A pilgrim ponders 2022

January

✓1. The Greater Trumps by Charles Williams (230 pages) - 4.5 stars
✓2. The Velveteen Rabbit by Moses Omoifo (15 pages) - 0.5 stars
✓3. ♪♪ The Man From the South (short story) by Roald Dahl (narrated by Terry Malloy) (15 minutes) - 2.5 stars
✓4. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (illustrated by Sir William Nicholson (32 pages) - 3.5 stars
✓5. A Rich, Full Week (novelette) by K. J. Parker (43 pages) - 3 stars
✓6 Pottermore Presents Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies by J. K. Rowling (73 pages) - 1.5 stars
7. Night Orders (novelette) by Paul Cornell from Knaves Over Queens (46 pages) - 3 stars
8. Police On My Back (novelette) by Charles Stross from Knaves Over Queens (54 pages) - 2.5 stars
9. Fake Histories by Graeme Donald (230 pages) - 4 stars
10. My Name is Legion by Roger Zelazny (206 pages) - 4 stars
11. Worrals Flies Again by Captain W. E. Johns (294 pages) - 4 stars
12. Universum (short story) by Irina Bogatyreva (trans. by Arch Tait) from Still Waters Run Deep (28 pages) - 3 stars
13. Seizure (short story) by Irina Bogatyreva (trans. by Arch Tait) from Still Waters Run Deep (10 pages) - 3.5 stars
14. Natasha's Dream (play) by Yaroslava Pulinovich (trans. by Noah Birksted-Breen) from Still Waters Run Deep (19 pages) - 3 5 stars
15. An Almost English Detective Story (short story anthology) by Anna Babiashkina (trans. by Muireann Maguire) from Still Waters Run Deep (24 pages) - 3.5 stars

February

✓1. Pottermore Presents Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists by J. K. Rowling (74 pages) - 1.5 stars
✓2. Untraceable by Sergey Lebedev (trans. by Antonina W. Bouis) (195 pages) - 5 stars
3. Pottermore Presents Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable History by J. K. Rowling (85 pages) - 2 stars
4. Probationary (novelette) by Marko Kloos from Knaves Over Queens (56 pages) - 2 stars
5. Twisted Logic: parts 1 & 2 (short stories) by Peter Newman from Knaves Over Queens (14 & 16 pages) - 1 star & 1.5 stars
6. The Cracks in the City by Peadar Ó Guilín from Knaves Over Queens (20 pages) - 1 star
7. Twisted Logic: parts 3 & 4 (short stories) by Peter Newman from Knaves Over Queens (14 & 28 pages) - 1.5 stars
8. The Ceremony of Innocence (novelette) by Melinda M. Snodgrass from Knaves Over Queens (42 pages) - 2.5 stars
9. How to Turn a Girl to Stone (novelette) by Emma Newman from Knaves Over Queens (50 pages) - 3 stars
10. Feeding on the Entrails (short story) by Peadar Ó Guilín from Knaves Over Queens (14 pages) - 1 star
✓11. Absolution by Murder: A Celtic Mystery by Peter Tremayne (285 pages) - 3 stars
12. The Book of Genesis from The Orthodox Study Bible (64 pages)
13. Thirty Minutes Over Broadway! by Howard Waldrop from Wild Cards (ed. George R. R. Martin) (63 pages) - 2 stars
✓14. The First Letter of Peter from The Orthodox Study Bible (7 pages)
✓15. The Second Letter of Peter from The Orthodox Study Bible (5 pages)
16. The Book of Hosea from The Orthodox Study Bible (13 pages)
✓17. ♪♪Equal Rites by Sir Terry Pratchett (narr. by Celia Imrie) (7 hours, 30 minutes) - 4 stars
✓18. The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse (224 pages) - 3.5 stars
✓19. The First Letter of John from The Orthodox Study Bible (7 pages)
✓20. The Second Letter of John from The Orthodox Study Bible (1 page)
✓21. ♪♪Mort by Sir Terry Pratchett (narr. by Nigel Planer) (7 hours, 16 minutes) - 4 stars
✓22. ♪♪The Gospel According to Mark read by David Suchet (1 hour, 33 minutes)
23. Bombadil Goes Boating (poem) by J. R. R. Tolkien (7 pages) - 4 stars

Currently Reading


Love Your Enemies by Hieromonk Gregorios
Started: 1/11/2021


Ringworld by Larry Niven
Started: 26/12/2021


Grace O'Malley: the Biography of Ireland's Pirate Queen 1530-1603 by Anne Chambers
Started: 26/10/2019


How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It by K. J. Parker
Started: 12/1/2022


The Blue Day by René Guillot (illus. by Margery Gill & trans. by Gwen Marsh)
Started: 13/1/2022


Still Waters Run Deep: Young Women's Writing from Russia
Started: 24/1/2022


First and Last Men by Olaf Stapledon
Started: 24/2/2022

Kindle


There's A Hole in My Bucket by Royd Tolkien
Started: 15/9/2021


Ruslan and Ludmila by Alexander Pushkin (trans. by Jacob Krup)
Started: 7/1/2022


The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Started: January 2022


The Anthology of Irish Folk Tales
Started: 20/1/2022


The Earth, the Stars and the Eigenvalue by S. J. Rochester
Started: 20/1/2022


The Affirmation by Christopher Priest
Started: 23/1/2022


My Daily Orthodox Prayer Book: Classic Orthodox Prayers for Every Need edited by Anthony M. Coniaris
Started: 2/2/2022


Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of Cromwell's Protectorate by Paul Lay
Started: 4/2/2022


The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (without cross-references) (prepared by Crossway Bibles)
Started: 6/2/2022


Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
Started: 6/2/2022


The Orthodox Study Bible, eBook prepared by the Academic Community of St Anasthasius Academy of Orthodox Theology (publ. by Thomas Nelson Publishing)
Started: 14/2/2021
2 Timothy: 13/2/2022
1 Corinthians: 20/2/2022
Exodus: 20/2/2022
Gospel of John: 27/2/2022
1 Thessalonians: 27/2/2022


The Jargoon Pard by Andre Norton
Started: 27/8/2021


Gnomon by Nick Harkaway
Started: 16/2/2022

Website

Ruslan and Ludmila by Alexander Pushkin
Started: 7/1/2022

Audiobooks


There's A Hole in My Bucket by Royd Tolkien (narr. by Drew Cullingham)
Started: 15/9/2021

Viewing

January

1. Yolki 2 (2011, Russian (Russian Federation)) {rewatch}
2. Jane and the Lost City (1987, English (British))
3. Paws, Bones and Rock'n'Roll (2015, Russian (Russian Federation)) {rewatch}
4. Charmed: Season 2, Episodes 9-11
5. Babylon 5 Season 1: Episodes 15-16, 18-20, 17, 14, 21-22 (1994, English (American))
6. Furious (2019, Russian (Russian Federation))
7. Yolki 5 (2016, Russian (Russian Federation))
8. Babylon 5 Season 2: Episodes 1-4, 6, 8, 7, 5, 9-12, 17, 15-16, 18-22 (1995, English (American))
9. Fate of a Man (1959, Russian (Soviet Union))
10. My Heroic Husband: Episode 6
11. The Hippopotamus (2017, English (British))
12. Babylon 5: Season 3, Episodes 1-11, 13
13. Yancy Derringer: Season 1, Episodes 7-8

February

1. Babylon 5: Season 3: Episodes 12, 14-15, 18, 16-17, 19-21
✓2. Castle: Season 1 (2009, English (American))
3. Babylon 5: The Gathering (1993, English (American)) {rewatch}
4. Farscape: Season 2, Episodes 9-16
✓5. Castle: Season 2 (2009-2010, English (American))
6. My Heroic Husband: Episode 7
7. Babylon 5: Season 4, Episodes 1-9
8. Калина Красная (1973, Russian (Soviet Union))
9. Toyland (2007, German (Germany))
10. The King's Speech (2010, English (Great Britain))
11. Castle: Season 3, Episodes 1-8
12. The Legend of Vox Machina: Season 1, Episode 1
13. Charmed: Season 2, Episode 12
14. The Lower Decks: Season 1, Episode 1

Series in progress

Fiction

Heartstrikers by Rachel Aaron: 1, 2-5 - Bethesda Heartstriker: Mother of the Year
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch: 1-3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - Action at a Distance, A Dedicated Follower of Fashion, The Cockpit; Body Work, What Abigail Did That Summer, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Granny, Night Witch, Favourite Uncle, Black Mould, The Furthest Station; Detective Stories, Cry Fox, Water Weed, The October Man, The Fey and the Furious
The Adventures of Erast Fandorin by Boris Akunin: 1 - Turkish Gambit
The Adventures of Sister Pelagia by Boris Akunin: 1-2 - Pelagia and the Red Rooster
Dania Gorska by Hania Allen: 1 - Clearing the Dark

Ralph Rover by R. M. Ballantyne: 1 - The Gorilla Hunters
Chronicles of Amber by John Gregory Betancourt: P1, 1-10 - Chaos and Amber
Dominion of The Fallen by Aliette de Bodard: 0.2-0.5, 0.8-1.5 - Against the Encroaching Darkness, Of Children, of Houses, and Hope, The House of Binding Thorns
Obsidian and Blood by Aliette de Bodard: 0.1-1 - Harbinger of the Storm
Xuya Universe by Aliette de Bodard: 8, 27 - The Jaguar House, In Shadow, Fleeing Tezcatlipoca
Pieter Posthumous by Britta Bolt: 3 - Lonely Graves
Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs: 1-2 - Fair Game
Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs: 1-8 - Fire Touched
Sianim by Patricia Briggs: 3-4 - Masques
Philip Mangan by Adam Brookes: 1 - Spy Games
The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold: 2-4 - Falling Free, The Mountains of Mourning, The Vor Game
World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold: 1.1, 2 - Penric and the Shaman, The Paladin of Souls
Chains of Honor by Lindsay Buroker: P1-P3, 1-2: Snake Heart, Assassin's Bond
Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker: 1-8 - Diplomats and Fugitives
Fallen Empire by Lindsay Buroker: P-3 - Relic of Sorrows
The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher: 1-2 - Welcome to the Jungle, Grave Peril

Holly Danger by Amanda Carlson: 1 - Danger's Vice
Blake and Avery by M. J. Carter: 1 - The Infidel Stain
The Vinyl Detective by Andrew Cartmel: 1 - The Run-Out Groove
Greatcoats by Sebastian de Castell: 1 - Knight's Shadow
Spellslinger by Sebastian de Castell: 1-6 - The Way of the Argosi
The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty: 1 - The Kingdom of Copper
Ariadne Oliver by Agatha Christie: 8 - Parker Pyne Investigates
Poirot by Agatha Christie: 36 - The Murder on the Links
Chronicles of an Age of Darkness by Hugh Cook: 1 - The Wordsmiths and the Warguild
The Saxon Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell: 1-2 - The Lords of the North
Sharpe by Bernard Cornwell:1, 6, 8-9, 13 - Sharpe's Triumph
The Assassini by Jon Courtenay Grimwood: 1 - The Outcast Blade
Arkady Renko by Martin Cruz Smith: 1 - Polar Star

Marcus Didius Falco by Lindsey Davis: 1-6 - Time to Depart
Flavia Albia by Lindsey Davis: 1-2.5 - Deadly Election
Priya's Shakti by Ram Devineni & Dan Goldman: 1-2 - Priya and the Lost Girls
John Pearce by David Donachie: 1, 14 - A Shot-Rolling Ship
The Privateersman Mysteries by David Donachie: 1-2 - A Hanging Matter
Mordant's Need by Stephen R. Donaldson: 1 - A Man Rides Through
The Marie Antoinette Romances by Alexandre Dumas: 2 - Cagliostro
The Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas: 1-3 - Louise de la Vallière
Cliff Janeway by John Dunning: 1 - The Bookman's Wake

