tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25297960257564447492024-03-17T23:03:44.791-07:00Life, Death and FogA blog about crime-related film and books as well as mystery-writer Ronald Tierney's impressions of San Francisco. Writing advice is also available.Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.comBlogger666125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-53231102715240548382017-04-02T10:26:00.000-07:002017-04-02T10:26:42.027-07:00Sunset On The Blog<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UnffkLppO1cvSpiUBytwHl27uK8OWCKK4jhfOXzxXDikSFj7TST7Tg52d-PvSZV8paAF71J2e8xz3V8SIfiwH5aB8IwUjiI2Z0dslYEIMo6676AZz0-XhZKEpj4LUugTM4skVnRZwMWi/s1600/DSCN2139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UnffkLppO1cvSpiUBytwHl27uK8OWCKK4jhfOXzxXDikSFj7TST7Tg52d-PvSZV8paAF71J2e8xz3V8SIfiwH5aB8IwUjiI2Z0dslYEIMo6676AZz0-XhZKEpj4LUugTM4skVnRZwMWi/s320/DSCN2139.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Thank you note from Palm Springs</b></td></tr>
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After six years and more than 650 posts, the Life Death And
Fog blog will become inactive – available for reference and search but having
no new posts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I want to thank the readers with special appreciation for
those who have commented on and, at times, corrected my entries. I also wanted
to thank The Rap Sheet for the inspiration, though of course that blog is far
more informative in areas that matter to crime fiction writers and readers. Nonetheless
The Rap Sheet prompted me to give blogging a shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ve enjoyed it immensely.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Six years is a pretty long run as these things go. Though I
could have used a copy editor and proof reader at times, I think what’s left in
the files might be fun or helpful to others despite the occasional glitch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A note: The most popular posts are listed on
the left side of this page.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a number of reasons for the discontinuation. One
is for me to stop ranting and raving at the gov’ment. There are plenty of
folks, (more qualified) doing that on an obsessive basis. I also need to do
some regular writing work. I have a novel that needs to be completed, also a
fourth in a quartet of novellas that needs to be written as well as some
finished work to be placed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My web site will remain in place as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also plan to use my non-mystery Face book to remain in
touch with friends. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you need something to read online, in addition to <a href="http://therapsheet.blogspot.com/">The Rap Sheet </a>let me recommend <a href="http://billcrider.blogspot.com/">Bill Crider’s Pop Culture Magazine</a> and <a href="http://www.thrillingdetective.com/">The Thrilling Detective</a>.
Also, for the print-minded, like me, there is <a href="http://www.mysteryscenemag.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mystery Scene Magazine</i> </a>and the crime fiction review Bible, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://Deadly Pleasures.">Deadly Pleasures.</a></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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So long,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ron <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-67849290453556872662017-03-21T14:01:00.002-07:002017-03-21T14:01:16.352-07:00The Black Tortoise Released Today<div class="MsoNormal">
Readers of my “Deets Shanahan series may be disappointed in
my new Peter Strand private eye series.
I understand. Deets is 72-year-old curmudgeon who deals in a tough, dangerous
world. His are the kind of crime novels some describe as “hardboiled.” Peter
Strand is a young Asian American who finds himself drawn into murder cases that
are more puzzle than struggle. This is a more civilized, less violent mystery
series. Some might dare call them
“cozies.”</div>
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TodayT<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Black-Tortoise-Peter-Strand-Mystery/dp/1459812409/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489638546&sr=1-1&keywords=The+black+tortoise&linkCode=sl1&tag=boomerville-20&linkId=3ec4241cf6390eb9003fd0facfc382f0"><i>he Black Tortoise</i> </a>is released.ButI ask you to think about two books!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeFHIh5bQgXjl0xa0MH6XQYkgvVWJnF4_kW7YCsXzoQFLXzdSGaW4Ab48Z1cm4hNdBPEzCxmJnc9ntsMbva35HIN_gfn2EsML7p4ne1ofTgxeVh-Dg0Y_b8UtbBs19xBHt4Ga0cHHLyu1/s1600/51NFlQp34qL._SX326_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyeFHIh5bQgXjl0xa0MH6XQYkgvVWJnF4_kW7YCsXzoQFLXzdSGaW4Ab48Z1cm4hNdBPEzCxmJnc9ntsMbva35HIN_gfn2EsML7p4ne1ofTgxeVh-Dg0Y_b8UtbBs19xBHt4Ga0cHHLyu1/s320/51NFlQp34qL._SX326_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="210" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Blue Dragon</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Tortoise</i> are the first
two San Francisco mystery novellas in the proposed “Yellow<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Road To The Sun Quartet” about Peter Strand,
who, throughout, seeks answers to his own personal mystery. It is the entire
road that is Strand’s journey. And<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>these
small mysteries hold keys to the larger one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Blue Dragon
—</span></i></b><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> Murder
in a small apartment building in San Francisco’s Chinatown, prompts the
absentee owner to hire Asian American Peter Strand to calm the anxious tenants.
But Strand isn’t exactly what he appears to be. Neither are the tenants,
Strand, a forensic accountant by trade, doesn’t intend to investigate the
murder, but soon realizes that this isn’t a gang-related killing, as the police
believe. The murder was committed by one of the tenants. Finding out which one
exposes the secrets of the Blue Dragon and brings Strand face-to-face with a
few ghosts of his own.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31fJptocZIOI0swXLhZnhNLDOcqayZd1wsRHV_Xmtb3j5ciFcgRz9LzurJNibbZQxBoDXEdQWFmFCNsHz7RCCAhLNWOZo7H1iGZYmQY40F3r4qoyUJuICXpSahLqw490TW2ugex-iGMO_/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31fJptocZIOI0swXLhZnhNLDOcqayZd1wsRHV_Xmtb3j5ciFcgRz9LzurJNibbZQxBoDXEdQWFmFCNsHz7RCCAhLNWOZo7H1iGZYmQY40F3r4qoyUJuICXpSahLqw490TW2ugex-iGMO_/s320/Unknown-1.jpeg" width="209" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Black Tortoise —</span></i></b><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> When his employer asks him to investigate a San
Francisco-based nonprofit organization, Strand meets a cast of quirky
characters who all seem to be hiding a harmless secret or at worst, a bitter
resentment. Peter soon finds evidence of a probable fraud. Unfortunately, the cover
up leads to murder, and Strand continues his quest for larger meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The third book, the Red Phoenix, is well
underway<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I‘m
not exactly changing genres, merely exploring the range within the genre in
terms of both style and length. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Orca
has published the first two books as part or their Rapid Read Series, a
wonderful program seeking to publish books accessible to all readers, including
those who speak English as a second language and those who love to read but who
have little time to do so. While the books may be part of school and library
programs, the pocket novellas are meant for everyone who likes a good, short, read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-40316199542822171972017-02-24T11:20:00.002-08:002017-02-24T11:20:35.694-08:00San Francisco — The Art Of Transportation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1NAFml3DKDTZNM5CtCyqAUHncRZJELItq7TkzukNp-hbGTilzCJBCIXJZ5x4_RGJ9x4GIpQ4rsEu7SEj93H61W_xfTP3y5cox4429MFDqrlhnY9cd9oscBGUVeY2VD0GKRC66byC28q1/s1600/DSCN1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1NAFml3DKDTZNM5CtCyqAUHncRZJELItq7TkzukNp-hbGTilzCJBCIXJZ5x4_RGJ9x4GIpQ4rsEu7SEj93H61W_xfTP3y5cox4429MFDqrlhnY9cd9oscBGUVeY2VD0GKRC66byC28q1/s320/DSCN1101.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6i6o-mWuuC64hyphenhyphenHHT5fuW3keXUvF1vbG5ceqlbKqoxL2WGojswuAkzl7OudtTDSL3LcuDHA1WpNizUICJJIs4NH87Moi7RrVJ8YR3B5soY8P_ipHPRc_UenI2K39ws3V-x7glLQ0omkz/s1600/DSCN0484.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEklZSzMDZX4-FKS_OKZvOpuhBYYvkVSGK9q5ubP30CHbeR-8uUwnTAEU3Hd2jYikaG8h7432l4mjmlXiM5rmvSI-KAdpbXKikPdytSuCgk-pOYvMcy3aHRIk8okWkNsJlNQiXx08LJWeD/s1600/DSCN0973.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimu88ariSXv7coj93kpAjxvTZG1iDO7-rOp0MikgGSlgNjBR_4xwuyvun8oVgYvu_oJSew6wYYizTH97jrSLJRN_udsW1qr-Uc8WMFesM3FmdVroJUXonzFz0ZaQAQg6n-1Fakviqb359/s1600/DSCN1274.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1NAFml3DKDTZNM5CtCyqAUHncRZJELItq7TkzukNp-hbGTilzCJBCIXJZ5x4_RGJ9x4GIpQ4rsEu7SEj93H61W_xfTP3y5cox4429MFDqrlhnY9cd9oscBGUVeY2VD0GKRC66byC28q1/s1600/DSCN1101.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TqPMfxFqaMANLg95tXpBhMuAIxh89nuIa3JEST5BO8z7O_vIwcqu4iEoeqmvNBtw6pMFTDWNw3s1M8m3avRrc0ojppuj01t-QaJRVR2NuKaHIsqDh5Thyphenhyphen_fLsjvT01G7Mxd2x1zIr1X6/s1600/DSCN0876.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_TqPMfxFqaMANLg95tXpBhMuAIxh89nuIa3JEST5BO8z7O_vIwcqu4iEoeqmvNBtw6pMFTDWNw3s1M8m3avRrc0ojppuj01t-QaJRVR2NuKaHIsqDh5Thyphenhyphen_fLsjvT01G7Mxd2x1zIr1X6/s320/DSCN0876.JPG" width="240" /></a><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimu88ariSXv7coj93kpAjxvTZG1iDO7-rOp0MikgGSlgNjBR_4xwuyvun8oVgYvu_oJSew6wYYizTH97jrSLJRN_udsW1qr-Uc8WMFesM3FmdVroJUXonzFz0ZaQAQg6n-1Fakviqb359/s320/DSCN1274.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEklZSzMDZX4-FKS_OKZvOpuhBYYvkVSGK9q5ubP30CHbeR-8uUwnTAEU3Hd2jYikaG8h7432l4mjmlXiM5rmvSI-KAdpbXKikPdytSuCgk-pOYvMcy3aHRIk8okWkNsJlNQiXx08LJWeD/s320/DSCN0973.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6i6o-mWuuC64hyphenhyphenHHT5fuW3keXUvF1vbG5ceqlbKqoxL2WGojswuAkzl7OudtTDSL3LcuDHA1WpNizUICJJIs4NH87Moi7RrVJ8YR3B5soY8P_ipHPRc_UenI2K39ws3V-x7glLQ0omkz/s320/DSCN0484.JPG" width="243" />Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com151tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-57646170157425813152017-02-16T09:10:00.000-08:002017-02-18T16:51:24.355-08:00Film Pairing — Cinema Noir, Two More From OrsonAs I may have suggested <a href="http://lifedeathandfog.blogspot.com/201">a couple of posts ago</a>, Orson Welles could
be the poster boy for American film noir. Personally I would only go so far as
to say he is certainly one of the prime contributors. One of his films, <i>Citizen Kane</i> is among those films at the
top of everyone’s “best list” and some argue that it is the first American
noir. There are those who claim the classic is not noir at all.<br />
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For tonight, we’ll leave the sacred <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Citizen Kane</i> and the noir debate for another day, focusing instead
on two other Orson Welles’ films, each with a unanimous noir stamp.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWTF_HD6Y0-zmYJg1jeWDnffcnv4XjGs67hS-mYqhmh_9p0kpmTov6qAwuFF7Z7szxralNWeL7huTD8RC7RCvYe9CwJzUj_5CxVDDbM50dGq2dY0rwh1pfxsApECepRf4pElsyZUd01Us/s1600/the-third-man-stairwell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWTF_HD6Y0-zmYJg1jeWDnffcnv4XjGs67hS-mYqhmh_9p0kpmTov6qAwuFF7Z7szxralNWeL7huTD8RC7RCvYe9CwJzUj_5CxVDDbM50dGq2dY0rwh1pfxsApECepRf4pElsyZUd01Us/s320/the-third-man-stairwell.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Third Man —</i></b> This film is the basis for the novella by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Graham Greene</b> in an odd turn around of
process. Here, we visit moody post-war Vienna, deep in shadows and shadowy
deeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Joseph Cotten</b> visits in search of an old friend, Harry Lime (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Orson Welles</b>). And the mystery begins.
Cotton’s friend is hard to find and the pieces left behind become increasingly
suspicious to Cotton. There is evil here; but where does it reside?
