Cowell Smokestack, July Book Round Up, Pt Reyes Seashore

The Cowell Smokestack is no more. I'll never be able to find my house from Mt Diablo again.

The demoliton, beginning, middle and end. Whoops, no end picture. Between not having my camera and the iPhone scrambling the pictures (why does it do that? Why? It's really annoying). (Hey! I found my camera cord! Yippee!)  

The end will come. I promise.

Hmm. Oh, the June book update. Is it really already July? I've got to start writing these as I finish the books.

Regions of Germany by Dieter Bose (L) 2005. I picked up this book as a direct result of reading 1632 by Eric Flint - I know nothing about the 17th Century and less about the German provinces.

Margaret Pole: Loyalty, Lineage and Leadership by Hazel Pierce (B) 2003 273p. A girl can only go so long before returning to the 16th Century and England.  Margaret Pole, a woman who had more right to the crown than Henry VIII did, whose brother was executed when Catherine of Aragon came from Spain to marry Arthur, still formed a great and lasting friendship with Catherine, was a loyal friend and godmother to Mary, Henry & Catherine's daughter (and not say, Mary Tudor, Henry's sister that my gorgeous Alice Starmore sweater was inspired by), a landowner and power in her own right (due to the death of her husband, a marriage that for all intents and purposes seemed to be quite happy). If she hadn't tangled w/Henry VIII over property rights - 15 years worth! She might not have made herself quite so disagreeable in his eyes and ultimately sent to the Tower and executed as a dowager of 67. Maybe. Henry VIII strikes me as easy to offend, especially when you have something he wants.

Dissolution by CJ Sansom (HB) (M) 2004, 400p I've had this on my TBR shelves since 2004 (hence the hardback bit) but I was disappointed. Matthew Shardlake isn't as smart as he thinks he is and despite all his own flaws and circumstances, only too willing to believe the mores of his times.

Mallory's Oracle by Carol O'Connell (L)(M) 1994 286p My new favorite heroine, Kathy Mallory is rescued from the streets at the age of ten (she says eleven) by Louis Markowitz, New York City cop. His wife immediately falls in love with the child and they raise her as their own. But Mallory (as she insists everyone, including Louis, call her the day she becomes a policewoman) has been badly emotionally damaged as a child. (Not physically, of course. She's the requisite angelic blonde with amazing computer skills and physical prowress.) The series follows her as we discover what happened to her as a child (not in this book) and how she gradually grows a soul. (Website has spoilers.)

Paradise by A L Kennedy (L)(N) 2004 286p. Wow, what a wallop. Amy of Knit Think (whoops, wrong reviewer! Sorry! [name deleted] Ex Libris had posted a review and I had to read it, if only because of the quote she cited.  We follow Hannah, an unrepentant drunk. Her justification, her story, is both mesmerizing and flat out horrifying. Why she searches for oblivion, how she deals with the day to day reality of frequent blackouts - her view that reality is a story that she tells herself, oh, it has to be read to be understood. But that said, I feel that I was given a tour, an apalling but thorough tour, through the mind of an alcoholic.

Breakup by Dana Stabenow (M) 1997 242p. Back into the arms of Kate Shugak. It took me a bit to process the death in the previous outing but it was handled well. Breakup, aka, Spring, a time of new beginnings in Alaska, or maybe more of the same amplified. Kate has more on her plate than usual, what with two bear encounters in the first few pages, a plane crash and a body turning up in the thaw a scant three miles from her homestead.

The Man Who Cast Two Shadow by Carol O'Connell (L)(M) 1996 336p. Mallory on the hunt for the killer of a woman at first thought to be Mallory herself. The act that set the murder into motion would have never occurred to me so the murder was a mystery until the denoument. Don't fall in love with Nose, the cat.

Killing Critics Carol O'Connell (L)(M) 1997 400p. Oooh, I thought that Nose was heartbreaking (albeit thankfully ambiguous). The murder victim and the eventual........well, not the killer. The killer was awful but the eventual discovery of the...accomplice, I suppose, was heartrending.

Jumper by Stephen Gould (L))(SF) 1992 352p. I've got to pick up the DVD, I have a feeling I'll like Hayden Christiansen better as Davy Rice than Stephen Gould's Davy came across in my imagination. A wee bit too weepy and clingy but it's not as if the boy doesn't have good reason. And oh, how I wish I had his ability.

The Stars Are My Destination by Alfred Bester (L)(SF) 1956 197p. I didn't love this one as much as I thought I would either but it sure was a wild entertaining yet thought provoking ride.

The Uncrowned King: The Sensation Rise of William Randolph Hearst (L)(B) 2009 466p. Provincial mouse that I am, I expected this to take place in San Francisco and San Simeon. It appears the boy had a life before and after the Examiner - one as a newspaper editor to be reckoned with in New York with his recently purchased Journal. He went up against such luminaries as Joseph Pulitzer and Charles Anderson Dana. I learned that I knew nothing about yellow journalism or the Spanish American War. I didn't even realize the Spanish American War was over Cuba. Gah.

