Finished Su 7/28/19
This is a paperback that I bought at the library book sale on Sa 4/13/19
Hiaasen sets his novels in Florida
Centers on cheating (and murders) at professional bass fishing competitions.
THE OUTDOOR CHRISTIAN NETWORK is sponsoring a bass fishing contest and the winner gets a quarter of a million dollars and endorsements worth much more.
Cheaters 'salt' the lake with previously caught 'luggers' and then catch them during the competition.
This contest is staged at a new development owned by the OCN. It's developed around a series of canals. These canals are poisonous. The whole development was built on top of an old dump site.
From the back of the book:
"R.J. Decker is fishing for a killer. Thanks to a sportsman's scam that's anything but sportsmanlike, there's a body floating in Coon Bog, Florida- and a lot that's rotten int he murky waters of big-stakes, large-mouth bass tournaments. Here Decker will team up with a half-blind, half-mad hermit with an appetite for road kill; dare to kiss his ex-wife while's she's in bed with the new husband; and face deadly TV evangelists, dangerously seductive women, and a pistol-toting redneck with a pit bull on his rm. And here his own life becomes part of the stakes. For while the "double whammy" is the lure, first prize is for the most ingenious murder".
Skink- the crazy hermit is actually an ex-governor of Florida. He tried to go straight but the corrupt nature of Floridian politics would allow this. So he split to the Everglades.
Hiaasen writes in a lightly comedic style similar to Donald E. Westlake's John Dortmunder series. The plot is more complex and the writing a tad more dense, but well worth the effort.
I learned a lot about competitive bass fishing and didn't realize how big it is in rural USA. It is a huge industry.
Bass will live and thrive almost anywhere in America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Whammy_(novel)
Monday, July 29, 2019
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
THE LEISURE SEEKER by Michael Zadoorian
I first bought the book after seeing Helen Murren and Donald Sutherland in the movie on Amazon Prime.
I finished the book on Fr 4/29/19, but failed to enter it on the blog. I re-read the book and finished it on Mo 7/22/19 because this was my pick for the July, 2019 selection for the contemporary book club.
I loved the book. I am a big fan of the 'unreliable narrator' and Ella Robina certainly qualifies. The whole novel could be seen as one long suicide note, but her logic is irrefutable.
From the novel's page at wikipedia:
"John and Ella Robina have shared a wonderful life for more than fifty years. Now in their eighties, Ella suffers from cancer and has chosen to stop treatment. John has Alzheimer's. Yearning for one last adventure, the self-proclaimed "down-on-their-luck geezers" kidnap themselves from the adult children and doctors who seem to run their lives to steal away from their home in suburban Detroit on a forbidden vacation of rediscovery."
With Ella as his vigilant copilot, John steers their '78 Leisure Seeker RV along the forgotten roads of Route 66 toward Disneyland in search of a past they're having a damned hard time remembering. Yet Ella is determined to prove that, when it comes to life, a person can go back for seconds—sneak a little extra time, grab a small portion more—even when everyone says you can't.
Kevin and Cindy are The Robina's two adult children. Cindy is several years older than Kevin. He was thirteen when she was married and out of the home. They both have two children.
The plot in the movie is slightly different-
"Traveling in their family Leisure Seeker vintage recreational vehicle, John and Ella Spencer take one last road trip from Boston to the Hemingway House in the Florida Keys before his Alzheimer's and her cancer can catch up with them."
Comments about the book:
"The author somehow managed to find the perfect balance of sad and touching moments mixed with the right amount of humor so the book isn't completely depressing."
" The End isn't on the horizon anymore, it's on the to-do list".
A NURSING HOME WORKER'S COMPLAINT ABOUT THE BOOK:
"Yes this was her life to live but the selfishness of what she did and the pain she caused her children cannot be overlooked in my eyes. The horrible danger she also put her husband in was unforgivable to me.
I just finished reading this novel 10 minutes ago and wanted to write this review fresh. Without giving any spoilers I have to say it left me angry. Not the way I want to feel at the end of a novel."
Quotes from the book:
“I realize that this is the problem with photographs. After a while, you can’t remember if you’re recalling the actual memory or the memory of the photograph. Or perhaps the photograph is the only reason you remember that moment.”
“What is truly amazing is that before you know it, sixty years go by and you can remember maybe eight or nine important events, along with a thousand meaningless ones. How can that be?”