The authorities or Harry Lime?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old
world backdrop is the the true beauty of the film, and cinematographer <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Russell Metty</b> takes full advantage of
it, including the final scene as Welles, the missing Harry Lime, explains his
view of the world to his old friend as they are atop a Ferris wheel observing
the people below as ants not particularly worthy of any empathy in their
suffering at the hands of Lime, himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The film was directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Carol
Reed</b> and released in 1949. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Trevor Howard</b> is also featured, as is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alida Valli</b> as Lime’s love interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Touch of Evil</i></b> — <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Charlton
Heston</b>, as the force for all that is good, never really challenges the
slovenly evil <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Orson Welles</b> for the
center of attention in this late noir (1958) film, also shot by cinematographer
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Russell Metty.</b> The action takes
place in seedy adjacent towns straddling the border of Mexico and the U.S. With
exception of those scenes in which Welles — bloated, unshaven, sweating and
slobbering — held forth as a corrupt border town sheriff, I had the feeling I
was watching a film made for television. But when Welles was on, he filled the
screen and, well hell, he scared me. Even the sets he chewed were more
impressive during his scenes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No doubt
this is a worthwhile film for noir lovers, but there was more ‘60s than ‘40s in
the atmospherics and I prefer the latter. The cast was also a curious lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Janet Leigh </b>and the notable performance of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Akim Tamiroff</b>, we have brief appearances by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Joseph Cotten</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Marlene
Dietrich</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zsa Zsa Gabor</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dennis Weaver</b>. Orson Welles directed
the film based on author <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Whit Masterson</b>’s
novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Badge of Evil.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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The dirty sheriff in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Touch
of Evil</i> drank his bourbon straight up perhaps one too many times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t be a dirty sheriff. Think Vienna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I understand it, the Viennese drink lots
of coffee and beer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-91850875219810168372017-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:002017-02-09T20:01:10.744-08:00On Writing — Reader’s Expectations: To Meet Them Or Not Meet Them<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDni0gDHSPJZ4OQronvAeff7gvSAjlocDRnuk5D_jh8pb6kWnzf06kqcZyutpJjaT491xqyYOD848qoUx7scOts-Q4Njby3Fd443G5JLnzn15kYMqQtUtUw0srxWJ_-D615_Y9QjRhNHdX/s1600/51nD6m-DOOL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDni0gDHSPJZ4OQronvAeff7gvSAjlocDRnuk5D_jh8pb6kWnzf06kqcZyutpJjaT491xqyYOD848qoUx7scOts-Q4Njby3Fd443G5JLnzn15kYMqQtUtUw0srxWJ_-D615_Y9QjRhNHdX/s320/51nD6m-DOOL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="208" /></a>Authors live and die by the reviews. I have been blessed
by the attention over the years. And I
thank the highly educated, overworked and often underpaid reviewers who help
keep writers afloat. In my couple of
decades I have never argued with or complained about a review. I don’t intend
to do that now. But a very recent book review of the second in my new novella series
about a forensic accountant touches, perhaps inadvertently, on the topic of
authors writing in a different style and or a different genre — meaning he or
she is likely not to meet the expectations of a reader familiar with writers
most popular or previously accepted work.<br />
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This happens to many writers. Some never leave the pattern of
their original success. From the readers’ point of view, I understand. It is
much like one of those moments when you expected a Coke and were shocked, even
disgusted at the taste of iced tea, though under normal circumstances you like
iced tea as well. It was the shock of the unexpected. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggerxEQrw9SS3U_mYuM09979pkxEx4sIzNobbKPc-q4-BSxUxBP6SUmgGx95YzH5yjfH9nfPDzf4ldn4w6YilRV8clMcVJzjt3hFHpTppb8gkiM5wCyfUME7XVXhtb16ZubAo55rNol1i3/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggerxEQrw9SS3U_mYuM09979pkxEx4sIzNobbKPc-q4-BSxUxBP6SUmgGx95YzH5yjfH9nfPDzf4ldn4w6YilRV8clMcVJzjt3hFHpTppb8gkiM5wCyfUME7XVXhtb16ZubAo55rNol1i3/s320/Unknown-1.jpeg" width="208" /></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’d like to
clarify my soon-to-be released novella, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Black-Tortoise-Peter-Strand-Mystery/dp/1459812409/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1459812409&pd_rd_r=BA0XXXFKDD4D1W67CDCX&pd_rd_w=jkGJ7&pd_rd_wg=sVRQ8&psc=1&refRID=BA0XXXFKDD4D1W67CDC">The Black Tortoise</a>.</i></b> For those who
followed the more popular Shanahan series, the Peter Strand series is entirely
different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shanahan is an older man, former
Army sergeant, who came to terms with life and with who he is a long time
ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stories are standard book-length
and often quirky. They take the tough P.I. approach. The Shanahans are more
likely to have violence and, by sheer length, accommodate a more complicated
plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter Stand, introduced in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Dragon-Peter-Strand-Mystery/dp/1459809041/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1459809041&pd_rd_r=BHM56AXPTHWYRKE95Z20&pd_rd_w=AVF4F&pd_rd_wg=FdSF4&psc=1&refRID=BHM56AXPTHWYRKE95Z20">The Blue Dragon</a></i></b>, is a young Chinese American, dealing with personal
identity as he attempts to solve much more conventional mysteries (almost
cozies, puzzles to challenge the reader to find the murder before the book ends)
in a quick-easy-to-read style. The Strand series is part of Orca Publishers
“Rapid Reads” program designed for the reader who wants a quick read on the
flight from Phoenix to New York. Or for a younger reader who identifies with a
protagonist still coming to terms with himself and the world around him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, in my world, I can enjoy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Psycho </i>and “Midsomer Murders,” but I would hate to have to
watch one when I was expecting the other. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAJB7XAR9t3UOKOrh4wo0h9oO2-MKgBxsiKqSFKrLupgVgOEZ2awEjUrQ0Pe5uYtGtoS0fZxnyJk35SCVnQ5chuVByXNTjDtKII9B1xV-khCbaXFYjSJ5Rh6m0_NNmJesF2tTKp4yU4YC/s1600/51ga5S3o8UL._UY250_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbAJB7XAR9t3UOKOrh4wo0h9oO2-MKgBxsiKqSFKrLupgVgOEZ2awEjUrQ0Pe5uYtGtoS0fZxnyJk35SCVnQ5chuVByXNTjDtKII9B1xV-khCbaXFYjSJ5Rh6m0_NNmJesF2tTKp4yU4YC/s320/51ga5S3o8UL._UY250_.jpg" width="206" /></a>My first real brush with this phenomenon as a writer was
when <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Last-Kiss-Crimes-Depraved/dp/0727880306/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8"><i>Good To the Last Kiss </i></a>was released by London’s Severn House. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compared to the Shanahans, this is a dark book
indeed. People I knew and loved, not to mention most critics, didn't want to
talk about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hasn’t sold well. Yet
I consider it to be my best. I suspect it never got to the readers who might
have liked it because my previous books kept me off their radar. On the other
hand, this is my problem. I’m not the only one who has to deal with this kind
of thing. Writers are finding ways to keep from being completely pigeon-holed.
Another book, also one of my favorites, is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mascara-Death-Tenderloin-Ronald-Tierney/dp/0615493564/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Mascara: Death In The Tenderloin</a></i></b>, a
transgender mystery. It was also too different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Most p</span>ublishers shy away from books by authors who venture too from the
expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As have other stubborn
writers, I published it myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve not
gotten rich, but I’m so happy I wrote what my soul was telling me to write
because part of being a genuine writer is taking that risk.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Please, read the Shanahans. Perhaps there is a reason why
many consider these books the best of what I do (did).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you are adventurous, consider reading some
of my non-Shanahan work as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The inspiration for this post was a negative review from a
highly respected source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact is
every word in that review was correct, which is why I found it worth comment
because it also pointed out the expectation game. While I am working on a new
P.I. set in Palm Springs, and a little more in the Shanahan tradition, I’m also
working on other mysteries that wander pretty far outside the box.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-40517795338127920232017-02-02T08:29:00.000-08:002017-02-02T12:41:47.858-08:00On Publishing — Book Covers And A Sly Self Promotion<b>Much like parents and their children, writers aren’t
supposed to have favorites among the books they’ve written.</b> I do have favorites, but I will, keep those
to myself for the time being. Instead I
will focus on the cover design of my books.<br />
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For the most part, mid-list mystery writers (and I flatter
myself) have very little choice in the covers<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always found that frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve spent most of my life as an editor of
publications where I had much more control over the visuals that accompanied
the words.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGaPbWCFnfxEKgUs6NP44CnOum2dBnmLMqv_FBwPnG0pDzfo2ZQXa08VcOYiRZOFj_fyuYzke37-R4W5zJAZIfGKfoakhAhrrWvgI7Zm_f2vUoEpAQM8KH5bHzSw38LWVmXXl03EEmgLT/s1600/eclipse-of-the-heart-shadow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGaPbWCFnfxEKgUs6NP44CnOum2dBnmLMqv_FBwPnG0pDzfo2ZQXa08VcOYiRZOFj_fyuYzke37-R4W5zJAZIfGKfoakhAhrrWvgI7Zm_f2vUoEpAQM8KH5bHzSw38LWVmXXl03EEmgLT/s320/eclipse-of-the-heart-shadow.jpg" width="222" /></a><br />
<br />
.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The world of book publishing is different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of the eleven Shanahan novels, the mystery
series for which I am best known, I hadn’t even a warning of what the covers
would look like before they were selected. The manuscript went into the system and
eventually out popped a book with my name on it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the legendary editor Ruth Cavin at
St. Martin’s accepted my request to look at artist Janet Woolley for my out-of series
book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eclipse of the Heart</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woolley and jacket designer Michael Accordino
created my favorite cover of any of my books. It’s quite clear that Woolley
read the manuscript before doing the illustration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">whole</i>
book is in the illustration, enhanced by the elegant typeface chosen by
Accordino. I regret only that I had not contacted her to tell her how much I
appreciated her work. I was pretty new to the process. Unfortunately, the book
is out of print.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQG5l3K92VYqVuQcpO901TLExM0cagJL5fXRWPlelmyqDnnD63HhOvOKgR3l6JUpviCJYClOoKr29qkKZAWM0c8GlGXwLhdL74xaefEHTPWENuJKS2ZR3QZf6r4tvKG23ds-3XfKLl7y6b/s1600/die_tequila_falle-9783861874010_xxl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQG5l3K92VYqVuQcpO901TLExM0cagJL5fXRWPlelmyqDnnD63HhOvOKgR3l6JUpviCJYClOoKr29qkKZAWM0c8GlGXwLhdL74xaefEHTPWENuJKS2ZR3QZf6r4tvKG23ds-3XfKLl7y6b/s200/die_tequila_falle-9783861874010_xxl.jpg" width="124" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>German Cover Got It Wrong</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
From a marketing perspective I suspect all book covers
should entice the potential reader to pick it up and look at it, or click the
icon, the first steps in the purchasing process. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as all fervent readers have
discovered on their own, the cover can be grossly misleading. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an author I want the cover to honestly
reflect what’s inside — all of it, including the tone and the quality of the
story and the prose that tells the story. It’s a kind of “truth in labeling
proposition. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eclipse of the Heart</i> did
it for me. It was perfection. If you don’t like the cover, you probably won’t
like the novel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWMP0Zul7_5G9U0zG-JjFPr-EfeTH3Ukjtt30SA9QbmnbZjo3BBPUwVibjTolYSMuEl-0QzLPXRl-ma_CJNbVwTrGhpfVSg-8mgDz7wnxAm0ixBBBfV06QkjVMGNT-BTXRHH6MwYsB6xY/s1600/51gQjQEn9JL._SX312_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWMP0Zul7_5G9U0zG-JjFPr-EfeTH3Ukjtt30SA9QbmnbZjo3BBPUwVibjTolYSMuEl-0QzLPXRl-ma_CJNbVwTrGhpfVSg-8mgDz7wnxAm0ixBBBfV06QkjVMGNT-BTXRHH6MwYsB6xY/s200/51gQjQEn9JL._SX312_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="125" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bless The Italians</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Looking at the cover that way, the book didn't fare so well
in the German translation, at least as it applies to cover art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Die
Tequila-Falle</i>, (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Tequila Case)</i>
as the title was translated, was interpreted by the publisher as a sexy gay
romp. I’d call that somewhat dishonest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Readers wanting a sexy gay romp won’t find the romp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And readers wanting a more significant story
are likely to skip it altogether. By changing the title and more importantly,
the cover art, the German publishers also trivialized Mexico, a rich setting
integral to the story. Tequila, I might add, had nothing to do with anything
except perhaps the publisher’s thirst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fortunately the Italians redeemed my appreciation of translations with
this totally appropriate cover of the Shanahan mystery, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Concrete Pillow</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also
brought me my first million (lire, that is — about $600 at the time). Bless
them for not calling the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Spaghetti Caper</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Severn House, publisher of the last seven Shanahan
books, picked up my new series featuring unlikely P.I. partners Noah Lang and
Carly Paladino, they allowed me to suggest a cover photograph that inspired the
first book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death In Pacific Heights</i>.
