Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #1182 (SoD #1647) - 1966, 1999, Arne Dahl, Trains, and Throwback Thursday 1908.22
Hi Mom,
As you know, I like trains.
The picture above from 1966 shows me peering inside the paper decoration train as part of my fourth birthday celebration. You saved this decoration and re-used it for many years along with the train candle holder for which you had to go to some trouble to acquire extra cars, by which I mean that I believe you searched and searched for extra train cars as well getting Dad to drill extra holes in this wooden train original (see picture below).
Dad caught me in a great moment in the picture above at our new home in Traverse City.
And I am wearing suspenders?
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| 11 year old birthday cake |
Speaking of reading, that's about all there will be here in this post as it's a short one.But first...
POLICY CHANGE
I decided the Sunday is a better day to curate a huge hodge podge of miscellaneous materials than a Thursday, especially when I am working full blast, a blasting schedule of rocket propellant that's about to start.
And so, I am returning THROWBACK THURSDAY to what it used to be and could be again: just a photo and a short note.
So, trains and reading. There's the link. I like to read on trains.
I finished the audio book of Stephen King's 11/22/63 ... weird, ON the 22nd of August 2019. Coincidence?
Also, some amazement (or being a show off as I friend accused me) I "read" it -- 11/22/63 -- in twenty days. That may be a record given that it's 30 hours of audio. But one average an hour of walking the dogs every day and obviously some days with more time on the audio between garden watering and chores... but also factor that some of my time is taken up with BASEBALL games. So, I feel that 30 hours in 20 days is very easily achieved in the lazy, hazy summer.
Here's my GOOD READS content:
Mostly, I am impressed that I finished this book in twenty days while listening to the audio book. That's 30 hours of audio in twenty days! But this book is that good. Five stars may be a bit excessive. If I had a ten point scale, I'd give this 8.9/10. I am more enthusiastic because I adore Stephen King and this audio and its narration is even better than many of his others. This book kept me interested, riveted even. There were times that I did not want to put it down, stop listening. There were things I thought I would get from this story that I did not get, which is a vague reference to how it deals with Kennedy conspiracy theory, which is explained in the afterword, so hang on for that part. I may consider other King novels as better or heart-stopping reading experiences, but this one gave me exactly what I wanted: a strong narrative experience for the "tail" end (like dog's tail) of summer as shortly I will have less time for dog walks and extra chores with audio book though more commute time for audio book in the car.
What I liked best about this book: two things: one, the glimpse into 1958-1963 America, lovingly rendered by someone who lived it (even if he was 11-16 years old), and, two, what would the world be like if Kennedy had not been assassinated? Two great reasons to read this very masterful novel by arguably the greatest master of popular fiction.
So that was my audio book. Finished 11/22/63 and moved on to Spark by John Twelve Hawks, which is enjoyable.
In addition to comics books and many other things I read in the traditional manner all the time (currently re-reading Radical Evolution as prep for class), I am reading Arne Dahl's The Blinded Man, which I obtained about a year ago after a recommendation by Warren Ellis in his newsletter (his remarks to follow). Any time an author I respect lauds a book as a great example of "building a book," then he has my attention.
I am not yet done with it, so it has not yet come together and given me the bell-sound, but it is a well wrought thing, mostly. One glaring issue I have with it is when Dahl breaks with his limited third person POV and jumps into another characters head for a quick sound bite. That's jarring and odd.
Otherwise, it's holding my interest, though not as grippingly as the King book.
I am also reading... (not audio):
from WARREN ELLIS' ORBITAL OPERATIONS - "Phantom Tones" August 05, 2018:
THE BLINDED MAN is the first of the Intercrime crime novels by Arne Dahl, pseudonym of literary novelist, poet and critic Jan Arnald. So popular are these novels that their TV adaptation is simply called ARNE DAHL.
If you're into those novels that are absurdly polished exercises in structure, mechanics, all flawless tracks and joints and that great bell-like sound when all the parts of it suddenly come together, you'll love this. It is a glorious performance in Building A Book.
It was written in 1999, and is solidly within the original Nordic Noir space, being very much about Swedish society and politics. It is... curious on the subject of women, and cannot quite decide whether it's the detective protagonist who can solve every puzzle except women, or whether it thinks all women are unknowable aliens.
On the other hand, it has a large detective who performs a violent arrest on a moving van.
It's the story of the killing of a big important man, and the last time a big important man was assassinated in Sweden the police and security services really fucked it up, so this time they're assembling a crack team of Cops Who Don't Follow The Rules to handle it. Yeah, I know. Roll with it. Arnald isn't trying to change the world. It's a largely unapologetic yarn. With moments of oddness.
Given that it was clearly made as a commercial move, the book feels remarkably uncynical. It's really not afraid of being odd. Its voice is wry and bone-dry. (I've started reading the second book, and frankly it's a lot broader and goes to fart gags very quickly.) And, as noted, it's quite the masterclass in building a machine.
It was wonderfully unputdownable.
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Reflect and connect.
Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you, Mom.
I miss you so very much, Mom.
Talk to you soon, Mom.
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- Days ago = 1510 days ago
- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1908.22 - 10:10
NEW (written 1708.27 and 1907.04) NOTE on time: I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of your death, Mom, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of your death, Mom. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. Dropped "Talk to you tomorrow, Mom" in the sign off on 1907.04. Should have done it sooner as this feature is no longer daily.
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