Death Masks by Jim Butcher (L)(SF) 2003 378p. Harry Dresden! I knew I hadn't read Jim Butcher's last Harry book, Turn Coat, but I didn't realize I was missing three in the middle. This time out, Harry is facing a duel with a Count in the White Court, looking for the missing Shroud of Turin and tangling with various folks on both sides of Good Guy/Bad Guy.

Stone Angel by Carol O'Connell (L)(M) 1998 400p.  Mallory finally confronts the demons of her childhood and we find out what happened.

The Ministry of Pain by Dubravka Ugresic (L)(N) 2005 257p. Any book that starts with a poem from Marina Tsestaeva starts out on the right foot. It's an uncompromising look at Tanja Lucic, an emigre from the former Yugoslavic states, who has landed a teaching postition, and her students and their "new" life in Holland. Bleak, sure, but the author has an eye for phrasing and description.

I'm sure you'll all be happy to know, California, land of sunshine and movie stars, is broke and will be issuing IOU's.

I'd like to throw out every last legislator, Republican and Democrat alike.

Dudes, it's not your party, it's your STATE.

We're stuck with an extra 3 billion dollars of debt, thanks to the missed budget deadline.

I love that the special election, when we told them to find the money someplace other than police and firefighters, the elderly and the children, they read as "Oh, the voters don't want to decide" and not "Morons, some things have to be spent".

I mean, of course, other than their nifty car allowances and per diems.

Oooh, this just in. State parks can revert back to Federal holdings if the state doesn't keep them open so Angel Island and the top of Mt Diablo will stay parks. Hurray for the Feds!

(pictures: Cowell Smokestack from the top of Cowell Road, the view from the deck of the Pt Reyes Lodge, Pt Reyes beach, the trail to the Whale Watch at Pt Reyes Lighthouse, Point Reyes Lighthouse. Do you see that walkway down to it? THIRTY STORIES. Darn. It's not open on Tuesdays. It was Tuesday.)

(also pictured: the Trellis Lace washcloth and what Adrie calls my Fair Isle Finger Cot. See? Knitting. That's the stole, the stole that appears to be 50 inches wide. How long does that need to be to be a rectangle when it grows up?)

Hez says "This mouse looks tough but he sure is lazy. Is he a California legislator?"

Comments

[stephanie]

The whole IOU thing makes me so mad! And I don't even live there. Why did they take down the smoke stack? :(

[Cookie]

Our sheriff's department is laying off 200 deputies and gun sales are going through the roof. I'm staring to wonder if there's going to be much of a state left by the time this is over.

Kitty!

[Chris]

You do too much heavy reading. ;)

Yikes - IOUs?! Argh.

But, on the bright side, MN finally has a Senator, only 8 months after the election!

[Michelle]

Pretty sad day when Ca IOUs are worth less than the paper they're printed on. Come on California!

[Aarti]

California does seem to be in quicksand at the moment, doesn't it? At least your ex-governor didn't do a stint on every talk show in the country, saying that he is "flippin' innocent" of trying to sell Senator Obama's Senate seat... oh, American politics!

Your book review summaries are so enticing. What to read, what to read?

[Marina]

What's a "Finger Cot"? Thought it was a bit small to be a thingamajig ;-)

Thanks for the pics. One day I might knit the Pt. Reyes blanket!

[Becky]

Funny one, Hez! Lazy mousey legislators, indeed.

There has been some regret in the far, far north of Cali that we did not become the state of Jefferson when the petition was submitted to Congress back in the 1940s.

I like that washcloth. I haven't seen that pattern before.

[Jeanne]

Legislators are the same everywhere. Here, our governor forced a balance budget through using some obscure rule. But at least the budget is balanced. I've been watching some of your governor's earlier movies. Yes, I had never seen The Terminator.

[Jodi]

Hear, hear! I completely agree with you on Dissolution. It had come highly recommended to me, and your assessment of M. Shardlake is spot on.

Our budget here in IL isn't done yet, either. Sigh...

[Gale]

Gee that sounds bad. The IOU thing. We saw it on the news the other day and our jaws dropped.
Thanks for the book reviews. It makes going to the library that much easier. Being lazy, I'll just take your list.

[knitnana]

Ok..I presume you're giving the finger cot to the legislators and governator?
(((hugs)))

[Miss T]

Some of those books do not qualify as relaxing summer reading, I must note. :o)

[Amy]

Gosh, I'd sure love to take credit for introducing a good book, but I've never read the one you credited to me. :-)

Sorry about CA. We're so blindered here in MN but the Senate-election-we-thought-would-never-end that we can't think about anything else.

[deb]

Ahhhh - Point Reyes! At least your senator isn't a comedian!

[Lorraine]

Carrie- I hate to be political, but what can anyone expect from Arnold Schwarzeneggar?

I can't even spell his name.

[Kristi aka FiberFool]

The Kathy Mallory books sound really good. I shall have to add them to my every growing (faster than items get crossed off) reading list.

[Vermicious]

Love the Pt. Reyes lighthouse--the wind just whips out there at the point and makes me feel alive. Climbing back up isn't really that bad.
I can't think about the CA budget mess much more or I'll have a stroke.
And, now I need to check out the Dresden Files. How have I missed those?