The Beginner's Guide to Necromancy by Hailey Edwards: 1 - How to Claim an Undead Soul
The Time Quintet by Madeleine L'Engle: 1 - A Wind in the Door

Aviary Hall by Penelope Farmer: 3 - The Summer Birds
Sid Halley by Dick Francis: 2 - Odds Against

Metro 203x by Dmitry Glukhovsky: 1-1.5 - Metro 2034
The Archangel Project by C Gockel: 1- 1.5 - Noa's Ark
Shakespearean Murder Mysteries by Philip Gooden: 1-3 - Alms for Oblivion
The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula le Guin: 1 - The Tombs of Atuan

Forever War by Joe Haldeman: 1 - Forever Free
Benjamin January by Barbara Hambly: 1 - Fever Season
Darwath by Barbara Hambly: 1-3 - Mother of Winter
James Asher by Barbara Hambly: 1-2, 4-6 - Blood Maidens, Pale Guardian
Sun Wolf and Star Hawk by Barbara Hambly: 1-3 - Hazard
The Windrose Chronicles by Barbara Hambly: 1-3 - Firemaggot
The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison 4-5, 9 - The Stainless Steel Rat Is Born
Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne: 1 - Paper & Blood
Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson: 1-2 - A Death at Fountains Abbey
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg: 1-2, 4 - The Master Magician
Modern Mythologies by Tom Holt: 1,2,3-4 - Overtime
Professor Branestawm by Norman Hunter: 2 - The Peculiar Triumph of Professor Branestawm

Conqueror by Conn Iggulden: 1 - Lords of the Bow

Alex Verus by Benedict Jacka: 1, 9 - Cursed
Flying Officer Joan Worralson by Capt. W. E. Johns: 3-5 - Worrals of the W.A.A.F., Worrals of the Islands

The Danilov Quintet by Jasper Kent:1 - Thirteen Years Later

The Jane Doe Chronicles by Jeremy Lachlan: 1 - The Key of All Souls
The Book of the Ancestor by Mark Lawrence: 1 - Grey Sister
The Kalle Blomqvist Mysteries by Astrid Lindgren: 3 - Master Detective
Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu and Sana Takeda: 1

Lens of the World by R. A. MacAvoy: 1 - King of the Dead
Wild Cards by G. R. R. Martin: 23 - Wild Cards
Robert Colbeck by Edward Marston: 1 - The Excursion Train
Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey: 1 - Dragonquest
The Raven's Mark by Ed McDonald: 1 - Ravencry
The Green Man's Heir by Juliet E. McKenna: 1-3: The Green Man's Challenge
Colonel Vaughn de Vries by Paul Mendelson: 1-2 - The History of Blood

The Psammead by E. Nesbit: 1-2, 3 - The Story of the Amulet
Tertius by Robert Newman: 1 - The Testing of Tertius
Witch World by Andre Norton: 1-3 - Three Against the Witch World
Star Ka'ats by Andre Norton and Dorothy Madlee: 1-3 - Star Ka'ats and the Winged Warriors

Siege by K. J. Parker: 1 - How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It
Giordano Bruno by S.J. Parris: 5 - Heresy
Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters: 1-12 - The Rose Rent
The Gaian Consortium by Christine Pope: 1 - Breath of Life
Paul Samson by Henry Porter: 1-2 - The Old Enemy
Discworld by Sir Terry Pratchett: 1-2, 3-4-14, 15, 15.5, 16.5 - Sourcery, Soul Music
Morgue Drawer by Jutta Profijt: 1-2 - Morgue Drawer To Rent

Theseus by Mary Renault: 1 - The Bull From the Sea
Divergent by Veronica Roth: 1, 2.5 - Insurgent

The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski: 1 - The Last Wish, Time of Contempt
Lord Peter Wimsey by Dorothy L. Sayers: 3, 5, 9 - Clouds of Witness
Old Man's War by John Scalzi: 1 - The Ghost Brigades
Jonathon Fairfax by Christopher Shevlin: 1 - The Deleted Scenes of Jonathon Fairfax, Jonathon Fairfax Must Be Destroyed
The Rhenwars Saga by M. L. Spencer: 1 - Darklands
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater: 0.2, 1 - The Dream Thieves
The Laundry Files by Charles Stross: 1-3.1 - The Apocalypse Codex
Merchant Princes by Charles Stross: 2 - The Family Trade
The Dolphin Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff: 1, 3-6, 8 - The Silver Branch

The Ember Quartet by Sabaa Tahir: 2 - An Ember in the Ashes
The Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor: 1 - We Are Many
Jem Flockhart by E. S. Thomson: 2 - Beloved Poison
Sister Fidelma Mysteries by Peter Tremayne: 1 (& 1 other!) - A Shroud for the Archbishop
A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain: 1-2 - Part 3

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells: 0.5 - All Systems Red
Miss Silver by Patricia Wentworth: 1 - The Case is Closed
Aspects of Power by Charles Williams: 1, 4 - Many Dimensions
Detective Inspector Chen by Liz Williams: 1 - The Demon and the City
The Hitman's Guide by Alice Winters: 1-2: The Hitman's Guide to Tying the Knot Without Getting Shot
Victor the Assassin by Tom Wood: 1, 2-4: Bad Luck in Berlin, The Darkest Day
The Gestes by P. C. Wren: 1 - Beau Sabreur
Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse: 1-2 - Thank You, Jeeves

Non-fiction

Zoo Memoirs by Gerald Durrell : 1 - The Whispering Land
The Spiritual Life by Hieromonk Gregorios: 1-2 - Do Not Judge
All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriott: 1 - It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet
The History of Middle Earth by Christopher Tolkien: ??

Series up to date

Tom Mondrian by Ross Armstrong: 1
The Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky: 1-2
Comet Weather by Liz Williams: 1-2
The Folk of the Air by Holly Black: P1-3, 1-3.5
Moonsinger by Andre Norton: 1-4
Three Men by Jerome K. Jerome: 1-2
The Quantum Curators by Eva St. John: 1-3 - The Quantum Curators and the Untitled Manuscript
McGarry Stateside by Caimh McDonnell: 1-3
The Dublin Trilogy by Caimh McDonnell: 1-5: Firewater Blues
Pottermore Presents by J. K. Rowling: 1-3

N.b.
(i) This list is still probably incomplete.
(ii) The named book is the next to be read
(iii) Inclusion of a series does not imply intent to complete it.
(iv) I have read some of the series in bold type during this year (2022).
(v) I have pruned out of this list some series that I began in 2019, or 2020, but definitely do not intend to continue

Summary of 2021

Happy New Year and happy reading in 2022! I hope your 2022 is better than 2021.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Hope your 2022 reads are all gems.

Happy reading in 2022!

Starred!

Happy New Year, friend.

Happy new year! I hope that 2022 is a better year for you in every way.

Thank you all.

I am probably going to be more erratic in my posting now. I can still not sit up for long periods, and now any movement of my arm is painful; anything long has to be assembled offline a few sentences at a time.

The spirit is still willing, but the flesh is noticeably weaker.

Just stopping by to wish you a Very Happy New Year. Sorry to hear you're in so much pain. I hope you feel better soon and can resume posting. {{{hugs}}}

>16 Storeetllr:
Thank you, Mary.
But I have been waiting to see a neurologist since February 2020, and have heard nothing, despite multiple re-referrals, so I do not have much hope.

The secondary tumours are now clearly visible, but the cancer nurses say that they can do nothing, since the pain is clearly neurological.

I am resigned.

>17 -pilgrim-: That's terrible! The health system in the U.S. is abysmal, but I think your experience tops even that. Do you have an advocate who can fight for your right to get the medical treatment you need? (My daughter said she'd be mine if I ever needed it. I wouldn't want to go up against her, and she's really tenacious, so I'm pretty sure I'd get what I needed if she ever had to get involved. Luckily, I haven't really had a problem, yet.)

>18 Storeetllr: No advocate. And, as my previous oncology consultant said, "you do not have any right to treatment". (It is their decision.)

I think the situation is due to Covid-19. During the first wave of the virus, the government ordered hospitals to cancel all non-urgent appointments, in order to clear space for the expected influx of Coronavirus patients. Since that order stayed in place for over six months, and the usual waiting time to see a neurology consultant is around eighteen months, I presume that the backlog is creating the rest of the delay.

I have had a consultant oncologist, a consultant radiologist and the breast care nurses all say that they have made the referral - but nothing from the neurologists.

My impression is that the NHS compartmentalisation copes abysmally when medical conditions normally treated in different specialties start affecting each other.

I could say much more, but this is heading into political territory. Covid-19 is being used as the grounds for closing access to many things.

I used to keep non-book-related posts in a separate thread, as I know many people hate to read any bad news, and I did not not want took drive them away from book discussions here.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/333509#n7631371

I stopped updating it as I realised
(i) my news never got any better
(ii) some readers took it as an indicatiion of weakness, and hence an invitation to attempt to bully.

However, since I do apoear to be putting some personal news here, I feel that I ought to share a little piece of good news, since I rarely have any.

Within spoiler tags in case the subject offends anyone:

I asked my priest to visit me in July 2020. Unfortunately he was unable to do so (because of the government regulations that were in place, forbidding travel between regions), but that he would come as soon as was possible.

He came just before Christmas and so I was finally able to make confession and receive communion.

It has been an extremely long wait, so this was important to me. I would hope that, regardless of whether you share my beliefs, you can be glad for me.

>20 -pilgrim-: I am VERY glad for you!

>19 -pilgrim-: I am VERY shocked and dismayed by the neglect and callous treatment you've received. I understand the importance of the medical profession to prioritize Covid prevention & treatment, but when someone's in constant pain and unable to live a normal life, well, that's important too. I won't go on about it; just know that I am thinking of you and sending you healing vibes.

>20 -pilgrim-: Always praying for you. Never forget that you are important to us in the Green Dragon, I appreciate every post I see from you because I know what an effort it is for you to continue to make them.

>20 -pilgrim-: I'm very happy for you. Sorry so many things are not working out well for you, and I hope it will get better.

>20 -pilgrim-: That is great news. I'm so glad he finally made it.

As MrsLee said, you are always in my prayers.

I believe that today is the Orthodox celebration of Christmas. I hope you can make the day special in some way.

>24 Sakerfalcon:


I woke up to find everything covered with snow this morning. The first white Christmas for a very long time!

>25 -pilgrim-: Well that is special, even if not welcomed by all. Stay warm and cosy!

>25 -pilgrim-:
That is a great view from your window.
Happy Christmas!

>27 pgmcc: Oh, how I wish!

I had a pilgrimage to Russia planned pre-cancer and pre-Covid. It has been a long time since I was there.

>20 -pilgrim-: I am very happy to read this.

(I just deleted a rude comment about government interference with people's lives)

>20 -pilgrim-: That's wonderful news, and I hope it brought you a measure of peace.

>19 -pilgrim-: A thoroughly unacceptable response to anyone and terrible neglect of your treatment... You continue to be in my prayers.

>20 -pilgrim-: And oh, at last, that's wonderful! Another Merry Christmas to you!

January #1:


The Greater Trumps: Book 4 of Aspects of Power by Charles Williams - 4.5 stars
1/1/2022-5/1/2022

This was a powerful start to 2022. It is also a difficult book to describe.

Charles Williams was a devout Anglican. He was also a sincere mystic.

In most books with a supernatural component, either a supernatural element intrudes into the "normal" world, or the setting is a parallel universe type, which resembles our own, but posits that various supernatural beings, such as vampires and werewolves, coexist alongside humanity. For Williams, the supernatural coexists with the natural in our world, without distinction.

I remember discussing back in Spring 2020, with Richard and others, why such a brilliant and original writer as Williams is not as well known as the other Inklings. Here I confirmed my earlier suspicions as to why.

