A friend who read last week’s review of Homer and Langley suggested this week’s book, Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things by Randy Frost as a follow-up. Stuff cover the story of the Collyer brothers in great detail. In fact, that’s one of the things about the book that appealed to me — they focus on case studies,… Read more
As I mentioned, I’ve gotten some new books from the nice folks at HarperCollins, as well as some new stuff in audio from the library. I’ve been working at home a lot lately on some relatively relaxing projects, and it’s great to listen to a book while I am doing database cleanup or updating files. Plus, I have a trip… Read more
This is not the way I wanted to start my Saturday morning, annoyed over an article about a favorite publisher. According to BoingBoing and Library Journal, HarperCollins is changing the rules for library e-books. From now on, HarperCollins e-books will only be licensed for 26 checkouts; after that, it doesn’t say, but I’m assuming the library will have to re-purchase… Read more
Homer & Langley by E.L. Doctorow is a fictionalized telling of the story of the Collyer brothers — two eccentric New York brothers from a wealthy family, living in a spacious brownstone on 5th Avenue. They became famous, not for their wealth or their looks or their philanthropy, but for their compulsive hoarding. It’s a tragic story and Doctorow’s fictionalized… Read more
Okay, I am sneaking in at the last minute with some great new words. My words this week are from Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow. It’s a fictionalized history of the Collyer brothers – infamous New York eccentrics and one of the early documented cases of hoarding. Check back tomorrow for the review and some startling pictures! 1.… Read more
I haven’t posted a teaser in ages, but I am glad to be back! You know how this works – pick up your current read and choose 2 teaser sentences to share with us. (This week, I have just a smidgen more.) No spoilers, and be sure to tell us about the book, so we can add it to the… Read more
In The Mistress of Abha by William Newton, Ivor Willoughby goes searching for the father he barely knew. A British soldier stationed in Arabia, Ivor met his father, Robert, on only 2 occasions and for only a handful of days in total, but Robert was a legend in their household and beyond. Ivor is determined, from a very young age,… Read more
I’ve had good luck with new books lately! I got a big stack of new books for Christmas off of my Amazon Wish List (no one listens when I say “don’t buy me books” – not that it matters because I love the books anyway). I’ve gotten 2 packages of books from Harper-Collins and I have no idea why. These… Read more
I do love my detectives and their tough-guy sidekicks: Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, Spenser and Hawk, and now Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. Elvis Cole is an ex-Ranger with a Mickey Mouse phone, a bright yellow Corvette and a troubled past Joe Pike is his silent partner — dark shades, distinctive tattoos and very few words. The bonus for… Read more
I’m back! It’s been ages since I’ve had words to post (after my little vacation), but I have some great words this week. This week, my words are from The Mistress of Abha by William Newton. Set in Arabia, it’s the story of a young man’s adventures and his search for the father he barely knew. Really good story so… Read more