It’s a mystery why I’ve been in the mood to read mysteries lately. Here are some of the titles that stand above the rest of the herd. The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley This mystery, penned in 1929, employs a classic premise: members of an amateur sleuthing club attempt to solve a murder mystery. Ah, but [...]
June 10, 2010
The Other Johnny Cash
When I was a kid, Johnny Cash was a staple in my household, both on radio and TV. The J.C. that I first knew played for the inmates at Folsom Prison and sang “A boy named Sue,” “Dirty old egg suckin’ dog,” and “Flushed from the bathroom of your heart.” I did not particularly care for this [...]
May 13, 2010
Career Day
In 8th grade, as hormones raged and the nation prepared for its bicentennial, my fellow students and I were given a standardized test to determine what kind of career we would be best-suited for. One of the more clever questions read, “Would you enjoy weighing boxes of cookies eight hours per day?” I cautiously opted for [...]
April 14, 2010
Rich(ard) and (not) famous
According to unimpeachable sources one of the most frequently asked questions of any library’s adult services desk is, “Who was the fifth Beatle? As Sherlock Holmes might say, “The answer is George Martin, my dear Watson, George Martin.” Sturdy companion Watson might reply, “But Holmes, I was certain that Billy Preston was the culprit.” Holmes, [...]
February 17, 2010
Fossil Fools
When my dad was in his early and mid-forties, George Blanda was the place kicker and part-time quarterback for the Oakland Raiders. I derived endless joy from asking my dear papa why was it that if George, four years his senior, was out there every Sunday winning football games, dad wasn’t suiting up to hurl [...]
November 12, 2009
Symphonic Music You’ll Love (or not)
Cymbals crashing, oboes soaring to angelic heights, strings cascading down down down, airplane engines preparing for the conductor’s cue, gamelan clanking mechanically in sync with the trombones, fuzz guitar and synthesizers attacking with a vengeance, final note holding … and … Applause! Golly gosh, symphonic music has come a long way. While traditional classical and [...]
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