Williams was an erudite man, and expects his readers to be also. I presume it is no accident that the name of the Warden of Lunacy reflects Benjamin Disraeli´s novels Coningsby and Lothair, the former dealing with its author's dissatisfaction with both the political parties of his day, and the latter with which Christian denomination - Roman Catholic, Anglican or Radical - is truly the heir to the Judaic tradition. Nor that the name of his sister, Sybil, is also that of another novel, dealing with the appalling conditions in which much of the working class lived in Disraeli's day. Lothair Coningsby is the epitome of dissatisfaction, without any clear ideas on what he actually wants to replace his current situation. And this book was written in 1932, when the working class was again in dire poverty - and Sybil Coningsby is the epitome of concern for others, in a completely inclusive way. I have no doubt that these correspondences are not coincidental.

I also note that when Nancy sees all the way across the world to China, she notices that there are troops moving on China's northern borders and villages burning. This presumably is referencing the Japanese invasion of Manchuria, which began in January 1932. Williams appears very aware of the state of the world at the time of his writing; he is not divorced from current political upheavals.

The plot begins when Nancy Coningsby, the daughter of an upper middle-class English family - her father is the Warden for Lunacy, her mother never mentioned, presumably dead - becomes engaged to Henry Lee, a rising young barrister.

Henry is a "gypsy", which fact is of major importance to the story. Given that the novel was written in 1932, the use of that term does not seem to be intended pejoratively. Although Lothair Coningsby, frequently demonstrates the common British anti-gypsy prejudices, these are part of his character, and not the attitude of the author. Although Williams appears to subscribe to the common fallacy that the Romani people probably originated from Egypt (whence "gypsy" or "Egyptian" as old names for them), and even has his Romani characters apparently share that delusion, his actual treatment of his "gypsy" characters is fairly respectful of, although probably ignorant about, a separate culture. And the Lees are one of the great English Roma families.

Lothair Coningsby has been willed a collection of playing cards by an old friend. Because of Henry's background, he is prevailed upon to show several of these packs to his guest. One in particular, very ancient, is of extreme interest to Henry. It is a complete Tarot pack...

It is a very long time since I learned the symbolism of the tarot, but the interpretations that Williams gives in his novel seem to accord with what I remember. His standpoint is that attempting to read fortunes with an ordinary tarot pack is foolishness, it is only with the first, original pack, of which all others are copies, that the Law of Correspondences holds.

I have never used a tarot pack to attempt to read fortunes. (I rather agree with the character of Aunt Sybil, who feels it is rude to attempt to make the universe disclose that which it keeps secret.) But my first boyfriend (an atheist), who introduced me to a history of playing cards, also showed me a story that he had written, exploring the nature of the Fool. And this novel I received as a gift from a Catholic theologian. Reading it I was struck with the relevance of both interpretations.

One of the doctrines of Orthodoxy that I find hardest to deal with is the demand that one must love one's enemies. Not simply forgive repentant enemies, but to love those who intend you harm, whilst they are actively abusing you and actually inflicting harm.

The same ideal is held up here, in this novel. Through the character of Aunt Sybil, it explores what such Love might look like.

But The Greater Trumps is not a philosophical tract disguised as a novel. As story, it has real tension and an impressive breadth of visual imagery - and an immanent apocalypse!

However this is why I think Williams is less read. The theological themes may disturb some readers of fantasy, whilst Christian readers unused to a symbolic exposition of ideas may be uncomfortable that "God", "Christ", "Holy Spirit" are never named (except in the casual blasphemies of conventional speech).

I complained here about Comet Weather et al., where the author's background assumptions regarding beliefs are never explained. Williams does a very good job of explaining the symbols of the Tarot, not as an exposition dump, but through working them into the story.

However there are many phrases and images that Williams uses, which are redolant of the Anglican liturgy. I grew up with those services, so those references resound appropriately for me. However I suspect that for the majority of a modern readership, these references will not be so easily recognised, and so the resonances and implications lost.

The habitual Sunday attendance that was the norm at these time this book was written is a thing of the past now. So Williams' references to those liturgies probably now need as much explanation as when he calls upon other belief systems.

It does not really matter if you do not recognise thr correlation between Aslan and Christ in C. S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. The stories work as story, independent of the allegory.

But in The Greater Trumps the resonances with Christian - and with ancient Egyptian - imagery and symbols are part of the plot, and you lose out if you do not recognise them. And the contemporary and literary references may require research nowadays (as they did for me).

There are many layers to this novel. It is the sort that you really need to read more than once. I found it thought-provoking and fascinating. I would not wish to put anyone off it.

>20 -pilgrim-: I'm very happy for you, whatever the soul needs to feel lighter.

>32 -pilgrim-:
That is a marvelous discussion of The Greater Trumps. I think I you can consider that a hit. You have intrigued me.

Your post is a perfect example of describing the content of a book that has religious and political allusions and aspects, in a fashion that is informative and non-partisan.

I think your analysis of why Charles Williams work is not better known is interesting. I wonder if he had a particular audience in mind in his writing. I have thought the same about Charles Robert Maturin.

>34 pgmcc: I will be intrigued to learn what you make of it.

And there are passages that I really want to discuss with another reader, about how to interpret the symbolism!

As to Williams' intended audience:
Living in Oxford, among the Inklings, I suspect affected the level of erudition that he considered the norm. But the rest appears suited to a conventional middle class, book reading public. Professionally, he was an editor, so his grasp of that should be sound.

He grew up in genteel poverty as his father's increasing blindness affected the latter's ability to work, and was unable to take up a place at university for financial reasons. Having middle class expectations without really belonging may also affect his outlook - but really I think he was such a unique individual that there is no social strata to which he could have really ever "belonged".

>32 -pilgrim-: I must admit that I've never been successful in my attempts to parse Charles Williams but you do make it seem as if it would be worthwhile to revisit his novels. It's possible that I did go in anticipating more traditional fantasy and he really does something very, very different.

>36 jillmwo: If you that was the case, and you do try it, may I suggest starting at the beginning of Aspects of Power with War in Heaven . Not because the books are linked in anyway, but because in that book there is a slower creep in of the symbolic upon the natural. I first tried The Greater Trumps in 1990, and gave up because I became aware there was too much that I was missing. War in Heaven is a more leisurely introduction to Williams' extremely idiosyncratic style. After that, I really enjoyed The Greater Trumps.

>20 -pilgrim-: Very happy for you :)

January #3:

♪♪ The Man From the South (short story) by Roald Dahl - 2.5 stars
Narrated by Terry Malloy
10/1/2022

Roald Dahl seems best known as a children's author; I tend to think of him as the man behind the eighties TV series, Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected. This short story was apparently used for the first episode of the first series.

It is a creepy little tale, set amongst visitors to Jamaica, presumably at the time the story was written, in 1948. I found the ending unexpected, but also somewhat unsatisfying. What motivated Carlos' wife. Why did she feel the need to win every thing that he owned from him? He continued betting anyway.

I was also expecting some kind of motive, however twisted, behind the bet. But the author seems to believe "he's mad" is sufficient justification..

This audio version was read by Terry Malloy. I felt he performed very well. In his voicing of Carlos, he reminded me of Peter Lorre.

Afterwards, I found that Peter Lorre had portrayed Carlos in a dramatised version of the story, included as a Season 5 episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1960. Malloy is old enough to have seen that performance, so I suspect that the resemblance is intentional.

January #2:


The Velveteen Rabbit by Moses Omoifo - 0.5 stars
10/1/2022

I think that I have been conned.

Although I have heard The Velveteen Rabbit mentioned quite a lot on LT, I have never encountered it before, so I assumed this was what was meant. It started off quite charmingly, but became increasingly disjointed and incoherent.

Although the cover shows a white rabbit, the opening paragraph describes it as brown.

I became suspicious. I looked at the, obviously self-penned, biography. It is semi-literate; not the standard of prose in the opening pages of book itself. It consisted mainly of the author explaining thst he could not afford university fees and that this was one of of several books that he had written to raise money. From this educational background, which he lists, it is clear that he went to school in Nigeria, which makes it odd that he set his story in the English landscape. He also seems far too young to be the author of a book that LTers mention as a childhood favourite.

So I searched online and found the book by Margery Williams, first published in 1922.

The plot is identical, but the sentences are not. Omoifo's are paraphrases of those in William's book. They do not improve it in any way. Indeed the word substitutions frequently obscure the original intent.

This book obviously was not WRITTEN by Omoifo, as he claims. His ADAPTATION of the text of the original adds nothing, but since that text is 100 years old, from whom would he have needed permission? The intent is obviously deceptive, since his claim to have written this is false, but is he committing a crime?

Amazon has merged all reviews, regardless of authorship, so this book by Omoifo is listed as being a "Teacher's Pick".

I am disgusted by my carelessness at bring taken in by this.

*Edited for text mutilation in posting!*

January #4:
The Velveteen Rabbit, of How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams (illus. by Sir William Nicholson) - 3.5 stars

After my experience with the book by Moses Omoifo, I searched out the original online.

It is a charming story and I can understand how it is a beloved favourite. It reminded me of a book that I loved from my own childhood - The Blue Day by French author René Guillot. That too is told from the perspective of a toy (a Dutch doll) that is no longer played with.

But The Velveteen Rabbit is far more unambiguously upbeat in its portrayal of the relationship between child and toy. I also like that the rabbit was never the most expensive toy that The Boy opened, showing that a child's perception of value, at least in those days, does nor equate directly with material cost.

I loved the illustrations by Sir William Nicholson which, despite being only 3 tone, use red to capture the vibrant joy of the Christmas season, when the story begins.

I also like that The Velveteen Rabbit was a toy that had obviously been designed to look like a real rabbit - long and lithe - not a chubby Disney-style caricature.

I wish that I had encountered this when I was young.

>41 -pilgrim-: I love The Velveteen Rabbit! And the Skin Horse with his nursery wisdom. But I want to look up The Blue Day now.

>42 Majel-Susan: I hope you can find a copy.

Dorothy L. Sayers includes many quotes from Charles Williams in her notes and commentary on Dante. I am more intrigued by him because of it. Not in the mental place to try his writing at the moment though.

>44 MrsLee: And you are the reason her translation appeared on my TBR mountain!

January #5:

A Rich, Full Week (novelette) by K. J. Parker - 3 stars
11/1/2022

This is another story from K. J. Parker's world of Academic Exercises - a quasi-late mediaeval setting, where magic is studied at the Studium as a branch of philosophy.

Each parish is looked after by a Brother, whilst Those qualified to work in magic are Fathers. But do not mistake this for a Christian country; although Latin is used for spells, it has been a dead language for six hundred years.

The unnamed narrator is not a high flyer, unlike many of the narrators in this series. So his job is to go around rural districts, dealing with their supernatural problems, when a request for help had been sent to the Studium.

In the first half of this two-part story, something is walking about at night. It has been killing sheep, then moved on to people...

There is a creepy ambience to this tale, along with some moral dilemmas for the protagonist. However I found the story unsatisfying in some ways.
The methodology of the practitioner is given in clear detail, but there were, for me, too many unanswered questions about the causes of the supernatural events: Why do some corpses walk (and not others)? Why does it feel the need to kill? Or to ride the roof ridge? Most folklore provides explanations that make sense in their own context. (e.g. why do fairies fear combs? Because they have a counting compulsion, and will have to stop to count the teeth.) I appreciate that the ignorance of the Father is part of the story. But I do find the complete absence of any rationale rather disappointing.

Given glimpses of the history of the Empire, given in other stories in the series, and the alternate Byzantium of Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City (by the same author), I suspect we are still in the same world as the novel, but rather later.

(And the reason as to why the state religion in this world is the worship of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) was given in another story: The Sun and I.)

>41 -pilgrim-: I didn't read The Velveteen Rabbit until I was older, an adult, but love it still.

