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Good job on the prompt, deb. I'm glad this trilogy has worked well for you.

Thanks. So far, so good. I also found a webpage which suggested he
‘S planning more in the series. Given all i learned about art & thievery, i welcome more!

Extra #5 Challenge, book with female detective. Maisie Dobbs��Jacqueline Winspear.

Motherless, intelligent Maisie is educated by a wealthy family and their philosopher friend, Maurice, whose work is (�� the forensic science of the whole person.��), while also working as a servant in their home.

After serving as a nurse in France during WWI, she attains a degree from Cambridge and becomes private eye, as well as psychologist. One of the more interesting attempts in her work as psychologist was to physically mimic the posture of someone Maisie was trying to understand. I’d like to know more about that, either by reading further in the series or actually researching.

The story jumps a bit before & after WWI, in this debut, probably to help us know the characters the series features. This made the story longer than it need be, imo. But each day i looked forward to resuming my reading, which i haven’t felt most of this year.

In the first book, Dobbs investigates a home for scarred WWI vets, The Retreat. It offers a place to live for those who feel alienated by society, due to their physical appearance, such as missing parts or serious scars.

1954 published I Am Legend��Richard Matheson.

Vampire/Zombie mix, which i didn’t realize. Main Character, Neville, tells the story of his life as, possibly, the last living human without any part of the disease, which has killed the population.

We learn of his precautions and effort to put a stack through the sleeping victims as they sleep during the day. Had i not been inundated with programs & books along these lines in this century, my pleasure with the book would have increased.

As it was, only his scientific investigations were novel, but exploring those were thoughtful. He was not a scientist, so we learned along with him. What can he do to save them…and himself?

His presumption is that he is the last human on earth, although that seems a leap. Regardless, we learn how things go. Matheson was a brilliant writer of Sci-Fi and this is worthy.

madrano wrote: "Extra #5 Challenge, book with female detective. Maisie Dobbs��Jacqueline Winspear.

Motherless, intelligent Maisie is educated by a wealthy family and their philosopher f..."

Good book for the prompt, deb !

madrano wrote: "1954 published I Am Legend��Richard Matheson.

Vampire/Zombie mix,

Matheson was a brilliant writer of Sci-Fi and this is worthy
.."

I'm glad you enjoyed this writer deb. I'm not into that genre, so the authors name is not familiar to me.

madrano wrote: "Extra #5 Challenge, book with female detective. Maisie Dobbs��Jacqueline Winspear.

Motherless, intelligent Maisie is educated by a wealthy family and their philosopher f..."

I liked the early books in the series. Great that you discovered this one!

Alias Reader wrote: "I'm glad you enjoyed this writer deb. I'm not into that genre, so the authors name is not familiar to me
.."

Thanks, Alias. He wrote a number of “Twilight Zone�� programs. Collected Stories, Vol. 1 shares some of those. Additionally, he was the author of the curious novel What Dreams May Come, which was a different sort of movie, starring Robin Williams.

John wrote: "I liked the early books in the series. Great that you discovered this one..."

Good to know, John, as i am contemplating reading the next installment soon.

madrano wrote: "1954 published I Am Legend��Richard Matheson.

Vampire/Zombie mix, which i didn’t realize. Main Character, Neville, tells the story of his life as, possibly, the last l..."

I love Richard Matheson!

I saw your reviews on his work, Julie, and couldn’t agree more.

24- Bildungsroman - Coming of age Other Voices, Other Rooms��Truman Capote.

Twelve year old Joel Knox is invited to live with his father, whom he’s never known, after his mother dies. He travels alone from New Orleans to rural Alabama, meeting his stepmother and her cousin, Randolph, but not dad, who is ill. Turns out dad is a quadriplegic, and Joel is there to help care for him. Almost immediately upon arriving, Joel meets Idabel, a girl who dislikes dresses, and therefore dresses mainly in pants. They strike up an unusual relationship, as Joel is more enchanted with her twin, Florabel.

This coming of age novel is about loneliness, a desire to be loved & accepted as one is. It is a southern gothic novel and Capote’s writing is great. Until it isn’t. For example, initially the writing about the flora of the area, the weather patterns, and the people were strong, different, and helped define the area. Then suddenly, it was too floral, the people too unusual, the descriptions, leaving me to wonder what was meant. And, frankly, some of the prose sounded as though it were hallucinogenic, rather than just a mere dream or illness induced visions. And it ended up confusing me, rather than enlightening me about what was occurring. And there was a ghost. What is a southern novel without a ghost or two?

This book was a sensation when first published in the mid 1950s. Never before had an author approached the issue of being gay or coming to age as a gay person in a way which wasn’t burdensome. Here Capote mentions a cousin who is obviously gay and not apologetic. There are questions in my mind and in reading reviews at the minds of others as to whether this cousin, Randolph, should be seen in a positive or negative light. It must be acknowledged that he is comfortable with his sexuality and is open, when sharing with Joel, about his experience of realizing that he is attracted to men.

There are black and white characters, as it set in the south, the Civil War and ruin is discussed. However the characters have lived together so long that they seem to see each other as a community. While one doesn’t know where Joel will go from where he is, we do understand that he accepts himself and his differences by the end.

And possibly, that is the point of any Bildungsroman, to learn about the planet and the main character’s place in it.

madrano wrote: "24- Bildungsroman - Coming of age Other Voices, Other Rooms��Truman Capote.

Twelve year old Joel Knox is invited to live with his father, whom he’s never known, after hi..."

