Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m becoming more and more a fan of du Maurier. This is another tale so very well written and enthralling.

One thing I really like about du Maurier is her writing of characters. All are distinct and most very memorable. Her tales are pretty simple is the characters and the setting and dialogue that raise the book above simply plotting.

Much like Frank Slaughter she does a terrific job of creating the backdrop of her literary theater. Her writing of period London, Cornwall, Frenchman’s Creek, the ship and homes are well constructed and you can place yourself and, more importantly the characters in the scenes. You can almost hear the echo as the main character enters her Cornwall home at the beginning of the book.

This is a very romantic tale and conjured up memories of Barbara Cartland. Though far better written.

A side note: I love the cover by one of my favorite illustrators, Charles Geer.

Bottom line: i recommend this book. 7 out of 10 points.

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Finished an editorial illustration this past week. This is a part of the color piece.

This is just another drawing of the set of illustrations that will be part of a booklette at our annual Florida Springs Festival, March 3rd and 4th, at Silver Springs State Park. One page of the booklette will be just for me to create a personalized drawing per your request. The booklettes will be free for you and yours!

I have a staggering amount of very different projects swirling around and I’ll be posting here about them just about everyday. This is squirrel illustration posted earlier when rough penciled. Here, inks and some color has been applied. A lot more to do! I’ll share that down the road.

Tomorrow I’ll add a bit of fun to posts.

Travelled to Dade City, Florida, for the bi-monthly Pasco County Historical Society meeting, of which I’m a member. Being a bit buried in work at the moment knew I had to get some work done while there. So, during, guest speaker, Susan NcManus’ talk I did scribble some work out!

Monahan’s Massacre by William W. Johnstone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, the Johnstone Clan best keep this ghost writer in the stable. Book 2 of this new series is setting a standard above Johnstone himself.

Book 2 in the series continues to follow the journey of Dooley Monahan. It’s a tough journey that is full of, a Johnstone trademark, outstanding characters and a journey that is added with complicated plot developments this ghost writer placed in the first book that made it so compelling. My favorite of complications is the issue of Manahan’s memory. After the last book, the ghost writer has made the reader uncertain what is real and what may be some hallucination. Another is the main female character featured is NOTHING like I’ve read before in any book. Kinda wish we could know more about her and how on earth the writer saw her getting to be where she is in the book.

I also love the way the writer works in Blue, the dog, and General Grant, the horse. They are also main characters in the book and greatly affect all events.

The settings are very well written. I like how the writer intersperses the characters, narrative and dialogue and the setting. I would have to figure the writer is a huge fan of Twain and learned from him.

My only qualm with the writer is that Monahan escapes certain death a bit too often. It’s a neat plot device, but used a bit much.

My qualm involving the top of the Johnstone Clan, on the superficial side, again, involves poor choices of unrelated cover image and a dumb title that has nothing to do with the book. The books clearly state over and over again Monaham being older and having trouble realizing his age. The writer indicated a couple times that Monahan is around 40 or older. Also, Blue is – Surprise! – BLUE! The horse, also could not be General Grant. Finally there is no “massacre” in the book. But I won’t grade this book based upon the publisher’s bad moves.

Overall this book is a joy to read and I hope the Johnstone Clan doesn’t lose this one!

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

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#Inktober #8 –

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I’ve been sick this past week and worked to get better for work to do and two events Thursday and Saturday.

I was fortunate to draw for an assisted living facility Thursday. As always, i hear so many wonderful stories. Here are a few and their stories….

A note of the photographs: Had something fading out most all I took. Sorry about that.

Kathryn long hauled bananas for a couple decades back when few women were on the road in a cab by themselves for days on end. These days she crochets.

Gloria’s family goes back, far, far back in Florida history. Family owns or lives on the islands in the Suwanee River. She isn’t able to get back into the Florida wilds she loves and misses fishing. These days she likes to play the organ.

Jessie is a Scottish lassie who loves cards and clowning around. Even her brightly colored attire reflects her playful fun.

Earl is full Cherokee. He mentioned his displeasure with how things have turned out for the Cherokee. Otehrwise, Earl struggles with what to say and his memory. I have him in the early 1800s in Tennessee approaching an American Army encampment.

Debbie has a number of things she likes to do, like reading romances. She also loves watching old western TV programs, like Maverick, Laramie, Tales of the Wells Fargo, etc.

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Intellect: Mind over Matter by Mortimer J. Adler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All that ‘Intellect’ presents has come more true since it’s first publication. Instead of reasoned conclusions, imaginary fantasy is creating laws and warping mindset. Mortimer Adler would be considered very un-P.C. today. Likely why his name seems to have disappeared during the Great Ideas conferences he developed at the Aspen Institute. I’m almost gald he is not still with us today to asee what has happened in the world. Though I would LOVE to hear what he would say about it.

This volume lays out Adler’s reasoned view of the elements of intellect: the brain and the mind, and why the two are separate. Adler breaks down his view and argues just about every angle. It’s all reasonable and logical. He also addresses counter arguments to his view and lays out why those are wrong.

As was Adler’s goal, the writing is not overly complicated. For those of us that read a lot of philosophy, his writing is too simple. Some philosopher’s have tagged Adler as a Pop Philosopher for spurning academia and writing for the general public and not to justify college tenures. As Adler introduced his simpler approach to writing philosophy, he couldn’t have known how even his approach is overly complicated for today’s American population.

He addresses his concerns about technology and what it could do to the intellect. His concerns, writing almost 40 years ago, are very mild to what has happened so far. I remember reading these views of Adler’s decades ago and thinking the ideas sounded extreme. An iPhone came into human’s lives and made concerns horrors.

Something else that has solidly entered human’s lives is the introduction to the panicky view of being healthy. To most all that means eating well and exercising. To Adler it is only involving reasoning. If you use your brain and mind, the grape-nuts & track run are obvious conclusions. But without the thinking part, it’s just a fad without commitment & dedication.

I found Adler’s arguments that language and communication being the same wanting. His argument is flimsy if that and his “natural & “nurture” arguments. Both chapters are short and he later in the book writes that those are his shallowest views. I agree.

Overall, this should be required reading for anyone wanting to be motivated to greater reasoning skills of the brain and mind.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 9 out of 10 points.

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