I gave a copy to my granddaughters.

>47 fuzzi: I hope they are enjoying it. It is a lovely story.

>40 -pilgrim-: Ouch! Sorry you got caught by that and thanks for the warning. Amazon should be ashamed.

Happy Old New Year!

And back to you!

>50 -pilgrim-: Happy New Year!

>46 -pilgrim-: Some of K.J. Parker's stuff I have enjoyed. I've had Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City on my "possibilities" list for a while. Do you recommend that one?

>53 jillmwo: I recommend it. Lots of humor in it too.

>53 jillmwo: It is the best of what I have read by him. I think Academic Exercises and Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City are both set in versions of Byzantium - although there is no magic in the latter.

ETA: I read it in 2019 and reviewed it here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/312253#6981099

Am currently reading the sequel.

Sorry if I sound terse. I was concerned when I started this thread about how long I would be able to keep writing, but my situation is deteriorating rapidly now.

For some time now, I have had to build up all messages a few sentences at a time, often over several days, before posting.

I had hoped to continue having conversations in this manner for a while, since actual real world conversations have now become too painful, but I have now reached the point where any movement of my arm or hand s agonising.

I have been barely able to keep my lists of reads up to date (as my own mnemonic) recently.

Am not able to keep up with threads like I used to.

Oh sweetie I'm so sorry. My heart is heavy thinking about you since I have no power to help.

>56 -pilgrim-: I'm sorry. Do what you can, when you can.

We'll be here when you get back.

So sorry to hear that, pilgrim. Take great good care of yourself &, as fuzzi said, do what you can, when you can, and we'll be here when you return, which I hope will be soon. Until then, I'll miss you.

>56 -pilgrim-: Very sorry to hear that, I hope it improves soon.

One day at a time, >56 -pilgrim-: One day at a time. The Dragon will be here and will welcome you when and as you feel up to engaging.

I’m just catching up so wanted to say I’m so pleased that you had the good news in >20 -pilgrim-: and wanting to send you warm wishes and good thoughts.

>56 -pilgrim-: Sending virtual hugs. Will be thinking of you.

I'm sorry, -pilgrim-; thinking of you.

Catching up on threads. So sorry to hear this -pilgrim- :(

Thank you everyone.

January Summary

Average rating: 3.07
Weighted average: 3.63
Audiobooks average: 2.5

14 fiction:
Novels: 1 urban fantasy, 1 military fiction
Novella:
Novelettes: 2 children's fiction, 2 science fiction, 1 fantasy
Short stories: 2 literary fiction, 1 horror
Short story anthologies: 1 urban fantasy, 1 literary fiction
Novella anthology: 1 science fiction
1 play

1 non-fiction:
1 history anthology

Original language: 11 English, 4 Russian

Earliest date of first publication: 1922 (The Velveteen Rabbit) (novelette) / 1932 (The Greater Trumps)
Latest: December 2021 (The Velveteen Rabbit) (novelette)/ May 2021 (Fake History)

3 Kindle, 2 websites, 2 paperbacks, 1 audiobook, 1 hardback

Authors: 13 male, 6 female
Author nationality: 14 British, 3 Russian, 1 Nigerian, 1 American
New (to me) authors: 12 (7 familiar)

Most popular book on LT: The Velveteen Rabbit/Williams (novelette) (11,192) / My Name Is Legion (864)
Least popular: Universum/Seizure (short stories) / The Velveteen Rabbit/Omoifo / Police On My Back / Night Orders (novelettes) / Natasha's Dream (play) / An Almost English Detective Story (short story collection) (1) / Fake History (7)

No. of books read: 15
From Mount TBR (books owned before 2022): 4
Books owned before joining Green Dragon: 2
Rereads: 0
No. of books acquired: 15
No. of books disposed of: 2
Expenditure on books: £28.46

Best Book of January: The Greater Trumps
Worst Books of January:
The Velveteen Rabbit/Omoifo (novelette)
Pottermore Presents Short Stories fron Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (short story anthology)

Books Awaiting Review 2022

Books awaiting review from January: 10

Books still awaiting review from 2021

Books awaiting review from March: 5
Books awaiting review from April: 2
Books awaiting review from May: 5
Books awaiting review from June: 1
Books awaiting review from July: 4
Books awaiting review from August: 3
Books awaiting review from September: 1
Books awaiting review from October: 5
Books awaiting review from November: 10
Books awaiting review from December: 16

Books still awaiting review from 2020

Books awaiting review from January: 1
Books awaiting review from February: 1
Books awaiting review from March: 1
Books awaiting review from April: 1
Books awaiting review from October: 3
Books awaiting review from December: 4

Books still awaiting review from 2019

Books awaiting review from June: 1

Isaac Newton: Nemesis (radio play) by David Ashton - 3 stars
Director: Bruce Young
12/1/2022

I was very impressed by this radio drama.

I am very wary of dramatic use of notable personages in major fictional rôles. As discussed (repeatedly!) with pgmcc (who likewise loathes the phenomenon, too often this results in warping all known facts and misrepresenting their personality, simply to be able to attach a known name to their fiction. To slander the dead, who cannot defend themselves, in order to cash in on their fame, us something that I find despicable.

But often the alternative is a factual account of a fascinating event or person - but so pedestrianly done that I feel that I would have preferred to simply read about this; it gained nothing from its dramatisation.

This play was that rare species: one that worked on both levels. It has the tension and mystery that one expects from a drama, yet its setting is authentic. None of the historical personages act out of character (and the secret relationship revealed was first hinted at in 1710!)

This is not about Isaac Newton as a physicist. Nor even as an alchemist; it is his period in charge of the Royal Mint that this play focusses on.

The post was intended as a sinecure, but that Newton threw himself into the problem of how to resolve the debasement of England's coinage, and that he made many enemies through his personal persuit of coiners and "clippers", is a matter of historical record. That this activity might have results that affected him personally is the premise of the play.

The playwright appears to have actually consulted the correspondence between Newton and his niece, colleagues, and political superiors.

And a plot that encompasses political maneuvering, French spies, and criminal plots is far from dry.

Well done.

I have been watching Babylon 5. I had watched the first season, and part of the second, when they were first shown (1994-1995) but now, in Season 3, it is new to me. Normally it is one of my few current pleasures, but the latest episode really got to me.

In Episode 12, A Late Arrival from Avalon, our "hero" doctor decides to force a patient who is (probably) suffering from a delusion to "snap out of it", without making any plan regarding how to deal with the underlying trauma (which he knows about fully) for which his current state is the defence mechanism. Even I know enough psychiatry to realise that this is an extremely bad idea.

One of the other characters does to. Someone explains to the doctor, slowly and carefully, why this IS a bad idea and will destroy his patient. (A "patient" who has expressed no desire to br treated, and wbose delusion causes no harm to either himself or others.)

The doctor goes ahead and duly reduces his victim to first an anguished and then a catatonic state. Where he would remain indefinitely if it were not for a deus ex machina in the form of an alien intervening..

So the doctor goes off on an egotistical rant about how he needs to remember that he "cannot cure everyone". It is all about the damage to his ego. He never once expresses actual remorse that he has taken someone who had a damaged, but reasonably cheerful, life - he was last seem partying happily - and destroyed it utterly. That is simply a minor unfortunate byproduct to what he sees as the real tragedy - the damage to thr doctor's self esteem.

I am angry because this arrogant bastard is being held up by the show as the epitome of caring and compassion. Nor is it the first time that he has beem shown destroying a life through contemptuously ignoring advice; he has learnt nothing from it.

This is too close to home.

1. I am dying because the arrogant consultant who was supposed to treat my cancer refused to take into account my pre-existing medical conditions when deciding what he was going to do (even when warned by a consultant colleague that the effects of these would be considerable).

2. And I am spending my time in constant pain, and with greatly reduced mobility, on because of the consultant radiologist who ignored the warnings of the consultant neurologists regarding the permanent damage her proposed treatment would do me. She tricked me into signing the consemt form by stating that I must not listen to them because she knew that they were wrong, and she "knew how to treat it, and would fix it" and would do it before that damage impacted my chemotherapy programme

Once she had inflicted the damage she explained that by "fix it" she actually meant make a referral to the sane experts whom she had been telling me not to listen to ignore their advice! THEY told me that the damage, and pain, would be permanent - so she is telling me that she knows they are wrong about what they can do. She made the referral last August; and nothing has happened since - except that the tumours are now bursting through the skin.

Arrogant doctors like this character exist in plenty in real life.

And as long as TV presents such behaviour as admirable, and the human cost of destroyed lives as trivial, there is no hope for those unfortunates who are unlucky enough to cross their path.

I probably should not have written this. Not because it is not true, but because of the time and pain it has cost me - and I expect to
be paying the price for days.

But this hero-worship of arrogance, and reinforcement of the concept that as soon as you are not in perfect health, you cease to matter as a person, so that harm done to a patient is not important in itself, but only insasmuch as it affects the perpetrator, sickens me.

>70 -pilgrim-: it all comes down to some people's need for power over others.

I hate it for you.

>71 fuzzi: I agree.

But also that we live in a society that idolises such behaviour.

>70 -pilgrim-: Sorry to hear you are having such trouble again.

>72 -pilgrim-: Sad but true.

January #6:


Pottermore Presents Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies: Book 1 of Short Stories from Hogwarts by J. K. Rowling - 1.5 stars
13/1/2022

I have never thought J. K. Rowling a gifted writer; I always disliked her prose style, which was always a slog for me, and found her plots inconsistent and illogical.

She has also, at times in the past, on noticing the Unfortunate Implication of something that she has pteviously written e.g. that wizards approve of slavery, so that Hermione is a figure of fun for finding it disturbing, written a 'retconning' "solution" that in fact makes the problem worse and thus we learn that "slavery IS OK, because House Elves LIKE being enslaved, they are happier that way" (with Dobby being an aberration). This always sounded to me uncomfortably like the self-justifications used by paternalist slaveowners in the American South (and maybe some genuinely believed it too)..

But she has had time to mature, and she is now rich enough not to need to rush anything, but only to produce what she truly wants to put out. So I thought I would give her another chance.

This collection of short stories are not really new fiction exactly. They are potted (excuse pun!) biographies of other characters from the Harry Potter novels, going in the details of the parts of their lives that do not involve the Boy Who Lived.

Taken as a whole, they demonstrates Rowling's predilection for cheap melodrama.

Minerva McGonagall This was, I think, the longest section. It introduced a lot of characters that I have never heard of before, in order to kill them off. Rowling evidently sees McGonagall as a tragic heroine, and equates tragedy with "high body count".

Unfortunately it was bland beyond belief. There is also the rather odd choice to make Minerva's father a Presbyterian minister and thus a hypocrite. He marries a witch, and retains his ministry. Why assign him to a denomination that is famed for its literal approach to the Bible, which should surely make him uncomfortable about preaching on Exodus 20:18?

Sybill Trelawney This section added nothing.

Silvanus Kettleburn This simply emphasises the rather nasty way that J. K. Rowling seems to find disability intrinsically hilarious.

Her flip attitude to suffering is something that I have always found disturbing, and it comes to the fore with Kettleburn. In someone who has apparently been through a lot herself, I have always found this rather odd.

Remus Lupin This was the only positive contribution. Whilst mostly recapitulating information from the novels, it did add a twist that was genuinely tragic.

Other paragraphs that were of some interest were insights from the author regarding where she got her ideas from, particularly names.

My first impression was that J. K. Rowling has not improved as a writer, but that she has become skilled in metchandising.

On reflection, I think this felt so much like a rip-off because I am not the intended audience. This is not a book for those who have read the Harry Potter novels (or some of them, in my case). It is intended for those who came to the Harry Potter franchise through the films, "don't read books", and aims to give a little more depth to their 'movie' experience.

