Fiction

Yes, it’s me again, your wise and wonderful reviewer, waiting, hopefully, for this big, black rain cloud that’s hanging over us here at Comanche Trade to let loose some much-needed wet stuff. We can but hope—any rain dances are appreciated!  Last Summer, like the remaining lower half of the U.S., is always on the lookout for moisture, ‘cause stories like the one I particularly remember from last Summer, is always at the back of my mind, to wit; some gentleman was trying to light his grill and bar-b-q in his back yard, and for some reason, a spark flew out of the grill or a piece of hot charcoal, it caught some extremely dry grass on fire, and in 30 minutes, he had burned 300+ acres (and no hamburgers for dinner, either!) Ye Gods! How dry was that ground and it could happen this Summer, anywhere, in any state, so please be careful!  To burn your neighbor’s house down is considered the height of rudeness.

Speaking of bar-b-q, how do you like your hot dogs? Some of the members of my family prefer them just a little “burned” or broiled and the ones you see in stores or convenience stores at gas pumps are always so “perfect” and not a burned spot on them—they’re really strange and naked looking—like someone should throw a napkin over them or something. It’s better to just get a well-done hot dog, put on pickle relish, even a little coleslaw, dig into the potato chip bag, get some potato salad and all the black olives you think you can take without looking greedy, find a shady spot and pick up one of these titles to enjoy. 

Some of these authors are familiar to me and a couple of new—no matter, we shall see what they wrote and were trying to convey. Liberal is a medium-sized town, as is Kerrville, or maybe others would call them “small-town”—whatever the term, those who are from it always seem to want to a big city, have a great (read “important”) job, earn a big salary, have a lifestyle that reflects that (be sure to learn how to play golf and know on wine from another—none of it boxed, please) and so on—“The 500”, by Matthew Quirk, is about those people and their idealized dream, and the city that our chief protagonist works in is Washington (surprise!), and Mike Ford, fresh out of Harvard Law School, has landed his dream job at the Davies Group, Washington’s most powerful consulting firm—and how he’s staring down the barrel of a gun, pursued by two of the world’s most dangerous men.” This definite possibility that he’ll have to lie and cheat and steal and kill was not something this educated son of a small-stakes con man ever thought he’d have to face again. 

The title refers to the fact and “the 500” are “the elite men and women who really run Washington—and, conversely the world—but Mike learns that, with those who have a pedigree, a con is still a con.” You know the famous saying in Washington?  “If you want a friend here, get a dog.” It is told in first person, which is not my favorite way of narrating a story, but that’s a personal thing and does not stand in the way of telling a good story and this is one. It’s much in the mantra of “The Firm” and I enjoyed Mike’s hard-boiled yet sentimental way of looking at things and the hard-boiled yet tongue-in-cheek way of describing the firm he’s in, the people he deals with, the parties he goes to. 

“These guys, at the Davies Group, are not “lobbyists”, as in the heyday of the 80’s. Those guys are the rabble. Comparing them to the folks at the Davies Group is like comparing Zales to Tiffany’s.They do very little formal lobbying. They don’t do volume. They do not advertise. They have ‘relationships’.  They are discreet. They are very, very expensive. If you really need something done in Washington, and you have the money, and you know the people you have to know to ever get a referral to a top firm, the Davies group is at the peak of that cozy little world.”  I’m telling you, dear poppets, you start reading and you laugh or shake your head in wonderment or utter “Huh—“ loudly every so often, but bored you won’t be. I, personally, can’t wait to finish the book—and wonder upon which firm it’s based on –and, yes, I’m darned sure there is a real Davies group in Washington—maybe several. Go find the book at the library or put your name on the reserve list. Today!  