“You spend your life so worried about what others think, when in reality, people mostly don’t think. On the few occasions when they do, true, it is often something bad, but one has to at least admire the fact that they’re thinking at all.”
“After a while, just staying alive becomes a full-time job. No wonder we need a vacation.”
“It doesn’t upset me to think about dying. What upsets me is the idea of John being alone after his spell passes. The idea of one of us without the other."
“Why does the world have to destroy anything that doesn’t fit in? We still can’t figure out that this is the most important reason to love something”
“what you wanted more than anything right then, was simply to sleep in your own bed, eat in your own kitchen, sit on your own toilet. You wanted to stop seeing the world. You wanted to see your world. So we would drive.”
“We pass a church with a massive blue neon cross, and I am spiritually lifted by feelings of great religiosity. No, I’m not, for crying out loud. Don’t be ridiculous. But what I do love about this road is how the gaudy becomes grand, how tastelessness is a way of everyday life. You have to admire how these people shamelessly try to get your attention as you drive by, whether they’re trying to feed you a hamburger or a savior."
“Know this: even if you’re like us and still doddering around above ground, someone out there from your past is probably pretty sure that you’re dead by now."
Link to Discussion Questions:
https://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/the-leisure-seeker/guide
Ella on Will Rogers-
“Anyone who never met a man he didn't like just isn't trying hard enough.”
I finished the book on Fr 4/29/19, but failed to enter it on the blog. I re-read the book and finished it on Mo 7/22/19 because this was my pick for the July, 2019 selection for the contemporary book club.
I loved the book. I am a big fan of the 'unreliable narrator' and Ella Robina certainly qualifies. The whole novel could be seen as one long suicide note, but her logic is irrefutable.
From the novel's page at wikipedia:
"John and Ella Robina have shared a wonderful life for more than fifty years. Now in their eighties, Ella suffers from cancer and has chosen to stop treatment. John has Alzheimer's. Yearning for one last adventure, the self-proclaimed "down-on-their-luck geezers" kidnap themselves from the adult children and doctors who seem to run their lives to steal away from their home in suburban Detroit on a forbidden vacation of rediscovery."
With Ella as his vigilant copilot, John steers their '78 Leisure Seeker RV along the forgotten roads of Route 66 toward Disneyland in search of a past they're having a damned hard time remembering. Yet Ella is determined to prove that, when it comes to life, a person can go back for seconds—sneak a little extra time, grab a small portion more—even when everyone says you can't.
Kevin and Cindy are The Robina's two adult children. Cindy is several years older than Kevin. He was thirteen when she was married and out of the home. They both have two children.
The plot in the movie is slightly different-
"Traveling in their family Leisure Seeker vintage recreational vehicle, John and Ella Spencer take one last road trip from Boston to the Hemingway House in the Florida Keys before his Alzheimer's and her cancer can catch up with them."
Comments about the book:
"The author somehow managed to find the perfect balance of sad and touching moments mixed with the right amount of humor so the book isn't completely depressing."
" The End isn't on the horizon anymore, it's on the to-do list".
A NURSING HOME WORKER'S COMPLAINT ABOUT THE BOOK:
"Yes this was her life to live but the selfishness of what she did and the pain she caused her children cannot be overlooked in my eyes. The horrible danger she also put her husband in was unforgivable to me.
I just finished reading this novel 10 minutes ago and wanted to write this review fresh. Without giving any spoilers I have to say it left me angry. Not the way I want to feel at the end of a novel."
Quotes from the book:
“I realize that this is the problem with photographs. After a while, you can’t remember if you’re recalling the actual memory or the memory of the photograph. Or perhaps the photograph is the only reason you remember that moment.”
“What is truly amazing is that before you know it, sixty years go by and you can remember maybe eight or nine important events, along with a thousand meaningless ones. How can that be?”
“You spend your life so worried about what others think, when in reality, people mostly don’t think. On the few occasions when they do, true, it is often something bad, but one has to at least admire the fact that they’re thinking at all.”
“After a while, just staying alive becomes a full-time job. No wonder we need a vacation.”
“It doesn’t upset me to think about dying. What upsets me is the idea of John being alone after his spell passes. The idea of one of us without the other."