They worked it out with photographer, Adam Moore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the second series book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death In North Beach</i>, I submitted a
night photograph I had taken that illustrated that historic neighborhood . Both
covers met the criteria of matching the stories told between the covers. Now,
whether it met the marketing criteria is something else. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither zoomed to the top of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New York Times</i> Bestseller list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even so, the author is happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp218skEb21PiRIDh6-5dUzAWCGV5jTWbWq0n9H0ZkHyDUjCg4a5aJZre792_N6dvHoo9XdaCVOKRjMurhPNrDdhyXzuRwazLXYRWLGwimCt70Bc3bC_noAqMNeYE7WFDAeLIHF_uKOCE/s1600/fourbooks-index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp218skEb21PiRIDh6-5dUzAWCGV5jTWbWq0n9H0ZkHyDUjCg4a5aJZre792_N6dvHoo9XdaCVOKRjMurhPNrDdhyXzuRwazLXYRWLGwimCt70Bc3bC_noAqMNeYE7WFDAeLIHF_uKOCE/s1600/fourbooks-index.jpg" /></a>I was also involved in the reissue of the first four
Shanahan novels in e-book and paperback formats, working directly with San
Francisco-based as well as talented and experienced <a href="http://www.visdesign.com/">Visual Strategies</a>. For me,
participating in the bookmaking process adds considerably to the joy of
writing. The result, in this case, was a strong and clearly inter-related
series of books.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a new book, a novella, coming out in March. I look
forward to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Tortoise,</i> the
cover of which will mirror its predecessor, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Blue Dragon</i>. I’m hoping for a third. Even in this late date in my career, there
is a temptation to take a new book from manuscript to published novel, with a
near complete hands-on approach. I say “near” because only a fool would proceed
without some sort of skilled copyediting and design help. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-75685682451355503362017-01-26T08:42:00.000-08:002017-01-26T10:17:08.953-08:00Film Pairing — Orson Welles And The World Of Noir<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTVdAap-ItN1vOGvYgM2On80XZirWosEMzJXvmGwkmMepZpj7Eb1Hq7F3YSBBy21ikqwqNCfqyIiRi_wVQQ97uiRtkaomQR2O382XkTiD69nT3I951R6wzmcZgsSE3NCWMP3mjXcVePKI/s1600/Picture-26.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTVdAap-ItN1vOGvYgM2On80XZirWosEMzJXvmGwkmMepZpj7Eb1Hq7F3YSBBy21ikqwqNCfqyIiRi_wVQQ97uiRtkaomQR2O382XkTiD69nT3I951R6wzmcZgsSE3NCWMP3mjXcVePKI/s320/Picture-26.png" width="229" /></a></div>
<br />
The 1940s seemed to be the best years of film noir. Humphrey
Bogart, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan, Sterling Hayden, and Richard Widmark were
the regular tough guys of the genre. Another actor stands out, not only for
being the center of attention on screen, but one of the major forces off
screen. Not always my personal favorite,
<b>Orson Welles</b>, has nonetheless created
four of the best in the genre just short of single-handedly. Here are two of them.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Stranger — </i></b>In black & white, in high contrast and with
a huge cast of shadows, Welles teams with an innocent beauty, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Loretta Young</b> in small-town post WWII
America. Released in 1946 to an America recovering from the war and the horrors
of Nazism, we are introduced to a fleeing war criminal (Welles), his pursuer, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Edward G. Robinson</b> and the criminal’s
love interest<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Young). The film, directed
by Welles, is melodramatic, stilted and yet suspenseful. Notes from various critics
suggest Welles had wanted a more Nazi-oriented slant to the film rather than a
small town murder story. It nonetheless works in its released form. In addition
to the excellent cinematography by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Russell
Metty</b>, I was also pleased to see a very young and talented <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Richard Long</b>, who played Loretta
Young’s younger brother.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7Vydb7IWksQTujjZx2LCRr5QvQ-CvsgR24ZktMupDbRD_4f3cW_q9JGzRsh5oXF9UB__maTpEvQe7q1hNz5lWT0xyZgfl4liIQs-4IvNgY4-0RxuObcNTulYrbzktUOhZC439vJiS8X1/s1600/LadyfromS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE7Vydb7IWksQTujjZx2LCRr5QvQ-CvsgR24ZktMupDbRD_4f3cW_q9JGzRsh5oXF9UB__maTpEvQe7q1hNz5lWT0xyZgfl4liIQs-4IvNgY4-0RxuObcNTulYrbzktUOhZC439vJiS8X1/s320/LadyfromS.JPG" width="209" /></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lady From Shanghai —</i></b> If <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Stranger</i> was muted by too much convention, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lady From Shanghai</i> might have suffered at the time of its
release in 1947 by being too unconventional. We have <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rita Hayworth,</b> at her most devastatingly beautiful, playing the
girlfriend of an extremely wealthy, older man, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Everett Sloane</b>, who doesn’t mind sharing her with the Irish tough
guy, Orson Welles. Aside from the constant “sophisticated’ chatter, there is true
noir here in my opinion, with twist on twist, dark and ingenious cinematography,
and the lovely backdrops of Acapulco, Sausalito and San Francisco. Not
Shanghai, however. The last scene was extraordinarily innovative, well worth
the price of admission alone. The film was directed by Welles, based on the
novel<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, If I Die Before I Wake</i> by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sherwood King</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What would you drink on an autumn evening in New England? Maybe a sherry or port? That would do while you watch <i>The Stranger</i>. However traipsing about aboard
a yacht in Acapulco might suggest some sort of icy tequila drink to accompany the second half of the double feature.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment-->Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-50108363306382395792017-01-19T08:40:00.002-08:002017-01-19T08:40:29.565-08:00Opinion — Gibberish, Twaddle, Prattle, Jibber-Jabble, Gobbledygook, Mumbo JumboTo delineate the perambulation that necessitates a universal
prerogative, taking into account the obfuscation essential to the diabolical
essence of any kind of mechanical extrapolation, requires the blistering finesse
of a manipulative rescission on behalf of the behooved party, or should I say
the partly behaved parody?<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Therefore, congruity should balance an effortless push
toward a mendacious solution given the hyperbole of intrinsic confabulation. Consequentially,
the foreboding criteria ingested ceremoniously cannot abide the diffidence
shown in any prerequisite body of information that, in the end, cannot sustain
any embodiment that castigates a monotonous malefactor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One cannot fail to agree that any impediment to the forlorn
utility brings forth an equal facade of categorically mammoth opposition
creating a vortex of intermingled ozone simultaneously creating a perplexed
vision of anonymity and incongruity. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkraza-DcvxTKO6aNn5tJOIMNGyIfAbUFukj3iKW4pKaHQu1ZEFNDrGtaNvGFDjbcmsx0vxjzqu4RJ77_P2SVTSWZGpjo9fFOF1JadRulrXRYWLlLweck5JBThPxpC3woRxr5wABP5oG_Y/s1600/images.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkraza-DcvxTKO6aNn5tJOIMNGyIfAbUFukj3iKW4pKaHQu1ZEFNDrGtaNvGFDjbcmsx0vxjzqu4RJ77_P2SVTSWZGpjo9fFOF1JadRulrXRYWLlLweck5JBThPxpC3woRxr5wABP5oG_Y/s400/images.png" width="342" /></a>The abysmal decorum that permeates a non-ideological per
diem cannot support epidemical practices sustained by millennial proposals.
Verification of custodial benchmarks attribute fallacies designed to upend
hierarchical positions usually embodied in fallacious curmudgeal edifices surrounding
mendacious collusion. However, it should be noted that residual quantum indices
play havoc with congenital exigencies, exasperating a perspicacious convolution
of collegial<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>limitations. Make no
mistake, veritable inhabitation of molecular structures can and often do contribute
to the sustenance of impervious malediction. The diaspora of misdirections
remains to be curated by those who mistake value in mere presence or no value
in absence <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ergo</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">netti netti</i>. No validation is exhumed from a Eureka moment when it
is discovered that some parts, though not all of them, have the hue of truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For those who have a predilection for primordial goo, let’s
transubstantiate the arduous netherworlds of the barbarous and heathen fractals
of symbiosis. Whether we inhabit the puerile haunts of the perennial
conglomerate is of little value if that stance liquidates the folly of human
endeavor. Be alert to the ashen past while we anticipate the perpetual
explosion of the future.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In light of all this, let’s reconsider the dubious assumptions
that permeate the epic coarseness of our conceptual analysis. The hyperbolic
and often gratuitous hiatus can be abnormally ephemeral if not traversed in
pedantic artifice. Though magnanimous in gesture, retrospective equine
symbolism, for example, can conflate entrances and exits in a manner that makes
a perimeter an excess of access, not to mention egress without progress
therefore and henceforth polluting our existence with false equivalence. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I’m Ronald Tierney, a monkey at a typewriter, and I approve
this message.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-38491384022308139282017-01-12T09:31:00.001-08:002017-01-17T11:03:02.659-08:00Commentary — Reading, Writing And RealityWhen I was a kid, sometime after first grade, my best friend
and I used to go down to his basement where he had a box of presidents.
Thirty-four of them at the time. Each,
from Washington to Eisenhower, was rendered realistically in white plastic and
stood no more than six inches high. He
also had a bunch of model cars — maybe more than a dozen conveniently in
proportion to our presidents. We’d each choose our gang as you might choose a
softball team among friends and neighbors. We’d choose automobiles the same way.
And then we’d engage in some sort of adventure, careening under chairs and
behind boxes as if we were writing and directing a film. Of the presidents, I
chose Franklin Pierce first. He was my main character for no other reason than
I thought he was the best looking of the lot. My friend chose Jefferson. My
friend may have had more profound reasoning. Pierce was not one of the best,
historically. I also chose a Lincoln for my main car (my father always drove a
Ford) and for my friend, whose father drove a Plymouth) a Chrysler Imperial. Hours
would pass as some sort of drama would unfold. What possible scenarios were
created escapes me now.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oL1lUo6xheNF9-70DPxGH5Pu6NgMexo6m-QASOr9At3Izq7jfKkJgZsx6Lio9UpNL-oCjMHdsGyPhEvDx8OuL16obLSaVMgZK0fJD7vocveKTe3r98k3To_95QaO2n49XwafVY1POIPV/s1600/DSCN2515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oL1lUo6xheNF9-70DPxGH5Pu6NgMexo6m-QASOr9At3Izq7jfKkJgZsx6Lio9UpNL-oCjMHdsGyPhEvDx8OuL16obLSaVMgZK0fJD7vocveKTe3r98k3To_95QaO2n49XwafVY1POIPV/s400/DSCN2515.JPG" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster by Mark Stevenson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My friend was also involved in sports and though he would
pick me first to be on his team in neighborhood basketball games even though we
all knew I’d still be there for the last pick. (I was that bad.) I eventually
disengaged when it came to athletic competitions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even so, our fictional adventures
continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would go down to the crick
(a very small creek) with crawdads and frogs and, with a few additional friends,
recreate the adventures of Robin Hood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My friend was Robin and I was either Friar Tuck or Little John because
this happened during my prolonged chubby phase — a phase that has come back to
haunt me in my golden years. I preferred Little John.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t all that religious, even then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would use stripped branches from fallen
trees as staffs and dowel rods (for a nickel from the local hardware) as swords.
There were also woody, willowy weeds that with some kitchen yarn could be used
as a bow and, broken in the right place, as arrows. Our dramas were
improvisational but could last from noon to nightfall. I’m sure there were kids
our age all over the country doing some version of this.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My chubby phase also contributed to the next step in
creating alternate worlds. In the mid-grades of elementary school, my friend
and I participated in the annual talent show by writing our own
Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton skits. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
without Alice and Trixie, the performances were a huge success. Our classmates
preferred our often slapstick comedy to the accordion players and tap dancers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wrote the skits, rehearsed them. and
improvised during performances. I was Ralph because of my previously referenced
girth and my friend did a spectacularly goofy Norton, especially considering he
was also excellent as Robin Hood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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My good friend and I eventually went in separate directions.
Initially sports won out for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was nothing he wasn’t good at. Football in his younger years, and later as a
successful photographer and father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
kicked about — the Army and jobs in communications mostly – but never really
gave up imaginary worlds and the desire to share them. I acted a bit in
community and small theater while holding down sometimes fascinating day jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote plays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One, “Death In Bloom,” saw the stage. I
helped start an alternative newspaper, which is still going 25 years later and,
at forty, began writing mysteries. It took awhile, but I found something that
enabled me to invest serious energy in made-up stories.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The best part about being a novelist is I can engage in my
adventure while at a desk, in the shower, or putting together the evening meal.