There is a new series starting on TV, “Longmire”, based on the series of books by Craig Johnson, and in the book, “As the Crow Flies”, the Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire is feeling a different state of mind from cowboys and criminals ‘cause his daughter, Cady, “is getting married to the brother of his undersheriff. Feisty Victoria Morretti and Walt and his old friend Henry Standing Bear are the unlikely wedding planners.”  I’ll bet they’re unlikely!  Anyway, Cady is not going to be pleased when the arrangements go up in smoke two weeks before the wedding—but then what bride would be pleased?  Well, it’s up to the “wedding planners” to find a new location and the pair head to the Cheyenne Reservation.

Suddenly, a young Crow woman is jumping off Painted Warrior’s cliff to her death and it’s at first thought a suicide.  Then, a child is injured and “Dog” (yes, a real dog) is installed by her bed, on his bed, while she sleeps and recovers and won’t touch food or water—he raises his head, looks at the sheriff, and settles back down (I loved that touch!) Then, there’s a lot of humor and romantic sparks between Longmire and “the newly appointed tribal police chief and returned Iraqi war veteran, the beautiful Lolo Long” who gets him to help with the murder of the jumper—and the high-spirited Lolo doesn’t hesitate to clash with this wedding planner. The dialogue is funny and, yes, charming, and I think Liz Taylor would like it as well as anyone liking a “light read” that has a mystery in it, too.  The FBI gets in on the chase, the bride makes sure her dad can say “I give this woman to this man” in Cheyenne, and it all ends up all right.  So, there’s another good read for you for Summer.  

Still with me? Excellent. Our next book is “a woman’s book” in that it entails several relationships, trading partners, lots of tension between everybody, including the bride and her best friend, the father of the bride and mother, whiffs of old affairs, regrets, and it’s just the week-end of the wedding—not even a whole month for everyone to misbehave. Goodness (although, as Mae West said to someone who said “Goodness, that’s a beautiful diamond bracelet you have!” she responded, “Goodness had nothing to do with it, Honey!”) The book is “Seating Arrangements”, by Maggie Shipstead, and it well illustrates the dangers of living or trying to be anything other than what you are and “the dangers of leading an inauthentic life.”  There’s certainly a lot of emotion and, for the thee days, misplaced “pairings” and the bride and groom find themselves looking at and enduring, in some cases, the unfortunate consequences of bad behavior and those who try to recapture a youth, a feeling that is really not possible but also sad. It is a book you keep on reading  and, strangely enough, laughing at or sympathizing with the characters and  the men and women involved have reasons—or excuses—to behave as they do. I genuinely enjoyed these people and could feel sorry for them and wish the bride and groom and all the in-laws well.  It’s a good Summer read—call the library to reserve it. 

A quick last note about a book that has a beautiful cover and I just sat and looked at the picture of Italian sea, lying below the really striking cliffs and houses above it. Oh, the title? “Beautiful Ruins”, by Jess Walter, in a most unusual storyline that extends over some 50 years. It begins “on a rocky patch of sun-drenched Italian coastline, where a young innkeeper is looking out over the Ligurian Sea and sees this tall, thin woman, a vision in white, approaching him on a boat. She is, he learns, an actress, dying of Cancer” and our half of the story begins, 50 years later, when an elderly Italian man shows up on a movie studio’s back lot, searching for the mysterious woman he last saw at his hotel.”  I was immediately hooked!  It goes from the set of the legendary “Cleopatra”, lots of people, “the heroically preserved producer who once brought them together and his idealistic young assistant”—and the delightful and exasperating Richard Burton himself. A story of flawed and fascinating people and the emotions each brings is all brought to a delightful boil. In looking through this book, I find the people are shown in humor, their longings and regrets, and it’s a good read if you honestly don’t expect to just rush through it—the characters will keep pulling at you. 

Okay, Poppets, It’s time for me to go and open the door and smell the wonderful way the earth does after a rain, and then grill hot dogs, put them on toasted buns, chili and cheese to finish, so y’all have a good next 3 weeks and if you have a chocolate shake (thick, please, not soupy), think of me and pick up one of these books and enjoy the good feeling you’ll have.  Tell Jill or Pauline or Carol at Liberal Library, “hello” from me!  Bye!