PAGAN BABIES by Elmore Leonard

Finished Tu 4/23/19
This is one of the paperbacks that I bought at the library book sale on Sa 4/13/19

My interpretation of the very twisty plot:

An American priest is present during the genocide in Rwanda during the 1990's. The church was packed with people believing that they would get sanctuary. Hutu rebels entered the church and 46 people were murdered- small weapons fire and machetes.

Hutus were the perpetrators and the Tutsis were the victims.

Hutus are the taller race and Tutsis were shorter.
Hutus would often chop the feet off of Tutsis before murdering them.

Father Terry Dunn is really not a priest. His mother always wanted him to join the priesthood, and he left Detroit saying that he was going to California to study, but he really hooked up with a girlfriend.

Terry's uncle was a priest and he always respected this man. When he went to Rwanda to visit the man, the uncle needed a priest as a replacement and he rammed it through.

Terry would always give ten hail marys for any offense. Before leaving the country he executed four members of the Hutu rebels who were responsible for the killings in his church. They told him what they had done and they would be coming back to finish the job- kill all Tutsis!

Terry returns to Detroit and stays with his married brother, Francis, and his family.

Fran believes that Terry is really a priest. Terry tells everyone that he is starting a charity for the Rwandan orphans- 'pagan babies'.

Terry meets a woman, Debbie, who did legal work for Fran.
Debbie went to prison for running down her boyfriend, Randy, with her Ford Escort.

Randy is a hustler and owns a restaurant that he got by swindling Debbie for $67,000.

Randy is getting shaken down by a mob boss, Victor.

Terry and Debbie take Randy and the mob for thousands of dollars.

Debbie tries to double cross Terry, but Terry wins and takes all the money.

He returns to Rwanda and uses the money to help the Rwandan children.

The novel begins in Rwanda. The protagonist is a priest named Terry Dunn. It is a few years after the genocide of the Tutsis by the Hutus.

Father Terry lives in Rwanda with his girlfriend Chantelle. He doesn't have qualms about substituting punishment for penance. If that means killing four Hutu murderers who slaughtered his Tutsi congregation, so be it. After being an instrument of divine wrath, Dunn breaks camp and heads for Detroit. He wants to raise money for 'Pagan Babies' — the children orphaned during the genocide.

Dunn's brother Fran specializes in lawsuits for personal injuries. He is helping Debbie, a woman who spent three years in jail for deliberately hitting her ex-husband Randy with a Ford Escort. Debbie is trying to have a career as a comedian. In the meantime we learn more about Terry's past and his problems with the IRS, which was the reason for his fleeing to Rwanda to help his uncle.

Debbie's ex-husband Randy now owns a restaurant and is involved with some of the same gangsters that Terry once knew. Debbie and Terry begin a relationship. Randy stole sixty-seven thousand dollars from Debbie and now it's only a matter of time before Debbie's desire for cold, hard cash and Terry's fundraising for Rwandan orphans join forces in a carefully plotted financial assault on Randy. They want to receive a donation of 250,000 dollars from Tony Amilia, the local wiseguy, for the 'Pagan Babies'. In Randy's restaurant all of the local wise guys, hit men, and scam artists twist and twirl around each other for the money and for their lives.

HIT MAN by Lawrence Block

Finished Sa 4/20/19

This was one of the paperbacks that I picked up at the 'Romance/ Mystery/ Thriller' Sale at the library on Sa 4/13/19.

John Paul Keller (Just Plain Keller)

The is an anthology, but really can be read as a novel. The chapters can be read as short stories, or a novel because the chapters refer to each other.

From Google Books page:

"But he is a complex person: understandably guarded and reclusive, icy and ruthlessly efficient, he is also prone to loneliness, self-doubt, and career worries. Indeed, he is going through a full-fledged mid-life crisis. Keller may be a crack assassin, but he is also an all-too-human being.

As Keller goes about his rounds, fulfilling his contracts, he learns a few crucial truths about himself and the ways of the normal world and winds up a wiser (if not a better) man".

Keller is a hit man who lives in lower Manhattan.

Many times when he visits a new town for a 'kill', he falls in love with the area and dreams of moving there. He even visits local realtors to check out the area.

He gets his 'contracts' from an unnamed man in White Plains, NY.

Keller deals with Dot, the old man's secretary.

Keller's life changes when he gets a dog, Nelson.

Nelson is an Australian Cattle Dog

When he gets the dog he takes a girlfriend, Andria. She watches Nelson while Keller is 'on the road'. She eventually leaves Keller and takes the dog as well.