At any time, or any place I can enter my world, and when I grow tired of it I
can leave it — most of the time. The worst thing is that my nature has grown a
bit anti-social. With the exception of my brothers and a few close friends,
meeting with other people is anxiety producing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely hate the telephone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a thousand reasons, but mostly because
of its untimely, unknowing, persistent rudeness, interrupting my fictional
world or my adult make-believe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What has happened, of course, is that I’ve become even more
selfish in perhaps the true meaning of the word. What many around me do not
understand is that now, at this stage of my obsession, I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> writing. If I’m up walking around, if I’m shaving, if I’m
watching TV…. I might be in the midst of committing a murder or finally solving
it. It’s not just happening when I sit in front of my computer. In fact, if I’m
typing, I’m probably just emptying my head of what I’ve already created.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, next month, Ed Norton, AKA Robin Hood, AKA Thomas
Jefferson is coming to visit. I have seen him since sixth grade, but not often
at all and certainly not recently. We’ve both entered our seventh decade of
life, he probably with grandchildren, perhaps great grand children and me with
a few now dusty books as offspring. I’m not complaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually I’m in the middle of three novellas.
I go to sleep lately, looking for a way to save the life of my protagonist’s
best friend in one of my books. I suspect I did the same thing down at the
crick a few dozen years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, more likely,
visa versa.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-10817613993243516022017-01-05T09:15:00.001-08:002017-01-05T09:15:31.845-08:00Film Pairing – Let’s Rob A Bank, Maybe TwoI’m a fan of heist films. The theft of fine art and jewels
from the very rich or money and gold from the banks has always struck me as
romantic rather than criminal, especially when no lives are lost in the
process. On this double bill, one film is a classic drama, the other a clever
puzzle. What makes them special is that they are not just about the heist, but
that they offer an original, thought-provoking twist in the story telling.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOttPQXKpHkxwecsoy_ZLUSb8McKD-cAfeG2UeEqE6TcHlBhNiCoahuZfFooLFyaDXAJIXvHpEEDB6qYqQRi1B5nwI8rDxOH0oIUNwBj4ovvFtp2rHWDcf6zjVGy-vmv_3CnZ3mkoDLQzp/s1600/dog-day-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOttPQXKpHkxwecsoy_ZLUSb8McKD-cAfeG2UeEqE6TcHlBhNiCoahuZfFooLFyaDXAJIXvHpEEDB6qYqQRi1B5nwI8rDxOH0oIUNwBj4ovvFtp2rHWDcf6zjVGy-vmv_3CnZ3mkoDLQzp/s320/dog-day-1.jpg" width="226" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dog Day Afternoon —</i></b> If you are of a certain age and have always
loved movies, you’ve seen this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
not, see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, see it again. It is
based on a true and unusual story, especially for its time. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sidney Lumet</b> directed this multiple
award winning film released in 1975 and based on the news article, “The Boys In
The Park” by P<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.F. Kluge</b>. Though most
of the film takes place inside a branch bank in Brooklyn, one gets a great overview
of the 70s, culturally and politically. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Al
Pacino</b> is extraordinary as the central figure. The entire cast, which also
includes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Charles Durning</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John Cazalle</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chris Sarandon</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James
Broderick</b> turn in fine performances. Credit also goes to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Penelope Allen</b> as the head teller.
Pacino, who plays an unemployed perhaps unemployable young man, has a wife and
a lover, the latter needing expensive gender-changing surgery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pacino decides to rob a bank to get the money
and creates a situation that shows his character’s humanity and almost comic
incompetence. This is a must see for film lovers and historians.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3YZmvg_md5j2VA69GS_d_Bu4Lkfk2JNRDMKVmSYwXayu2Pt-4eIsozGbB3XYCcHUqIPuXIclypX_8L5Xc0aX6FtQaROaS3zfXNoL8DPl-d9a9b3dh-Hp0EaP23w8qrRG7cZEVwXBpa02/s1600/51Q9CFPZ0CL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3YZmvg_md5j2VA69GS_d_Bu4Lkfk2JNRDMKVmSYwXayu2Pt-4eIsozGbB3XYCcHUqIPuXIclypX_8L5Xc0aX6FtQaROaS3zfXNoL8DPl-d9a9b3dh-Hp0EaP23w8qrRG7cZEVwXBpa02/s320/51Q9CFPZ0CL.jpg" width="234" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inside Man —</i></b> Justice isn’t always served the way you think it
might. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inside Man</i>, a 2006 release is
a solid entry in the heist genre. Directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spike Lee</b>, the intricate robbery plot is exercised by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Clive Owen</b> who faces <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Denzel Washington</b>, representing the
law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jodie Foster</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Christopher
Plummer</b> add fascinating dimensions to the already clever screenplay by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Russell Gewirtz</b>. Actors <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Willem Dafoe </b>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chiwetel Ejiofor</b> are also featured in this quick-paced drama that
challenges the imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are the
robbers going to get out with what they want and a couple of dozen dozen
hostages kept safe? It seems impossible. Will there be a bloodbath? Perhaps we viewers
make too many assumptions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My suggestions for sustenance on these cool nights involve
the drug caffeine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not an Irish
coffee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or some other coffee mix with or
without alcohol that will keep you buzzed and able to keep up with Pacino’s
typical high-energy performance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-65807323649898517192016-12-29T13:44:00.002-08:002016-12-29T13:49:07.757-08:00Book Notes – Nutshell In A Nutshell, Womb With A View<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgko92bg9WshWs6IuiqF_VjDlFl2svhCJl6jnmy20oM5j_iM4qCM4In5pnycuRJVQeRBuxAPq17O1QrborLx7AQf2EKq__v5bG7hIDJdVbDersMW5hz90IvMbsF7Jx4Lnose3X2WVGb1GdP/s1600/McEwan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgko92bg9WshWs6IuiqF_VjDlFl2svhCJl6jnmy20oM5j_iM4qCM4In5pnycuRJVQeRBuxAPq17O1QrborLx7AQf2EKq__v5bG7hIDJdVbDersMW5hz90IvMbsF7Jx4Lnose3X2WVGb1GdP/s320/McEwan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ian McEwan</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Perhaps I am too literal to be literary in my own writing,
but I certainly enjoy reading the elegant prose of Ian McEwan. I’ve long been a
fan his work, much of it bound in slender volumes —unusual occurrences compared
to most of today’s <i>tomescent </i>best
sellers and critical successes. And as a reader and writer, the short novel is
my format of choice these days.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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This relatively short crime novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nutshell</i> operates from a conceit — that a fetus can somehow divine
the reality that exists outside the increasingly small space in the womb, and
that said fetus is also able to communicate those impressions to the reader
with the logic of a sophisticated, mature and literary mind. What his unborn
narrator “senses” leads the reader to a view of the kill. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As a fiction writer, one may do whatever one chooses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put the Statue of Liberty in Lake Michigan if
you like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However you must convince the
reader it’s there. In this case, I wasn’t convinced right away. I read somewhere
that most people have little or no memory of what happened in their lives
before the age of five. Perhaps that is because without language to describe
our feelings and organize our thoughts, if we have them, we are at a loss to
recall. To reconstruct is to have once had a construction. For me, I have some
infant memories of a Koi pond, a swing set near a creek and my neighbor
watering his lawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s about it
before five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My brother, on the other
hand, has birth memories and moments shortly thereafter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many, though, can reminisce about their
days in the womb as it inevitably closes in around them?<br />
<br />
If you are willing to suspend your disbelief — and McEwan’s
words will seduce you, I swear — the story will flow effortlessly and
humorously. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><br /></span>
<i><b><span style="color: #262626;">“Compact,
captivating ... The writing is lean and muscular, often relentlessly gorgeous
... McEwan is one of the most accomplished craftsmen of plot and prose,” says </span><span style="color: #262626;">Siddhartha Mukherjee<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> in <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The New York Times Book
Review</span></span></span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwlAWn6mcyPmcPCe2Ut-vLGdUk9brolKWVi3VzmuJXiR1gYTR6JWpeaVDcFKXRm58g9yKsN8QtTg_S6YbZk2jqI5-y-sGgsT6-W5vnReKlXaa4QrDScxpQHlb55RuWFIaGVgFpL5S1cjF/s1600/41ZO3etzpmL._SX336_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwlAWn6mcyPmcPCe2Ut-vLGdUk9brolKWVi3VzmuJXiR1gYTR6JWpeaVDcFKXRm58g9yKsN8QtTg_S6YbZk2jqI5-y-sGgsT6-W5vnReKlXaa4QrDScxpQHlb55RuWFIaGVgFpL5S1cjF/s200/41ZO3etzpmL._SX336_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="135" /></a>For me, there was, from time to time, moments of a Liberace
flourish at the end of a sentence or paragraph; but who, with his talent,
wouldn’t want to mug occasionally? The other odd, and I think extremely clever
contrivance (not a bad word in mystery-making), is that the fetal narrator
somehow makes us part of the conspiracy to murder his/her poet father, a murder
about which the infant seems to take an interested, but nonpartisan position.
It is an all-knowing narrator without the baggage of good and evil. Can the
unborn possess such inclinations as judgment if it has such extraordinary
proficiency in language? True objectivity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not really. Selfishness exudes from the temporary tenant as expected
from a being that only knows itself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-11988016030522348552016-12-22T10:11:00.000-08:002016-12-22T11:37:20.123-08:00Film Pairing — Don’t Worry Your Pretty Little Head about the Government<b>There is no consolation in this double bill, two films that express what many of us feel — the government is trying to protect us from those who
would take our liberties by taking our liberties. </b>Secrets, double
crosses come easy to the alphabet agencies in these two films, which do little
to dispel our cynicism but a lot to increase our heart rate and blood
pressure. Try these two for an escape
into a dark, but sadly believable reality. It’s all about the hunt and the
chase, and whom we can trust.<br />
<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT5B5YA62KRRuc2hBtPpCtrHs5XigGPS1fKV2lodJZjjKk4U7I7kwJslCDJS7ptRI5Rqxf5vBRcnO_XaNEcqm2VuaizAhNbM83XeGB5fqmrMtott_ULOAnexcxuPd3GrWhZuDuuy5W9zp/s1600/2safehouse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT5B5YA62KRRuc2hBtPpCtrHs5XigGPS1fKV2lodJZjjKk4U7I7kwJslCDJS7ptRI5Rqxf5vBRcnO_XaNEcqm2VuaizAhNbM83XeGB5fqmrMtott_ULOAnexcxuPd3GrWhZuDuuy5W9zp/s400/2safehouse.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Safe House —</i></b> Filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, a spy suspected
of corruption is captured and temporarily placed in a “safe house,” where it is
virtually impossible to escape or be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Except that he was found. Another faction was sent in to free or kill
him. The highly prized target, a veteran spy played by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Denzel Washington</b>, and a low-level, inexperienced intelligence
agent, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ryan Reynolds</b>, find
themselves dependent on each other for survival. It seems that two factions of
the agency are at odds with each other, but both out to get Washington and
Reynolds. This may be the darker and deeper of the two spy films, though the
chases are not quite as extravagant. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Daniel
Espinosa</b> directed<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Safe House</i>,
released in 2012. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brendan Gleeson</b>
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sam Shepard</b> do their usual fine
jobs in supporting roles.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwskWBPicwdj21mkfEC85VchP_R0bk0JcmqQbTq1oCFZAA7FPS19ze1E2Q0Po9Ia34d1-iOHtcoYfqliARQHxXe44HLS1nNjkAS4iRLVem3Pzo-gNJlWfdGS14ZPWeC38bZn-SxIXWnm6/s1600/Unknown45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwskWBPicwdj21mkfEC85VchP_R0bk0JcmqQbTq1oCFZAA7FPS19ze1E2Q0Po9Ia34d1-iOHtcoYfqliARQHxXe44HLS1nNjkAS4iRLVem3Pzo-gNJlWfdGS14ZPWeC38bZn-SxIXWnm6/s400/Unknown45.jpeg" width="400" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jason Bourne —</i></b>This is the fifth, and if they keep their
promise, the last of the Bourne series<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matt Damon</b> returns for this 2016 release.
