Archive Entries for October 2017
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Tuesday October 31, 2017
Books in October
- Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie
The second book of short stories in the Grantchester mysteries written
in 2013, set in 1955/61. By now it is clear how much the "Granchester"
TV series has diverged from the books. Here Sidney makes up his mind
about his love life - after only 10 years it appears, if my arithmetic
is correct. Clearly he has some lasting connection with Amanda but it
does not seem able to be translated into the sort of life together that
a clergyman could feasibly have.
- The Perils of the Night (January 1955)
- Love and Arson (August)
- Unholy Week (Good Friday)
- The Hat Trick (a Saturday in mid May)
- The Uncertainty Principle (April 1961)
- Appointment in Berlin (July)
- Cast Iron by Peter May
At last I have read it - the final book in the Enzo series.
Excellent as I expected.
All the more so as the answer to the whole enigma was "pretty obvious". I must say I do like all the clues to be hiding in plain site - it means the plot is totally feasible - not riddled with red herrings or information that you were never told ["ah - I 'ave been so blind - an imbecile" etc].
Much anticipating his next book, wherever that takes us. - The Girl in the Spiders Web and .. Who Takes an eye for an Eye
by David Lagercrantz
[read by Saul Reichlin]
So these are the 4th and 5th novels in the Millennium series, focusing
on the characters Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. It's not written
by the series' creator and author of the first three Millennium books,
Stieg Larsson, as he died of a heart attack in 2004 - before they were
released I think.
I was interested enough to read (listen to) them but despite the author saying he did not seek to imitate Larsson's style, they retain many aspects of the detailed and rather dull style of the originals. One thing I did note is that apparently Lagercrantz did not like or understand Blomkvist's apparent magnetic attraction for all women and he "tried to tone it down" - which I can only applaud; I have to say I thought much of the original plots were some kind of ageing journo's fantasies with respect to success with women as well as getting the "perfect" scoop.
A second interesting point is that apparently Larsson's partner, possesses an unfinished fourth manuscript of the Millennium series - which would be interesting. I guess it needs editing - although in my opinion, the first 3 could have done with a bit more editing before publication. - Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery by Francis Durbridge
Returning from America by ocean liner, the Temples enjoy the company of their fellow passengers, only to find one of them dead the next morning - and when Paul and Steve get home to London, Sir Graham is waiting to plunge them into one of their most thrilling and dangerous adventures, the pursuit of a ruthless international gang of counterfeiters. As knives fly and bombs explode, the key to the puzzle seems to lie in a coin on the end of a watch-chain...
This was a new production for BBC Radio 4 starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson, using the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the original incidental music from an original lost archive 1949 production. As far as possible, it is a technical and stylistic replica of how that production might have sounded had its recording survived. - A Case for Paul Temple by Francis Durbridge
After listening to the above - I had something of a Paul Temple fest - with the same series of re-recorded productions, starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson, using the original scripts etc. from this missing 1946 production.
Post-war London is buzzing with speculation about the deaths of ten young drug addicts within the space of just one week. The police are desperate to cut off supplies of heroin and cocaine to the capital, but they are struggling. So Sir Graham Forbes turns to Paul Temple. By fast car and police launch, on deserted houseboats and midnight beaches, in dodgy East End pubs and smart West End restaurants, braving booby traps, bullets and blazing houses, Paul and Steve pursue the ruthless and feared drug dealer known only as 'Valentine'. - Paul Temple and Steve by Francis Durbridge
Enlisted by Sir Graham Forbes of Scotland Yard to help track down the mysterious Dr Belasco, Paul and Steve find clues in cigarette lighters and bodies in shrubberies, dance the night away in louche Latin American night clubs, meet sinister manservants and suspicious foreigners, and have their lives threatened at every turn. Just as well Steve remembered to bring along her revolver as well as her ration book...
This yet another new production for BBC Radio 4 starring Crawford Logan and Gerda Stevenson and using the original scripts, vintage sound effects and much of the incidental music from the missing 1947 production.
- Paul Temple Intervenes by Francis Durbridge
Now this recording is the original - broadcast on the 30th October 1942, and apparently it is the oldest full length drama to remain in the BBC archives. It stars Carl Bernard as Paul Temple and and Bernadette Hodgson as Steve.
The murder of well-known American Myron Harwood, found dead in a small country lane, heralds the start of a series of celebrity murders. Each time, the body is found with a small, square piece of white cardboard bearing the inscription 'The Marquis'. When the eighth victim, a girl, is picked out of the river with the same card attached to her dress, a note from Paul Temple is delivered to Sir Graham Forbes. The message reads: 'Is it true what they say about Rita?' Rita Cartwright was a private detective investigating the Marquis murders - and now she too has ended up dead. With the police baffled and the Home Secretary specially requesting his involvement, Paul Temple has no choice but to intervene...
