reid's writing is somewhat reminiscent of Dickens, but it's far more accessible.  There's whimsy, adventure, romance, farce, and memorable characters galore with such great names as twin Varius &  Sundry Moss, and the beautiful ascenionist, Mrs. Roberto.  I cannot recommend these books highly enough.  Read the first chapter of Cordelia Underwood for yourself, and you'll see what all the fuss is about.  Here's the link to the NY Times review of that same book

So delve into the world of Maine, in the 1890's that Reid has so brilliantly created and lovingly written about.  And when you do?  Tell 'im Mark sent you.

------

A couple of other author's I'd love to hear read their work out loud would be Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  His creation, Sherlock Holmes became the bane of his existence at one point, so it would be grand to hear him read aloud something he didn't particularly like.  I'd also be interested in hearing Erle Stanley Gardner read one of his Perry Mason books aloud.  And hearing Truman Capote read anything would be amusing.

Certainly for more sexually explicit than one would imagine a book set in that time period, it is a cracking good story with many real people and events thrown in for good measure.
Palmer does tend to liberally use sensationalism for its own sake, and not to move the story along. My guess is that he wanted to illustrate that sexual depravity wasn't anything new. That even supposed upper class people were just as apt to be involved in perversion as anyone else.
Palmer's characters, as depicted in the book, were interesting and the use of the First Person narrative makes it seem like we are actually witnessing the same events as Wilkie, the teller of the tale.
Worth a read, whether you are a fan of Dickens or not.

The 1970's saw a flood, nay more like a tsunami of Live records after the left field success of Peter Frampton's "Frampton Comes Alive."  Record companies fell all over themselves to get a live record out there by almost every artist on their rosters.

Most were unfortunate in that they sounded like the slap dash efforts they were.  Too often, the recordings were a mess and had to be 'sweetened' in the studio later.  In other words, they would use part of the live recording, and re-record other parts.  Making them less live in actuality.

The Michael Stanley Band was one of the hardest working bands in the midwest during this time period.  Rabid fans in their native Cleveland, Oh and environs helped them land a recording contract, and Epic/Columbia had them rush a live album out in response to the above mentioned album.  As MSB were in the midst of recording their next studio album, some five tracks made their debut on Stage Pass, a double live LP release that nicely fits onto a single CD.

The gentle ballad "Rosewood Bitters" sounds quite nice in a live setting.  The lead off track, "Midwest Midnight" is a angry attack on the music industry, and the first stanza is about Spanking the Monkey under the covers.  Took me a long time to really figure that out...and the rockin' 'Strike Up the Band' closes out the album.

This release shows what a tight, solid band MSB was at that time.  It shows why their stage show was justifiably popular and worth seeing.  MSB is one of those groups that commonly gets labled, "Should've made it bigger" and in this instance, I think it's a worthwhile lable.  Also, it's a worthwhile album to get.  Lots of fun, and some great playing by a great band.

In looking at the Top 20 on my Last.fm charts, I realize that I am no longer hip and musically happenin'.  Fact of life.  I'm outside the "Cool" 18-34 demographic and have been for nigh on a decade.  Fact of life.  Of the 20 artists in my personal Top 20, only 2 (Nicole Atkins & The Sounds) have started their careers in the last 10 years.  Fact of life.

I stumbled across Georgie James whilst blog surfing a while ago.  I listened to the album and liked it, but didn't visit it again for a while.  When I did, I was totally blown away (Totally, dude...gotta keep it Olde Skool).  These two from Washington, D.C. had something special going on this, their debut album.

Georgie James consists of John Davis & Laura Burhenn.  Davis was the drummer of Q and Not U and Burhenn had released several solo recordings before forming Georgie James.  They went with their mutual strengths and love of similar 60's and 70's era pop and rock.  That's the sonic pallete they mine and use to good effect, while taking on current thoughts and concerns in their lyrics.  The harmonies are sharp and tight, and the trading off of lead vocals between Davis and Burhenn works quite well and is effective.