I’ve liked all the Bourne films, including this one, accepting them as
well-done action films with just enough plot and barely enough character to
keep me in my chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plot is essentially
the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get the all-too clever and
resourceful Bourne and kill him. In this case I particularly liked the
appropriately understated end. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tommy Lee
Jones</b> did his usual solid job, this time as the CIA chief. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alicia Vikander</b> was cool and beautiful,
but the writers didn't give her a whole lot to work with. The movie was
directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Paul Greengrass</b> based on
“characters created by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Robert Ludlum," </b>and set primarily Washington DC and Las Vegas.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Relevant, though perhaps not profoundly so, the films
address our fears about trusting a government that keeps so much from us — operations
that can be twisted at various levels of the intelligence bureaucracy and by
the currently ruling corporate class. Given a chance, the films could lead to
an intelligent discussion about how we can get more accountability and
transparency from our elected representatives, cabinet appointees and commanders
in chief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than likely though, we
will settle in for a few hours of vicarious thrills with two moderately
thrilling, competently made entertainment products, knowing that the Bourne
film, for example, brought in more than $400 million at the box office in a
year that saw the scariest election of the modern era and a new cabinet of
generals and billionaire CEOs, stuff from which such movies gain inspiration.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This isn’t a wine, or even a beer night. For those who want
some sort of tranquilizing accompaniment, I’d go for Scotch or Bourbon. Sip
though, or the Bourne movie will zip by you much quicker than you can
comprehend it, not that this is a serious detriment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the alcohol free, maybe a coffee of some
sort to keep you buzzed and up to speed for all the chases.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-55111737416626818402016-12-16T10:36:00.000-08:002016-12-16T10:36:56.827-08:00Blatant, But Somewhat Restrained Self-Promotion<h3>
<span style="color: #262626;">San
Francisco Mysteries Part of Rapid Reads Growing Novella Program</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NN6V_kSDc8FO6nv1wZbSqyjYSl7uri531hZ22bJvu-n5chwuw1WTeN5M_P0Cxmk2ce20qhxBxkfVzOB6ynR_RVfXRyNX72dTqWqVOHpMuiaLjC4EUIVXo0Q7tTbRe3zJfql0NdoUknAW/s1600/15327378_10154890209722147_6808065881620443735_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NN6V_kSDc8FO6nv1wZbSqyjYSl7uri531hZ22bJvu-n5chwuw1WTeN5M_P0Cxmk2ce20qhxBxkfVzOB6ynR_RVfXRyNX72dTqWqVOHpMuiaLjC4EUIVXo0Q7tTbRe3zJfql0NdoUknAW/s400/15327378_10154890209722147_6808065881620443735_n.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">And
now a word from our sponsor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What my
Canadian publisher Orca offers in its Rapid Reads program are “quick, engaging
reads by bestselling authors’ — works that can be read in one sitting —
possibly a flight from L.A. to New York, or just a satisfying read that won’t
keep you up all night. The direct writing style makes these books accessible to
the “reader on the go,” the reluctant reader, as well as those with English as
a second language.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Here
is a comment from an early reviewer of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Blue Dragon</i>: "What an incredible beginning to a new mystery series by
Ronald Tierney... [This was] my first introduction to “<a href="http://orcabook.com/rapid-reads.com/">Rapid Reads</a>” and I am
enthralled not only by the individual title selection experience but also for
the incredible discovery of this reading series.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;">What
I hope to create with the Peter Strand series is to re-imagine the
plot-oriented mystery in the tradition of Rex Stout and Agatha Christie, a
story with minimal violence and with emphasis on the puzzle aspects of the
crime. The book allows the reader to sleuth along with the detective. Here is
more information about my first two books in the Rapid Reads series:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOc63WID8wQRz4YMVDsiiDDNPOSPXAnQrWv2LtiQ4RcdjdbHMSIi90NpWQ6zkDq-CYnw0BM2hFBJ3xYcykT6pQp1wfI1KMTkPivRv5jtin7GoJ1yVZd-n6Fa4pAejDDs1BZUWYQZsuXW9/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOc63WID8wQRz4YMVDsiiDDNPOSPXAnQrWv2LtiQ4RcdjdbHMSIi90NpWQ6zkDq-CYnw0BM2hFBJ3xYcykT6pQp1wfI1KMTkPivRv5jtin7GoJ1yVZd-n6Fa4pAejDDs1BZUWYQZsuXW9/s200/Unknown-1.jpeg" width="130" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Blue Dragon</span></i></b><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> — A murder at a small apartment building in San
Francisco’s Chinatown, prompts the absentee owner to hire Chinese American
Peter Strand to calm the anxious tenants. But Strand isn’t exactly what he
appears to be. Neither are the tenants who, on the surface, seem to be regular
people going about their lives. Strand, a forensic accountant by trade, doesn’t
intend to investigate the murder, but he soon realizes that this isn’t a
gang-related killing, as the police believe. The murder was committed by one of
the tenants. Finding out which one exposes the secrets of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Blue Dragon</i> and brings Strand face-to-face with a few ghosts of
his own. <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Dragon-Peter-Strand-Mystery/dp/1459809041/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">The Blue Dragon</a></i> is available in paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Black Tortoise</span></i></b><span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> – Peter Strand is asked to investigate a San
Francisco-based nonprofit arts organization located in a pier on San Francisco
Bay near the Ferry Building. There he meets a cast of colorful, quirky
characters who all seem to be hiding something. Peter soon finds evidence of a
probable fraud, but is it the fraud that leads to murder? Or is it something
else? Whatever it is, a suspicious drowning draws Strand deeper into a murky
mystery. The murderer is finally unmasked, but at what personal expense?<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Black-Tortoise-Peter-Strand-Mystery/dp/1459812409/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481663695&sr=1-6&keywords=the+black+tortoise"> The Black Tortoise</a> is the second book in the Peter Strand mystery series.
Preorder available now for a March delivery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Consider
these two San Francisco mysteries as gifts, one in time for the holidays and
one for right after.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-71176097166317188992016-12-09T08:38:00.001-08:002016-12-09T08:38:10.352-08:00Film Pairing — Cary Grant Times Two<b>With the possible exception of <i>To Catch a Thief,</i> these two films may be the best of the Cary Grant
films, certainly of those with suspense at the core.</b> Romance, humor and danger are an entertaining
mix for a double feature to snuggle up to some chilly night. In fact, it is
such an obvious pairing I’m almost embarrassed to pair them.<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5y66q2s5by8BuGClcSk8odhHwJZnhN0WtafbgedpVf7kQuVXjZgRUXBfmfZDX9Njd4P0ZRT7ECc1SC2v0uhDRrRwmRHCTi6ykkqfKrUotTl3pfqu_yGJsHCEEgEh1BaAneDNb6KVPYdRx/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5y66q2s5by8BuGClcSk8odhHwJZnhN0WtafbgedpVf7kQuVXjZgRUXBfmfZDX9Njd4P0ZRT7ECc1SC2v0uhDRrRwmRHCTi6ykkqfKrUotTl3pfqu_yGJsHCEEgEh1BaAneDNb6KVPYdRx/s1600/th.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cary Grant And Eva Marie Saint</b></td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">North By Northwest</i></b> — As you would
expect there is disagreement about which of Alfred Hitchcock’s films is his
greatest. This one is toward the top of my list. By fluke, a Manhattan
advertising executive (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cary Grant</b>)
is mistaken for a CIA agent. He is kidnapped and marked for death by a
smuggler, played by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James Mason</b>. Grant’s
character escapes and the chase begins — trains, planes, cornfields and
national landmarks. Enter a love interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eva Marie Saint</b> portrays the
smart (smarter than the usual Hitchcock blonde), beautiful, if not devious, damsel
in distress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Martin Landau</b> is strong in a supporting role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I always like to see <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Leo G. Carroll</b>. As usual, watch for Alfred’s trademark cameo <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI64veySK51yWTh5hNGbiHvLX2lmvOum8ArzGYKsNe9T3ULJXK9k1mKaEoZBKpZtZ2wI6hMjhwSf203yJM7_aXbbUZx_gNPmonG0mKH1wqNMaHKH9ihKSi-fzMvqajOC7-M096YBlCq2Nj/s1600/th-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI64veySK51yWTh5hNGbiHvLX2lmvOum8ArzGYKsNe9T3ULJXK9k1mKaEoZBKpZtZ2wI6hMjhwSf203yJM7_aXbbUZx_gNPmonG0mKH1wqNMaHKH9ihKSi-fzMvqajOC7-M096YBlCq2Nj/s1600/th-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cary Grant And Audrey Hepburn</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charade</i></b> — A slightly darker film, but not all that dark, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charade</i> is decidedly more of a mystery.
A man is murdered, thrown off a train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His widow (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Audrey Hepburn</b>)
soon realizes she had no idea who her husband really was. Unfortunately for
her, his unsavory cohorts believe she has the money her husband stole from them.
And they want it back. When a handsome and charming stranger (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cary Grant</b>) enters her life, she
believes he’s there to help her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
he?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stanley
Donen</b> directed this 1963 film based on a short story, “The Unsuspecting
Wife,” by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Peter Stone</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mark Behm</b>. The strong supporting cast
includes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Walter Matthau</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James Coburn</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">George Kennedy</b>. There are many good reasons to watch this film. One
is the score by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Henry Mancini</b>. The
other is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Charles Lang</b>’s stylish cinematography.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a number of critics have pointed out over the years, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charade</i> seems like a Hitchcock film. If
it were, it would be among the legendary director’s best. This alone makes it
an interesting double bill. The opening credits on both films are also worth
watching. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Incidentally three years ago, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Life Death and Fog</i> polled visitors to vote on their favorite Hitchcock
movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Click <a href="http://lifedeathandfog.blogspot.com/2013/07/top-ten-alfred-hitchcock-movies.html">here </a>for this blog’s top
ten by the master.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Libations: With the Hitchcock film, try a Gibson. This is the
drink he orders on the train. It is really a gin martini, usually served with a
small, silverskin onion. Stirred, not shaken. With Charade, we need to drink in
the spirit of Paris. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps now that
it’s legal in the U.S., some absinthe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For those who want to keep a clear head in order to keep track of
Grant’s identities, mix tonic, lemon, citrus bitters, and rock candy for a great <a href="http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/2014/12/french-75-mocktail-non-alcoholic.html">mocktail</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-80853051055700459702016-12-02T10:04:00.000-08:002016-12-02T10:18:25.417-08:00Commentary — All In A Day’s WalkI used to spend a lot of my time wandering the streets of
San Francisco. My pattern was to pick up
the thread of whatever I was writing, plant it firmly in my subconscious and
develop it as I walked. My meanderings took me sometimes up and down the nearly
secret stairways, short cuts from one neighborhood to another, and often through
one of the many parks, where I’d eventually sit and transfer any thoughts about
mystery into a small notebook. Then, I
would find my way to the nearest market to pick up dinner.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I always took my camera. San Francisco is endlessly
photographable; but one of my favorite things to find was what the street
artists had done since I last traveled those parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could and can find their work almost
anywhere in the city, but the Mission and Haight Street were genuine goldmines.<o:p></o:p></div>
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When my walk was done, I’d settle into my small, dusty
apartment, have dinner, some wine, watch a film and sleep. In the morning I
would take out the notebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I had
been lucky, the next few pages of my mystery would begin to flow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the muse had given its all, I would
start the afternoon walk all over again, loving every minute of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve put together a<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvV13f_NYNo&feature=youtu.be"> slide show </a>of some of the street
artists’ work. Some of the images are gone now, many of them painted over by
newer exciting images — the way of the world for artists — and writers.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-14593104251006312792016-11-25T13:29:00.000-08:002016-11-25T18:10:25.464-08:00Film Pairing — Mob Movies Again, Guns And Violins<br />
<br />
<br />
This is the third (and final for now) post in the gangster
movie pairings. These are films primarily of the ‘80s and ‘90s, though
