thumbs up-olshan; thumbs down-baldacci & your comments

this time, i'm only publishing three responses to the mother angelica story, because one of the thoughtful e-mails i received (to be published later)pointed out that my blogs were getting too long. i needed to be reminded. i could have cut the case western reserve university interview in half, even in thirds if i'd remembered in time!

 

here are today's comments:

 

1. great story about Mother Angelica and I liked the interview too, particularly  your generosity toward your teachers and others. 

. Thanks for all your suggestions about books particularly the British mysteries.  Whenever I feel down (not very often)  I am cured by reading a book which takes place in the British Isles, so it’s always good to have something hanging around that I haven’t read yet. s/m/b. mentor oh.

2. wonderful stuff u r doing-- yes include creative non-fiction pieces  based on the outstanding responses you got on Mother Angelica story which I loved!

 

go girl!!!!!!!

3. anytime non-fiction is around, it is a good thing r.z, canton 

the two novels i'm going to discuss today are both murder mysteries. there the similarity ends. true blue and cloudland could have been written on different planets.

mace perry, tougher than ever, is out of jail now after being framed for a crime she didn't commit and spending two years incarcerated. just as tough is her police chief sister. not as tough, but a willing pupil is attorney roy kingman. the three good guys race around solving murders in washington d.c in this so called thriller by david baldacci. it is baldacci's 17th novel, so he must have a strong fan base. if you are part of that fan base, you will probably like the fast motorcycle and gritty projects. but if you aren't already a fan this novel will not convert you. start someplace else in his oeuvre. man, those sisters are tough.

grand central publishing is the publisher of this 454 page novel, which sells for $27.99.

a much gentler novel: better written, more believable characters, a better plot, that also has lovely, sensual descriptions is cloudland by joseph olshan (i used to know an olshansky family as students at northwestern university when i was there. could this olshan be related?).

how could i not like this crime novel? catherine winslow is an adjunct english teacher (me, too!) or was before her relationship with an ex-student (missed out on that!). her computer research is on the same web sites i use, jestor and project muse. she doesn't like esther in bleak house either. she also taught in a prison,though mine was in spain, not in new england. much of the book is based on a wilkie collins novel (you loyal readers will remember that much of eloquent tattoo is based on e.a. poe).  the story is centered on cloudland road in vermont where catherine lives by herself with only a few neighbors in the area. catherine finds a body and we're off.

you will enjoy this book. olshan does a good job of writing in the first person from a woman's point of view. minotaur books is the publisher. the novel is 291 pages and sells for $24.99. worth it and there's always your public library.

its fun sharing this time with you. i'll be back in a few days.

audrey