Books
Book: ‘Top Producer’ by Norb Vonnegut – January 15th, 2016
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jan.15, 2016, under Books
Top Producer: A Novel by Norb Vonnegut
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Norb is light years away in mindset from family member Kurt Vonnegut, of who I know too much. ‘Top Producer’ is a top producer of detailed, yet understandable, words of how Wall Street works. To tie such a complex subject in with an involved case of murcer is more than admirable.
However, this book is struck by what I find in the bulk of contemporary novels: Massive excess. For me a quarter of this book could be cut loose and work so much better. Vonneguts asides of bicycling and food and over focus of a victim is, at times, ridiculous. Asides should be a paragraph or two. Not pages and pages.
With all of the excess a reader will learn far more than needed of each character. A better writer could have scaled the character development down to far, far fewer words. The settings are very well depicted. Excess here may have helped a bit.
Still this is a very good book with a rather simple mystery that is decked out in Wall street trimmings.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.
Book: ‘The Coconut Killings’ by Patricia Moyes
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jan.10, 2016, under Books
The Coconut Killings by Patricia Moyes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Here is another Tibbetts tale with massive holes. Despite an otherwise good story, the holes in the novel cannot be ignored. The worse is the use of a machete on a human with no apparent problem of the resulting blood being everywhere after the action. Apparently this was a clean machete murder. Seems Moyes didn’t learn about what happens when violently hacking a machete. She did learn about how it should have been done.
This problem makes the rest of the book impossible. Seems to me Moyes had an ending in mind, built and outline and then filled in the blanks. This would explain how few seem concerned about the violence of the murder involved and what happens later. Especially the Tibbetts, who are not even on their home turf. Moyes writes Henry Tibbett as nearly a superman who barges around with no fear of death and flies long distances in record time.
Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.
Book: ‘Death Has Three Lives’ by Brett Halliday – January 4th, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Jan.04, 2016, under Books
Death Has Three Lives by Brett Halliday
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Don’t know who wrote this under the “Halliday” moniker. Seems to me it wasn’t Dresser. This Shayne volume is full of plot holes and lacks the accurate “Halliday” Dade County backdrop.
Shayne is pretty much written as out of control breaking all sorts of laws including attempted murder without charges filed. Written at times a tough guy, but others Shayne is a nervous mess and still others confused. This is all pretty far from the Shayne character. Lucy Hamilton is written out of character as a woman incapable of dealing with circumstances. Even Will Gentry acts at times more like Peter Painter, Miami Beach Police Chief. It’s all an off kilter tale that fits poorly with the Shayne set.
The start of the story makes little sense, which Shayne would ordinarily have figured out at the start. Instead, the story lurches forward with what seem like individually written scenes linked loosely together with poor narrative. There’s a good mystery involved, just poorly executed. There’s a neat little wrap up of the story. but it seems to me wasted tacked to the rest of the story.
At one point there’s something about a bomb that is made and thrown How the bomb is made, then thrown and the results are treated as if a chocolate muffin could be in place of the bomb.
About Florida setting: This stood out to me the most. Usually locations are very well and accurately depicted. In this volume, the entire book is written so loosely that, with the exception of a couple street names, it all could take place in Dubuque. At one point there is a trip made to a cottage motel “on the out skirts” of town. Other Shayne novels would have been far more specific.
Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.
Book: ‘When Dorinda Dances’ by Brett Halliday – December 31st, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.31, 2015, under Books
When Dorinda Dances by Brett Halliday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m a huge fan of Michael Shayne and the Dave Dresser or Brett Halliday or whoever wrote the bulk of the stories prior to 1960. This is one of those. It’s a non-stop, roller coaster ride of clues, confusion and discoveries. All set in Dade County, Florida, with very accurate descriptions of the area.
This story is very intriguing in it’s initial setup. A number of mysteries that has the detective heading off in more than one direction. As the story gets complex, the story does take on one aspect i don’t care for – Pages and page of questions gone over and over and over. It still makes the story fun. Though, in this case, it all shrouds a rather simple mystery.
The characters are all top notch. It’s hard not to visualize any of them. Dialogue is excellent.
About Florida: The locations mentioned are right on as is the narrative of the weather and other atmospheric mentions. There’s a trip to Palm Beach that lurches to the location in a sentence. Woulda been fun to get a John D. MacDonald description of Shayne and Hamilton rattle down the right of ways of 1950s Florida. Setting the young lady of a wealthy New York/Palm Beach family at Rollins College was by an author who knew that was THEE college for those of certain stature were to attend at that time.
Bottom line: i recommend the book. 7 out of ten points.
Book: ‘Bugles West’ by Frank Gruber – December 31st, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.31, 2015, under Books
Bugles West by Frank Gruber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gruber can write a tale! This one of the western U.S. in the 1800s is a good one. Great characterization, settings and story.
The hero of the story is mysteriously etched at different points through out. That is a neat trick by author Gruber. Others are firmly etched. Lots of actual people are well written into the book.
Here’s one book that I would have liked to be longer. The ending is a bit abrupt. Though, it’s excellent in it’s format here.
Bottom line: I recommend this book.
Book: ‘Countdown for Agriculture’ by Henry F. Swanson – December 31st, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.31, 2015, under Books
Countdown for Agriculture by Henry F. Swanson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an exceptional book of agriculture, Orange County and Florida history. Henry Swanson has laid out extensive, well-written and thorough history of the all facets of the agriculture business in Orange County. He even get into the public policy process and who has been involved. It’s an amazing work.