“Why does the world have to destroy anything that doesn’t fit in? We still can’t figure out that this is the most important reason to love something”
“what you wanted more than anything right then, was simply to sleep in your own bed, eat in your own kitchen, sit on your own toilet. You wanted to stop seeing the world. You wanted to see your world. So we would drive.”
“We pass a church with a massive blue neon cross, and I am spiritually lifted by feelings of great religiosity. No, I’m not, for crying out loud. Don’t be ridiculous. But what I do love about this road is how the gaudy becomes grand, how tastelessness is a way of everyday life. You have to admire how these people shamelessly try to get your attention as you drive by, whether they’re trying to feed you a hamburger or a savior."
“Know this: even if you’re like us and still doddering around above ground, someone out there from your past is probably pretty sure that you’re dead by now."
Link to Discussion Questions:
https://www.readinggroupguides.com/reviews/the-leisure-seeker/guide
Ella on Will Rogers-
“Anyone who never met a man he didn't like just isn't trying hard enough.”
Monday, July 22, 2019
THE SIXTH MAN by David Baldacci
Finished Th 7/18/19
This is a hardback novel that Janny loaned to me.
Although Baldacci is not an elegant writer, he can sure lay down a riveting story line. I would read anything by Baldacci.
PREMISE:
US intelligence service uses people with paranormal powers. "The Wall" is when all of America's intelligence is funneled into one channel and one individual is able to analyse this flood of information.
"E 5 Program"- was the name of the current program, but a man was found who could operate at the "E 6 Program" level.
The 'E' does not stand for 'edetic' , but it stands for the book of the bible, Ecclesiastes. This is a book in the old testament that tells that nothing can overcome the will of god. Wisdom and logic are good and just, but nothing can out think the will of god. 'Eat drink and be merry, for we all must die in the end'.
Edgar Roy is the 'E 6', and he has been framed for serial murder. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney, Ted Bergin, a friend of Sean's, to work the case against Roy.
Bergin is murdered, and the novel examines who is behind the frame and the murders that surround Edgar Roy.
Kelly Paul is Edgar Roy's half sister and aids Sean and Michelle. She also is extremely smart and did work for the "E 5" Program.
Megan Riley is a young lawyer who is helping Sean's team. She is the murderer and is working for Ellen Foster, the head of Homeland Security.
From the book's page at wikipedia:
"The Sixth Man is a crime fiction novel by American writer David Baldacci. The book was initially published on April 19, 2011 by Grand Central Publishing. This is the fifth installment in the King and Maxwell book series".
Link to the book's page at wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sixth_Man_(novel)
This is a hardback novel that Janny loaned to me.
Although Baldacci is not an elegant writer, he can sure lay down a riveting story line. I would read anything by Baldacci.
PREMISE:
US intelligence service uses people with paranormal powers. "The Wall" is when all of America's intelligence is funneled into one channel and one individual is able to analyse this flood of information.
"E 5 Program"- was the name of the current program, but a man was found who could operate at the "E 6 Program" level.
The 'E' does not stand for 'edetic' , but it stands for the book of the bible, Ecclesiastes. This is a book in the old testament that tells that nothing can overcome the will of god. Wisdom and logic are good and just, but nothing can out think the will of god. 'Eat drink and be merry, for we all must die in the end'.
Edgar Roy is the 'E 6', and he has been framed for serial murder. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are called in by Roy's attorney, Ted Bergin, a friend of Sean's, to work the case against Roy.
Bergin is murdered, and the novel examines who is behind the frame and the murders that surround Edgar Roy.
Kelly Paul is Edgar Roy's half sister and aids Sean and Michelle. She also is extremely smart and did work for the "E 5" Program.
Megan Riley is a young lawyer who is helping Sean's team. She is the murderer and is working for Ellen Foster, the head of Homeland Security.
From the book's page at wikipedia:
"The Sixth Man is a crime fiction novel by American writer David Baldacci. The book was initially published on April 19, 2011 by Grand Central Publishing. This is the fifth installment in the King and Maxwell book series".
Link to the book's page at wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sixth_Man_(novel)
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
EYE IN THE SKY by Philip K. Dick
Finished Su 7/14/19
This was one of my ancient paperbacks and there is no note as to when I bought it, and apparently I've never read it.
Alternative realities based on different personalities.
Eight people are injured when a walkway above a proton accelerator collapses. They fall through the beam, and they find themselves trapped in alternative universes based on their various personalities.
