Here’s the drawing I did live Sunday.
Making it up as I went along.

The response to the dragon drawing two weeks ago had me adding one this time.
Scott Shaw! last week typed in ‘Investigator’, which I saw after the live broadcast. Though I’d use it this time.
A call from Marguerite Cavenaugh just as I was to go live had me ask her her favorite animal. Thus, the elephant.
I saw Pam Archer tune in as I started, reminding me of the pineapple statue near where she life in Lake Placid, Florida.
Needed a good name for the savings and loan the dragon was pilfering from. Looking through those watching the broadcast, saw a good, short name that fit. So I swiped it from Melissa Busby.

The live broadcasts have gone well and sure helps me as an exercise of drawing. Especially as I’ve been stepping aside the live gig work.
Thank, you all, who have been tuning in! 🙂

A sped-up version is coming soon!

Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune by Keith Thomson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is fantastic! The history is well written, researched, explained with gold nuggets spread throughout inserted brilliantly.

First, if you’ll note my reviews, I do not get a NetGalley offer and praise it up and down hoping for print recognition. I’ve skewed most because most newly written books have proven to me to be demonstrably worthless.

I find the usual issue are political views being lodged into the narrative and then flogging the reader with the views over and over again. I get it if the book is prefaced upon political ideas. Even found one writer expounding political gunk throughout a horrid history of Looney Tunes cartoons!

Writer Thomson writes history as history should be written, as it happened with supporting documentation. Thomson also does what is rare to find in most histories ever written, dates and years of happenings. This so much aids the reader as to context and connecting ongoing events. This last is the spine that all else emanates as the narrative pours out extensive details and stories of the travels of the pirating privateers and those they encounter. Additional background is sprinkled that adds to the shine of the history with, no doubt, exclamations of, “Oh! I didn’t know that!” I love the way he connects various everyday items of today to the goings-on in the late 1600s.

The writing is also crisp and vibrant. There’s more than the occasional writer who makes history as a fictional novel. This is far better than that. The writing excels between what could be dry history and fictional dialogue to support the narrative. Thomson skillfully maneuvers the documented historical perspectives into a solid presentation that compels reading more and more. In this case it’s the wonder of who survives and how.

Well worth reading and likely to lead in those that don’t even like history or pirates. For those of us who has history as part of our profession, this is a must-read.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. Ten out of ten points.

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The Case of the Reluctant Model by Erle Stanley Gardner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Klunky plot with a far to mechanical approach. At this point, later in the series, Gardner was pumping out 1 or 2 Mason books nearly every year for 30 years, not including his other A.A. Fair books. This is another where, it appears, the book writing started with the ending and worked back to the beginning. Sadly, this chalks another convoluted plot that needed better structure at the the start to have the great twists and turns end with a great novel.

Still, the book is a bunch of fun. I do wish Gardner had been descriptive of reoccurring characters, instead of assuming the characters so established…via book or film.. to just drop in a name and continue the story. Settings, as usually, are also severely lacking.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 5 out of 10 points.

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Ah’m drawn’ lots of gators Friday day/evening/night!
Hit a speed bump – nearly one to end the project – involving the Ross Allen book, but – Good news! – roaring back into action late Friday afternoon.
So much to do and so little time!

Between Flops: A Biography of Preston Sturges by James Curtis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well written book of Preston Sturges and his life and films. The balance is not only good, but excellent in view of recent efforts that I try to dip into and find politics and a sick spotlight on sexual whatever. This is realistic and keeps the home life mostly home and unravels the mess Sturges stirred while stumbling into the film world.

Truly is remarkable Sturges got anything done known today due to Sturges inability of self control. That is well documented here to the point that, as Sturges comes up with another project, I cringed to learn what was to come next. In a sense, the book is a nail biter.

I really like the layout of the book. Gold stars for noting dates throughout, something 99% of recent books can’t get right.
I would’ve liked to read more of the aftermath of Sturges after his death.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of ten points.

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The Writer’s Crusade: Kurt Vonnegut and the Many Lives of Slaughterhouse-Five by Tom Roston
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The entire packaging of this book is misleading and can be very confusing as the deeper in the book one goes, the more finds a journal of post-traumatic stress disorder, aka ‘PTSD’, and a general analysis of the theory. THAT should be a part of the cover, back cover, advertising, etc., etc.

Vonnegut’s life is examined, but nearly in the backseat as the author drones on and on and on about ‘PTSD’. That would be fine, IF that is why I was intrigued to read the book. I am familiar with the psychological theory and, though interesting, not something I wanted to read about.

I have extensively studied Vonnegut. Even had a college course all about Vonnegut. I’m pretty knowledgeable of Vonnegut and wanted to read another view. That is missing as the author desperately tries to tie Vonnegut to ‘PTSD’. Considering all I’ve studied, I disagree that ‘PTSD’ is a worthy set of letters for Vonnegut. I didn’t find the author altering my view.

The author was too hung up with the theory and works through the book to make that plug into Vonnegut and have a light come on. The energy wasn’t there, I found.

There are some worthy pieces in the first half of the book, but the rest is for those interested in the ‘PTSD’ subject.

Bottom line: i don’t recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.

Note: i got to read an advanced copy via NetGalley.com.

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