Memories of the making of the movie Anatomy of a Murder in 1959 by my old music teacher who apparently was the inspiration for some of the soundtrack Memories of the making of the movie Anatomy of a Murder in 1959 by my old music teacher who apparently was the inspiration for some of the soundtrack music by Duke Ellington, including “Flirtbird” and “Happy Anatomy”....more
Interesting book from a very literate hobo, who called himself A-No. 1, written in 1909. A quick, enjoyable read containing four amusing tales about tInteresting book from a very literate hobo, who called himself A-No. 1, written in 1909. A quick, enjoyable read containing four amusing tales about the tramp life.
Merged review:
Interesting book from a very literate hobo, who called himself A-No. 1, written in 1909. A quick, enjoyable read containing four amusing tales about the tramp life....more
Party Girls is a little beatsplotation gem. The first lesbian novel I've read by Gilbert Fox under any pseudonym. I didn't know that this was a lesbiaParty Girls is a little beatsplotation gem. The first lesbian novel I've read by Gilbert Fox under any pseudonym. I didn't know that this was a lesbian novel in that I thought all of those appeared under his Dallas Mayo pseudonym.
The action takes place over a period of twenty-four hours, mostly in the Greenwich Village apartment of a theater set designer, who throws a lesbian orgy for her boss, a well-known, Broadway producer.
I'll definitely be reading more Gilbert Fox, he writes really well....more
If you're over the age of sixty, as I am, you won't be able to understand or relate to this book. But, if you do read it, you'll be absolutely astoundIf you're over the age of sixty, as I am, you won't be able to understand or relate to this book. But, if you do read it, you'll be absolutely astounded by how fragile the egos of millennial males are and you won't understand a lot of the words and concepts. I don't know what the f*ck cosplay is or gender poetry, or a gender traitor, for that matter. But I assume the author is the latter from the context in which he uses the phase.
These guys seem like they're from a different planet. I guess it's not their fault, they've been testosterone deprived by their vegan diets....more
There are similarities in the plots of Hired Lover and Summer Hotel, a novel Hitt wrote under his own name for Beacon Books in 1958. The two books areThere are similarities in the plots of Hired Lover and Summer Hotel, a novel Hitt wrote under his own name for Beacon Books in 1958. The two books are both of what has become known as the James M. Cain variety, a femme fatale who entices her lover into killing her husband.
But even though many authors, including Hitt himself, had been down this road before, you don’t anticipate the twist in the plots coming in either of these novels. What’s unique and specific about Orrie Hitt’s version of this love triangle is not that the wife is beautiful and much younger—she is—and the husband is older and sickly—he is—but that the husbands in both these novels are diabetics. It’s around this fact that the plots to kill the husband revolve. ...more
A masterpiece! The last great noir crime novel of the twentieth century. Set on the Sabine River in East Texas, north of Tyler, in 1933 and '34. A serA masterpiece! The last great noir crime novel of the twentieth century. Set on the Sabine River in East Texas, north of Tyler, in 1933 and '34. A serial killer is killing black prostitutes, but it isn't long before white women start showing up dead.
The Bottoms paints a vivid portrait of life in the South during the Great Depression, in all its misery, privation and racism. It's hard reading at times, but so compelling, it's hard to put down.
The Billionaire’s Vinegar probably has a magazine article’s worth of interesting information, about a fraud perpetrated by a group of international wiThe Billionaire’s Vinegar probably has a magazine article’s worth of interesting information, about a fraud perpetrated by a group of international wine connoisseurs, padded out to fill a book.
You can't help but think that these wine connoisseurs were easily hoodwinked about bottles supposedly belonging to Thomas Jefferson that even an average discerning wine collector would have spotted as fakes. ...more
Las Vegas Lust is a surprisingly good crime novel, albeit sold as a “sex novel,” which indeed it is. Although, a true hardboiled crime novel it is notLas Vegas Lust is a surprisingly good crime novel, albeit sold as a “sex novel,” which indeed it is. Although, a true hardboiled crime novel it is not. It is, however an interesting look into the Las Vegas of the late 1950s and the various ways clients try to cheat the casinos.
There has been much debate about whether Evan Hunter penned the early Dean Hudson novels, but, after having read a couple, including this one, they don't seem to have been written in anything clsely resembling his writing style, although they do seem to have been written by the same author—the early Dean Hudson novels.