I haven't read much of her material other than the Potter series as my boys were growing up. (And I haven't re-read any of those). But I'm a little intrigued by her backstory of Professor McGonagall. (I did click on the hidden spoiler stuff.) Because I agree that's a curious idea.

>76 jillmwo: Continuing the point raised: One could delve into a, rather pointless, debate as to whether "witchcraft and wizardry" as decribed in the Harry Potter world (and which definitely do not exist) are actually the same thing as is being referred to in the Bible (given that when actual examples of witches are given there, they appear to refer to necromancy - summoning and controlling the dead).

What is intended by the term "witch" has varied a lot between times and cultures (c.f. Charles Williams, a Christian theologian, on the different types of magic.)

But, within the parameters of Rowling's fictional world it is stated that
(i) wizards and witches used to openly display their powers
(ii) Muggles started to fear and hunt them, because of the power they had to manipulate and abuse those who lack their abilities.

In that world, such fear of the use of magic - then unregulated - was not unreasonable. The use of mind control, potions to force "love" (i.e. magical "date rape"), and the willingness of some wizards to indulge in humiliating their "inferiors" - as exemplified by the Death Eaters (and Harry when angry with his aunt and uncle), demonstrates a genuine threat.

So since the author has mapped the (unjustified) real world mediaeval witchhunts
onto her (rather more understandable) fantasy history witchhunts, it is clear that, in the Wizarding World that these stories are set in, the witchcraft condemned in the mediaeval era is precisely that practiced by the witches and wizards of her stories.

So the problem definitely exists in HER world, whatever the theological opinions in our own.

I was living in Scotland at the same time as Rowling was writing the Harry Potter books in Edinburgh. So I know the ethos that she will have been familiar with then (even if it has mellowed since).

It seems another example of her not thinking through implications; she just picked the majority group. He seems intended as a lovable character.

Venus in Copper (radio play)
Dramatist: Mary Cutler
Director: Peter Leslie Wild
Original author: Lindsey Davis
22/1/2022-27/1/2022

I love the Falco novels. Other Dragoneers have mentioned Cadfael or Poirot as their detective "comfort reads"; for me it always Falco that I am drawn back to. His dogged persistence, despite his luck bring permanently out, is inspiring. He does what he thinks is right, despite thr fact that he knows that he will get little thanks and usually a lot of physical pain, because he actually cares; it never really occurs to him to do otherwise.

I first read Venus in Copper back in the nineties. I last reread this over a decade ago, so revisiting this in a dramatised version this time was fun - even if this necessarily means considerable abbreviation.

Anton Lesser is superb as Marcus Didius Falco. It is his sardonic tones that I hear whenever I read Falco now.

Falco is firmly in the detective noir tradition. Except he lives in an authentic, accurately portrayed first century Rome, he remains devoted to one woman (with no philandering), and, far from walking these mean streets alone, he has an extensive network of family and friends (and the obligations that come with them). He is brusque, sarcastic, and distinctly rough around the edges - and writes poetry (for his own private satisfaction). Who couldn't love him?

Here he is thrown in prison twice, beaten up once, and none of his clients are very grateful. Par for the course. They are not nice either. But sympathy for others affected ensures that he carries on anyway.

>78 -pilgrim-: which Falco would you recommend as a first read?

>79 fuzzi: The Silver Pigs, without a doubt. It is grimmer than subsequent novels, but it introduces everyone. And is utterly brilliant.

>80 -pilgrim-: thank you, it's been added to my recommended list. :)

Yeah, they really need to be read in order because there are larger story arcs that follow other things than the immediate plot. Things around Helena, Petro, his sister Maia, and others.

>82 Bookmarque: Agreed. And, unlike some long-running seties, there are no weaker books at the start. She "hits the ground running".

I don't have a copy of The Silver Pigs. This is a usual state of affairs. I keep giving mine away to friends!

I have it as an audio done by Christian Rodska who did a lot of the books, but not all, unfortunately. He is Falco to me. Gruff, sensitive and sarcastic.

>85 Bookmarque:
I really like Christian Rodska as a voice actor. (And I had a major crush on him when I was young and he played Esca in a TV dramatisation of The Eagle of the Ninth!)

Maybe I should try his interpretation of Falco and you try Anton Lesser's? Then we can compare notes...

Oh, Falco! Love that series! I haven't read it in awhile; might be time for a reread. Or re-listen, if I can find the audiobooks.

Darkness (radio play) - 2.5 stars
Written by: Michael Symmons Roberts
Dir.: Nadia Molinari
23/1/2022

I was not previously aware that 1816 - the first year of Lord Byron´s stay in the Villa Diodati in Coligny on Lake Geneva - was known as The Year Without A Summer.

The abnormal climate conditions were apparently caused by ash produced by the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia in April of the previous year. The result was famine in much of the northern hemisphere.

This play links this with the themes of apicalypse and famine in Byron's poem, Darkness.

His supposedly apocalyptic interpretation odd events is contrasted with that of a (fictional?) Agnes March, who is taking meteorological measurements, particularly of light levels, in an attempt to study the phenomena. Their conversations, and platonic relationship, takes place against the more the well-known events taking place at the Villa Diodati.

It was an interesting premise, but I did not find the play itself particularly compelling.

February #1:

Pottermore Presents Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists: Book 2 of Short Stories from Hogwarts by J. K. Rowling -1.5 stars
30/1/2022-1/2/2022

This contains potted biographies of Dolores Umbridge, Quirinus Quirrell, Horace Slughorn and Peeves the Poltergeist.

Although some of the material is new, in the strictest sense - being birthdays, wand specifications, parentage and suchlike details - there was little real meat added.

We learn how Dolores Umbridge treated her parents, but not why she enjoyed torture.

We learn Peeves' long history, but not what formed his character as "the most notorious poltergeist in British history" - although the logical implication isthat since he arises, in some manner, from the agglomeration of adolescents in close proximity, teenage wizards and witches must be more troubled (and possibly malicious) than an equivalent cross-section of Muggle teenagers.

Horace Slughorn is the only one that comes out of this with any increased depth of characterisation.

There is also a list of Ministers of Magic; the majority are unpleasant and often anti-Muggle. As this is an elected office this has an unpleasant implication regarding the mindset of the majority of the Wizarding World.

Since J. K. Rowling's contributions to this book were written in 2016, I wonder whether her portrayal of wizarding politicians is a reflection of her increasing pessimism regarding their real life mundane countrtparts?

But the Wizarding World, without the influence of Lord Voldemort, was always a much darker place than immediately apparent. Given that they practice slavery (house elves), torture their own criminals horrifically (Dementors and Azkaban) and so on, I suppose I should not be surprised that they are endemically racist too.

I started reading this series because I wondered if J. K. Rowling was going to address any of the more horrific concepts from her novels. Whilst I felt that her brief essays on potions and cauldrons added little, the short history of Azkaban was the sort of thing I had been looking for. It does answer the question of how wizarding society has come to have a prison where the guards torture the prisoners so severely that almost all go quickly insane.

But, as usual, the "explanation" does not stand up to scrutiny. Apparently Azkaban was originally the private donain of a sadistic sorceror, who lured Muggle sailors there to torture and kill. So much suffering attracted the Dementors, who infested the place. A sadistic Minister of Magic then decided to use the place as a prison, as the Dementors would act as guards. More humane successors realised

that the only reason that the Dementors were (mostly) confined to the island was that they were being provided with a constant supply of souls on which to feed. If deprived of prisoners they were likely to head for the mainland.

So apparently wizarding society happily embraces the Stalinist precept that "it is morally acceptable to keep people that we disapprove of (and any innocents swept up in the process) in unimaginably awful conditions, such that large numbers die, if by doing so, we remove a risk to ourselves".

But that is not the worst of it. If that were true, why did the Dementors not "head for the mainland" in the centuries during which the island had been left unoccupied. And when Kingsley Shacklebolt "purges" Azkaban of Dementors and replaces them, as guards, with Aurors, what happens to the Dementors then? Where do they go? If "purges" means "destroys", why could that not have been done before?

I also noticed the number of characters - Umbridge, Ekrizdis, Damocles Rowes - whose behaviour is explained by the fact that they "are sadists". Does the author really think that sexual arousal from inflicting pain (with no moral qualms about indulging this urge) is such a common character trait?

I get the impression that she has difficulty in providing any motive for her villains other than " because they are evil". Whilst such a simplistic explanation might be appropriate in a children's book, her frequent, lovingly detailed descriptions of torture and suffering make it clear that not exposing younger readers to genuine horror is not her motivation here.

>89 -pilgrim-: Does she really need to go deeper into the character or pasts of the evil characters?

>88 -pilgrim-: Did you actually listen to this as originally intended (that is, as a radio play) or did you read it? I would imagine that makes a big difference in the level of enjoyment.

>86 -pilgrim-: Rodska v. Lesser - sounds like a plan. I think I have the 3rd audio in my queue from the library so can snag it then try the radio dramas from Audible. Should be a lot of fun.

>91 jillmwo: I heard it as a play on BBC radio.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013qxb
- if you are able to access BBC podcasts.

>90 Karlstar: She seems to enjoy dwelling on horrible actions.

Whereas I can agree with staying away from detailed nastiness as a whole, if you go down the path of portraying evil deeds, I think you need to supply some sort of plausible evil motives.

I do not think it is healthy to portray evil as simply Other. It does not need a detailed backstory, and certainly should not be given one to excuse what follows, but if the evil done is realistic, then it needs to be given a realistic motive. Once identified, it does not have to be delved into in detail.

Otherwise you engender the misapprehension that evil cannot be comprehended, and so could never be perpetrated by the ordinary-seeming person that you actually know.

>92 Bookmarque: Where did you get the Rodska version? I mean, who produced it?

>90 Karlstar:, >94 -pilgrim-:

To try to explain better:

Dolores Umbridge tortures children. Damocles Rowle tortures wizards with Dementors, Ekrizdis tortures captured Muggle sailors. The explanation for each is "because they are sadists".

The first "lesson" from this is "there are a lot of sadists about" - which, in itself is a frightening proposition to put before a young audience.

Now sadism is not actually a widespread urge, so most readers are going to read this and think "evil is utterly unlike anything I am tempted to do". Which may have a corollary, such as "Sure, I beat up the other kids because I can. But it's not their screams that I enjoy, I like the feeling of power that I get. I don't WANT to hurt them, I just want their respect. What's wrong with that?"

If one said something like "Dolores Umbridge was a small woman. She was afraid that might mean the pupils would not respect her, so she was determined, from the start, to demonstrate her power over them. She could hurt them."

That is hardly delving into the murk. But it is a plausible explanation. And it might make bullies think a bit too.

Damocles Rowle authorises torture of prisoners. Admit that he is a scared, weak man - and that is why he feels the need to not only defeat enemies but destroy them utterly.

As for Ekrizdis - well yes, he is a sadist. The incomprehensible evil does exist after all, as well as the comprehensible.

But when an author takes the easy option of saying that all evil is perpetrated by people with motives the reader cannot understand, she runs the risk of implying that evil committed for comprehensible reasons (e.g. to inflate one's ego, because one feels insecure, because one is frightened) may not really be that evil after all.

If we divide the world into "good guys" and "bad guys" then there is a tendency to ignore, and gloss over, the evil that the "good guys" do. Does Dumbledore really behave responsibly towards Harry Potter? Was the systematic bullying that young Snape experienced at the hands of the Marauders OK simply because they did heroic things as adults?

I think Rowling is trying to write a more nuanced portrayal of her "good guy" characters. She is giving them "feet of clay" and showing that they have serious flaws as well as their virtues.

But looking at the fandom, this has not really worked. These characters are still idolised - and the bad things they are portrayed as doing, simply ignored.

And I think this is because of the two-dimensional nature of her "bad guys". They are simply evil. They have no understandable motivation.

So evil committed for comprehensible reasons - such as to humiliate a rival, or "look cool" - does not register as evil at all.