Keller goes into therapy, Dr. Breen, and the therapist uses him to kill for him. Keller kills the therapist

SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward

The April, 2019 for the Contemporary Book Club

Finished Sa 4/20/19

This is the author's third novel; 2n was 'SALVAGE THE BONES'- also set in Bois and is about a rural poor family as they wait for Katrina.

'MEN WE REAPED' is her memoir

Southern Gothic Genre, Lyrical, Poetic, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Set in the fictional city of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, somewhere in the Delta region

From Amazon:

"A slamming, heartbreaker of a novel that is rendered with such stinging beauty and restrained emotion that despite the anguish taking place on the page, you won’t want it to end. For her third novel, National Book Award winning Jesmyn Ward, tells the story of Jojo, a young black Mississippi boy raised by his grandparents, who is forced to become a man far before he should because his mother is a drug addict, his father is in jail, and his baby sister needs a guardian. When Jojo’s dad is released from prison, Leonie packs Jojo and Kayla in the car, picks up her meth addled friend and drives north. What transpires is a nightmarish journey that weaves in and out of the present – Leonie’s meth induced highs, when she dreams of her dead brother who was killed by white hands decades ago, and the past -- when a man named Ritchie served time alongside Jojo’s grandfather. Sing, Unburied, Sing shimmers with mythic southern memories to tell a story of the drugged and the damned and the fluttering promise of youth".

Mississippi State Penitentiary- Parchman Farm 28 square miles. Center of the state; halfway between Memphis (100 miles south) and Jackson. 1901 started as three large farms, over 20,000 acres; women- mostly black, white men, and the largest farm consisting of all black men. Elvis Presley's father did time in Parchman for check forgery. 'COOL HAND LUKE'.



William Kenneth (Kinnie) Wagner (February 18, 1903 in Scott County, Virginia – March 9, 1958) commonly known as Kinnie Wagner (although Kennie and Kenny were also used) was a bootlegger in Mississippi, who murdered five people, including three lawmen. He escaped from custody numerous times, but ultimately died in prison.

A very good roundup on wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing,_Unburied,_Sing

Meaning behind the title:

"The spirits of those who died violently and cannot rest in peace are singing to whomever can hear them, the way JoJo, Leonie, and Kayla can, in search of way home, their final resting place".

"It refers to the ghosts the children are able to hear and see as birds on the trees, singing their song of grief, the spirits of those who died due to a violent act, those (mostly black people) who were killed, or hurt, abused, mistreated and left unburied, without justice".

Link to the author's page at wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesmyn_Ward

Link to GoodReads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32920226-sing-unburied-sing

BEAUTIFUL MUSIC by Michael Zadoorian

Finished Su 4/14/19

I got this on Amazon on Mo 4/8/19 after watching the movie 'THE LEISURE SEEKER'. That film, a 'road trip' by people in their 80's, was also based on a novel by Michael Zadoorian.

'BEAUTIFUL MUSIC' is a 'coming of age' film about Danny Yzemski. He lives in a northwestern suburb of Detroit with his mother and father in the early 70's. The neighborhood is racially changing.

His mother has mental problems and takes pills and drinks regularly and heavily. She loves Danny but resents him and her husband.

His father loves 'easy listening' music (1,000 Canadian Strings, something that would appear on Lawrence Welk- although not mentioned in the book because this show was on way before the timeline in the book) and sound effects records.

He likes to take Danny on trips to Korvettes to buy records. He's refinishing the basement and he bought one stereo system and then bought a better one.

Danny's father teaches him to drive before Danny even wants to learn. This is probably because he feels that his wife is going to need Danny's help.

When Danny starts high school his father dies of a heart attack.

His mother begins to drink more and become increasingly more unhinged.

She wants an 'art room' because she always felt that she gave up her dreams to get married and have children.

Danny's life was truly saved by rock'n'roll. Lots and lots of references to dozens of 60's and 70's bands.

He becomes the radio announcer for his high school and they allow him to play music of his choice. Later he loses the job because he didn't play enough black music. He would have played black music, but no one told him to do this. I think they really wanted a black student in the job to calm the racial division in the school.

He gets a job after school where he puts together advertising material about housing. He works with a couple of hippies and he doesn't like them, but they do share a kind of love and respect for the same kinds of music.

Danny finally finds a friend. John is a tall, gangling guy that is just as nerdy as Danny, but doesn't get picked on because he's tall and just slightly hipper. He smokes his first joint with John.

Danny was terrified that when he got to high school he would be offered drugs.

They bond over music, and Danny begins to become a person because he won't let John force his opinions on him.

They cut school to go to one of the only stores in the area that sells Music Maker magazine. John gets tickets to see the Stooges and Danny's mother tries to stop him from going because he's been cutting school. Danny stands up to her and goes anyway.