This doesn't mean they're not worth reading, if you don't mind your crime novels with some gratuitous sex scenes thrown in....more
Charlie Gasparino is a political moderate, somewhere smack dab in the center of the political spectrum, but because he often veers to the left or righCharlie Gasparino is a political moderate, somewhere smack dab in the center of the political spectrum, but because he often veers to the left or right, I'm sure he manages to piss off both sides.
That being said, I believe Go Woke, Go Broke is an important book that should be read by both sides. Gasparino, as political commentator in the business world, has called out the excesses of both the right and the left.
He makes a strong argument that DEI is not only terrible for business, but harmful to all Americans and the country and does nothing to address the problems of inequity it seeks to remedy.
Good true crime book that suffers only from the fact that the authors are documentary filmmakers and not writers. But the story in and of itself is soGood true crime book that suffers only from the fact that the authors are documentary filmmakers and not writers. But the story in and of itself is so entertaining and with such interesting characters that you are barely aware of the awkward prose.
If you've not heard the story of the McDonald's fraud case, it's because the charges in the case were filed on September 10, 2001. Yes, the day before 9/11....more
Summer of Sin has all the elements you come to associate with an Orrie Hitt novel. Crimes that don't quite rise to the level of violent crime, i.e., pSummer of Sin has all the elements you come to associate with an Orrie Hitt novel. Crimes that don't quite rise to the level of violent crime, i.e., petty theft, vandalism, prostitution, drug dealing, desertion, blackmail, etc.
There are three women at the center of the story, each vying for the attention of the main character, Clem Evans, who is just trying to earn an honest living. Unbeknownst to Clem, he's being used, and not's by the one he thinks is.
Understand that Four Corners of the Heart is, not only an unfinished novel, but one that ends at the beginning of the denouement just short of the endUnderstand that Four Corners of the Heart is, not only an unfinished novel, but one that ends at the beginning of the denouement just short of the ending. It's as if Françoise Sagan didn't finish it, because she didn't know quite how to end it.
Beware when a preface or foreword mentions not wanting to damage the legacy of a dead author. That's exactly what's happening.
The book alternates from the perspectives of several of the characters, even the dog, which is as cringeworthy as it sounds. In the end, the thing that keeps it from being a complete disaster is Sagan's beautiful writing. But I'm sure she wouldn't have wanted to have this published....more
Wow, where do I begin with this one? This reads something like a cross between Hollywood Babylon and Frank Harris' My Life and Loves. It's Scotty BoweWow, where do I begin with this one? This reads something like a cross between Hollywood Babylon and Frank Harris' My Life and Loves. It's Scotty Bowers' tell-all about his life as a hustler and pimp to Hollywood stars. I don't know which is more jaw-dropping—the anecdotes or the realization that they are so compelling and honest that they have to be true. Especially in light of the fact that so many people have come forward to attest to the veracity of all that he has written.
If you enjoyed Hollywood Babylon or Frank Harris, this is a must read. ...more
A romantic early 60s novel from Mike Avallone. A Broadway songwriter, devastated by the death of his wife who died in childbirth, tries to kill himselA romantic early 60s novel from Mike Avallone. A Broadway songwriter, devastated by the death of his wife who died in childbirth, tries to kill himself by throwing himself of the balcony of penthouse only to land on the balcony of the apartment below his. He's pretty lost his will to live, let alone be creative enough to write hit songs again.
He slowly crawls back from the brink of depression with the help of the wayward wife of a Hollywood mogul, a prostitute in Paris and an actress who stars in Hollywood musicals.
These three diverse women help bring the story, in the last half of the book, to nice neat little ending.
Despite the perverse humor of the failed suicide, there's not much of the humor of the Ed Noon series in this book....more
An Arthurian romance in which Arthur is not a major character. This story focuses on Tristan, a knight in the court of King Mark of Cornwall, and his An Arthurian romance in which Arthur is not a major character. This story focuses on Tristan, a knight in the court of King Mark of Cornwall, and his affair with the King's wife, Isolde (or Iseult).
Interesting to note for lovers of Arthurian literature is that although Arthur was conceived in Cornwall, he was not born there, nor was he ever king of Cornwall....more
Simenon's masterpiece, The Snow was Dirty, is the ultimate in European post-war occupation noir. That pretty much sums it up. Bleak. Unlike American pSimenon's masterpiece, The Snow was Dirty, is the ultimate in European post-war occupation noir. That pretty much sums it up. Bleak. Unlike American post-war noir where the protagonist's life spins out of control at breakneck speed toward his inevitable end, Euro noir is slow train to oblivion.
Not as good as I expected to be, but I had very expectations for this, having read and loved most of Simenon's stand-alone novels....more
