A Better Man, by Louise Penny

2019  Minotaur Books

I'm going to try writing this blog as I read.  I'll give page numbers so that you can avoid "spoilers."  (We'll see how well this works.  As always, feedback is appreciated.)

A note about the blog.  I began this for my pre-service and in-service teachers as I professed various literacy methods courses.  The focus was originally on young adult and children's literature.  I am now retired (emeritus)  and have decided to change the focus of the blog to "literary travels."  My first retirement trip was to Quebec to explore the settings of Louise Penny's oeuvre. As I add entries to this blog I will also post travel notes and photos.

The beginning...twitter posts about both Gamache and Clara Morrow.  Penny is always in tune with important trends in our lives.  Twitter and the trolls that misuse this type of social media are a plague upon the land.  Our local university football coach, Brian Harsin, made some wonderful comments recently about negative twitter feeds about specific players and the performance of the team in general.  His analysis of "twitiots" is brilliant.  (You can listen to him here.)  Yes, I have a twitter account.  Haven't read it for months!  I'm beginning to see my ending target and am increasingly aware of how I spend my time.  I don't want to waste my time reading nonsense.  I'll spend it reading carefully crafted work by thoughtful, informed people rather than twitiots.

Motto of Sûreté du Québec

Gamache returns to the Sûreté du Québec. While in Montreal I visited what I think is its headquarters.  I didn't think to try and enter.  Probably my mid-western politeness is what holds me back from being so brazen as to try and open a door.  Still, it didn't look like an American official building, no long staircase leading to pillars surrounding double doors.  Maybe Québécois are more frugal and have better priorities about where public funds should be spent. Maybe I was at a branch office.






Chapter 4

Crossing the St.Lawrence river on the Champlain Bridge Gamache is again challenged by his fear of heights.  This bridge and the river are important motifs in the Inspector Gamache books.  It's small wonder.  I visited Montreal in the fall.  Thank goodness no ice!  But the river and bridge are most impressive.  Now that I live in the Western United States, where almost all of our rivers are dammed, It's easy to forget how powerful untamed rivers are.  For a part of my life, I lived almost on the banks of the Mississippi River.  Flooding happened.  Until you stand near the rushing waters of a large river it is difficult to understand the power of these types of waters.  The Champlain Bridge was also featured in Penny's first book Still Life.

Closing Thoughts
At the end of Chapter 11 Penny closes with "...Sometimes we have to do something stupid (Gamache).  
     It did not seem to Isabelle Lacoste a great addition to the Sûreté motto.
         "Sevice, integrity, justice, and, occasionally, stupidity."
I think it is an important clue to Gamache's approach to policing and life.  I think we need sometimes to be willing to throw caution to the wind and commit to an action that appears stupid but indeed may lead to the first part of the motto, particularly integrity.

The Traveling Reader--Carry a Book

December 2019--Taos, New Mexico

I travel alone frequently when my journey's goals would bore traveling companions.  I'm traveling to see two of my brothers and use up my timeshare points for the year.  Taos in mid-December seems to be pretty tourist-free.  I'm doing some shopping and headed for the ski area this afternoon.  But, this morning as I was searching for a breakfast spot I've made a discovery.  When you're traveling alone a great way to begin conversations is to carry and actual book.  Holding Holmes on the Range,  by Steve Hockensmith gave me opportunity to make two new connections during my wanderings.  Bob Kustra recently had an article in The Idaho Statesman that touched on the value of holding paper books (although the article was really about cybersecurity).  This posting isn't really about cybersecurity or the realities of digital publishing's effects on authors and booksellers, rather it adds to Kustra's musings about the value of paper books.

For several years now I've been reading from my smartphone while waiting for meals in restaurants, drinking coffee in various shops, and hanging out in public spaces.  Other times I am "plugged in" with ear-buds listening to an audiobook.  This time I was forced to carry an actual book because it was only available to me in print and I have the CDs to listen to the second book in the series in the car as I drive on to Albuquerque and Tucson.  All of a sudden I'm meeting new people, having fascinating conversations and getting ideas for new titles to read.

I had to explore to find my breakfast.  In off-season, the spot my sister-in-law had recommended was closed until Friday.  After lengthy poking around to find something interesting I settled down and had a very nice tamale and eggs.  As I got ready to leave a couple stopped me and asked what I was reading.  We talked for a while, he gave me his business card, and I picked up a couple of reading ideas.  Venturing on a window display of a cast-iron cornbread pan caught my eye.  The shop was one of the few open so I dropped in to buy one for a house gift and one for myself.  Over the transaction, the woman at the register asked about the book.  We had at least a half-hour conversation about a wide range of topics including our millennial children, the state of the arts in modern society, and rural living.  It also turns out that she is an aspiring author.  We have exchanged "calling" cards (if you're retired can you have a business card?), emails, and a couple reading ideas.

Many years ago while soaking at Pagosa Springs, CO I was reading from a World of Warcraft book.  Through the three pools of decreasing heat I soaked in I had three conversations about gaming, World of Warcraft literature, and YA books in general.

These conversations have not occurred when I travel with my smartphone.  People don't see the title or even know that you're reading instead of engaging with social media.  What a wonderful lesson to learn.  I didn't have my book in a satchel, briefcase, or backpack.  I carried it in my hand because I was "going light."  Lesson learned.  I'll travel with this in mind and paper copy of a book from now on.

