Dec. 16th, 2011

jacey: (Default)
Terry Pratchett: Snuff – Discworld #40
A Discworld Novel


I've been looking forward to another Sam Vimes book for the longest time and so as soon as I got my Kindle, this was my first purchase. I try not to buy hardbacks, so it was good that I could get this in e-format before the paperback release. It's a minor irritation, but Kindle doesn't handle Pratchett's footnotes very well. They are all lumped together at the end of the book, not at all easy to refer to as you go along. But that aside, this did not disappoint.

Sam Vimes is dragged off to the countryside by his wife Sybil for (she thinks) a much needed holiday, but Sam should have had his suspicions when Vetinari sanctioned the trip. To start off with Sam's not very happy. He doesn't do bucolic. He can't tell a bullfinch from a bull and doesn't particularly want to, but for young Sam's sake he'll grit his teeth, try country walks and a spot of fishing even if it kills him.

But Sam's policeman's nose isn't on holiday and he thinks he can smell a rat. It seems to be a truism that wherever there's a policeman there's a crime. The local law is a shambles with self-elected magistrates expecting the one and only constable to live quietly in their pocket. But Constable Feeny has the makings of a pretty good copper once Sam has licked him into shape and together they try and solve a murder which, in turn exposes a dark crime and a terrible injustice.

I've never read a Vimes book I didn't like but this one is particularly lovely for showing both Sam the family man and the darker Sam that understands the criminal mind because he has one himself.

There's a brief appearance by Vetinari and various members of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, but it's Willikins, Vimes' gentleman's gentleman who takes a turn as chief supporting character in this book, to great effect.

Highly recommended.
jacey: (Default)
Terry Pratchett: Snuff – Discworld #40
A Discworld Novel


I've been looking forward to another Sam Vimes book for the longest time and so as soon as I got my Kindle, this was my first purchase. I try not to buy hardbacks, so it was good that I could get this in e-format before the paperback release. It's a minor irritation, but Kindle doesn't handle Pratchett's footnotes very well. They are all lumped together at the end of the book, not at all easy to refer to as you go along. But that aside, this did not disappoint.

Sam Vimes is dragged off to the countryside by his wife Sybil for (she thinks) a much needed holiday, but Sam should have had his suspicions when Vetinari sanctioned the trip. To start off with Sam's not very happy. He doesn't do bucolic. He can't tell a bullfinch from a bull and doesn't particularly want to, but for young Sam's sake he'll grit his teeth, try country walks and a spot of fishing even if it kills him.

But Sam's policeman's nose isn't on holiday and he thinks he can smell a rat. It seems to be a truism that wherever there's a policeman there's a crime. The local law is a shambles with self-elected magistrates expecting the one and only constable to live quietly in their pocket. But Constable Feeny has the makings of a pretty good copper once Sam has licked him into shape and together they try and solve a murder which, in turn exposes a dark crime and a terrible injustice.

I've never read a Vimes book I didn't like but this one is particularly lovely for showing both Sam the family man and the darker Sam that understands the criminal mind because he has one himself.

There's a brief appearance by Vetinari and various members of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch, but it's Willikins, Vimes' gentleman's gentleman who takes a turn as chief supporting character in this book, to great effect.

Highly recommended.
jacey: (Default)
Michael Morpurgo: War Horse

I wanted to read this before the movie release, but now I have I almost wish I hadn't. I will still see the movie as I think this might be one instance of the movie having more general appeal than the book

It's a quick read, just 181 pages of well-spaced type, maybe not much more than 40,000 words and written for children of maybe 9 – 12. It's the story of the First World War as seen through the eyes of Joey, a strapping sixteen hand red bay horse who after a gentle upbringing on a Devon farm  is sold to a  Cavalry Captain and shipped to France.

We follow the twists and turns of Joey's life in the army, the incidents that put him on the wrong side of the barbed wire and into German hands and then finally bring him back home to the young man who raised him.

It's a nice cyclical story, and it clearly outlines the horrors of that war in a way that children will understand, but it doesn't quite do it for me. Maybe it's because the horse is anthopomorphised in true Black Beauty fashion and there's a fair amount of sentimentality. True it's beautifully written. The style is unobtrusively elegant and I admit that I would probably have lapped this up as a child.

M<ust remember to take a whole box of tissues to the cinema, though, this could well be a three hankie weepie.
jacey: (Default)
Michael Morpurgo: War Horse

I wanted to read this before the movie release, but now I have I almost wish I hadn't. I will still see the movie as I think this might be one instance of the movie having more general appeal than the book

It's a quick read, just 181 pages of well-spaced type, maybe not much more than 40,000 words and written for children of maybe 9 – 12. It's the story of the First World War as seen through the eyes of Joey, a strapping sixteen hand red bay horse who after a gentle upbringing on a Devon farm  is sold to a  Cavalry Captain and shipped to France.

We follow the twists and turns of Joey's life in the army, the incidents that put him on the wrong side of the barbed wire and into German hands and then finally bring him back home to the young man who raised him.

It's a nice cyclical story, and it clearly outlines the horrors of that war in a way that children will understand, but it doesn't quite do it for me. Maybe it's because the horse is anthopomorphised in true Black Beauty fashion and there's a fair amount of sentimentality. True it's beautifully written. The style is unobtrusively elegant and I admit that I would probably have lapped this up as a child.

M<ust remember to take a whole box of tissues to the cinema, though, this could well be a three hankie weepie.
jacey: (Default)
Or: You can fool some of the people some of the time... or not

This is a story BB's first (teaching) boss, Bob Stopforth, used to tell against himself. Bob is long gone, but the story is too good to let go and we've shared it with many people over the years..

Bob went through World War 2 as a paratrooper. He survived Arnhem and went into teaching in Liverpool. (Some may say being able to survive Arnhem was a prerequisite.) His first job was in a junior school, an old traditional school building with a small belfry on the roof above the hall. Knowing his war history the head asked him (for the Christmas assembly) to dress as Father Christmas, climb up the building on the outside and descend into the hall on a rope from the trap door in the ceiling, carrying a sack of toys..

So red-suited, false-bearded and white-wigged, and with a cushion stuffed up the front of his outfit, Bob dutifully shouldered the toys and scaled the building (no Elf and safety in those days), made it  to the belfry, waited for the appropriate lull in the carol singing below and opened the trap door.

He stuck his head through and in his best cheery voice said, 'Ho-ho-ho! Hello children!"

And 120 faces looked up and chorused, 'Hello, Mr. Stopforth.'
jacey: (Default)
Or: You can fool some of the people some of the time... or not

This is a story BB's first (teaching) boss, Bob Stopforth, used to tell against himself. Bob is long gone, but the story is too good to let go and we've shared it with many people over the years..

Bob went through World War 2 as a paratrooper. He survived Arnhem and went into teaching in Liverpool. (Some may say being able to survive Arnhem was a prerequisite.) His first job was in a junior school, an old traditional school building with a small belfry on the roof above the hall. Knowing his war history the head asked him (for the Christmas assembly) to dress as Father Christmas, climb up the building on the outside and descend into the hall on a rope from the trap door in the ceiling, carrying a sack of toys..

So red-suited, false-bearded and white-wigged, and with a cushion stuffed up the front of his outfit, Bob dutifully shouldered the toys and scaled the building (no Elf and safety in those days), made it  to the belfry, waited for the appropriate lull in the carol singing below and opened the trap door.

He stuck his head through and in his best cheery voice said, 'Ho-ho-ho! Hello children!"

And 120 faces looked up and chorused, 'Hello, Mr. Stopforth.'

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