Very nice review, deb. Also a good choice for the prompt.

How would you compare this book to his more famous works? Is it a must read ?

Tough call, Alias. While I’m glad i read it, southern gothic is far from appealing to me. It is vastly different from anything else of his that i’ve read. However, i don’t read enough of this genre to be certain, but there seemed to be laundry list of characters and habits. Perhaps those became part of the genre later? One-gloved female? Check. Floral garbed man? Check. Servant as child’s best friend? Check.

Yet, he took at least one to a new understanding of a character, for the time. And that is where the book is fresh, for back then. It’s clear sexuality is being addressed, even when the prose is odd.

If one’s goal is to read his most important works, then yes. If one wants to read the beginning of openness about understanding one’s sexuality, then don’t miss it. If you want a good plot-driven story, stay away.

How’s that for waffling?

madrano wrote:

How’s that for waffling?


Actually that was very helpful. Thanks !

😉

1953 published book, Casino Royale��Ian Fleming.

This is the debut of Bond, James Bond. It’s hard to believe this struck a chord with people. The goal of this assignment was to make certain the villain cannot repay the money he “borrowed�� from his Soviet cell.

We learn in the book that achieving a double 0 status is accomplished by killing somebody as part of the assignment, when needed. I didn’t know that but apparently the fact also wasn’t well known within his agency, as another agent assigned to him was also unaware. It’s mentioned twice, the second time with some emotion, after his own run-in with death.

Much of the book described the game of baccarat &/or described the playing of same. I suppose it was needed but it seemed as much padding as anything else. It’s already a slender novel, i must say.

At least four agents work with Bond to make the operation run well. Oddly, though, almost from his arrival, the villain is aware of Bond’s presence and intent. As a result, before much action, there is a major attempt on his life.

He makes it clear to readers that Bond doesn’t like working with female agents. It sounded like a personal problem to me. They distract him, so shouldn’t be agents?!

Anyway, there is torture and death, some suave moves in consumption of goods and nice cars, apparently. I know little about cars. No fancy devices, no shaken, not stirred, no Q. For me it was an inauspicious beginning but, perhaps, in the era i would have loved it.

It’s not a series i’ll continue to read but i’m pleased to have read one.

madrano wrote: "1953 published book, Casino Royale��Ian Fleming.

This is the debut of Bond, James Bond. It’s hard to believe this struck a chord with people. The goal of this assignment w..."

I'm probably one of the few who has never seen a James Bond movie. That genre doesn't call to me.

madrano wrote: "24- Bildungsroman - Coming of age Other Voices, Other Rooms��Truman Capote.

Twelve year old Joel Knox is invited to live with his father, whom he’s never known, after hi..."

Im SO glad you posted this one. I listened to the outstanding audio edition. Later, I watched the film. Actress who played Zoo Fever deserved an award, the father came off a bit ... over-the-top drama queen.

Alias Reader wrote: "I'm probably one of the few who has never seen a James Bond movie. That genre doesn't call to me..."

I’ve seen Two Bond films but even as a teen, i was offended by the depiction of the females, so stopped. As for the book genre, there have been a few i’ve liked but mostly i like my spy books to be NF.

John wrote: "Im SO glad you posted this one. I listened to the outstanding audio edition. Later, I watched the film. Actress who played Zoo Fever deserved an award, the father came off a bit ... over-the-top drama queen..."

I’m pleased to read this, John. I wondered about the film version. Thanks. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for an airing.

madrano wrote: "24- Bildungsroman - Coming of age Other Voices, Other Rooms��Truman Capote...."

Great review, thank you!

I appreciate your comment, James.

From 1951, comes The Sea Around Us��Rachel Carson. Some of the science is dated but her prose is clear & direct, helping readers understand the science described. While the book was updated with its 1960 republication, it, too, is old, meaning i spent time double checking new info. It was worth the effort.

Topics covered include, the creation of the planet, development of continents, the sun, underwater volcanoes and other growth, tides, minerals and other exploitation possibilities. My favorite chapters were on tides and waves, confirming old ideas and introducing better explanations.

It’s clear i need to locate my own copy of this gem, as my notes are too numerous to recopy.

madrano wrote: "From 1951, comes The Sea Around Us��Rachel Carson. Some of the science is dated but her prose is clear & direct, helping readers understand the science described. While ..."

Well done, Deb.

Years ago I did try her famous Silent Spring But quickly put it aside. I don't recall if it was too dated or the writing style that didn't grab me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

I read it in the ��70s, so it fit my mindset. Her writing shined for me, but times are different. Back then, there just wasn’t much other info about the environment.

madrano wrote: "From 1951, comes The Sea Around Us��Rachel Carson. Some of the science is dated but her prose is clear & direct, helping readers understand the science described. While ..."

I think of Carson as one of the breakthtough women in science to make it the norm not an exception

I think that way, too, John. She just addressed the science, it seems to me. Someone here mentioned her book about children & science, as she raised her nephew. The Sense of Wonder I intend to read it, too.

Just a memo to myself here.

Deborah,
You have read & need to mark & review for this thread, the following:
The City & the City��China Miéville

Land of Milk and Honey��C Pam Zhang

Shades of Grey��Jasper Fforde

Riding Like the Wind: The Life of Sanora Babb��Iris Jamahl Dunkle

The Dying Detective��Leif G.W. Persson

1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed18730589����Eric H. Cline

Zen Attitude��Sujata Massey

American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal��Neil King Jr.

The Martian Chronicles��Ray Bradbury