I’ve used this book for 30 years for reference. This is the first time, I believe, I’ve read the entire book cover to cover. I’ve always recommended it and now do so even stronger. Unfortunately the book is way out of print and hard to find.
I recommend this book. 10 out of ten points.
Book: ‘Exploring The Heritage Of American Higher Education: The Evolution Of Philosophy And Policy’ by E. Grady Bogue – December 30th, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.30, 2015, under Books
Exploring The Heritage Of American Higher Education: The Evolution Of Philosophy And Policy by E. Grady Bogue
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I could write a dissertation the size of this book to review it.
I found this book in a Goodwill in Lakeland, Florida, and read the first few pages in the store that got me to add it to the library. It started with my very views of education getting off track of educating and into becoming a business. It even seemed to lean to my side of political ideas. I was even going to give this to a friend studying education.
THEN I got further into the book. The book took a shift into education anarchy. The authors promote students running the college. Their excuse is the lofty nutcase idea that the students know what they want and who they are and should not let the colleges push them around. Further, the professors should be submissive to the students along with the college itself. After all, the students are paying for their educational holiday at the educational resort and shouldn’t let education get in the way. All of those horrible right-wingers must be shunned from the campus. Elitists treatises of social justice must be shared amongst others to organize to save us all from the organized money grubbing monsters out to kill us all.
Of course, the book is written differently. But that’s it’s the gist. That the book promotes promotes a narrow minded, backward view of the intent of learning is lost on the authors. I’ll add bigotry and racist as the book lays out the need to drop educational entry rules to let all in. Educational equality whether one deserves it or not.
One point I heartily agree with is the redirection of sports in schools. The author’s view is concern of depriving students ability to learn how to be free thinking liberals. Mine is that college is to educate fund raise through a winning football schedule.
About the writing: It’s fine, if you don’t mind the overly structured format it has. Obviously the writers had an outline and filled in blanks along the way. There’s also a problem of a preponderance of book references throughout the book and on nearly every page. This took the place of footnotes.
The book does make a stand. Or stands. As the end nears, the book is more clearly taking a direction. Otherwise it is a bit confusing as to whether the book is trying to be fair and balanced or take a leftist stance.
I do admire the density of information and obvious research done. I disagree with the book, but there is a lot any reader can learn from it. It’s also not badly written. So….
Bottom line: I recommend the book. 5 out of 5 points.
Book: ‘Where Angels Go’ by Debbie Macomber – December 24th, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.24, 2015, under Books
Where Angels Go by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
There’s light and breezy and then there is light and no breezy. This collection of three stories woven loosely together. Individually the intent and conclusion of each is poorly constructed. There’s a feeling the author took potentially three subjects to write three books about and then edited it all together. The result is unsatisfactory.
The characters are the best part of the book. It’s the setting and overall story telling that is badly done.
Bottom line: I don’t recommend this book. 3 out of ten points.
Book: ‘Those Christmas Angels’ by Debbie Macomber – December 19th, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.19, 2015, under Books
Those Christmas Angels by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is is a fine little story of angels coming to help guide a romance between two people. It’s very light and breezy. There’s an effort at portraying difficulties, but those are quickly diffused. this leading to the problem with he book: Depth.
Something I find with most women’s depictions of life in story and art: The inability to reach deep and reveal the soul of the story though characters or narrative. Certainly the case here. This is a safe story with safe characters and safe conclusion. Not that there has to be non-safe parts in a book. It’s just that a story can reach it’s heights if true conflict is introduced.
The characters are the best part of the novel. Most all are very well written. Even the security guards. The setting is extremely week. That becomes a problem early on involving an incident that is a catalyst for the rest of the story. The incident is poorly written as the author tries to imply there is more going on than the incident.
Overall the story is fine. I would have liked a bit more, but I always approach from the story angle not what I want…
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 5 out of 5 points.
Book: ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’ by Truman Capote – December 15th, 2015
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.15, 2015, under Books
Breakfast At Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Here’s a case where the film is far, far, far better than what Capote wrote. Much of the story is in the film. The film chose to end than Capote’s choice to meander off. Though ‘Holly Golightly’ is well written, the rest of the characters are more sketchy than not. ‘Doc’ is well written but walks in and out again. What a disappointment!
The other stories are much the same of Capote rambling on and on and on with no clear end in sight. Not surprisingly, none really end.
There are many clever asides and observances. Maybe Capote should have written one liners instead.
Bottom line: I don’t recommend the book. 4 of 10 points.
Book: ‘Buchanan Gets Mad’ by Jonas Ward – November 13th, 2014
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.14, 2015, under Books
Buchanan Gets Mad by Jonas Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Here’s my favorite western novel, so far. This bumps a number of Johnstone Clan books. This story is not a simple gallop through the west. There are many levels explored and much you think will happen, doesn’t.
The book starts off as many a western does. As the story develops the standard direction take complicated trails that get more and more complicated. A the story goes along the reader will only get less sure how the book ends page by page.
The characters are excellent. The depiction of Buchanan torn between options is not how the average Western hero contemplates. The terror of a woman cornered is written in a way hard not to make a reader tremble.
The setting is probably the least well handled, though the reader will always know where they are.
I see the popularity of the Buchanan character and will seek out more of these! i have no idea where, when or how I got the one in my library. Hopefully I will find more.
Bottom line: I recommend this book! 10 out of 10 points.
Linked In
Networked Blogs
Web Stat