Because Danny doesn't act quick enough on helping his mother clear out the dining room to make her 'art room', she ties a rope to a large china cabinet and the bumper of her car and drags it out the front door. It damages the front door and tears up the front lawn. Smashes into a car parked on the street up the block. Danny clears out the damage both inside and outside the house. He also repairs the damage to the room and paints the walls. Her art room is ready to use.

On of Danny's school counselors told him to begin writing a letter to his dead father. This is supposed to help him deal with his grief.

The novel ends with a letter to his father where Danny says that he'll be attending broadcasting school and he tells how much he likes the Canadian announcer sign off for the night....and then listen to the static.

LAYER CAKE by J.J. Connolly

Finished Th 4/11/19

Streamed the Netflix film, 'LAYER CAKE'-

From a customer review of the movie:

"The title "LAYER CAKE" refers to the layers or levels anyone in business goes through in rising to the top. What is revealed is a modern underworld where the rules have changed. There are no 'codes', or 'families' and respect lasts as long as a line. Not knowing who he can trust, he has to use all his 'savvy', 'telling' and skills which make him one of the best, to escape his own."

The book and the movie are about 'business'-  It's 'The Art of Being a Middleman'. A successful business man is all about arranging and using connections. This is how deals are created.

Much is made of loyalty and trust, and therein lies the rub. All of your friends and business connections may turn on you at any moment, because you are not aware of all of their possible deals and relationships.

The book is a first person account of a mid level player in London's gangster scene. He doesn't reveal his name: "If I told you my name you'd be as clever as me".

The crew gets word of a huge shipment of ecstasy pills from the Netherlands by a crew of crazies. These are possibly worth millions, but they were stolen from an even crazier mob.

The crew's boss is Mr. Jimmy Price. He's an upper level mobster and later we find that he's an informant for the police. His only reason is 'the money'. There is no real trust or loyalty because it all boils down to 'the money'- regardless of the deal, connection, or the relationship.

When the boss learns that Price has turned he executes him. He uses a gun that one of his co-conspirators had used on a murder many years ago. This guy almost beats the boss to death when he learns that he murdered Mr. Price. But, all is right again when he hears the disc of Mr. Price ratting out the crew to the police.

Tammy is a girl that the boss seems to love. This is the girlfriend of one of the bosses of 'the crazies' nephew. This crew is foolish in that the purposely draw attention to themselves. They drive around in a bright yellow Range Rover and make a big splash in clubs and discos.

Mr. Price's opposite number is Mr. Ryder (Mr. Temple in the movie; why'd they have to change the name?). This is the man who delivers the disc to the boss. Mr. Ryder wants the pills to give to the Japanese Yakuza. He's going to give it away so that he can gain their favor in future deals.

The movie is one of the best adaptations of a novel that I've ever seen. Daniel Craig is perfect as 'the man with no name'.

Before I finished the movie I ordered the sequel to the novel on Amazon.

THE SNOWMAN by Jo Nesbo

Finished Sa 4/6/19

I ordered this paperback after seeing the film, THE SNOWMAN, starring Michael Fassbender. I noticed that most of the reviews said the movie was OK, but the book was so much better. And, I most wholeheartedly agree.

This is the seventh in a series concerning the Norwegian detective, Harry Hole. A cynical,   never married, middle aged man who has a love of rock and roll music. And, although his alcoholism is somewhat under control, this issue is just one of many problems that he has with the higher ups within the Oslo crime squad.

Part of Harry Hole's profile at Jo Nesbo's website:

"Music: likes everything from Sex Pistols to Duke Ellington. From Neil Young to Slipknot.

Film: His all-time favorite is The Conversation by Coppola. One of very few who consider Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers a masterpiece and Mel Gibson’s Braveheart complete rubbish.

Substance abuse: Alcoholism runs in the family. Started drinking heavily in his late teens, has tried most types of drugs. Views all drugs as anesthetics. Dry and sober most of the time, but with a furious and constant urge.

Sports: Cycling and pumping iron occasionally, cause he likes the purifying feeling pain gives him".

He has trained with American serial killer experts and he seems to be just a bit more on the ball than many of his colleagues. He has also done police business in Australia and Thailand.

Many subplots and at least three different times, the serial killer is revealed, and then found not to be the guy.

At one point Harry is convinced that The Snowman is actually his partner, the lovely Katrine.

PLOT UNTANGLED (Somewhat):

'The Snowman' is a doctor who has been killing almost his whole life. He began by murdering his mother because he thought that she was a whore. He targets women with children who he believes are whores.

He is suffering from a medical condition that will eventually cause his skin to 'freeze up' and he will more or less be trapped in a shell. This will lead to his death.

