B. Morrison's Blog, page 74

Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch [2]

Lanita recommended this mystery set in London, so it seemed an appropriate read while London’s Olympic triumph was on my mind. Part of the fun is that the chapters are named for the location where the chapter’s action takes place: Tufnell Park, Ladbroke Grove, Russell Square, etc. The book as a whole takes the reader on a grand tour of London, avoiding for the most part the obvious tourist sites but including, as one might guess from the title, the underground and even the sewers.

Peter is a...

Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch [1]

Lanita recommended this mystery set in London, so it seemed an appropriate read while London’s Olympic triumph was on my mind. Part of the fun is that the chapters are named for the location where the chapter’s action takes place: Tufnell Park, Ladbroke Grove, Russell Square, etc. The book as a whole takes the reader on a grand tour of London, avoiding for the most part the obvious tourist sites but including, as one might guess from the title, the underground and even the sewers.

Peter is a...

Whispers Under Ground, by Ben Aaronovitch

Lanita recommended this mystery set in London, so it seemed an appropriate read while London’s Olympic triumph was on my mind. Part of the fun is that the chapters are named for the location where the chapter’s action takes place: Tufnell Park, Ladbroke Grove, Russell Square, etc. The book as a whole takes the reader on a grand tour of London, avoiding for the most part the obvious tourist sites but including, as one might guess from the title, the underground and even the sewers.

Peter is a...

Reveries of the Solitary Walker, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

This book was not at all what I expected. Enticed by the title, I thought I would find someone who, like me, has discovered no more creative an activity than a solitary walk. The repetitive physical motion and changing scenery never fail to help me find a solution to a thorny problem or work out an idea for the next scene or essay. Walking through woods is always delightful, but once I’ve burrowed down into whatever I’m trying to untangle, it doesn’t matter where I am, and city sidewalks work...

The Rescuer's Path, by Paula Friedman [3]

There are many paths to enlightenment, eight according to the Buddha, but surely a subset of the Path of Right Action is the Rescuer’s Path. People who find themselves on this path, almost without choosing, feel compelled to help those in danger. Doing so requires a level of personal responsibility, a willingness to step forward and risk yourself rather than shrinking back into the protective cover of the crowd. Failure is always possible.

Sixteen-year-old Malca is still trying to figure out...

The Rescuer's Path, by Paula Friedman [2]

There are many paths to enlightenment, eight according to the Buddha, but surely a subset of the Path of Right Action is the Rescuer’s Path. People who find themselves on this path, almost without choosing, feel compelled to help those in danger. Doing so requires a level of personal responsibility, a willingness to step forward and risk yourself rather than shrinking back into the protective cover of the crowd. Failure is always possible.

Sixteen-year-old Malca is still trying to figure out...

The Rescuer's Path, by Paula Friedman

There are many paths to enlightenment, eight according to the Buddha, but surely a subset of the Path of Right Action is the Rescuer’s Path. People who find themselves on this path, almost without choosing, feel compelled to help those in danger. Doing so requires a level of personal responsibility, a willingness to step forward and risk yourself rather than shrinking back into the protective cover of the crowd. Failure is always possible.

Sixteen-year-old Malca is still trying to figure out...

Summers' Horses, by Ralph Cotton

I mentioned the classic Western Shane a few weeks ago. Here’s another Western I picked up in Greenfield, Massachusetts at the World Eye Bookshop. Although an author new to me, Ralph Cotton has written over 30 Westerns. Summers’ Horses follows Will Summers, a horse-trader, as he chases the men who stole the seven animals, six horses and a mule, he was leading through the Colorado Territory. Will is accompanied by a big spotted dog that came as part of a trade. The two brothers who stole the ho...

Eventide, by Kent Haruf

I’ve been judging a novel contest lately, reading the first 20-30 pages of a slew of novels. They’ve been mostly historical fiction, a rather wide category but still surprisingly over-represented in this particular sample. Is the past somehow more romantic than the present? More urgent? I’ve certainly read and enjoyed my share of historical fiction, but generally look for novels written in the author’s present-day, expecting to get a more accurate flavor of the time. And anyway, whatever we w...

61 Hours, by Lee Childs

For fans of this series, I only have to say “Lee Childs” or simply “Reacher”. That’s all you need to know.

When I pick up one of these immensely popular books, I know that nothing more will get done until I’ve turned the last page. In this 2010 addition to the series, Jack Reacher has caught a ride on a tour bus that skids off a remote South Dakota highway during the beginning of a blizzard. With his customary competence, Reacher plants flares outside, administers first aid to the elderly tou...