Most of the action happens in Belmont, California. A real city about thirty miles south of San Francisco.
“Anti-cat is one jump away from anti-Semitism.”
― Philip K. Dick, Eye in the Sky
"The Eye in the Sky by Philip K. Dick is a smart, satirical, absurdist and brilliant allegory on Conservatism and McCarthyism".
"Imagine a world formed by your very own points of view. By your very own fears and insecurities. Now, imagine a world made by a religious, patriarchic war veteran's personality. Or a conservative, insecure, unmarried, neurotic, man-fearing woman's hang-ups. These, among others, are the main themes of this novel by Philip K. Dick."
From a summary of the novel by Jason Koornick. Here is the link to his full page:
https://philipdick.com/literary-criticism/reviews/review-by-jason-koornick-eye-in-the-sky-1957/
"After an accident at Belmont Bevatron lands Jack Hamilton, his wife and six other tourists on top of a radiation charged particle accelerator, the group begins a journey through their own separate minds and realities. Being trapped in the worlds of a crackpot racist and a self-absorbed socialite is just the beginning of this other-worldly journey. While there are many familiar elements to Hamilton and crew, in these worlds anything can and does happen. Just when they think they understand their predicament, the group is placed in a more confounding situation. The dark realities these characters must face are filled with ironies.
Stereotypes become reality and deep-rooted perceptions create nightmarish situations for the eight person group. Eye In The Sky is filled with many classic Dickian situations and themes. There is an encounter with God at the center of the universe, a house that devours people to survive and a world where people are showered with locusts for telling a lie.
Dick craftsfully leaves the reader vulnerable by altering the laws of time, physics and ultimately perception. The characters in Eye In The Sky are distinctive. While they all appear very normal on the surface, dark secrets lurk in the recesses of their minds.
Eye In The Sky is a perfect example of Dick’s brand of speculative fiction. It questions the stability of people’s belief system and shatters the trust placed in human senses. Philip K. Dick has created a masterpiece in Eye In The Sky. This novel should not be overlooked as one his important works."
This is one of Dick's lesser known books because he really didn't write the great ones until many years later. 'EYE IN THE SKY' was released in 1957.
Anything by Dick is worth much more than I look, and although I didn't really understand a lot of the book, it was an enjoyable read. The sexual? relationship between Silky and Jack Hamilton 'under the eye' of his wife Marsha left me scratching my head. Whatever this meant, the book was written many years before 'the swinging sixties'.
This was one of my ancient paperbacks and there is no note as to when I bought it, and apparently I've never read it.
Alternative realities based on different personalities.
Eight people are injured when a walkway above a proton accelerator collapses. They fall through the beam, and they find themselves trapped in alternative universes based on their various personalities.
Most of the action happens in Belmont, California. A real city about thirty miles south of San Francisco.
“Anti-cat is one jump away from anti-Semitism.”
― Philip K. Dick, Eye in the Sky
"The Eye in the Sky by Philip K. Dick is a smart, satirical, absurdist and brilliant allegory on Conservatism and McCarthyism".
"Imagine a world formed by your very own points of view. By your very own fears and insecurities. Now, imagine a world made by a religious, patriarchic war veteran's personality. Or a conservative, insecure, unmarried, neurotic, man-fearing woman's hang-ups. These, among others, are the main themes of this novel by Philip K. Dick."
From a summary of the novel by Jason Koornick. Here is the link to his full page:
https://philipdick.com/literary-criticism/reviews/review-by-jason-koornick-eye-in-the-sky-1957/
"After an accident at Belmont Bevatron lands Jack Hamilton, his wife and six other tourists on top of a radiation charged particle accelerator, the group begins a journey through their own separate minds and realities. Being trapped in the worlds of a crackpot racist and a self-absorbed socialite is just the beginning of this other-worldly journey. While there are many familiar elements to Hamilton and crew, in these worlds anything can and does happen. Just when they think they understand their predicament, the group is placed in a more confounding situation. The dark realities these characters must face are filled with ironies.
Stereotypes become reality and deep-rooted perceptions create nightmarish situations for the eight person group. Eye In The Sky is filled with many classic Dickian situations and themes. There is an encounter with God at the center of the universe, a house that devours people to survive and a world where people are showered with locusts for telling a lie.
