Strangers
Belle Burden's husband, James, abruptly walks out after twenty years of marriage. Belle never saw it coming. But Belle and her husband never discuss who will stay home with the kids, finances, hopes and fears and feelings. Belle is proud of James' workaholism, pleased with their lifestyle, comfortable. The 1% culture they were raised in completely shapes them, its values are their values, wealth, status, and position equal happiness. Doesn't it?
Well, it doesn't. Belle surrendered herself to it at her peril and clearly it didn't make James happy. Throughout the memoir Belle gradually sheds the "soft layers" of passive privilege. Finally free from the dictates of her society, she becomes her true self again.
Well, it doesn't. Belle surrendered herself to it at her peril and clearly it didn't make James happy. Throughout the memoir Belle gradually sheds the "soft layers" of passive privilege. Finally free from the dictates of her society, she becomes her true self again.
Unsettling Salad
Totally awesome! Really funny. What's refreshing about these Creepy Tales is that they don't have particularly happy endings. They are genuinely creepy and don't assume that kids are too delicate to take it. The story also hilariously knocks "modern parenting".
Moral of the story? There was definitely something wrong with that BLT....
Moral of the story? There was definitely something wrong with that BLT....
Return of the Maltese Falcon
Great fun!
I admit I have never read the original "Maltese Falcon" all the way through but enough to know Dashiell Hammett's style. I guess Max Allan Collins was channeling this style faithfully.
Old characters reappear, new ones introduced, and the hunt for the REAL Maltese Falcon is on. There are lots of fights. Sam Spade is bashed over the head repeatedly, enough to give an ordinary person brain damage. But Sam just hops up and gets on with his day.
I don't know why but the author is peculiarly preoccupied with eyebrows. Turn randomly to any page and you'll get a description of someone's eyebrows going through convolutions: "The gambler raised his eyebrows and set them back down." and "Her finely plucked eyebrows went up." and "The man's eyebrows were bushy little echoes of his mustache."
Mustaches go through elaborate convolutions too: "A sneer lifted half of Dundy's grey mustache." And my favorite quote of the whole book: "Dundy's mouth twitched and the mustache went along for the ride."
Eyebrows and mustaches aside, this was a fast-paced page-turner with a satisfying ending.
And a gorgeous cover.
I admit I have never read the original "Maltese Falcon" all the way through but enough to know Dashiell Hammett's style. I guess Max Allan Collins was channeling this style faithfully.
Old characters reappear, new ones introduced, and the hunt for the REAL Maltese Falcon is on. There are lots of fights. Sam Spade is bashed over the head repeatedly, enough to give an ordinary person brain damage. But Sam just hops up and gets on with his day.
I don't know why but the author is peculiarly preoccupied with eyebrows. Turn randomly to any page and you'll get a description of someone's eyebrows going through convolutions: "The gambler raised his eyebrows and set them back down." and "Her finely plucked eyebrows went up." and "The man's eyebrows were bushy little echoes of his mustache."
Mustaches go through elaborate convolutions too: "A sneer lifted half of Dundy's grey mustache." And my favorite quote of the whole book: "Dundy's mouth twitched and the mustache went along for the ride."
Eyebrows and mustaches aside, this was a fast-paced page-turner with a satisfying ending.
And a gorgeous cover.
Kingmaker
Really good, really long. The last hundred pages or so were a slog of every meeting Pamela ever had, the exact time she left the embassy, how long the meeting lasted, the exact time she returned, what she had for dinner, exactly where the sofas were placed and what color they were.
Aside from too much detail, this book was a great read. Pamela Harriman was a fascinating contradiction: unabashed, unapologetic courtesan who wanted money, power, and the high life, contrasted with a woman who was genuinely interested in politics and the betterment of society. Though, she worked for the betterment of society by flying around in a private jet, purchasing a luxury Caribbean luxury home, draped in diamonds, and throwing lavish parties. But that's the contradiction of Pamela and what makes her so interesting.
Aside from too much detail, this book was a great read. Pamela Harriman was a fascinating contradiction: unabashed, unapologetic courtesan who wanted money, power, and the high life, contrasted with a woman who was genuinely interested in politics and the betterment of society. Though, she worked for the betterment of society by flying around in a private jet, purchasing a luxury Caribbean luxury home, draped in diamonds, and throwing lavish parties. But that's the contradiction of Pamela and what makes her so interesting.