History's Mysteries

Thomas Cahill is a history-light writer, think about How the Irish Saved Civilization for example. But I alway have trouble remembering the Middle Ages. I have trouble remembering MY middle ages. What is the Middle Ages? When did it happen? What was done during that period? Who lived and created during that period? This isn't my first book about the Middle Ages and I guess it won't be the last.

Cahill focuses on a few characters to illustrate how things that we consider to be very modern were first seen in the Middle Ages. So that would answer the question of who lived and created during that period: Abelard and Heloise, Elinor of Aquitaine, Hildegard of Bingen, Francis of Assissi, Thomas Aquinas and Dante. Okay, I've heard and read about all these guys in the past. Cahill goes into a little more depth, draws some strange conclusions and then moves on to the next subject.

Have you heard about the new movie, Vantage Point? I hear it's pretty horrible. And that's too bad. The whole idea of observing an event from different vantage points and coming to different conclusions or having a different perspective on the event fascinates me. What an interesting idea for a movie. I wonder if they had a bad writer :)

That's why I like to read different books about the same time in history. Everyone has their own perspective, which authors put into their books. This really came to my mind as I slowly work my way through the H.L. Mencken book. I'm half way through the book and about to start the chapter on the Scopes Monkey Trial. Inherit The Wind is one of my favorite plays and movie. I didn't know that Mencken was a big force in the trial. But knowing him from the first half of the book, I suspect that he had more of an impact than a reporter should have. Can't wait to see this trial from another perspective.

What's this got to do with Mysteries of the Middle Ages? As far as history goes, you can't just take one version. Cahill's version is interesting, but it can't be your only view on events. You have to read about any period in history from various viewpoints. And I think you need to read various genres. That mystery I read about the woman doctor who did autopsies was placed in this period. It is so interesting to hear about the same people from a different writer. I'm beginning to feel more comfortable in the Middle Ages.

The same is true with the Mencken book. It takes place in turn of the last century Baltimore. He's a newspaper man, so he is involved in much of what's happening in the world or at least the East Coast. I've read a lot about this period. But he had a totally different viewpoint. His take on the Germans and British in WWI is so different from what I normally read. But then I normally read English writers. Maybe I need a different viewpoint. Maybe I need to read more German books. Just wait to see what I come up with.

Do Not Seek HIDE

What do you follow a really good novel with? A pretty mediocre mystery, of course. I understand Lisa Gardner is a writer of good mysteries, but this series doesn't appear to be up to her best work. Please don't read this if the thought of harm to children upsets you. You don't actually read about the dark deeds, but if you have a good imagination, you don't need to read the details.

The story is about a father who appears to have protected his daughter against an unknown evil when she was a child. Now the father is dead and the daughter is caught up in the results of this protection. The plot line is a little shaky, the characters are sort of interesting (faint praise if I ever heard it,) the resolution is hurried and jumbled. It's understandable, but hurried.

What this book is particularly good for is keeping you entertained while starting a new jigsaw puzzle. This puzzle is not as hard as the last one. There is lots of color and activity. I'm actually very good at this, seeing where the pieces go. This is a comfort as Alzheimer worries lessen every time I see where a piece goes.

I had dinner with Dan and Karen on Friday. Okay, dinner and beer. Dan left the Helpdesk a couple of years ago. He just got a job with the Unemployment Office as one of their Veteran helpers. He helps veterans find work. He was full of good job hunting information. This would have been very helpful to me if I was looking really hard for a job. I've been out of work for two months. I have ten more months of pay before I have to start bringing in some extra money. My friend Tom, from the Book Awards, is now the "oldest temp in New York." He just finished with a part in a play. It sounded like fun. Tom's even older than I am, as amazing as that seems. He's started a whole new life in New York after leaving The Times last year. Way to go Dan and Tom. You give hope for this old lady.

NObody's Fool

Oh, this was such a good book. It helps that I saw this movie with Paul Newman about 20 years ago. He played Sully, Don Sullivan, a 60 year old man with a bad knee. Does that sound familiar, or what? He is haunted by a horrible childhood and bad decisions that he made ever after, based on that childhood. That part is not similar to me, but the book is so well written that I could still feel his pain.

It's just a slice of life in a upstate New York town. I read some of the reviews in Amazon. One said that this is a dying town where people go "through the motions of life." Isn't that an odd statement? They seem to be doing all the things that we people who are living in towns that aren't dying do. They love, they die, they work, they try to get out of work. They enjoy each other's company, they have pasts that haunt them, they have futures that seem bleak or promising. The thing about this book is that the characters and locale are so well drawn that you know these people. You actually know more about them than the guy at the next desk whom you've known for the 30 years you sat at your desk.

I wonder if the writer envisioned a Sully as beautiful as Paul Newman. I think so. Everybody is charmed by him. He does pretty stupid things, and they still love him. He rents an apartment in the home of his old school teacher and has for the past 20 years. She was played by Jessica Tandy, just before Ms. Tandy died. There are probably a dozen central characters whom you get to know very well. The time period of the book is pretty brief. It starts at Thanksgiving and ends on New Year's Day. In a town where people are making the motions of living, a lot happens in such a short period of time. As a different Amazon review rightly says, this is more character-driven than plot-driven. There are very interesting characters driving this book. I don't think I'll miss them, but I'm glad to have been with them for a while.

The 22nd

I get books from Audible. Oh, you already knew that. :-) I pay a fee and get two new books each month. The 22nd of every month. I'm already reading 3 books that seem to go on forever: a book about Mencken (half way through this hard cover book), a book about the Middle Ages (over half way through this book on my Ipod), and a book about a small upstate New York town (almost done.)

Yet, when the 22nd came around, I was doing the Snoopy happy dance. I'd been putting books into my wish list all month, waiting for that moment. Okay, I don't buy just 2. I get two really expensive books that are charged against my credits and a few little cheap books to fill in my needs.

I really hate to shop, but I'm a great buyer. And my happy feet just can't stay still when the 22nd rolls around.