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Reading Slothfully
I was told in elementary school that I only could read at half the speed for success in college. Oh well, one benefit of slow reading is you get to live with the characters a longer period of time. I read in a vain attempt to better understand people. At my other homes, I'm known as a spouse, pop, guy in the choir, physical chemist, computer/web dilettante and child-care provider. In theory, I'm a published author, if you consider stuff like Quenching Cross Sections for Electronic Energy Transfer Reactions Between Metastable Argon Atoms and Noble Gases and Small Molecules to count as publications. I've strewn dozens of such fascinating things to the winds.
Currently reading
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas
The Spirit of the Border
Ramona the Brave (Ramona, #3)
The Underground Man (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)
Delilah of the Snows
Mrs. Miniver
Betsy-Tacy Treasury (P.S.)
A Christmas Carol
The Way Some People Die
Envy of Angels
Three Bullets: A new Nero Wolfe Threesome
This is a collection of three novellas, each featuring the famous literary detective, Nero Wolfe. I suppose one might say this is fan fic. The first was set in 1935, contemporaneous with the early Rex Stout novels featuring Nero Wolf. The latter two were set in modern times, i.e. the opening years of the 21st century. The novellas were originally published serially on the author's web site. He has subsequently packaged the novellas into a single ebook and which he offers to all takers for free. Invitation to a Shooting Party [***+]
Set in the 1930s. A rich dowager wants to hire Wolf to break up the marriage between her granddaughter and heir and a British Lord. The granddaughter won't have it, in part because she's as stubborn and willful as is her grandmother. Wolfe doesn't do divorce cases, but eventually relents enough to send Archie Goodwin, his ever faithful sidekick down to the Poconos to the rich woman's estate. The extended family are gathered there for a shooting party, shooting deer, grouse and what not. One of the party is shot. An accident or murder?
I'm not familiar enough with Nero Wolfe to tell if the writing style is similar to Rex Stout's. I assume it is, given that the author, Alan Vanneman spends much of his time reading and musing. This novella is competently written and worth one's time.
Fame Will Tell [ ***- ]
Set in modern times, i.e. after 2000. Wolfe desperately needs money to restore his roof-top green house. So he agrees to consider taking on a case involving three bodelicious young black woman in a super group, Black Pussy Cat.
It seems that the group's manager is trying to get them signed to a big deal either with a big-time, hip-hop promoter, or with Sony. But the manager from their early days and her ex-con boyfriend show up and try to horn in on a piece of the action. Then some people get murdered and Wolfe's special analytical skills are required to finger the culprit and get the suspected member of the super group off the hook. Meh!
Politics is Murder [ **]
Ann Coulter seems to think she's being black mailed by an old friend who has a tape she recorded when she was beginning to practice her on-air personna, but with a twist, apparently. She wants the tapes found/destroyed. The old friend ends up murdered. Ann is a suspect. Ann, one of the ickiest people alive (I don't like professional liars), has an affair with Archy. Yeech!