Hollywood’s preoccupation with the mob goes way back with major stars like <b>James Cagney</b> and <b>Edward G. Robinson</b> taking the roles big-time gangsters<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Al Pacino</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3P30p4bHvJueNZYU_adE-tLu5imZj-Gb9PmC-OB19fKigRpRRO_rgyDPJ-RvRQnXD2o9UwfGV2x65QZ2GU9CP8QPx32_mKXgAM2aptXM6y-l-JpxXLQEe4G55wmPsW3CLypc_ExhU5gU/s1600/Scarface+Photos+30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3P30p4bHvJueNZYU_adE-tLu5imZj-Gb9PmC-OB19fKigRpRRO_rgyDPJ-RvRQnXD2o9UwfGV2x65QZ2GU9CP8QPx32_mKXgAM2aptXM6y-l-JpxXLQEe4G55wmPsW3CLypc_ExhU5gU/s200/Scarface+Photos+30.jpg" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scarface —</i></b> One of the most violent of the sub genre, Scarface
was directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brian De Palma </b>based
on a screenplay by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Oliver Stone</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Al Pacino,</b>
who also starred in the first two Godfather films, plays Tony Montana
(Scarface), a Cuban refugee who becomes a major player in the drug trade. In
fact, when we left the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Godfather Part Two</i>,
the Pacino character was in Miami and almost moved his mob into Cuba, which is
where, though unrelated, Scarface resumed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead of playing a quiet, pensive Italian as he did in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather </i>Pacino plays an explosive
Cuban criminal. Scarface was among the throngs of boat people <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fidel Castro</b> wanted to dispose of,
sending them instead to the U.S. to undermine this country’s stability in what
was called the “Mariel crisis.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Steven Bauer</b> is
solid and charming as Montana’s best friend and partner in crime. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Michelle Pfeiffer</b> is the forbidden
woman Scarface wants for his own. We get both chunk of history during the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jimmy Carter</b> years, and a glimpse of
Miami, especially South Beach before it was reclaimed as a hot spot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy80nkHoUhZhaqNqn9BPrzEDqd4lEwABJag0b_-hQviFHwsN7Zi2j333penvOz-rHrF6ghTYhyphenhyphentFMHAR3XRW24p10JWSbT5QjmPw9gC4i1ctqIDU6ZrExIMBsU8U4vkQ3L0MSQr_Kn_ktU/s1600/5eb5d0a7b70d5bae7e6369145d4d72f0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy80nkHoUhZhaqNqn9BPrzEDqd4lEwABJag0b_-hQviFHwsN7Zi2j333penvOz-rHrF6ghTYhyphenhyphentFMHAR3XRW24p10JWSbT5QjmPw9gC4i1ctqIDU6ZrExIMBsU8U4vkQ3L0MSQr_Kn_ktU/s320/5eb5d0a7b70d5bae7e6369145d4d72f0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Richard Gere and Diane Lane</b></td></tr>
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Perhaps without the depth of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scarface,</i>
released in 1983, does ask the question, “how much is enough?” as it relates to
wealth and power. It’s important to warn again: This is a violent film. So we
might ask the same question about the graphic cinematography. How much is
enough?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cotton Club —</i></b> Raves from me. Apparently, the screenplay had
dozens of rewrites with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Francis Ford
Coppola</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">William Kennedy</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mario Puzo</b>, contributing. The result is
a remarkably entertaining film. We’ve got a love triangle. We have a lovely
vixen, a legendary gangster, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dutch
Shultz</b> and a handsome musician/actor playing dangerously at the edges of
mob business. And most of the film takes place in a Harlem nightclub in the ‘30s,
with top-notch music and dance. It is also a fine drama with excellent
cinematography by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Steven Goldblatt</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The cast is golden: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Richard
Gere</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gregory Hines</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bob Hoskins</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gwen Verdon</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Fred Gwynne</b> almost steals the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nicholas
Cage</b> has a supporting role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also
appearing: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Maurice Hines</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Joe Dallesandro</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Laurence Fishburne</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tom
Waits</b>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James Remar</b> plays Shultz
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane Lane</b> plays the love
interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was nominated for a Razzie
as worst supporting actress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
absurd. She was absolutely charming and right as Gere’s and Remar’s love
interest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Maurice And Gregory Hines</b></td></tr>
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The film was based on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James
Haskins</b>’ book and was released in 1984, a critical and box office success.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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How to imbibe during this gangster double feature: Scarface
develops a lust for Scotch before burying his face in cocaine. All sorts of
cocktails as well as bottles of champagne would be appropriate for a party at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cotton Club</i>. For the many who avoid
alcohol or who have to drive home, there are alcohol free bubblies available
everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-19236818101059904042016-11-17T18:40:00.001-08:002016-11-25T18:09:36.841-08:00Film Pairing — A Continuation of The American MobMoviegoers in the ‘last decades of the previous century
found gangsters entertaining. And number of notable directors stepped up to the
challenge — Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Brian De Palma to name a
few. Here are two more.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNbDe3goz_HCQPu858B4wgZgvaZFGQ0kbsOM2cnJVUq-Q96dWSs1tM_WddGdVkptfcYgtDVOB9AXPYNVMDT6fqyOxnpuoAJ3RgsG72s3Gp0uIx9agyWdzPRDORU-9Dc2rHP19gJppxU_Y/s1600/The-Godfather-Part-2-3-940x460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNbDe3goz_HCQPu858B4wgZgvaZFGQ0kbsOM2cnJVUq-Q96dWSs1tM_WddGdVkptfcYgtDVOB9AXPYNVMDT6fqyOxnpuoAJ3RgsG72s3Gp0uIx9agyWdzPRDORU-9Dc2rHP19gJppxU_Y/s320/The-Godfather-Part-2-3-940x460.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Al Pacino</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<br />
<b><i>The Godfather, Part Two —</i></b> It would seem damned near impossible
for a sequel to <b><i>The Godfather</i></b> to stand up to the original. And that remains true in my mind. But the 1974 Part Two couldn’t have come any
closer. It is a fine, if not a great
film. <b>Al Pacino </b>as Michael Corleone
is every bit the equal of <b>Marlon Brando</b>
as the original godfather. Michael is, in essence, the respectable, sensible,
non-violent son, who reluctantly accepted the role of godfather when the dad
dies. We watch as the poison (an all too familiar mix of unquestionable loyalty
and violent revenge for those who violate it) permeates his life. There is also
a bit of documentary about this film. We
witness New York City as it evolves over the decades and “the family” as it
falls apart; and we gain insight into the mob’s move to Miami and the near
disaster the Corleones experience in jumpin’ Havana as Cuba is about to be
taken over by Castro and his rebels. <b>Francis
Ford Coppola </b>directed both the original and Part Two, which, like its
predecessor, was based on <b>Mario Puzo</b>’s
best-selling novel. As in Part One, the cast boasts some of the country’s best
actors – <b>Robert De Niro</b>, <b>Diane Keaton</b>, <b>Lee Strasberg</b>, <b>Harry Dean
Stanton</b>, <b>James Caan</b> and, I have
to mention, <b>Troy Donahue, </b>who is
equal to his role.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_2ODRTJ1maV77BGRu6-5NJPSPGV5mh6djkAU2RG9KwEkxUMmT3XvZ-CmSsghAUFfBQ4PIGzoWFPw2FRlOcQIEnaFPammeUhPvuLamAwY6I8nNOvggy6Wrbf-s2VxgXevViIS6h-3CkCo/s1600/Goodfellas_289Pyxurz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_2ODRTJ1maV77BGRu6-5NJPSPGV5mh6djkAU2RG9KwEkxUMmT3XvZ-CmSsghAUFfBQ4PIGzoWFPw2FRlOcQIEnaFPammeUhPvuLamAwY6I8nNOvggy6Wrbf-s2VxgXevViIS6h-3CkCo/s320/Goodfellas_289Pyxurz.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodfellas —</i></b> I had forgotten how brutal this film is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently my memory chose to retain the
film’s outlandish dark humor instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here we have the mafia of a later vintage than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather</i> and made perhaps a bit lighter, faster and livelier
by the constant action and nostalgic period background music. Special kudos go
to the casting director. First prize goes to the currently unknown <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Christopher Serrone,</b> who played the
main character, gangster Henry Hill, as a young man. The scene-stealer in chief
was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Joe Pesci</b> (“Do I amuse you?”)
who was hilariously nasty. Every actor hit his or her mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A warning though: Unlike <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather</i> films this is a film completely about the guys. White
guys. Jews, African Americans and women do not fare well in the world of thugs
(hopefully not a preview of coming attractions in real life.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ray
Liotta</b> played the adult Henry Hill who was part of the big Air France heist
in 1967. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Paul Sorvino</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Robert De Niro</b> round out the cast. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Samuel L. Jackson</b> makes a brief
appearance. And then there was a momentary appearance by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Henny Youngman </b>(Take my wife…please.”) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Martin Scorsese</b> directed the critically and publicly acclaimed 1990
film based on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nichols Pileggi’s</b>,
novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wiseguy.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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What I’ve noticed during this series of films about the
mafia is that there is a strong and currently reinvigorated theme that ran
through the mafia sub genre of crime films and books — Family. First is blood
relation. Second are those invited into the family (made men). These are guys
who have proven over time and events their undying, unquestioning loyalty. They
do whatever they are told. It is a closed society, and its members are
untouchable. (Pardon me if I note this is reminiscent of our new first
“family.”)<o:p></o:p></div>
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While viewing the double feature, an accompaniment — these
films have red wine written all over them. What a great excuse to do a flight
of various deep red, dry wines. Or several flights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pardon me purists, but for those who go
alcohol-free, there are a number of such wines (getting better all the time)
now in the marketplace.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-52677233299045199392016-11-11T10:29:00.000-08:002016-11-25T18:08:48.333-08:00Film Pairing — On Everyone’s Top Ten List <br />
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Why not spend an evening – a long one at that – with two
movies on just about everyone’s Top Ten List? Certainly they occupy that status
among crime movies. Both films were released in the 1970s. Both were critically
acclaimed and represent two of the
world’s most famous directors’ work at the top of their games.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsB_ib3mkqF_hV5cneUJ1QaAM1nS6cyouoxmakl_GnBTF4LGBK9YxYB9QYf2U8P-HCcDUSWQ39bmv_rbi5799y0S2OwFsxDDM_QtM0Ul7ykyk9cu84BFIj18Zv7I-bHLrzVvUJj5yDvJmD/s1600/Chinatown-DVD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsB_ib3mkqF_hV5cneUJ1QaAM1nS6cyouoxmakl_GnBTF4LGBK9YxYB9QYf2U8P-HCcDUSWQ39bmv_rbi5799y0S2OwFsxDDM_QtM0Ul7ykyk9cu84BFIj18Zv7I-bHLrzVvUJj5yDvJmD/s320/Chinatown-DVD.jpg" width="262" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chinatown —</i></b> Put this classic in the categories of P.I. films
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>. A fresh-faced <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jack Nicholson</b> plays an L.A. private
investigator who finds himself in in the midst of an embarrassing family sexual
abuse scandal and inadvertently drawn into a battle about water in a desert in
1937. When only recently the CEO of Nestle, whose products line most of the
shelves of your local supermarket, claimed water is not a human right, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chinatown</i> proves itself a timeless
reflection of the eternal struggle of greed on behalf of the powerful few
versus survival of the rest. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John Huston</b>
represents the ugliness of pure greed — determined to get whatever he wants at
whatever the cost. Directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Roman
Polanski</b> and released in 1974, this film also featured <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Faye Dunaway</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James Hong</b>
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane Ladd</b>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Robert Towne</b> wrote the screenplay<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU6OPAhT_zil37GZwt3NbuuTGzu_dqbmQELgqFtXCLUq8ArdKLyDSCCpss64MR83nodQRNLGOgBuOKvKZST9K5GIx1K5xhRpZ-qDwXk5cckfUqE27ZkrPCeHJGK4SmTafAeYWKbt0mZvA/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmU6OPAhT_zil37GZwt3NbuuTGzu_dqbmQELgqFtXCLUq8ArdKLyDSCCpss64MR83nodQRNLGOgBuOKvKZST9K5GIx1K5xhRpZ-qDwXk5cckfUqE27ZkrPCeHJGK4SmTafAeYWKbt0mZvA/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather —</i></b> As I watched it for the umpteenth time I was
again reminded of how much the film seemed to be a series of moving oil
paintings, rather than mere moving pictures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John A.