Death Eaters use magic to hoist random Muggles in the air to upturn and humiliate them - because they are evil.
James and Harry Potter do the same thing - but it's not "evil" when THEY do it, because the reader knows their motives.

The "bad guys" need to be shown to have reasons for their actions too. And to show clearly that no "reasons" excuse their actions.

February #2:


Untraceable by Sergei Lebedev (trans. by Antonina W. Bouis) - 5 stars
5/8/2021-3/2/2022

This was compelling from the start. I thought it was excellent from the start; after about half way it becomes truly brilliant.

In form, it is a sort of thriller. A defector dies in the Czech Republic. He manages to convey that he was poisoned. Another defector, a scientist, is requested to use his expertise to identify the unknown substance used. And two generals, who had served together under the hammer and sickle, guessing who the hitherto unknown investigator might be, identify the most suitable operative to deal with the situation. Both the scientist and the military officer have shared history, although they have never met.

But the book is about their whole lives, and how that has shaped the ways that they think. It is their thoughts, rather than the mechanics of the chase, that form the bulk of the novel.

Linguistically it is beautiful. The descriptive passages are intensely evocative. Lebedev not only has something to say, he is a very skilled writer.

I have written about my frustration with how so many authors seem to have no idea of how to motivate their antagonists. If they go beyond "because they are evil" at all, it is to a simplistic "because they want power" or "because they are sadists". There are no such childish caricatures here. The people who do extremely bad things are real people, with complex personalities.

Nor does he go for the simple option of making any of his characters ideological fanatics, believing that their ideal of "the greater good" justifies committing any evil. The purpose of the novel is to depict how the effect of the ideological environment creates men like the ones portrayed here.

I remember discussing with haydninvienna elsewhere the banality of evil. Novels (and films) can show the human face of the perpetrators of terrible acts, by reminding us that fear can drive people to do terrible things to others.

But this novel takes the more difficult path. Its protagonists are not weak, frightened people being bullied into doing what they have done. They have deliberately chosen their careers.

The source of the evil is more nebulous - and more pervasive. It is in the structure of a society, where fear of denunciation and sudden, incomprensible ruin motivates people to seek power and security. It is an environment that so worships strength that to show any weakness is unthinkable.

This book does not wallow in atrocity. They are there, but Lebedev does not fall into the trap that I discussed elsewhere, of thinking the way to portray evil is to lovingly detail an extensive list of physical suffering. You learn what each man is capable of; Lebedev assumes his readers are intelligent enough to realise the horrifying implications of a single sentence.

When you meet each character, you will probably like them. They are human; they are sympathetic. And that is completely consistent with the terrible things they have done. This is how "monsters" are created.

They are not aberrations. They are not damaged brains that we can shudder in horror at, and then dismiss as reassuringly Other. They are people who think as rationally and coherently as everyone else. And they decide to do what they do.

Evil is not done by people who get up in the morning and decide "I'm going to do something evil today". It is done by everyone who decides "it will benefit me to harm 'them', so that's the right thing for me to do".

But this story, although seemingly fraught with inevitability, remains unpredictable. A new dimension is added in the final stages by the insight into a third character, the antithesis of the others.

The novel is a sequence of juxtapositions: hunter and prey, strong and weak, action and passivity, those who break and those who are broken, pride and humility, death and life.

And, being a Russian novel, the characters are all self-aware. They contemplate their strengths and flaws. They know what they do.

I notice that a lot of reviewers seem to think the setting is generic, the countries unnamed. Yet the information is all there, even if the words "Czech Republic", "Germany" and the "Russian Federation" are not used.

Why such oblique language? This is not a thriller in the conventional sense. It is an exploration of the mindset of people for whom obfuscation is a professìonal habit. They clear their desks before permitting anyone without appropriate clearance to enter the room where they work - even if that person is their wife. They read only newspapers (kiosk-bought, naturally) so that there is no tale of their interests in their browser history. They are never going to speak straightforwardly, even to themselves.

Unless one gets into the correct mindset, that of detecting crucial clues dropped in amongst other information, how can one expect to notice the salient information? Such as, for example, what the "dummies" are that Kalitin tested his chemicals on... This is a text that rewards close reading.

N.b. The Russian word Новичок (Novichok) translates as "newbie, novice". Kalitin developed a chemical weapon called Neophyte. And that is an example of how skilled this translation is.
(The literal translation of the Russian title of this novel - Дебютант - is "Debutante". Lebedev likewise obscured the name's significance behind a foreign language.)

N.B. It took me so long to read this, not because it is a difficult or lengthy book, but simply because I lost access for a couple of months. And it is not a story that you can take that sort of a break from - so I started again.

>97 -pilgrim-: that's an excellent review. As I was reading your descriptions I thought back upon QB VII, another book where you actually meet and like a character before their flaws and past are revealed. Whew.

>96 -pilgrim-: That's a reasonable expectation, I see what you mean now, thanks.

>98 fuzzi: I have never actually read anything by Uris. Would you recommend?

ETA: When I was at school a friend recommended Exodus to me. But, once I had reached an age to buy books for myself, I got the impression that he had a reputation for writing "pot-boilers", exploiting a terrible period of Jewish history. I never got around to trying any for myself.

>100 -pilgrim-: I loved Exodus, but QB VII was superb, too.

Exodus review:

I was only vaguely aware of "Exodus" by Leon Uris before I saw it listed as a challenge book for the month of May in 2013. My only recollection of it was that it was made into a movie starring Paul Newman. Go figure.

After deciding to read it, I checked with the local public library, but they did not own a copy. I ordered a used paperback through an internet source, and commenced reading on about May 9th, finishing up on May 29th in the wee hours of the morning.

Normally I don't read any book this slowly, but "Exodus" was different: there was so much information, interesting information, that I felt I needed to take my time with it. I found myself reading way past my bedtime, until I was falling asleep with the book in my hand.

While a large book of over 600 pages, it never seemed like a chore to read, but more like a joy to read, to savor and meditate upon.

The content of the book shows that Leon Uris obviously did a tremendous amount of research, but his characters are also well-fleshed out, believable, and likeable.

Highly recommended.

QB VII review:

This was my second read of a work by Leon Uris, and it was superb! In the first half of this book, the author introduces you to the two men who will eventually meet in court, "QB VII". Uris takes his time building so extensive a biography, that you really feel you know these people. I found myself having empathy for both Sir Adam Kelno and Abe Cady.

At the halfway point we are placed in QB VII court, with the barristers, judge, and jury, the plaintiff and defendant, and a sad assortment of witnesses. Due to the previously developed empathy, I felt strongly when the evidence came out, more so, I believe, because of the way the author introduced the characters in the first part of the book.

The court scenes are especially well-done, with plenty of tactics and terminology, and this book is highly recommended.

>101 fuzzi: That sounds as if the other reviews that I had encountered might have been unfair. Thank you for those reviews, fuzzi; you are tempting me.

BTW, >97 -pilgrim-: is me trying to be clear and dispassionate about why I think Untraceable is so superb.

You should probably read it whilst envisioning an excited -pilgrim- dancing in circles, pausing to shake you by the shoulders and say: "You MUST read this!"

ETA: I have tried to avoid discussing the political implications of this novel directly. But, for those who are interested, it is probably worth noting that (i) the author appears to be of the same generation of his characters (ii) he now lives in Germany.

>101 fuzzi: I never read Exodus for some reason, but I agree with fuzzi that QB VII was really good. (I read it so long ago, I don't really remember much about it, except that I thought it was excellent.)

I am very aware of a considerable backlog of books to review! Normally I put a review in the thread that I actually read the book in, regardless of when I actually managed to write the review; but I have noticed this having the effect that my threads cover longer and longer periods, and then get bulky in retrospect.

So for 2022, I am shifting policy. I will post the reviews in the "current" thread, and a link in the date-appropriate thread - and see if this works any better.

My online access is sporadic, as is my ability to physically type; it is too much to hope for them to coincide, unfortunately.

October 2021 #4:


The Periodic Table by Primo Levi (trans.by Raymond Rosenthal) - 4 stars
14/10/2021-18/10/2021

Levi was an Italian chemistry student who had the misfortune to be starting his career simultaneously with the rise of fascism in Italy. And he was a Jew.

This famous book is autobiographical, but in the form of a series of anecdotes, each based around a particular chemical element. Some of the stories are actually fiction dating from this period of his life.

The account starts with his origins in a Jewish community in rural Piedmont - which he despises for its parochialism, and hence labels with the inert gas, Argon - and his fascination with the structure of Piedmontèse. It follows him through his education, his struggle to find work with the increasing handicap of his ethnicity,

In a sense this is an account with a hole in it. His experience in Auschwitz only rates a single story here, because he had written about it fully several years earlier, in If This Is A Man. This is about the slow crushing of a brilliant young man's dreams, and then his struggle to support himself afterwards.

He is not particularly egoistical; he only raises the excellence of his results to point out that they brought only humiliation, since his certificate contained the words "of the Jewish race". But he is extremely self-absorbed.

I suspect that was a necessary quality that permitted him to survive the hell of Auschwitz. But there is a detachment in his attitudes as he describes them which makes him hard to warm to as a person. Although he does write movingly about the heroism of a friend, Sandro Delmasto (in Iron), and how a friend who helped him survive the camps did not himself survive afterwards.

But, despite being married, despite living with his elderly mother and mother-in-law, he writes little about the women in his life, and when he does, he seems to treat them as objects, rather than actual people with feelings of their own. So, he will write about how erotic attraction to a follow student, who was very supportive to him, helped him through a difficult period in his life - and at the same tell the reader how much he despised her attitudes and views of life (re marriage and career). How can you date someone you despise and feel nothing in common with? Easily, apparently, if she is "hot" enough!

This is one of those books that seems to treat only other men as real people, whilst women are simply part of the furniture of one's life. (An alternative interpretation, of course, would be that this is the chivalric approach - he is willing to expose his own life and thoughts to the public gaze, whilst respecting the privacy of his womenfolk.)

Nevertheless, this is a collection of extremely powerful writing. Levi is not just a man with an important tale to tell; he is a skilled writer.

The message of the book is not that the fascist treatment of Jews was awful; we already know that. What this books shows is the insidious effects of the stress of trying to live normally under a regime with such an ethos. And, most importantly, that the trauma does not end when the concentration camp gates open. Even setting aside the long term health implications of beatings and starvation, it is the mental trauma that is irreversible. Some people are able to build themselves new lives, some cannot. But no one is ever the same again.

The other powerful strand running through this work was Levi's love for practical chemistry - the messing around, trial-and-error stuff.

When I was studying for my physics degree at university, my boyfriend was a chemist. He was as enthusiastic for his subject as I was for mine. But whilst I understood his love for theoretical chemistry, the more industrial aspects left me cold. After reading Levi, I understood what he felt.

This is not a book by a man who lived through terrible times and had something to say about them. Even without the Holocaust, I think Levi would have become a writer. He thought deeply about human nature, and had the ability to write expressively about his ideas.

It is best read as individual stories, but I do recommend this.

And, realising that this was first translated into English in 1984, it appears that my copy was probably the first English (paperback) edition.

Castle Season 1 (2009, English (American)) - 2.5 stars

This is my first exposure to Castle, the TV series. I am not a great fan of TV detectives, and having been let down by the cancellation of Firefly, I did not want to be reminded of what I was missing.

This series confirmed my impression that Nathan Fillion is a very gifted actor. His character, Richard Castle, is an obnoxious, self-centred jerk, but Fillion plays him with such a sense of fun that it is clear that the actor is not egotistical, so that he is not a 'pain' to watch.

The character's obnoxiousness is somewhat ameliorated by his positive relationship with his daughter.

And the setting never makes any great claims for realism, relying on the thin excuse of the mayor being Castle's fan, and therefore willing to put pressure on the police chief to allow a writer to shadow police in the performance of their duties, with zero regard to confidentiality of people's personal information. (I hope this could never happen in real life!)