Dick craftsfully leaves the reader vulnerable by altering the laws of time, physics and ultimately perception. The characters in Eye In The Sky are distinctive. While they all appear very normal on the surface, dark secrets lurk in the recesses of their minds.
Eye In The Sky is a perfect example of Dick’s brand of speculative fiction. It questions the stability of people’s belief system and shatters the trust placed in human senses. Philip K. Dick has created a masterpiece in Eye In The Sky. This novel should not be overlooked as one his important works."
This is one of Dick's lesser known books because he really didn't write the great ones until many years later. 'EYE IN THE SKY' was released in 1957.
Anything by Dick is worth much more than I look, and although I didn't really understand a lot of the book, it was an enjoyable read. The sexual? relationship between Silky and Jack Hamilton 'under the eye' of his wife Marsha left me scratching my head. Whatever this meant, the book was written many years before 'the swinging sixties'.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
MIDTOWN SOUTH by Christopher Newman
Finished Tu 7/9/19
This is an ancient paperback that I found on the shelf and there was no note about where I got it or if I had read it. I finished this novel while waiting for '2 MEN & A TRUCK' to remove the couch from downstairs; ($258!!!!).
This is a police procedural novel (his first novel) and concerns NYC detective, Joe Dante. I love this genre and I'll probably get more by Christopher Newman.
Joe Dante and his partner, huge black detective, Sam Scruggs (The Condor) have been working undercover narcotics. Joe Dante is disguised as a punk rocker. They end up in a shoot out where many bad guys are killed, so they are transferred to different units.
Dante is teamed with Rosa Rosario who is a very smart, highly educated detective. Her parents were murdered while she was a sophomore at Bennington College.
Dante lives in a beautiful rent controlled townhouse in Greenwich Village. Rosa lives in Park Slope with a roommate.
A killer is murdering prostitutes in the mid-town south area of NYC. This is around the Empire State Building (8th and 39th st. ).
Brian Brennan is a local sculptor who witnesses one of the 'call-girl murders'. He saw the late model BMW with a dent on the side door. Dante becomes friends with this man. Brennan is divorcing a very rich woman, Lisa, and is hated by her family. He owns a summer home on the cape.
SUMMATION:
The killer is Stuart Sprague, a very rich and politically connected figure on the Manhattan scene. He has been sexually fantasizing about his adopted daughter and this is why he is murdering call girls that look like his daughter.
He has an apartment in the mid town area that is full of sexual paraphernalia and crazed writing about his step daughter.
There is a huge confrontation at Brennan's summer home and the killer is blown up when Dante uses flares to light up gas tanks that the sculptor used for his art.
Dante is off the force to teach at the academy and Rosa and him fall in love.
This is an ancient paperback that I found on the shelf and there was no note about where I got it or if I had read it. I finished this novel while waiting for '2 MEN & A TRUCK' to remove the couch from downstairs; ($258!!!!).
This is a police procedural novel (his first novel) and concerns NYC detective, Joe Dante. I love this genre and I'll probably get more by Christopher Newman.
Joe Dante and his partner, huge black detective, Sam Scruggs (The Condor) have been working undercover narcotics. Joe Dante is disguised as a punk rocker. They end up in a shoot out where many bad guys are killed, so they are transferred to different units.
Dante is teamed with Rosa Rosario who is a very smart, highly educated detective. Her parents were murdered while she was a sophomore at Bennington College.
Dante lives in a beautiful rent controlled townhouse in Greenwich Village. Rosa lives in Park Slope with a roommate.
A killer is murdering prostitutes in the mid-town south area of NYC. This is around the Empire State Building (8th and 39th st. ).
Brian Brennan is a local sculptor who witnesses one of the 'call-girl murders'. He saw the late model BMW with a dent on the side door. Dante becomes friends with this man. Brennan is divorcing a very rich woman, Lisa, and is hated by her family. He owns a summer home on the cape.
SUMMATION:
The killer is Stuart Sprague, a very rich and politically connected figure on the Manhattan scene. He has been sexually fantasizing about his adopted daughter and this is why he is murdering call girls that look like his daughter.
He has an apartment in the mid town area that is full of sexual paraphernalia and crazed writing about his step daughter.
There is a huge confrontation at Brennan's summer home and the killer is blown up when Dante uses flares to light up gas tanks that the sculptor used for his art.
Dante is off the force to teach at the academy and Rosa and him fall in love.
