Reinhardt #3 in the series. Published in 1971, author of Little Big Man, I thought I would really like this. I just didn't get a lot of it, very clever writing though. A lot of the humor went over my head.
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L'Etable a Cochon. A restaurant.
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"...The true purpose of the space program is to abolish the orgasm, to cow the individual into impotence. How can he match the great, roaring, flaming ejaculation of the Saturn rocket?"
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Gen used to pretend to be Episcopalian for snob reasons, but wouldn't have known where to find the church. -- Heh.
Science Fiction/Crime novel from the early 50s, first Hugo award. "Jazzy" jargon was kind of irritating, but this was probably pretty hot stuff back then. Wikipedia artilce helped me to appreciate it a bit more. I like his "The Stars My Destination" more.
Three eco-nuts blow up a nuke to save the world, destroying Seattle and a mansion owned by a very Bill Gates-like parody. Some humour, but wiping out Seattle is kind of a bummer, dude.
A woman travels from Sweden to a very small town in Iowa to visit her pen-pal. Turns out her friend just died. What now? Very excellent story, I just loved it!
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Why would anyone prefer banknotes to book? -- pg.288
I KNOW I read this book, but for some reason it's not listed! It was published in 2004. History of three rivers in Connecticut and how they each developed differently. Really good! Non-fiction! Save the rivers!
A Scottish romance, I guess. I'm forcing myself to read it because I like the cookies. Hope it comes in as handy on "Jeporady" as "My Antonia" by Cather did!! Update: Boy, this book is boring, I mean, written in dialect!! Can I cheat and read Masterplots? Update: I gave up trying to read it! Gave up 11/1998.
Widge is conscripted to attend a performance at The Globe and copy down the text of the play, for a competitor, like. Stuff happens. Good story, I am looking forward to another in the series.
Matt recounts an old case to Mick Ballou, about a childhood friend, Jack "High-Low" Ellery, who turned to crime.
You can certainly tell the difference between an excellent writer and an average writer, although I don't know how to describe it. Block is an excellent writer.
Words I Had To Look Up:
the house's standard lagniappe (pg. 107) -- A small gift given with a purchase to a customer. terpin hydrate fog (pg. 135) -- An expectorant, commonly used to loosen mucus in the setting of acute or chronic bronchitis, and related conditions.
I'm going back and reading the Bernie Rhodenbarr books that are in the Books I've Read database. This is the first of the series. He hasn't met Carolyn yet, and he doesn't have a cat. In fact, there is no book store yet! Good story!
Published in 1958 under a pseudonym, this little piece of soft-core porn has some good stuff, but I really don't like the main characters. I closed my eyes during the dirty parts.
Matthew Scudder and "Mick" Ballou are the targets of someone. Seems like everybody around them is getting murdered!
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Years ago an old cop name Vince Mahaffey tol me what to do when someone gives me money. "Take it," he said. "and put it away and say thank you. You could even touch your cap if you're wearing one."
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"So that he grew up hating me. Well, don't they grow up in Belfast hating the English? And don't the Proddy kids grow up hating the Holy Father? 'F[***] the Queen!' 'Nah, nah, f[***] the Pope!' F[***] 'em both, I say, or let 'em f[***] each other." He drew out his pocket flask and sweetended his coffee. "They grow into good haters if you teach them early enough."