On this momentous day – eight hours and fifty-four minutes ago, to be exact – a very savvy and <i>very</i> kind woman named Lucy became the two hundredth person to follow my blog. Thank you, thank you. You’re too kind. I’m kinda psyched about it myself. Let’s do a little numbers crunching here: Donald Trump … Continue reading FAN MAIL FROM THE 200
Author: Brad
CATS WITH MANY TALES: The Misadventures of Ellery Queen
In their introduction to The Misadventures of Ellery Queen, their new collection of “pastiches, parodies and potpourri” featuring America’s favorite classic sleuth, co-editors Josh Pachter and Dale C. Andrews address three questions: Who is Ellery Queen? What is a pastiche? What is a parody? I’ll let you read their answer to the first question for … Continue reading CATS WITH MANY TALES: The Misadventures of Ellery Queen
THE GAMES AFOOT
Okay, kids, I want you to gather around your Uncle Brad - we’re going to play some games. No, Nero, you don’t need your phone for this. In fact, children, why don’t you all leave your phones in your jackets, and we’ll – yes, Harriet, you do have to put your phone away. I don’t … Continue reading THE GAMES AFOOT
#ME TOO MISS MARPLE: An Aged Feminist for Our Age
I’m not sleeping well. My heart is heavy. I blame the President. I know, I promised not to get political here. I’ll get to the books shortly. But the past year has been rough. I didn’t sign up to be a citizen under these conditions. If the current administration is making America greater, it’s also … Continue reading #ME TOO MISS MARPLE: An Aged Feminist for Our Age
GETTING CLOSER TO THE DREAM!
Almost exactly a year ago, I reported to you that I had enrolled in an evening course on Scandinavian crime fiction at Stanford University. If you follow my exploits with any regularity, you all know how that turned out! (above) The mood evoked when reading a Scandinavian crime novel. My professor was an extremely affable … Continue reading GETTING CLOSER TO THE DREAM!
A TIP OF THE HAT TO A REVERED BLOGGER
The picture at the top of this post is of Bernadette Bean, a noted blogger and booster of all things Australian, who has passed away. For many years, she ran her blog, Reactions to Reading, and if you go there, you realize instantly how deeply she loved the literary world and how much she knew. … Continue reading A TIP OF THE HAT TO A REVERED BLOGGER
FINDING MY XANAX AT 148 BONNY MEADOW ROAD
I’ve always been an anxious sort of person, but it really kicked in when I got to 5th grade. We had just moved back to California, and I enrolled in a school where all the other kids hated me. Oh, you can file this under paranoia, but fifteen years ago I met my wonderful 5th … Continue reading FINDING MY XANAX AT 148 BONNY MEADOW ROAD
AN APOLOGY – AND A REQUEST FOR CINEMATIC ASSISTANCE!
First of all, my friends, I want to apologize for being largely silent during the month of February. There are many reasons for that, and I won't go into any of them here. Suffice it to say, I'm here, get used to it! And I hope I will be publishing much more in the coming … Continue reading AN APOLOGY – AND A REQUEST FOR CINEMATIC ASSISTANCE!
FIGHTING THE FIFTH COLUMN, GAD STYLE – PART ONE: Christie’s N or M
Last year, moviegoers and Netflix subscribers (I count myself as both) were inundated with mid-20th century British history. Beginning with Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, followed by The Darkest Hour, which covered the same events from Churchill’s point of view (and assured its star, Gary Oldman, of an Oscar), continuing on to Season 2 of The Crown, … Continue reading FIGHTING THE FIFTH COLUMN, GAD STYLE – PART ONE: Christie’s N or M
ON MY THIRD READ OF CHRISTIE, THE BOOK I BOUGHT FOR ME: Three Blind Mice
When I began my Adventures with Agatha at the tender age of eleven and a half, I was pretty much flying blind. I had been led to And Then There Were None by the machinations of a brilliant babysitter, but after that I was on my own. There was no internet to look Christie up … Continue reading ON MY THIRD READ OF CHRISTIE, THE BOOK I BOUGHT FOR ME: Three Blind Mice
Ah Sweet Mystery! 