However, as the series continued, I became more uncomfortable. Castle, the character, states clearly from the outset that he cares nothing for the tragic deaths that he helps investigate. But the endless jokes, and pranks, between the investigators, keep the show's tone light, but extremely callous towards the victims, or "vic"'s, of the storylines.

T he crimes themselves do not fit this light-hearted approach. They clearly portray how devastating the deaths are to the bereaved. Particularly once we reach a sequence of murders in which one sympathises with the party convicted, whilst the real instigators of evil can get away with it, the flip tone jars.

Maybe police genuinely have this "who cares about them, they are just the job, only we ourselves actually matter to us" attitude - but I would like to hope not.

I was likewise shocked at how often bullying, deceiving the hapless about what police powers are, were used in preference to actual detecting. Not because I think that this is implausible (sadly), but because the ethos of the show firmly approves of these tactics - even when our "heroes" have in fact got the wrong person, and are bullying a bereaved person.

I liked this to start with, but less and less as it went on. The humour and the mysteries seem to belong in different shows.

Today is
(1) a palindrome
(2) an ambigram
(3) looks the same in a mirror.

And I am still enough of a mathematics nerd to love this.

>108 -pilgrim-: depends on how you display dates.

I see 02222022 (MM/DD/YYYY).

:)

>110 fuzzi: For today, I think we can look at the date the European way. 22/02/2022. >108 -pilgrim-: I'm not a mathematics nerd, but I do love it when numbers line up. On my last day of work at my last job, I made sure that the ending balance was $1717.17, by donating .03 to the company. :)

>108 -pilgrim-: Love it!

>106 -pilgrim-: Looks interesting. I didn't know you were a physicist. In the past few years, I've discovered a fascination for physics, though I understand less than 10% of what I've read on the subject. I wish I had discovered my interest in it when my father-in-law - who was a physicist who taught at Berkeley and wrote a textbook on electricity and magnetism that, apparently, is still being used - so I could have asked him about things that confuse me. Although, he might not have wanted to spend his free time educating me.

>108 -pilgrim-: Yes! Happy Two's Day :D

>113 Narilka: Ooh - a Two's Day on a Tuesday - even better!

>112 Storeetllr: I like physics, too, but understand less than I wish.

>111 MrsLee: agreed!

>111 MrsLee:
You can probably claim tax relief on that 3c.

>115 fuzzi: & >112 Storeetllr:
My daughter and her husband both have PhDs in physics, so I have no shortage of people to discuss physics with, albeit they are five hours behind me.

>112 Storeetllr: That was my original career. Disability made it less and less viable, so my next degree was in the humanities.

Still feel pangs of reminiscence occasionally.

ETA: For about a decade, I kept reading what was going on at the forefront of my field, hoping to return to it. Eventually accepted this would never be possible. So I read physics rarely nowadays. I miss it too much.

February #17:


♪♪ Equal Rites: the 3rd Discworld novel by Sir Terry Pratchett (narrated by Celia Imrie) - 4 stars

In my occasional rereads of Discworld I usually skip Equal Rites. I do not think there was any well-founded reason for that; it was a combination of two factors:
(i) when I first read it, on its first publication in 1987, it seemed weaker than its two predecessors;
(ii) its political target - the refusal of many of the colleges of our ancient universities to admit women - seemed far less relevant shortly afterwards.

So, over thirty later, I was curious as to how well it stood up to the passage of time. The answer is "surprisingly well".

Unlike the Potterverse, where witch is simply the female equivalent of wizard, Pratchett takes the more traditional view that they represent different forms of magical ability. (Historically, men were also executed as witches.)

Wizardry is an academic skill. Like mathematics, it requires both study and natural talent. Simon, the boy progedy of Equal Rites, was making discoveries on his own, but flourishes once he has access to the repository of existing knowledge that is the Unseen University. As such, its users exist within a hierarchical society.

Witchcraft is a natural talent, with lots of emphasis on keeping one's actions in harmony with the universe.

Eskarina Smith, who is the eighth child of an eighth son (8 being the number of magical significance on the Discworld), owing to carelessness by an elderly wizard, inherits a wizard's staff, a first step on the path to becoming a wizard, both her family and the midwife (who is, of course, a witch) agree that this is inconceivable, so once magical talent becomes evident, she is apprenticed to the witch, Granny Weatherwax.

Thereafter the story is about which to category Esk belongs. It challenges customs that exist "because they exist", without any real justification - on both sides of the gender divide. (Granny is derisive of self-important wizards, but has prejudices of her own.)

Possibly I did not really warm to the book when I first read it, because it was too near the knuckle then. When prospective employers are openly choosing the less qualified candidate over you "because we know you'll only leave in a couple of years to have babies" and your male peers are telling you that you are the 'wrong' gender for your chosen specialty, then humour about gender stereotyping does not feel very funny. (And this despite the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975!)

Nowadays I can appreciate how sensitively the issue was handled. The breaking of such regulations is not achieved by forcing entrenched groups to give way. It is because circumstances force them to work together, and hence admit that they are not as different as they would like to believe.

The book makes the very good point that the people who hang on to discriminatory traditions often genuinely have no intent to oppress. They have simply been raised in such an isolated environment, with so little genuine contact with members of the other group, that they unquestioningly accept all sorts of odd preconceptions about the other group (in this case, men and women) as indisputable 'facts'.

This, for me, comes from the best era of Pratchett. There are not the unthinking jibes - "easy humour", playing to stereotypes - of the earliest books, nor the heavy-handed demands that you accept all his views that became characteristic later on.

It is simply good fun.

>118 -pilgrim-: That so sucks! If it isn't too painful for you, what was your branch of physics?

Not quite the same thing, but I'm like that about Italy: I loved it so much, but it's too painful to read books or watch films about/set in Italy, knowing as I do I'll never be able to go back. I can look at photos of it, but not too often. Weird. I don't have that reaction to anything else that I can think of.

Having said that, you might find Disordered Cosmos interesting. It's 1/3 astrophysics, 1/3 social commentary, and 1/3 memoir, and my best book of 2021.

>120 Storeetllr:
There are a lot of things that I have had to let go of: competitive sport, performance attendance, social gaming...

Each time it has taken me longer than I should have to accept that there will be no way back.

>119 -pilgrim-: I went through a phase of binging Pratchett. I really enjoyed Rincewind the most though, so once Pratchett got to the Watch sub-series I wasn't enjoying him as much. I gave up once Moist Von Lipwig (or whatever his name is) came onto the scene.

I have thought about doing a re-read just to see how my views have changed, but I'm hesitant. So I keep putting it off :-D

Are your re-reads of Discworld completely random? Or is there a method to the madness?

>122 BookstoogeLT: I am doing a revisit in publication order - the way I met them in the first place.

I first read The Colour of Magic when I was a PhD student back in the day. I stopped reading Discworld when life, carer duties etc. intervened. By the time I had the opportunity to continue (with Men At Arms) I was several books behind and could not remember who everyone was.

Tried to restart series several times, usually during illness, when pain bouts were too severe to focus and I needed something light. But usually just revisited favourites , and recovered before I reached new material.

This time I retrieved my (original edition) copy of Men At Arms, and thought I would start from there.

But found I needed a recap. Also that I still find it hard to focus on audiobooks, when the topic is new. I keep missing important points. But there is a lot of time now when trying to hold a book (or Kindle) is just too painful.

So Pratchett re-reads are helping distract me, when possible. (I find TV disappointing nowadays. When you prefer reruns, that is an indictment.)

If anyone has TV streaming recommendations, I
would be interested. I was never a big viewer, and have only recently got a TV again, after a decade or so without.

>122 BookstoogeLT: I too favour Rincewind. Although I am also find of Vines.

>124 -pilgrim-: I don't watch, but I've heard good things about Yellowstone.

>126 fuzzi: Thank you, my friend.

You're most welcome!

Yesterday was mild, sunny. After taking my dad to the VA I walked in my backyard to check out my ponds (small). I cleaned out some winter debris, leaves, and found several large masses of frog eggs. Flowers are blooming, Spring is icumen in.

Can I just query something that occurred in a American detective series episode (I won't say which one, as it is a major spoiler, obviously.)

A victim is shot, and then subsequently bludgeoned, a short time later. It transpires that the injuries are inflicted by two different people, so the detectives charge two people with murder.

Under British law, I believe that could not happen.:
Either the victim was killed by the shots, in which case the second party did not kill anyone. They thus may be guilty of mutilating a corpse, or possibly attempted murder, but they have not actually murdered anyone, even though they were intending to.
Or the victim was still alive when they were bludgeoned. In which case the second party is guilty of murder, but the first only of attempted murder - because one would have to prove that if the second party has been benevolent (instead of murderous) the victim could not have survived.

If the two would-be murderers were in collusion, then it would not matter which injury was the fatal one, since they would both be guilty under "art and part" (in Scots law, anyway). But they are completely unaware of each other.

So it would be necessary to determine, in this (bizarre) situation, who inflicted the fatal injury.

Is this shoddy scriptwriting? Or is American law really this different?

>128 fuzzi: Whereas there is snow lying here. Not really what I would expect in late February.

ETA: And weather is still unstable enough to lose Internet every 20 minutes or so...

>123 -pilgrim-: Yeah, I pretty much avoid modern tv. I only have prime, so my options are pretty limited for the free stuff. Plus, I only watch tv as background noise anyway :-D

>129 -pilgrim-: Sounds like this has as much bearing on reality as those cutesy cupcake detective novels * gag *
But for the record, whoever killed him would be the murderer. The second guy would probably get taken by something like "planning to commit murder". That IS a thing here.

Attempted murder is a thing in the U.S., as is aggravated assault. Unless the perpetrators conspired to murder, then I don't think both can be convicted of murder. Of course, they can both be charged with murder, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were, especially if it weren't clear which of them actually killed the victim. Then it would be up to judge/jury.

>131 BookstoogeLT: cutesy cupcake detective novels *gag* Haha, agree!

>132 Storeetllr:
And I agree too. If you ever find me reading those, start worrying!

>131 BookstoogeLT:, >132 Storeetllr: So, shoddy scriptwriting it is.

>132 Storeetllr: Does A.D.W. stand for "Assault with a Deadly Weapon"?

>134 -pilgrim-: I don't know, but, in New York State, there is no such charge. If someone uses a deadly weapon to harm another, the charge would be elevated assault, which would carry increased penalties if convicted.

>135 Storeetllr: "Assault with a Deadly Weapon" does appear to be a US offence:
https://aizmanlaw.com/assault-deadly-weapon/

But since the show is set in Manhattan, either "A.D.W." stands for something else there, or the scriptwriters have screwed up again.

Heh, not sure about other states. I'm in NY, so I looked up NY law. Not sure what ADW means in that context. Perhaps the screenwriter lives in a state where that's what that particular crime is called. It apparently IS a crime in California.

>129 -pilgrim-: The nuance of what constitutes assault with a deadly weapon does vary from state to state in the U.S. (I verified the reliability of this site --> See https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/federal/Assault-Deadly-Wea.... But I think you encountered a bit of shoddy script-writing.

>138 jillmwo:, >139 -pilgrim-: Thank you both. That link was very useful, jillmwo.

I am not sure how careful US crime dramas are regarding details of law. If laws differ from state to state, then I presume a large majority of viewers at any point will not automatically know whether the portrayal is correct or not.

February #21:


♪♪ Mort: Book 4 of the Discworld by Sir Terry Pratchett (narr. by Nigel Planer) - 4 stars
19/2/2022-27/2/2022

Again I listened to the (unabridged) audiobook version of a novel that I first read in the eighties.

This is the story of a lad named Mortimer - Mort - who becomes Death's apprentice.