Monday, July 8, 2019
THE FOLK OF THE FRINGE by Orson Scott Card
Finished Su 7/7/19
This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I found on the shelf downstairs. No note as to when I got it.
This is a collection of novellas that Card wrote after 'ENDER'S GAME' and he was trying to hone his short story writing skills.
The stories are set in a future America after some kind of nuclear exchange. 'The War' is never explained, but although nuclear weapons were used, the biggest damage was done by 'bio-engineered' plagues.
A large portion of the West has been resettled by the Mormons. Card makes a point to present Mormonism in the best possible light. He feels that their strict adherence to their biblical interpretations make for safe and dependable government. However, the characters are a little too 'black or white', all good or all bad.
Orson Scott Card is a Mormon and this is a kind of SciFi tale with a mix of pro-Mormon propaganda.
The first story is about a man who lives in the Smokey Mountains who is on a scavenger mission to The Carolina's. He meets a group of Mormons who have escaped persecution. There had been a pogrom in the area similar to the Jews during WWII (And, I guess throughout history. Card feels that Mormons are the 'chosen people' and subject to persecution). There are several children and Blacks and Whites, all believe in the Mormon faith.
They convert the scavenger to the Mormon faith, and use his skills to guide the group to the Mormon area of the West.
The next story is many years in the future and concerns one of the boys in this group.
I skimmed the middle part of the book, and the last section is why the author wrote the book and his feelings about the short story genre. The book was of some interest since I'd never seen Mormonism portrayed in such a positive light, and I thought that they didn't believe in racial equality, but apparently, at least Card does.
'ENDER'S GAME' is on disc at Netflix, but I think that I'll pass.
This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I found on the shelf downstairs. No note as to when I got it.
This is a collection of novellas that Card wrote after 'ENDER'S GAME' and he was trying to hone his short story writing skills.
The stories are set in a future America after some kind of nuclear exchange. 'The War' is never explained, but although nuclear weapons were used, the biggest damage was done by 'bio-engineered' plagues.
A large portion of the West has been resettled by the Mormons. Card makes a point to present Mormonism in the best possible light. He feels that their strict adherence to their biblical interpretations make for safe and dependable government. However, the characters are a little too 'black or white', all good or all bad.
Orson Scott Card is a Mormon and this is a kind of SciFi tale with a mix of pro-Mormon propaganda.
The first story is about a man who lives in the Smokey Mountains who is on a scavenger mission to The Carolina's. He meets a group of Mormons who have escaped persecution. There had been a pogrom in the area similar to the Jews during WWII (And, I guess throughout history. Card feels that Mormons are the 'chosen people' and subject to persecution). There are several children and Blacks and Whites, all believe in the Mormon faith.
They convert the scavenger to the Mormon faith, and use his skills to guide the group to the Mormon area of the West.
The next story is many years in the future and concerns one of the boys in this group.
I skimmed the middle part of the book, and the last section is why the author wrote the book and his feelings about the short story genre. The book was of some interest since I'd never seen Mormonism portrayed in such a positive light, and I thought that they didn't believe in racial equality, but apparently, at least Card does.
'ENDER'S GAME' is on disc at Netflix, but I think that I'll pass.
Friday, July 5, 2019
THE 25TH HOUR by David Benioff
Refinished Thursday, July 4th, 2019
This is an old trade paperback that I found on the shelves downstairs. On the flyleaf it says, "Saw the film at the Esquire and the book was in the mailbox when I got home- Sa 3/29/03.
Montgomery Brogan is a NYC mid-level dealer who has been ratted out by his Ukrainian bodyguard, Kostya. Monty is rich enough (and notorious enough) that he never waits in line, and stores will open after hours so that he can shop alone or with friends.
Doyle- Monty's pit-bull that he found along the highway, beaten and left for dead. His name is from 'Murphy's Law' that the Ukrainian incorrectly called, 'Doyle's Law'.
The book takes place in late January during a blizzard. Monty has to report to The Otisville Correctional Facility (90 miles north of NYC) for a seven year sentence. He is a handsome 27 year old man, and he doesn't think that he can make it.
TWO FRIENDS:
Jakob Ellison- teaches English at a private school. Kind of a failure; isn't happy and doesn't make much money. Lonely.
Frank Slattery- Ex-wrestler and very successful Wall Street broker. Lots of money, but also lonely.