Rakel and Harry are still close. She has a son, Oleg, and Harry and Oleg bond over rock music. In this book Harry and Oleg attend a Slipknot concert and the opening act is Slayer.

He has become the partner of Harry Hole's ex girlfriend, Rakel, and Harry leads a daring raid to save her. She is balanced inside her bedroom on a snowman made of snow. Around her neck is an electric noose that will cut off her head when the snowman melts, and she falls.

The electric noose is a tool used to rescue calfs. It allows the doctor to internally cut out the calf without injuring the cow. The noose heats to very high temperatures and is like a laser.

I loved the book and Harry Hole is every bit as intriguing as Harry Bosch, Kurt Wallander, Travis McGee, or anyone else on the 'grizzled cop' scene.

I will definitely get more of the H.H Series.

THIS SIDE OF PARADISE by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Finished Su 3/31/19

This is an unread hardback novel that I found on the shelf. I don't know when I got it or where it's from. I picked it up because I watched the Amazon Prime series, 'Z- THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING' which was the story of the early married live of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre (Christina Ricci).

This is Scott's first published book and the real Scott and Zelda broke up after a summer of heavy drinking  shortly before he finished this book. Scott went to his family's home in Minnesota to finish the book, and only then would Zelda continue with their relationship.

The book is about an intelligent, yet lazy young man- Amory Blaine. He is from a monied family, although the money is leaving fast. He is from Wisconsin, but goes to prep school in NY and later attends Princeton.

The book is mostly about his views on his romantic life. Basically he has four girlfriends over the course of the book, but ends up alone.

When Blaine begins to speak of politics to two men (capitalists) who pick him up while hitchhiking, I really liked what he had to say. I would have like the book a lot more had it been more about the politics and the social issues of the time, rather than merely his love interests.

The last line of the book is, "I know myself, but that is all". He's probably referring to the Socrates admonition to Know Thyself.

From Wikipedia-

"The book is written in three parts.

"Book One: The Romantic Egotist"—The novel centers on Amory Blaine, a young Midwesterner who, convinced that he has an exceptionally promising future, attends boarding school and later Princeton University. He leaves behind his eccentric mother Beatrice and befriends a close friend of hers, Monsignor Darcy. While at Princeton he goes back to Minneapolis, where he re-encounters Isabelle Borgé, a young lady whom he had met as a little boy, and starts a romantic relationship with her. At Princeton he repeatedly writes ever more flowery poems, but Amory and Isabelle become disenchanted with each other after meeting again at his prom.

"Interlude"—Following their break-up, Amory is shipped overseas, to serve in the army in World War I. (Fitzgerald had been in the army himself, but the war ended while he was still stationed on Long Island.) Amory's experiences in the war are not described, other than to say later in the book that he was a bayonet instructor.

"Book Two: The Education of a Personage"—After the war, Amory falls in love with a New York debutante named Rosalind Connage. Because he is poor, however, this relationship collapses as well; Rosalind decides to marry a wealthy man instead. A devastated Amory is further crushed to learn that his mentor Monsignor Darcy has died. The book ends with Amory's iconic lament, "I know myself, but that is all-"


THE CHARACTERS (From Wikipedia)

"Amory Blaine—the protagonist of the book, is clearly based on Fitzgerald. Both are from the Midwest, attended Princeton, had a failed romance with a debutante, served in the army, then had a failed romance with a second debutante (though after the success of This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald won back Zelda).
Beatrice Blaine—Blaine's mother was actually based on the mother of one of Fitzgerald's friends, rather than his own.
Isabelle Borgé—Amory Blaine's first love is based on Fitzgerald's first love, the Chicago debutante Ginevra King.
Monsignor Darcy—Blaine's spiritual mentor is based on a Sigourney Fay, to whom Fitzgerald was close. Fay was from Minneapolis.
Rosalind Connage—Amory Blaine's second love is based on Fitzgerald's second love, Zelda Sayre. However, unlike Zelda, Rosalind was from New York. Rosalind is also partially based on the character Beatrice Normandy in H. G. Wells's novel Tono-Bungay (1909).
Cecilia Connage—Rosalind's cynical younger sister.
Thomas Parke D'Invilliers—one of Blaine's close friends (also the fictitious author of the poem at the start of The Great Gatsby) was based on Fitzgerald's friend and classmate, the poet John Peale Bishop.
Eleanor Savage—a girl Amory meets in Maryland. Eleanor's character serves as a "love interest, therapeutic friend, and conversational other". Highly educated and discussing poetry and philosophy, "Eleanor not only posits her desires in juxtaposition to the lingering Victorian expectations of women in her day but also serves as soothsayer to the demands which would be placed on females".
Clara Page—Amory's widowed cousin, whom he loves. But she doesn't love him back."