Alonzo</b> is credited with the astounding cinematography. He is probably the
least known of the masters working together on this film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
Mario Puzo</b>’s blockbuster novel, master director <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Francis Ford Coppola</b> created a film judged by the U.S. National
Film Registry as one of the greatest American films of all time, exceeded only
by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Citizen Cane</i>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Marlon Brando</b> is the godfather. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Al Pacino </b>is the favored son. Both are riveting. The entire cast is
stellar: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James Caan</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sterling Hayden</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Robert Duvall</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane Keaton</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Richard Conte</b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Abe Vigoda</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep your eye out for other surprises, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Al Martino</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Morgana King</b>, for example. The film’s story — about a major crime
family unfolds over a ten-year period starting in 1945.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chinatown</i> is
a perfect mystery that delivers a socially conscious and powerful punch, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather</i> is delivered on a larger
and richer canvas. Settle in for a classic double feature.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To accompany the long evening<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chinatown</i>
runs more than two hours while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Godfather </i>is nearly three), I’d suggest having a Tom Collins with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chinatown</i> in honor of Faye Dunaway’s
character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sip the cocktail slowly and
then open a bottle of Nero D’Avola, a dry Sicilian wine, for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Godfather</i>. Non-imbibers could do the
Virgin Tom Collins, that is make the cocktail, but forget the gin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment-->Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-16869590884444213002016-11-07T11:06:00.000-08:002016-11-07T12:43:27.204-08:00On Writing — Fiction As History<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRLhwOFrhPhdTwrmjlz_VG4-Hv2czb9et9S8e2PgR1cdFPya451Y5sOY2g1T1Ae1bwVNDP1QJJpkzqm-MdE_It4vSU0YnxeFwbCK6Jv9LtCRHniddanlzS1Fyd1TaugJ5_03GCOj7PQ23/s1600/mysteryscene_tierney-180x250+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRLhwOFrhPhdTwrmjlz_VG4-Hv2czb9et9S8e2PgR1cdFPya451Y5sOY2g1T1Ae1bwVNDP1QJJpkzqm-MdE_It4vSU0YnxeFwbCK6Jv9LtCRHniddanlzS1Fyd1TaugJ5_03GCOj7PQ23/s200/mysteryscene_tierney-180x250+copy.jpg" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Early Shanahan novels</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Occasionally I receive comments from people who have read
some of the early books in my <a href="http://www.ronaldtierney.com/shanahan-mysteries.htm">Shanahan mystery series</a>. These notes usually come from people who
live or have lived in Indianapolis. Rarely are the comments about the plot,
though critics at the time were complimentary. Some are about the main
characters – Deets Shanahan and his love, Maureen. But most of the sentiment is about bringing
back memories. The 11 novels in the series set in Indianapolis cover 25 years
in the life of the Circle City beginning with <i>The Stone Veil</i> in 1980. History is an unforeseen, but happy
consequence of fiction.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I haven’t been the only one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact I wasn’t the first one or necessarily the most prolific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The acclaimed Michael Z. Lewin not only
originated the first series featuring a fictional Indianapolis P.I., but is
also credited with popularizing the idea of a regional P.I. series. Many others
followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Deets Shanahan character
also came after Lewin’s Albert Samson.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF8SGf0BvoI2rjXEOCwQDAraQ1-c2K0PLqV2T2qkM9sd9QbVsl8Pf6v7UNVX_sgoQ3chmzKBKEcBnVDvYDU0vgHsTxiGs8lA5kqNufhzlZCEj83mXEllcSy4VHkHh0HvaMruOFzGYMMBz/s1600/Michael-Z-Lewin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF8SGf0BvoI2rjXEOCwQDAraQ1-c2K0PLqV2T2qkM9sd9QbVsl8Pf6v7UNVX_sgoQ3chmzKBKEcBnVDvYDU0vgHsTxiGs8lA5kqNufhzlZCEj83mXEllcSy4VHkHh0HvaMruOFzGYMMBz/s320/Michael-Z-Lewin.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Michael Z. Lewin</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Lewin and I are roughly the same vintage. However he began
writing younger in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Counting
his Leroy Powder cop series, Lewin has used Indianapolis as a setting for 11
crime novels with a history going back to 1971 with his first Samson novel, <a href="http://www.michaelzlewin.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ask The Right Question</i>,</a> among those
being re-released as I write.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUNJHiB_StRuoybrE1U021qY8mCVDhUfUmn66LwyKU8khhAbneR2wjGwFsjxerPgxtrxI3gKRFKczge84a0PptlANMgIKB-llj5GGhTClgEtkOwBuIDe7O2he3UALkAsK5JzimemA8DOO/s1600/ASK_THE_RIGHT_QUESTION-330-exp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHUNJHiB_StRuoybrE1U021qY8mCVDhUfUmn66LwyKU8khhAbneR2wjGwFsjxerPgxtrxI3gKRFKczge84a0PptlANMgIKB-llj5GGhTClgEtkOwBuIDe7O2he3UALkAsK5JzimemA8DOO/s200/ASK_THE_RIGHT_QUESTION-330-exp.jpg" width="131" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Re-released</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have inadvertently been part of recording this city’s
history when, as its first editor, I helped found <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NUVO Newsweekly</i>, the longest serving alternative newspaper in the
city’s history. Long after I was gone it continues to chronicle my hometown and
is a powerful, on-going historical reference. However, I would suggest that
fiction could go beyond the news as a historical document in many ways by
creating the mood, the ambiance and an in-depth characterization of its
neighborhoods, restaurants, transportation and particularly its inhabitants.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There are those, of course, who dismiss genre fiction,
including the P.I. novel as something less than respectable. The Shanahan
mysteries are definitely genre fiction, as are the Samson novels. We gain a
sense of the place in time in a way that may not be academic, but in a fluid,
experiential way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-83501045097907006642016-10-28T11:40:00.000-07:002016-10-30T09:33:03.695-07:00Film Pairings — The Laundry Business, From Colombia To Russia<br />
Money from ill-gotten gains is no good unless you can spend
it. So tonight is an examination of the money-laundering business. One of the
two films is based on a true story about the days of Pablo Escobar in the
1980s. The other is a current classic British spy film soaked in Russian
intrigue. These two films, released earlier this year, are not action oriented — though there is some of that. Even so they qualify as thrillers.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our Kind of Traitor —</i></b>If you like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John le Carr</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">é</span></b>,
chances are you’ll like this understated film based on his novel starring a
mature and impressive <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ewan McGregor</b>
as well as scene-stealer <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stellan Skarsg</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">ã</span>rd</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cinematography stars as well, with powerful imagery by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anthony Dod Mantle</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>McGregor portrays an innocent professor who,
believing he was merely doing a minor good deed, accidentally involves himself
and his wife played by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Naomie Harris</b>
in international intrigue, billions of dollars and the Russian mafia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Susanna White</b>, the film also features <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Damian Lewis</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alicia von
Rittberg</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Velibor Topic.</b> This
isn’t a naturally panoramic story, but it is played out in a big way,
cinematically. It is also very much a story about the value of character.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Infiltrator —</i></b> Perhaps a bit less cinematic in scope, but with
more grit. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bryan Cranston</b> plays an
aging (his last case?) special agent for the U.S. Custom Service. Based on
agent <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Robert Mazu</b>r’s true-life
novel, we visit Florida and the 1980s when there wasn’t enough room to store
all of the drug war’s corpses until they could be disposed of. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cranston, incredibly believable as Mazur,
reveals the ugliness of the “good guys” as they attempt to contain evil while
the plan to go against Escobar and his brutal Colombian cartel escalates in an
increasingly deadly fashion. Among the film’s strengths are Cranston’s costars:
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John Leguizamo</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Benjamin Bratt</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Diane Kruger</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Amy Ryan</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Said Tghmaoui</b>. Directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brad
Furman</b>, the film certainly has some tense and gruesome moments.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Well of course, what we sip during these two movies changes
during intermission. No drinker would argue against vodka with the first. We
have a chilly environment. Frilly drinks won’t work. However we make a drastic
change when we arrive in Florida. Though there is nothing Cuban about the film,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we can cheat and try some of that new
Cuban rum arriving on our shores. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-72048518176665554482016-10-23T14:45:00.000-07:002016-10-23T15:53:21.327-07:00Off-Speed – Random Thoughts On Baseball, Loyalty And Nostalgia<br />
I don’t spend much time on sports. My weakness is baseball. All the years I
lived in Indianapolis, probably because I could get WGN on TV, I became a Cubs
fan. Frustrated not only by their failures, but also by the owners willingness to sell off some of their best players as the team began to threaten to break
from their bad reputation. This was a team that had Mark Grace, Ryne Sandberg,
Shawon Dunston, Andre Dawson and such star pitchers as Greg Maddox and the
infuriating Rick Sutcliffe, who had the pitching pace of a turtle. They also
had the incredible Lee Smith as a closer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lee Smith</b></td></tr>
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I liked the Cubs enough to make them a staple in my Shanahan
mystery series. They were constantly on TV at Delaney’s bar on Tenth Street in
Indianapolis and continued to dominate the place when Shanahan’s pal, Harry
bought the bar. Shanahan often sat at the bar with a bottle of “The Champagne
of Bottled Beer” and a shot of J.W. Dant Bourbon with crack of the bat and the
roar of the crowd in the background. I watched a lot of games too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have to confess that I lost touch with Cubs, mostly
because I moved to San Francisco and got caught up with Giants, but also the
Cubs weren’t the Cubs I knew anyway. I hate the lack of loyalty, or perhaps
continuity, when players don’t play out their career with one team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thinks of Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra,
Stan Musial and Ted Williams. I could never come to terms with Greg Maddox
playing for Atlanta.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUo931kgttpJ-XxN7U6QEldJ4b24O_9O2qKMNmDSBN_AC3fGBPGJ2-GyyqBoItSa6EI2l2I6aBpbkPtGIwytenoInDj2L4LUM1nyd0gRmudH-Zg-hBFaAs4I7H2Qo-jW13Vhs-l77Gu7t/s1600/tumblr_lu399uLp141qm9rypo1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUo931kgttpJ-XxN7U6QEldJ4b24O_9O2qKMNmDSBN_AC3fGBPGJ2-GyyqBoItSa6EI2l2I6aBpbkPtGIwytenoInDj2L4LUM1nyd0gRmudH-Zg-hBFaAs4I7H2Qo-jW13Vhs-l77Gu7t/s320/tumblr_lu399uLp141qm9rypo1_1280.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ryne Sandberg</b></td></tr>
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This year I rooted for the Giants when they were the wild
card and were pitted against the Cubs. But now that this is decided, it’s time
to make a nostalgic move and root for the Cubs in the World Series. Maybe I’ll
haul out my first Shanahan book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Tierney/e/B001KHVFMO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1">TheStone Veil</a></i>, published in 1989, when the Cubs also had a great team, but
just couldn’t pull it all together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-15374425721541370702016-10-16T12:44:00.000-07:002016-10-16T19:04:11.064-07:00Book Notes — The Whites, A Misleading Title Given The Times, A Powerful Piece of Literature<br />
I’m currently reading <i>The
Whites</i>, a highly praised cop/crime novel by Richard Price. And I’m having trouble. Good trouble, I suspect; though I can’t be
sure. His words send me off on trips unrelated to the narrative. One detour is that I find myself not reading
but wondering, paragraph after paragraph, how he gets it so <i>seemingly </i>right. I understand how someone like Michael
Connelly creates the reality of his acclaimed books. He spent years as a reporter covering the
police and the criminal court beat. But how does Price do it? Some of the great
crime writers have been reporters, or cops, or criminal attorneys. Some of them
have even done a stint as private eyes. They rely on what they observed over the
years. It is a mix of imagination,
recall and command of the language. Few, I think, achieve this level of realism
or grit.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklAiCoWNwrp7xi7h2wjMUX3ciGY1mwWXH8WYAxugNSP83zsqCkOKrMVyhR9o6r1s5cWknPHIK5cSWVkwm1ra1nFcgdHoIvHTjfcALBHI7gFLw4A61OIF4iueL1DYHEv8m38EW3xN8QzDf/s1600/richard-price.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklAiCoWNwrp7xi7h2wjMUX3ciGY1mwWXH8WYAxugNSP83zsqCkOKrMVyhR9o6r1s5cWknPHIK5cSWVkwm1ra1nFcgdHoIvHTjfcALBHI7gFLw4A61OIF4iueL1DYHEv8m38EW3xN8QzDf/s320/richard-price.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Richard Price</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Has Price actually lived this cop life enough to know it so
well that he can take me there? I tried to find out. He was one of the writers
on the TV series, “The Wire.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a
screenwriter for one of my favorite movies — <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sea of Love</i>. But then movies and projects like “The Wire” are
different. Unlike a novel, they are collective efforts. Yet, it is not a big
jump from the highly joint effort “The Wire” to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Whites</i>, an only marginally a collective effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet the grittiness comes through. And the
word perhaps too popular now, “authenticity” rings loudly. I shake my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely he does not live there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In an interview in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/1431/the-art-of-fiction-no-144-richard-price">TheParis Review</a></i>, he said he spent a lot of time researching and hanging out
with the police, including ride-alongs in instances where he is not left alone
in the backseat while the cops tend to business. He did (does) his homework. Much like a good
reporter or photojournalist, there is a sense of courage and a willingness to impolitely intrude if need be.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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So he extends himself, does whatever is necessary for his
art. I’m impressed. He brings both journalism of sorts together with the art of
literature. I can follow journalism without being taken in unexpected
directions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can read a
straight-forward story, Robert Parker, Dashiell Hammett and the rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like interesting, informing, even
puzzle-solving entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But novels
that pick you up and toss you around so much you have to fight your way back to
the page is another story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll not tell you about the plot. That’s available elsewhere
and I’m still in the midst of reading it. What I want to talk about is the
dilemma a thought-provoking book provides — provoked thought. Sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to emphasize the meaning of the
cliché.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I’m limited by my overall
intelligence (stop smirking) or possibly age has shortened my attention span or
I’m far too easily distracted. Strange and embarrassing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the writers I read I don’t wonder
how they do what they do. I may appreciate the artistry, even wish I could
achieve it, but I’m not usually baffled by them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So far in this book, one sentence may send me off into some
abstract, often unrelated thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead of going back to the book, I’m forced to leave the book to sort
things out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhRMvy7_f_tzJH48xgEbJyO1Z3-1EHktjRkGfOFkrsPBo2DxibwRPVitqJkqwLfsO2lkYdIPAcKhi14IgKgOgqZele4GKZIU6aPDnusjqIy99Hgs033IWYNagA34GlMvNF9K8rYTGR20b/s1600/Unknown-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhRMvy7_f_tzJH48xgEbJyO1Z3-1EHktjRkGfOFkrsPBo2DxibwRPVitqJkqwLfsO2lkYdIPAcKhi14IgKgOgqZele4GKZIU6aPDnusjqIy99Hgs033IWYNagA34GlMvNF9K8rYTGR20b/s1600/Unknown-3.jpeg" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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However, one very selfish question started to dominate my
mind as I approached mid-book. Given what he is able to do, plunging deeply
into both sides – cop and criminal, I have to ask myself, as a crime writer, what
are my qualifications? I have no such courage. My rudeness is rarely
constructive. I have not immersed myself in the extreme divide between cop and
killer, so divided they are more like each other than they are the folks who
are neither. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I console myself with the observation that however passive
it might be, I write about the world I know, that I limit my expression to my
experiences and that I write honestly about what would be therefore
comparatively bland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read a criticism
once about someone tired of reading John Updike, saying he long ago stopped
caring about middle class angst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
it may not be angst exactly or even all the way up to middle class, my Shanahan
series takes place in a more civil, more settled world rather than the tough
streets of Baltimore, let’s say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I do have a hint at
Price’s preparation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only a hint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Good
to the Last Kiss</i>, I ventured out. I did research the personally unlikely
topic of serial killers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I not only
spent time with the police in homicide, I spent days reading and listening to
tapes of psychological research about this type of crime, as well as the
sometimes horrific ramblings of serial killers talking about themselves, their
lives and their crimes. I was depressed for weeks, maybe months. But I had
ventured out, however briefly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is what Richard Price does regularly, it seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, this is what his main characters in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Whites</i> do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After writing my grimmest novel, I kept my
distance from the darkest reaches of the soul and spent more time working on
books with less sensational crimes and more seductive plots, all in my comfort
zone. I still connect my stories to social issues, but less intensely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I stay with a reality well within my own
experience, enhanced I hope by, a creative imagination. But I cannot regularly
go where Richard Price goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it’s
the very real darkness he witnesses and translates that sends me away from his
writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The result is that reading these kind of books has become more
exhausting than writing books of lesser intensity. At least writing my own
stories, I can adjust the light on reality for my own comfort while admiring a
much braver soul in theory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-24782363994629616612016-10-09T10:19:00.000-07:002016-10-10T14:27:26.357-07:00Film Pairing — Year Of The ConSeems as if 2016 is the “Year of the Con,” with the election
and all these candidates for public office pretending to be honest and
competent, if not pious and brilliant. Let me recommend two films that pick up
on the theme though in slightly different ways.