Stand out tracks include the first single "Need Your Needs" (download from Saddle Creek web site) which chugs along in a marvelous power pop vien, and "Cake Parade"(download from Saddle Creek web site) is another stellar song on this, their only album.  I say that because I read on their web site earlier this week that this will be the only Georgie James release as they've called it a day and disbanded.  A shame, that.  This was a group that could have grown and created wonderful music for many years.  The evidence is on "Places"

Georgie James - Places
Saddle Creek LBJ-110
Order album from Saddle Creek web site

First off, this album should get serious demerits for the goofy album cover and album name.  I mean, who can take anyone seriously who names and album Shabooh Shoobah?  And what is that on the cover? 
 
Once you listen to the first strains of "The One Thing" you're thinking, "who care?"  You're wanting to hit the dance floor, boogie in your seat or dance in your bedroom.  The sinuous bass, drum beat, keyboards and the pouty singing of the late Michael Hutchence grab ahold and don't want to let go.  It segue's into "To Look At You" and you're off into early 80's dance/pop heaven. 

Other gems include the pretty "Jan's Song", the funky "Spy of Love" and the anthematic closer "Don't Change."  This last song is one of the best closing songs on an album ever, in my humble opinion. 

I first was exposed to INXS during the fledgling days of MTV, back when MTV mattered and played music video's.   I had this on cassette and listening to it now is like hearing from an old friend, whilst bringing back memories of driving through the country with this blasting out of an overtaxed cassette deck.  I never warmed up to later INXS efforts as much as I did this one.  It has remained an old and treasured friend.

  Ranger Jim Blawcyzk returns in this, Griffin's 7th novel.  Griffin has grown rapidly as a writer, proving that you get better by doing and not wishing. 

The basic plot has renegades ambushing Blawcyzk when he at home, attacking his wife and son and leaving them all for dead, while rustling off their stock in the process.  This puts Ranger Blawcyzk in a killing rage, as he disobeys orders to track down the ranny's who attacked his family.

There was a higher level of violence in this particular book, and quite a few lead belly aches administered by either Blawcyzk or his associates.  The anger and barely controlled rage disappates through the book, but not in a fashion I can truly believe in.  Rather than that expected mental tussle with his faith in God, or with his calling as a lawman, Blawcyzk just sort of winds down and wants to bring them in, rather than gun them down.  No real reason beyond physical fatigue is given.  For me, that was a bit of a letdown, as the chance to witness a serious mental struggle was lost. 

Blawcyzk is an atypical series character in the Western Genre and Griffin has done a wonderful job in fleshing out the character over the course of 6 books (one was about another character).  He has given us insights into what makes Blawcyzk tick and the kind of man he really is.  That's why the lack of serious attention to the struggle internally is bothersome to me. 

Still, for all that, Griffin writes a good adventure yarn, with plenty of page turning action.  If you like lots of riding and shooting in your westerns (which I do) then you'll enjoy this book.  Available from the Silverjack Publishing web site or from Jim's own web site (tell 'im Mark sent ya...)  The autographed copies don't cost anymore than the regular copies...so what are you waiting for?!?

Of course, the younger generation has no frakkin' clue what I'm talking about...lol!

Those crazy folks at the Allmusic Blog released their "Q1 Report: We Pick the Best of 2008 So Far" a few day ago.  Last week, in fact.  That's how on top of things I am...*sigh*

I'm feeling so 2008 because of the scads of stuff on the list, not only have I heard of at least 33.3% of it, but I actually BOUGHT 4 releases from this list as well!  4!    Now, I suppose you want to know which four, right?  Ok....(damn, I'm easy...)

1. Sheryl Crow - Detours
2. Liam Finn - I’ll Be Lightning
3. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
4. The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust (US Bonus Tracks)

Hell of a mix of stuff, right?  That's what I'm thinking as I look at it.  Still, the one common link is melody.  Even with the dissonance in The Raveonettes music, there is a strong underpinning of melody and pop sensibilities.  Great stuff, to be honest.  The Goldfrapp release is unlike anything else they have released before, but it is assured and confident.  Liam Finn shows that while the apple doesn't fall from from the tree (He is Neil Finn's son, after all) he is his own man.  Think The Beatles sifted through Elliott Smith and you get the idea.  Toss in the pop sensibilities of his Dad and you've got a great record and a great career in the offing.  And Sheryl Crow is Sheryl Crow.  At least on this album, she pulls in her ambitions and focuses on what she does best and that's crafting solid pop/rock songs.  There is a bit of a political bite in some songs, but that's fine.  It's not the whole albums worth.  Easily her best album in several years.