"Broken Ground" by Val McDermid. 2018

A Karen Pirie Novel

One of the peak experiences in my life was attending the Edinburgh Arts Festival.  As a result of my days in Edinburgh, a train ride to London, and my family's ancestry I have become very interested in Scotland.  Val McDermid's novels continue to tease me into commitment to a much longer sojourn to the country.  I had to pull out my Lonely Planet guide to locate the spots that narrative include.  As I have some free time I'm going to get busy Googling images from the area. 

McDermid is one of the best crime writers working today.  If you haven't read her various series and are a fan of crime fiction you have a very joyous year (or more) ahead of you.  I am not going to spoil anything about the Karen Pirie series here.  I will tell you how much I love the character and supporting cast.  One of McDermid's writing tools is to create well-rounded characters with plenty of personal flaws.  Karen is particularly compelling to me.  She has many of the same character defects that plagued me throughout my working life.  (If you're interested---a commitment to finding the truth, impatience with bureaucracy, and disrespect of superiors who do the politically expedient thing or are flat out dishonest.)

Back to my travel plans.  It looks like I'll need to travel most of Scotland to cover the territory of this book.  Honestly, I'm a bit hesitant.  The roads sound horrible to drive and in other books (not this one) the weather sounds quite unpleasant.  I'll let you know when I go there.

Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch, it's so good to spend some days with you again!  I've missed you.  Connelly has turned out another terrific read.  How he keeps Bosch fresh and avoids the pitfalls of some series authors/characters is admirable.  His characters are growing over time.  Bosch is developing new skills and trying out new ways to move through his work.

I think another  reason Connelly's books stay fresh is that he continues to tackle current events.  In this book, not only do we have two compelling mysteries, but also an exploration of the oxycodone epidemic.  Although the two mysteries are both well done what really engaged me was Connelly's treatment of the oxycodone epidemic. 

I don't want to say much about this----doing so might spoil some of pleasure of the read.  I found nothing in the novel to detract from my enjoyment!

Design for Dying: A Lillina Frost & Edit Head Novel by Renee Patrick 2016

Renee Patrick is a pseudonym for a married couple.  Rosemarie and Vince Keenan. Rosemarie is a research administrator and a poet. Vince is a screenwriter and a journalist.  Design for Dying is a 1930's detective novel set in Hollywood.  The main character comes to Hollywood to be an actress but quickly turn to dress design as a way to actually make a living.

I think the authors have probably recreated the language patterns and idioms of the 1930's Hollywood film industry and detective fiction.  It is also likely that the prose actually feels more like a screen play.  Initially it took me a while to feel comfortable with the prose but by the end of the book I felt ready to dive back into Dashiell Hammett and black and white films.  Another joy of reading the book is the use of famous Hollywood folks as characters within the story (including Edith Head).

The number of characters and potential killers can be a bit confusing.  I hope in future books the authors pare down the cast a bit.  I'd prefer more depth in characters possible only by cutting some out.

I am drawn to Lilian Frost, the main character.  She is young but learning fast.  I look forward to a second book in the series.

Spellhaven by Sandra Unerman (2017)

Unerman's prose is a delight to read. This first novel shows great promise for future works. It also shows a few typical weaknesses of first books. The plot is not quite as tight as I might like, characters not fully developed, and the ending somewhat disappointing (it seemed almost as if Unerman was having trouble finding a resolution so she just stopped). The main character, Jane Fairchild, is compelled by a magician, Lucian Hunter, to walk to the magically protected island Spellhaven. He selects her based on her musical gifts. Magicians from Spellhaven travel the world to find gifted artists to fill Spellhaven's needs. Much of the plot of the book is a detailing of the history of Spellhaven and its genesis. The other plot elements are the attempts by various magicians and their families to obtain Jane's services and use her gifts for their entertainments. There is also a larger plot pulling all together but in the interest of avoiding "spoilers" I'll leave that to readers.

The book is enjoyable, but ultimately a bit unsatisfying. I'm not certain whether the book should have actually been an trilogy so that Unerman had time to develop the characters more fully or if it simply need more ruthless editing to reduce the lush details about Spellhaven and focus more on plot and character.

I hope Unerman continues to keep writing. She is clearly talented.

The Proving Ground, by Peter Blouner

Using a traumatized Middle Eastern War veteran as a main character,  Blauner goes just a little over the top with including too many "hot topics" in one novel.  A story of betrayals, drug trade, murder, and PTSD the story is obscured a bit by a little too much "screen writing."  Blauner left a successful career as a novelist to work in television as a producer/writer for both Blue Bloods and Law and Order.  His credentials for understanding crime, particularly drug related crime, are impressive.  As a journalist for New York Magazine and several smaller newspapers he decided to expand his background experience and worked as volunteer probation officer.  I think we can assume that he writes with some authority on these topics. 

The story of a Vet returning to the States and dealing with some well-deserved PTSD is timely.  I know that we have been "protected" from really understanding the challenges our service people and veterans of this particular war are facing.  Blauner's portrayal of PTSD was convincing and I expect probably well researched.  I could have done with one or two fewer plot twists.  I hope that now that Blauner is returning to print that he will focus the next book a little more carefully.

I'm not accustomed to reading novels so thoroughly influenced by screenwriting traditions.  As a reader I was challenged to appreciate some of the nuances of this style.  Particularly some of the dialect work caused me to reread some passages. 

I will however, keep an eye out for the next book.  I'd like to find out what the main character, Natty, does next.  This one of Nancy Pearl's summer reading suggestions gets a "thumbs up" from me.