Naturelle Rosario- Monty's Puerto Rican girlfriend. He met and wooed her when she was still in high school.
Mr. Blue- Monty's boss in the drug trade. He's afraid that Monty will rat him out because why has Monty been allowed to be free until he has to start his sentence.
Tony Lobianco- A gay professor that works with Jakob. He claims that his life was ruined when a famous poet (San Francisco- started City Lights Bookstore; Lawrence Ferlinghetti) stole his title, 'Coney Island of The Mind'.
Monty attends a 'Going Away' party at a fancy nightclub. During and after the party he leaves Doyle to Jacob, and he gets Frank to beat him badly around the face so that he isn't quite so handsome when he shows up for the sentence.
Mr. Brogan- Monty's father. He drives Monty to jail because the city's transportation is shut down due to the snow. His dad's bar is bond for Monty, and he won't run because he won't let his father lose it.
The last chapter Monty hallucinates that he has allowed his father to drive him 'somewhere West', and he's started a new life. He 'remembers' his criminal past as he tells his grandchildren who he really was.
"This life came so close to never happening".....
I can't wait to re-watch the film; with Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
This is an old trade paperback that I found on the shelves downstairs. On the flyleaf it says, "Saw the film at the Esquire and the book was in the mailbox when I got home- Sa 3/29/03.
Montgomery Brogan is a NYC mid-level dealer who has been ratted out by his Ukrainian bodyguard, Kostya. Monty is rich enough (and notorious enough) that he never waits in line, and stores will open after hours so that he can shop alone or with friends.
Doyle- Monty's pit-bull that he found along the highway, beaten and left for dead. His name is from 'Murphy's Law' that the Ukrainian incorrectly called, 'Doyle's Law'.
The book takes place in late January during a blizzard. Monty has to report to The Otisville Correctional Facility (90 miles north of NYC) for a seven year sentence. He is a handsome 27 year old man, and he doesn't think that he can make it.
TWO FRIENDS:
Jakob Ellison- teaches English at a private school. Kind of a failure; isn't happy and doesn't make much money. Lonely.
Frank Slattery- Ex-wrestler and very successful Wall Street broker. Lots of money, but also lonely.
Naturelle Rosario- Monty's Puerto Rican girlfriend. He met and wooed her when she was still in high school.
Mr. Blue- Monty's boss in the drug trade. He's afraid that Monty will rat him out because why has Monty been allowed to be free until he has to start his sentence.
Tony Lobianco- A gay professor that works with Jakob. He claims that his life was ruined when a famous poet (San Francisco- started City Lights Bookstore; Lawrence Ferlinghetti) stole his title, 'Coney Island of The Mind'.
Monty attends a 'Going Away' party at a fancy nightclub. During and after the party he leaves Doyle to Jacob, and he gets Frank to beat him badly around the face so that he isn't quite so handsome when he shows up for the sentence.
Mr. Brogan- Monty's father. He drives Monty to jail because the city's transportation is shut down due to the snow. His dad's bar is bond for Monty, and he won't run because he won't let his father lose it.
The last chapter Monty hallucinates that he has allowed his father to drive him 'somewhere West', and he's started a new life. He 'remembers' his criminal past as he tells his grandchildren who he really was.
"This life came so close to never happening".....
I can't wait to re-watch the film; with Edward Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST by Emily M. Danforth
Finished Tu 7/2/19
I got this book on Amazon after seeing the film, starring Chloe Moretz; at the Sundance Film Festival is won The US Grand Jury Prize- the fest's highest honor.
The film incorporates the basic, important issues of the book, but the novel is far superior. And, BOY ERASED is a film that tackles the issue of Conversion Therapy in a slightly better and more dramatic way.
From the book's page at wikipedia:
I got this book on Amazon after seeing the film, starring Chloe Moretz; at the Sundance Film Festival is won The US Grand Jury Prize- the fest's highest honor.
The film incorporates the basic, important issues of the book, but the novel is far superior. And, BOY ERASED is a film that tackles the issue of Conversion Therapy in a slightly better and more dramatic way.