It is the first Discworld book to be fully a novel in narrative structure. It starts with Death looking for Mort, and then follows Mort in his apprenticeship. The structure is clearly that of the "hero's journey".

There are aspects that seem different from later books - although this may be because Death has a rather different perspective. The Creator is frequently invoked (who is quite different to, and above, the Discworld gods).

But the sympathy for even minor characters is established here. The sense that some deaths don't actually matter, and have been written because they are "funny", has gone.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable revisit (and contains a Rincewind cameo).

>124 -pilgrim-: Now that we're back on the internet ...
Family Glen watches Youtube through the TV most evenings. Favourites are Michael Portillo's numerous rail journeys, Michael Palin's Full Circle, QI and others of that ilk. We also watch a vlog called "Foxes Afloat" every Friday. It's a couple of Yorkshiremen who live on a narrowboat and tour English canals. Dream-building, as the cost of visiting UK from here is prohibitive, and the local lie of the land puts canals out of the question.

>139 -pilgrim-: The fact that laws vary from state to state may play a roll, but going by the many mystery shows I watch, screenwriters aim more at a feeling than accuracy. Especially regarding police procedures and the reality of how long it takes to get an autopsy and lab results. As far as I can see, the same holds true for mysteries filmed in New Zealand and England.

Sort of like when they turn a book into a movie. If they capture the feel of the book, we are lucky.

I'm watching Brokenwood Mysteries right now. They are New Zealand. I went through a binge of Vera not long ago.

>142 MrsLee: My impression is that most UK crime dramas play reasonably accurate regarding police procedure - although not, as you say, with timescales. I have never seen SOCOs in a contemporary drama, for example, without protective clothing.

A lot of Scottish crime dramas - Hamish Macbeth, Sutherland's Law, Taggart, for example - often make play with the distinctive features of how Scots law differs from that of England.

New Zealand sounds interesting to try: how does their law and legal procedures differ?

>141 hfglen: I didn't enjoy Palin's travelogues when they first came out; he always seemed so patronising towards other cultures. But I had forgotten about Portillo's documentaries; they should be interesting.

A lot of QI predates my absence from TV viewing, but you are right, I must have missed some good stuff there.

Thanks for the suggestions, Hugh.

February #22:


♪♪ The Gospel according to Mark read by David Suchet
26/2/2022-28/2/2022

As this is an obviously religious book in content, my review here will cover matters of presentation only.

David Suchet has recorded the entire Bible, including this Gospel. He is a believer, and has produced a mellifluous and compassionate narration. His voice acting for speakers who are angry or distressed is appropriate, but his default narrative speech is calm and kindly.

The translation is that of the New International Version, which is not one with which I am familiar. I received a copy of this translation as a confirmation present from my priest (when I was seventeen), but have not read it this century. (My default translation is the Revised Standard Version.) However it flowed fluently and I did not notice any jarring differences.

I listened to this when I was in too much pain to focus on anything unfamiliar. I feel embarrassed to say that Sir David's quiet, peaceful recitation often lulled me into an exhausted sleep.

>144 -pilgrim-: Come to think of it, we've also enjoyed the Victorian / Edwardian / Tudor Farm with Ruth Goodman and two archaeologists whose names I've forgotten. The same team produced "Victorian Pharmacy" (made me glad I didn't live then) and a series called "Full Steam Ahead" on how railways changed life wherever they came. That was so fascinating that I found the original 1936-model "Night Mail" and made the family watch it -- they didn't object.

And of course I can't pass up the opportunity to invite Haydninvienna to share in the enjoyment of Auden's evocation:
"This is the night mail crossing the Border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,
Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The shop at the corner, the girl next door.
Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb:
The gradient's against her, but she's on time.
Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder
Shovelling white steam over her shoulder,
Snorting noisily as she passes
Silent miles of wind-bent grasses..."

There are all the Lucy Worsley history series too, of course. Also much enjoyed here, especially the Tudor firework display.

Edited to delete a superfluous space.

>146 hfglen: I watched the Night Mail a few years back. One cannot imagine anything similar being made nowadays. No talking heads, no superfluous explanation, just the poetry.

I had forgotten Tales from the Green Valley - the first of the series of all. Ruth Goodman was in on that one also.

I have extremely fond memories of it.

>145 -pilgrim-: earlier today I was thinking about Alexander Scourby, who read the Bible for cassette years ago. I had a set at one time but I prefer to read the word in print form.

>149 fuzzi:
I see that he read the KJV.

I would agree with you about preferring to read in print, but I am not always capable of moving my arm enough to turn pages, or even hold a Kindle.

My personal goal is actually to follow the lectionary in the Orthodox Study Bible though this year. But I do not want my "reading" to be limited by the length of time for which I can hold a book.

>150 -pilgrim-: sometimes a recorded book is better. We had a lady in church who was blind. I gave her the cassettes I had.

This year I got a new Bible in Super Giant print. Whew, I'm getting old.

>146 hfglen::
“ Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
Letters of joy from girl and boy,
Receipted bills and invitations
To inspect new stock or to visit relations,
And applications for situations,
And timid lovers' declarations,
And gossip, gossip from all the nations,
News circumstantial, news financial,
Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Letters with faces scrawled on the margin,
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Letters to Scotland from the South of France,
Letters of condolence to Highlands and Lowlands
Written on paper of every hue,
The pink, the violet, the white and the blue,
The chatty, the catty, the boring, the adoring,
The cold and official and the heart's outpouring,
Clever, stupid, short and long,
The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong.”

Hear the train’s sound in Auden’s verse!

Going like a bat out of h*ll in that quote!

>151 fuzzi:
My pet peeve is the assumption about the audience for large print books.

Yes, they do Bibles (thankfully). But they don't tend to do study Bibles.

And the fiction emphasis is definitely on certain genres, that together I would call "light fiction". Now I do read light fiction, but it is not ALL that I read.

Becoming older, or disabled, does not change who you are. What was interesting before is still interesting. Admittedly, increasing pain levels MAY increase a desire for lighter, distracting fiction. But not ONLY that.

I have been puzzled as to why the default print for books nowadays is larger than it used to be. I had thought it was a realisation that not all readers have perfect eyesight.

But this default is not applied to all new books. The ones that I most want are still printed in small typefaces and cramped line spacing.

It is infuriating. One's eyesight and one's interests are not correlated.

>152 haydninvienna:
That is a great poem. I have not read or heard it before. As you know poetry is not a strong suit with me.

I must pass it on to our PR people. They are always trying to encourage people to write AND POST letters. Most of the types of letters mentioned by Auden have disappeared. The days of sorting the mail on a train have gone. The train sounds are now replaced by the clickety-clack of the keboard, or the beep, beep, beep... of smart phone typing.

Another weird question from TV crime drama:

Is there ANY reputable Scotch (i.e. aged 50+, not flashy modern packaging) for which the bottle is made of RED GLASS?

I do not drink, as a rule, but I have lived in Scotland, and browsed the specialist shops on the Royal Mile... and I do not remember ever seeing such a thing.

Perhaps someone more expert could enlighten me?

February Summary

Average rating: 2.44
Weighted average:
Audiobooks average:

17 fiction:
Novels: 2 literary fiction, 2 fantasy, 1 historical crime fiction
Novelettes: 4 novelettes
Short stories: 6 short stories
Short story anthologies: 2 fantasy

1 poem

7 non-fiction:
7 books of the Bible

Original language: 17 English, 6 Koine Greek, 1 Russian, 1 Hebrew

Earliest date of first publication: 1923 (The Inimitable Jeeves)
Latest: 2020 (Untraceable)

6 Kindle, 3 audiobooks, 1 paperback, 1 website

Authors: 15 male, 5 female
Author nationality: 9 British, 3 American, 2 German, 2 Roman, 1 Russian, 1 Canadian, 1 Irish, 1 Hebrew
New (to me) authors: 10 new (10 familiar)

Most popular book on LT: Mort (13,993) (audiobook) / The Inimitable Jeeves (2, 969)
Least popular: The Gospel According to Mark read by David Suchet (1) (audiobook) / Knaves Over Queens (41) (anthology)

No. of books read: 25
From Mount TBR (books owned before 2022): 1
Books owned before joining Green Dragon: 1
Rereads: 3
No. of books acquired: 9
No. of books disposed of: 1
Expenditure on books: ?

Best Book of February: Untraceable
Worst Books of February: Feeding on the Entrails (short story) / Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (anthology)

Books Awaiting Review 2022

Books awaiting review from January: 9
Books awaiting review from February: 18

Books still awaiting review from 2021

Books awaiting review from March: 5
Books awaiting review from April: 2
Books awaiting review from May: 5
Books awaiting review from June: 1
Books awaiting review from July: 4
Books awaiting review from August: 3
Books awaiting review from September: 1
Books awaiting review from October: 4
Books awaiting review from November: 10
Books awaiting review from December: 16

Books still awaiting review from 2020

Books awaiting review from January: 1
Books awaiting review from February: 1
Books awaiting review from March: 1
Books awaiting review from April: 1
Books awaiting review from October: 3
Books awaiting review from December: 4

Books still awaiting review from 2019

Books awaiting review from June: 1

>154 -pilgrim-: agreed. I have a study Bible with regular/standard font. But for reading comfort I have the Super Giant print Bible.

The problem for me is that the large print books tend to be large and unwieldy, so reading in bed is not an option, and that's my favorite place to read. And using a magnifying sheet is not possible.

Oh well.

>156 -pilgrim-: If I saw a brand of whisky (or even whiskey) packaged in red glass I should avoid it like the plague!

>159 fuzzi: My Orthodox Study Bible is the only book that I have knowingly bought two identical copies (in terms of being the same edition) - one hardback and one eBook.

The hardback is a thing a beauty, but even with "Bible paper" pages, it is seriously hefty.

The Kindle versions capability to my jump between text and footnotes, and to a given verse and back via hyperlinks, is surprisingly convenient.

>160 hfglen: Yes the spelling "Scotch whiskey" did ring preliminary warning bells. But that could have been a character's mistake, and a potential plot point.

For your horrification:
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/west-cork-distillers/the-pogues-single-mal...

>162 -pilgrim-: I have actually seen that on sale in a shop, and been duly appalled. I have no words to describe the tastelessness of using that name for a whiskey.

>162 -pilgrim-: Eeek! I shall run like a rabbit in the opposite direction!

>154 -pilgrim-: Quick note that the sizing of the print in a book has less to do with the eyesight of the reader than it has to do with the economics of paper and ink. If the publisher believes that a trade paperback has to be priced at $18.00 in order to cover their costs, they want to balance a complicated set of variables that make the price acceptable to consumers. That may mean increasing the font size, the leading (the spacing between lines on the page), margins, and probably another 4 or 5 elements that can be "finagled" without creating a stir in the marketplace. That works for fiction, but probably not the non-fiction that you like to read; the variables for book design may be all that different in a physical sense, but you may be dealing with a different sub-set of the population -- students, etc. And if you have half-tones (photographs) as an element of the non-fiction, that carries with it additional production concerns.

None of this soothes your irritation with publishers and I'm sympathetic to that. The assumption that some publishers are making is that they can make those adjustments of print size if the book is in electronic form so they be trying to steer older readers more in that direction.

>165 jillmwo:
That was interesting jillmwo. Do you have any insight into what determines whether a book receives a Kindle edition?

I know nothing about New Zealand law. I primarily watch the show for the scenery and the interactions of the characters. However, the main detectives rarely wear protective clothing at the scene, they walk all over it, touching the corpse, and talking to it in the case of the senior detective.

I think listening to David Suchet read the scriptures would be most peaceful, and one could be forgiven for falling asleep. Anyway, sleep is a healing power, and there are far more unhealthy ways to achieve it.

February #11:
Absolution By Murder by Peter Tremayne:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/340010#7778255
February #18:
The Inimitable Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
https://www.librarything.com/topic/340010#7778255