[Julia]

I can fill you in on the Spanish American war if you like. It didn't last long, so don't feel bad about not knowing much. The real significance was about whether or not the US wanted to become a colonial power since European countries were grabbing parts of Africa and Asia. Don't get me started about the budget. I keep getting gloomy letters and emails from the teacher's union and I'm wondering if I'll have a job come Fall.

[Aim]

You've got some fun reading goin' I'd say. I'm havin' a blast me-self these days, reading and reading. Love your kitty, and your knittin', heh.

[Brigitte]

Yeah, that Henry VIII... quite the prima donna. Sounds like he was a bit of a control freak too, you think?

I read about the state being "broke". You're right - since when does being in public office qualify you to rock and roll all night and party all day??

I recognize that mouse... :D

[Amanda Cathleen]

ok, I need to go down to the library today and pick up some books.

[opal]

mmm. i love me some jim butcher.

[Stefanie]

Wow, all those books you've read recently! I have to get around to reading Ministry of Pain. I have it on my bookshelf just waiting for me. And I thought MN was lame with the Coleman/Franken thing that finally, finally! wrapped up this week, but the CA legislature takes the cake.

[Aim]

Carrie--The book's actual title is "Lost in the Yellowstone: Truman Everts's 'Thirty-Seven Days of Peril'" which is edited by Lee Whittlesey (I guess he's the Park Archivist at Yellowstone)...He's the same guy who wrote the other one! Happy reading.

[Sonya]

You are a reading machine! I love your FI finger cot.

I'm thinking of paying my bills with IOUs this month. If it's good enough for Cal., it's good enough for me. Seriously, how do they come up with these things?

[Mr. Cheddar]

LOL!!! Good one Hez. Im scared of mice. I might look tough but Im actually a big wimp. I even run when meowmie blows bubbles.

Headbonks, The Chedd

PS: DOn't tell anyone, ok!!!

[Literary Feline]

I love the backdrop to your photos, Carrie. There is something sad about seeing a well known landmark disappear, isn't there?

I'm sorry you were disappointed in Dissolution. I have Winter In Madrid sitting in my stack to read. I haven't yet met Matthew Shardlake though, so am not too familiar with him other than by name. I've heard great things about Dana Stabenow's writing. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try her books. I didn't know Jumper was based on a book. I haven't seen the movie yet, but it's in my netflix queue.

My employer's budget is tied to California's budget unfortunately. My union is going up against the board in negotiations right now for a new contract. It's not looking good. I'm trying not to dwell on it. Maybe I should go read a book.

[trek]

Love the land/seascape photos.

[Heather]

If the mouse gives IOUs, then definitely a rodent for the Californian persuasion.

[kmkat]

At our last county board meeting we voted on a resolution that, among other things, would have eliminated mileage for county board members. Guess what -- those members who are always voting against spending money for anything? They voted against eliminating their mileage. Grrrr. (I voted to eliminate it, but it was defeated by one vote.)

[Nora]

This is the best place to find good books to read! Thanks, Carrie!

[Jocelyn]

Oh, thank you SO much for the state legislator rant -- I can't express how cranky I am at the millions and millions of dollars wasted on special elections because our government won't do its job. Grrr... Meanwhile, it's looking like I'll be going on partial furlough in the fall (without a reduction in workload, which, last I checked, counts as a pay cut, right?). Sigh.

[puttermeister]

So many great books to think about reading now--I'm a sucker for anything remotely related to the Reformation, so you've given me some great choices to look into here. Perennial favorites of mine on the subject: Reformation, by Diamaid MacCulloch and Elizabeth and Mary, by Jane Dunn. I've been thinking about adding in book roundup entry to my own blog, and this inspires me to actually follow through.

It was a good day to find your legislator rant. Today, the CSU votes on whether or not to accept the proposed furloughs. Why aren't we voting to reduce the legislators' salaries instead, I wonder?

[Geraldine]

Just stopping in to say Hi, see what's new and send hugs your way to you and Hez. Tell Hez, Mitz has a new idea for a game. Peeing everywhere BUT the litter box. Having the boxes pristine clean, yeah...whatever!!!!

Not fun. Im glad we have a carpet cleaner. ;<)

Hugs Carrie, G

[Birdsong]

That news about the state parks sure makes me feel better about our stupid officials....thanks!

[Bookfool, aka Nancy]

And, people tell me I'm an eclectic reader. What an interesting bunch of books you'ver read recently! There was a point at which I thought The Stars My Destination was going to put me to sleep, but I loved the ending. That's what made the book for me.

I haven't read Jumper, but the movie was really disappointing, at least as far as the main character goes (there were things I liked about it). He was so arrogant and entitled. There was never a point at which I felt like he realized he'd actually been doing something wrong. So, I've been kind of hoping the book would be better. Sigh.

[Elspeth]

I've finally read almost enough to have a reading update! Yours look a bit more "difficult" than my "sexy mysteries" I read while on vacation, though ;)

[CarolyninAlaska]

WOW! That is one impressive smokestack.
My brother works as a legislative consultant and is getting a lot of days off right now... unpaid, unfortunately.