Another splendid little find from the fine folks at BookBub. Fredrik Bachman is a Swedish blogger and writer who created the character of Ove, a cantankerous and curmudeonly older man for his blog. Apparently Ove was so popular, Backman was persuaded to wrote a whole novel featuring him. When I read that, it gave me pause because there are plenty of artisitc endeavors that are wonderful in small bites but become dreadful when over-stretched. And while premise sounded like it could get into that treacly […]
My first Maigret
I know, I know. Why has it taken me this long to get around to reading Georges Simenon’s great series about the formidable Detective Chief Inspector Maigret? Too many books and so little time, perhaps. Well, I am going to be taking care of that tout suite. This book is the 4th Maigret book, part of the new English translations the publisher Penguin is rolling out. Maigret is on his way back from Brussels when he notices a shabbily dressed man stuffing a lot of […]
Stunning first novel of love and loss
This book, a debut effort, by Ms. Stedman could have been a maudlin mess in lesser talented and measured hands. Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia after 4 traumatizing years on the Western Front and takes a postition as a lighthouse watchman. He craves the solitude and isolation while he wrestles with his memories of war. When he is sent to perform a relief stint on Janus Rock off the western coast of Australia, he makes a chance meeting of the impetuous and beautiful Isabel. Not long after the […]
Just don’t put Tyler Lautner in the movie, Mr. Fincher
I read Matz and Jacamons The Killer and was mesmerized by that stylish French-Noir-in-a-comic, so it was a no brainer to pick up Cyclops. In the foreword, Matz cites Starship Troopers and Blade Runner as influences, stating “I like the way these two movies smoothly throw us into a world apparently different than ours, but not that much of you take a closer look. They then use that world to deliver a message about ourselves and the world in which we live today.” Mission accomplished, sir. […]
Le Weasel
Almost there. In this, the penultimate book in the Aimee Leduc series, Aimee is almost six months pregnant. Melac, her erstwhile lover who has resigned from his post to be at his daughter’s side (she is in a coma since a bus/train accident 4 months ago) doesn’t know. Her partner Rene has take it upon himself to be her helpmate, directing remodeling projects to the office to make it baby-friendly and nagging her about taking her prenatal vitamins and getting plenty of rest. Aimee herself […]
Recipes to Substitute for Central Heating
What a charming book this was! I don’t even remember how I came about to have this in my collection. To be sure, I am rather French-obsessed. The usual books and films and music (when I got into Black Metal I searched out all the French ones) and food are just a jumping off point. I really enjoy trying to discern what is so attractive to me about the people and the culture, other than a vague heritage. This book had all that and more. […]
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