Even more interesting to me is that this clearly is a very early recording - a different kind of production altogether then the later series (with Peter Coke), and it is the basis for the later 1947 production Paul Temple and Steve discussed above. The Marquis became Dr Belasco and apart from a gender change of some characters, the general sequence and plotting is the same.
Posted on October 31, 2017 at 11:21 PM. Category: Books of the Month.
Halloween
I finally made it to iKnit about a week before Gerard moves his main shop to Liverpool!
It's a shame he has to close his doors down south - it sounds as thought the new premises are going to work well - and he is retaining his workshop down here and plans to keep some kind of base but not sure yet how it will pan out.
However it was a very jolly party despite the farewells - and there will be another at Christmas - but unfortunately I can't make that date.
Posted on October 31, 2017 at 10:34 PM. Category: Knitting and Crochet.
Saturday October 28, 2017
Lewes WSD Open Day
I decided to go to the Lewes Guild open day on my own this year (no coach trip available). I went by train and it was pretty successful as an outing. The show itself did not seem to have quite the pizzazz of previous years but they did have a lot of crafts and demos for people to try out - which is a good thing to go for.
As usual I entered the raffle for a wonderful handwoven scarf - but failed to bag a prize!
Tempted by the signs I had passed while running up and down the high street looking for the Town Hall, I paid a visit to Anne of Cleves house.
I chose to walk down Keere Street, (apparently also known as Scare Hill), as it looked so picturesque with its cobbles, Grade II listed buildings, and sharp downhill drop. It seems it is famous for the legend that the future George IV once drove a coach and four down the street to reach Southover Grange.
Anne of Cleves house itself is also very picturesque although she not only never lived there but never even visited it - just part of a divorce property deal. It sounds like an excellent museum but as I had so little time before my train, (and its not a National Trust property) I only viewed it from the outside.
Posted on October 28, 2017 at 7:00 PM. Category: Days Out.
Saturday October 14, 2017
Murder in Petersfield
My sister got us all tickets for the Winton Players' production of Murder on the Nile at Petersfield. It's a 1944 play by Christie based on her 1937 book Death on the Nile, with Hercule Poirot air-brushed out, and the cast of characters much reduced.
I think this is a very hard plot to stage - and almost impossible to believe ever being carried through in reality - although that did not deter the well-known attempts with Peter Ustinov and David Suchet.
Anyway - this was a splendid production. I could find only a couple of pictures of them in rehearsal, which is a shame as the finished set was an absolute delight, being both beautiful to look at as well as evoking the right climate and period feel.
Posted on October 14, 2017 at 11:50 PM. Category: Art and Culture. | Comments (0)
Friday October 13, 2017
Knitting and Stitching at Alexandra Palace
At last Alison and I went to Alexandra Palace together and I had such a good time I failed to take any pictures!
I did actually buy stuff this year though - a few minor things on a "list" (shirring elastic) - and some spontaneous buys egged on by Alison. She bought a retro pattern with "French darts" - which turn out to be very flattering apparently. We saw the dress made up in "bark cloth" (all new terms to me - and I thought I knew everything!), and so she also bought some of that - and of course made her dress up at home the very next day...
These items were all sold by the Eternal Maker who are based in Chichester and seem pretty well known now.
I was seduced by a Danish company's pattern for a very simple coat and scarf - they persuaded me to have the pattern although the size was too large ("easily altered" they said - which rather made me think that in fact pretty easy to create the entire design without a pattern but not really what I wanted to do!). I bought fabric from Mr Rosenberg* (as I do every year..) and have been dreaming of the outfit with a Rowan pattern scarf ever since.
[* Mr Rosenberg engaged me in a jovial debate about how much fabric to buy - engaging his entire family in the discussion..... almost as if he knows I never buy enough...].
Posted on October 13, 2017 at 11:06 AM. Category: Days Out.
Thursday October 12, 2017
The Real Thing
The poster makes this look like some Tennessee Williams play with hot steamy Southern nights filled with passion and longing. The play is rather far from that - and the way I see it is a simplistic view of an intellectual who thought he was above all that love stuff - describing and writing about love with wit and cynicism. During the play we see him made to care.
A nice tale with a moral. However the actual play... words and so on... are of course all wonderful Stoppard - full of wit and cynicism (in a Good Way). The speeches tumble out so fast* that my slow brain needed to be at its sharpest to keep up; in future maybe I need to read the script in advance as one does with Shakespeare!
* Rob was not enjoying it much by the interval and when I asked why said it was the "delivery" which I think was the same problem - but I have also read people complain that the large stage at the Rose give issues with audibility.
Posted on October 12, 2017 at 11:01 AM. Category: Art and Culture.