The first is light jazz. The second is visceral. The first will make you smile. The second will make you wince. Both are
blessed with extreme talent. Both garnered film awards and considerable
critical acclaim. Both are based on true
stories. The odd observation here is that the actors are pretending to be
someone pretending to be someone they are not. Only actors and politicians are
allowed to do that.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqQz3ddPAuUFq5vo87H4BuP3dxnHN4UqdLwZ1CKzwqpKXRIY9nQY1zCgVIYag6MvkAhSW884NpAW4fC2vSSVL_VMieV-m0vHqu2oe8A14tbSLAqR69vC354zD17NcKIEq3jTSMrne55Ns/s1600/194845-frederika.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqQz3ddPAuUFq5vo87H4BuP3dxnHN4UqdLwZ1CKzwqpKXRIY9nQY1zCgVIYag6MvkAhSW884NpAW4fC2vSSVL_VMieV-m0vHqu2oe8A14tbSLAqR69vC354zD17NcKIEq3jTSMrne55Ns/s320/194845-frederika.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catch Me If You Can —</i></b>
This is the moment, I think, we catch <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Leonardo
DiCaprio</b> make his transition from vulnerable child star to adult without
missing a step as a highly talented actor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here he portrays <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Frank Abagnale</b>,
upon whose book and life, the film is based. Young Frank grows up admiring his
father, a man who despite his talent as a loving parent couldn’t quite make it
as a provider despite or because of his con artist ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank, who occasionally participated in his
father’s antics and wanting to impress his dad, took con artistry to a new
level of fraud. With fake identities, he scammed millions eventually attracting
a bland but determined pursuer, played exquisitely by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tom Hanks</b>. Rounding out the supersized cast are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Christopher Walken</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Martin Sheen</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">James Brolin</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Amy Adams</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The film, released in 2002, was directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Steven Spielberg</b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gtAJgLlu3NZ_vFAjOqoFa0j_TZF1NEGKh4hmR45ZoQ74o6C2kP7XMzldrbdU6Qv544u7brpkQVMGSuH0gm2vrtFDd4qdhTQ5CPhQQ4v4TdcVV-Z3o-LSbPEO-PlUdQHLMXTHGjswJj0L/s1600/american-hustle-posters-sony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gtAJgLlu3NZ_vFAjOqoFa0j_TZF1NEGKh4hmR45ZoQ74o6C2kP7XMzldrbdU6Qv544u7brpkQVMGSuH0gm2vrtFDd4qdhTQ5CPhQQ4v4TdcVV-Z3o-LSbPEO-PlUdQHLMXTHGjswJj0L/s320/american-hustle-posters-sony.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Hustle —</i></b> This is a considerably more down-to-earth
film. While <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Catch Me If You Can</i> has
some serious undertones, it is a funny film. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Hustle</i>, the humor is there, certainly, but it is much,
much darker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two con artists agree to scam an Arab sheik for a casino development in Atlantic City. An ambitious FBI
agent catches on, and will throw them both in jail unless they help him bring
down some dishonest politicians who would be caught with their hands in the
till thereby helping the FBI agent make his bones at the Agency. If only humans
didn’t have human failings. If only good was good and bad was bad and never the
twain should met. Damn those gray areas. Damn that we should fall in love with
stupid people who think they’re helping us but screw up our lives. Can’t I do a
little wrong if the result is a greater good? Lots of questions. But
answers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who is responsible for the
answers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the filmmakers. Based on
the famous ABSCAM scandals of the ‘80s and directed by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">David O. Russell</b>, the film was released in 2013. The gritty film is
populated by incredibly fine actors giving fine performances at every
level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Christian Bale</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bradley Cooper</b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Amy Adams</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jeremy Renner</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jennifer
Lawrence</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Louis CK</b> are
featured. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Robert De Niro</b> makes a
brief but powerful appearance.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something to quench your thirst while you watch a couple of
hours of disingenuous behavior? Champagne for the first. Light and bubbly, but
with an ultimately calming effect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
the second, you’ll have to get serious. Bourbon with no more than two ice
cubes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or do what I do these days —
some ice, tonic water, and a twist of lime or lemon. No alcohol. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People will think gin and tonic and you’ve pulled
of a little scam of your own.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-69802663710655148412016-10-01T12:25:00.000-07:002016-10-01T13:22:24.037-07:00Memories From Third GradeI had a tough childhood. No kindergarten for me. First
grade. Cold turkey. No practice
napping. No half-day classes to get used to what it’s like to be inside the big
house.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first grade teacher was Miss Hoover, a pretty young lady
who served graham crackers and milk and begged for silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My second grade teacher was Mrs. Sparks, a
no-nonsense high-breasted woman who was not particularly electric. She wore
printed cotton dresses and looked through eyeglasses that had Coke bottle
lenses. She could have been my grandmother’s sister. She was sane and diligently, if not enthusiastically, went
about the boring daily business of math and spelling.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Miss Miller was a round, low-breasted woman who always wore
a black cotton dress, perhaps the same one every day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her black hair was pinched into a tight,
little a bun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like Mrs. Sparks and
unlike Miss Hoover, Miss Miller never smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She kept a yardstick or pointer in her right hand and a Bible in her
left. She used them both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a dark
presence. Armed and dangerous.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now I’ve talked with Catholic kids and heard story after
story about those ferocious nuns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry,
they couldn’t have lasted 30 seconds in the ring with Miss Miller. Sure the
standard crack on the knuckles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the
ear was not only there for listening, it was also a handle by which Miss Miller
could extract you from the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s just the physical stuff. There was a lot more to Miss Miller than
the mere threat of, or actual, physical violence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every morning, after the pledge of allegiance and a prayer
as long as a three-act play in the original Greek, she would read us something
from the black book, usually something harsh and bitter showing the vengeful
side of God’s nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll admit that’s
when I began to develop a dim view of the Creator. That and what he did to
Moses put me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I said
nothing at the time. She had a Stalinesque hold on the third-graders. The
smart-aleck seeds of my personality had not yet bloomed. The unfortunate thing
is that most folks can read my face.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bible reading was followed by a moral tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of those stories told to us 64 years ago
survives to this day, albeit in tattered form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was eight at the time. Seems as if a frail little boy committed a sin,
stealing perhaps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was caught and found
guilty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was to be paddled (another
weapon in Miss Miller’s arsenal).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But
he was so small and so weak,” Miss Miller said. “Surely there must be a better
alternative.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked around the
classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one spoke. “All was lost,
it seemed,” continued Miss Miller, “until one boy, a big, strapping child,
raised his hand and volunteered to take the beating.” Miss Miller may have
actually smiled, having conveyed what in her mind was an important moral lesson.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think the reason I remember this story is that it never
made sense to me. I’ve been trying to figure this out since I was eight. There
seemed to be, even then, a simpler solution.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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At 3:15 — the end of the day in Miss Miller’s third grade
class, she would stand at the door as we all filed through and left for home.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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That afternoon, as usual and being the polite child my
parents taught me to be, I said to her: “Goodbye, Miss Miller, see you
tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Without blinking, she replied, “If there is a tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2529796025756444749.post-91534133525627858532016-09-23T19:16:00.000-07:002016-09-24T13:52:45.466-07:00Book Notes — Trace Conger And Mr. Finn, Number 3Not a lot of moss can grow on <b>Trace Conger</b>’s keyboard. His third Mr. Finn book is out. I’ve commented here before on the first two – <a href="http://lifedeathandfog.blogspot.com/2015/07/book-notes-trace-conger-and-arrival-of.html"><b><i>The Shadow Broker</i></b> </a>and <a href="http://lifedeathandfog.blogspot.com/2015/11/book-notes-scar-tissue-award-winning.html"><b><i>Sca</i></b><b><i>r Tissue</i></b></a>. I have a feeling we’ll
be dealing with Mr. Finn’s fourth sooner rather than later. <b><i>The Prison Guard’s Son</i></b>, just out,
continues the adventures of the shadowy former private eye, whose lack of
license seems to give him license to do what he deems necessary — legal or not
and with moral judgment that is, at best, dicey.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCmSrgcOPaTxg3SN-Oh06kv7SVUIVQBS05qQPsEUyJRGKP3fmBQQ2rbea8aAQ-1lJtAerRc-9qKHHHG1fdp4rc_c_o6ipSNH5Cxetk4GzXqCWn7rIyeQghRxSSL_KQwpiHxs798aql3hz/s1600/ytEwBWTA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCmSrgcOPaTxg3SN-Oh06kv7SVUIVQBS05qQPsEUyJRGKP3fmBQQ2rbea8aAQ-1lJtAerRc-9qKHHHG1fdp4rc_c_o6ipSNH5Cxetk4GzXqCWn7rIyeQghRxSSL_KQwpiHxs798aql3hz/s320/ytEwBWTA.jpeg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Trace Conger</b></td></tr>
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One of the interesting qualities that comes out of the notion
of a series is not only getting to know the main character, a worthwhile
endeavor in this case, but also those regular characters that surround him or
her. I’m especially fond of Finn’s father, and his ex-love, who may or my not be
so ex. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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This tale, full of clever twists, introduces us to a man who
suffered the loss of a son in a brutal murder many years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two nine-year-old boys who were convicted
of the crime served their sentences and were released into a federal protection
program ostensibly because of how young they were when they committed the crime.
The father of the victim has not forgotten nor forgiven, and he hires Finn to
find the two so carefully hidden so many years ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQselBOtuA49E3sTzdP3zI1qv8I7WQcDrulVf49m4jGQ5qXDz42Ok7wd3jD5MIiVzi5WuVTBk0eBfZykblTIWiFAEMGopzB1SXMJ8Lhg3SilJ-a9s9iRHB4yJEG55BU16O9BaICqZEPLN/s1600/The-Prison-Guards-Son-Web-Small-197x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQselBOtuA49E3sTzdP3zI1qv8I7WQcDrulVf49m4jGQ5qXDz42Ok7wd3jD5MIiVzi5WuVTBk0eBfZykblTIWiFAEMGopzB1SXMJ8Lhg3SilJ-a9s9iRHB4yJEG55BU16O9BaICqZEPLN/s1600/The-Prison-Guards-Son-Web-Small-197x300.jpg" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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Questions arise, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How does one find people professionally hidden, given completely new and
officially sanctioned identities?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where
does one begin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More important, what
happens if they are found? As it was with his previous books, Conger seems to
approach his stories from unexpected angles and forces his readers to contend
with the complex moral dilemmas that arise when law, justice and pure
vigilantism intersect.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Trace Conger’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Shadow Broker</i> was awarded The Shamus by the Private Eye Writers of America
for “Best First Novel.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ronald Tierneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07206733759847447910noreply@blogger.com0