From the book's page at wikipedia:
"The Miseducation of Cameron Post began in the Summer of 1989 in Miles City, Montana when protagonist and narrator Cameron Post was 12 years old. Cameron had been shoplifting and kissing her friend Irene Klauson while her parents died in an accident at Quake Lake, which they visited every year. Cameron’s very religious Aunt Ruth moved in with Cameron and Grandma Post. Cameron began renting VHS movies and decorating her old dollhouse to cope with her grief. She stopped spending time with Irene. Irene’s family discovered a fossil on their property, which resulted in great success and wealth for them. Irene went away to a boarding school. On Aunt Ruth’s request, Cameron began attending a new church called Gates of Praise and their youth group, Firepower.
During the summer before starting high school, Cameron became close friends with Lindsey Lloyd, who joined the swim team with her while she stayed with her father in Miles City for the summer. Lindsey was a lesbian and told Cameron about her experiences with gay pride in Seattle, where she lived during the rest of the year with her mother. Cameron and Lindsey pursued a casual relationship, which mostly consisted of kissing. They stayed in touch after Lindsey returned to Seattle at the end of the summer. Ruth began dating Ray, who sold frozen goods around the local area.
Cameron became friends with Coley Taylor, who was in her biology class and started driving her to Firepower meetings at Gates of Praise. Cameron developed a crush on Coley, despite the fact that Coley had a boyfriend, Brett. Coley convinced Cameron to join her and Brett at prom. Cameron invited her best friend Jamie to prom. On prom night, Jamie realized that Cameron was attracted to Coley. He thought Cameron was confused and kissed her. Cameron and Jamie began casually dating after that, but Cameron was never very interested in doing anything beyond kissing him.
Cameron and Jamie argued and broke up at Miles City’s annual Bucking House Sale. Jamie hooked up with another girl. Cameron went home with Coley and they kissed, which led Coley to feel very confused. Over the following summer, Cameron and Coley both got summer jobs and Brett went away for soccer camp. Cameron and Coley began going to the movies after work to kiss in the dark. Meanwhile, Ruth and Ray got engaged. Cameron learned that one of the lifeguards with whom she worked had dated a girl before. Reverend Rick Roneous, the leader of a new full-time school that treated gay people called God’s Promise, visited Gates of Praise and a Firepower meeting, which made Cameron and Coley feel uncomfortable.
Coley got her own apartment in Miles City. Cameron brought a movie to watch with Coley alone in her apartment, which featured lesbian vampires. Cameron and Coley drank alcohol and began kissing during the movie, escalating to pleasuring each other in Coley’s bed. However, Coley’s brother Ty and his friends interrupted them and Cameron left short after. Cameron felt upset after work that day when Coley did not visit her and decided to make out with her coworker. When Cameron returned home, Ruth had invited the pastor to the house and announced that Coley had revealed what they had done together. Ruth would be sending Cameron to God’s Promise.
At God’s Promise, Cameron met her new friends Jane and Adam and her roommate Erin. She had one-on-one meetings with Reverend Rick and Lydia March. Cameron grew closer to Jane and Adam because they would sneak away together to smoke the pot that Jane had grown. Eventually, Rick felt that Cameron earned the privilege to decorate her room and receive her mail. Cameron got a letter from Coley that expressed her shame at what had happened between them, which upset Cameron.
Cameron returned home for Christmas. She attended Ruth and Ray’s wedding, but refused to be Ruth’s maid of honor. She did not get to confront Coley before she left. Back at Promise, Mark Turner, a boy in Cameron’s group sessions, had a breakdown during a session when speaking about his father would not accept him. Overnight, Mark severely injured himself by using a razor to cut his genitals and pouring bleach over the wounds. Rick brought Mark to the hospital. Rick would not admit that this was a suicide attempt. Cameron told the officers that came to investigate that the entire mission of the school was to make the students hate themselves. Cameron, Jane, and Adam planned to leave Promise. After finals, the three of them took a hiking trip but kept going until they reached Quake Lake and Cameron found closure with her parents."
From part of a review:
"In a surprising way, Cam avoids religion-bashing, although she employs humor selectively to get her point across. Yes, "curing gayness" is absolutely bogus, but she can eventually relate any Bible-thumper's faith to the peace she feels from a mountain jog. It's a peace that resonates through the book's final pages".
From part of a review:
"In a surprising way, Cam avoids religion-bashing, although she employs humor selectively to get her point across. Yes, "curing gayness" is absolutely bogus, but she can eventually relate any Bible-thumper's faith to the peace she feels from a mountain jog. It's a peace that resonates through the book's final pages".
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