Monsieur Pamplemousse Omnibus Volume 3 by Michael Bond
Monsieur Pamplemousse Stands Firm
Monsieur Pamplemousse on Location
Monsieur Pamplemousse Takes the Train
This omnibus edition contains three full novels in one volume. I read all three novels before reviewing them altogether. I could have read the novels one at a time, but I do not like to leave books unfinished, and reading the novels one at a time felt too much like leaving an unfinished book.
First though, yes, this Michael Bond is exactly the same as the Michael Bond who is the author of the Paddington Bear series. And in all honesty, I have only read one Paddington Bear book, but I have seen the animated shorts featuring Paddington. I shall have to search out more of the books, because I understand he is a very good bear, even if he gets things all a bit jumbled before he works them out.
Monsieur Pamplemousse is a series of mysteries, well not even really mysteries, as the mysterious situations are really never "solved." The books are much more a collection of humorous events in Monsieur Pamplemousse's life. Many of the situations are not of his creating, exactly, but more often than not set into motion by the Director of Le Guide, the hotel and restaurant review publication for which Monsieur Pamplemousse works. Most of the situations are ridiculous and made even more so when the back story of Monsieur Pamplemousse's early retirement from the Paris police force is mentioned. I shall not spoil any of the books by telling this bit, though it is mentioned, if never adequately explained, in every novel.
As I said, this is not a series of serious novels, and was never intended to be. You simply cannot expect a series of novels with the main characters named Mister Grapefruit and French Fries to be serious or heavy reading. Ohh, yes, I forgot to mention my favorite character in the novels. If the situations are more often than not set into motion by the Director, they are usually brought to a successful conclusion by the actions of Monsieur Pamplemousse's faithful bloodhound, Pommes Frites. Pommes Frites is a former police dog, and while not the swiftest thinker of dogs, he is very deliberate and thorough. He usually figures out the situation long before Monsieur Pamplemousse. Every novel needs a character like Pommes Frites.
Monsieur Pamplemousse Stands Firm is set in a town on the northern French Atlantic coast and revolves around the recovery of works of art stolen and hidden by the Germans during their occupation of France. Well, that's the back story anyway. Like most of the other Monsieur Pamplemousse books, the back story is merely a plot device to set Monsieur Pamplemousse in motion and to engage him in as many comedic compromising situations as possible. This one had a particularly fun scene involving a hat and a walk through town. It was definitely a fun episode.
Monsieur Pamplemousse on Location has Monsieur Pamplemousse serving as the culinary consultant to a series of commercials based on the Bible for a newly introduced perfume. The situations in this episode actually involve the Director and not Monsieur Pamplemousse, but he still has to extricate the Director from the dicey situation. It's nice to see the Director in strife because of his plans. It was a great adventure! I do wish I could see the commercials though. I would love to be able to see perfume commercials based on the Bible!
Monsieur Pamplemousse Takes the Train is set on Monsieur Pamplemousse's home-turf in Paris, and it's nice to see both him and Pommes Frites at home. The premise of this episode is that Monsieur Pamplemousse must escort the Director's niece from Rome to Paris for her school holidays. Hilarity ensues when Monsieur Pamplemousse and Pommes Frites lose the young lady and are then under threat from the Director's Uncle Caputo. It's a great episode in the series and does not disappoint as an excellent escape from reality.
I would highly recommend the Monsieur Pamplemousse series, and this omnibus edition is perfect for packing three books one one trip. It is a bit unwieldy without a table or other ledge on which to rest the large tome, but it's worth it for the three-in-one aspect. My only real complaint is that the proofreader seems to have lost their place in a few sections of a couple of the novels. It's a bit hard to forgive, but still it's definitely worth the time!
One Bear's Opinion: Four cups of tea with yummy pain au chocolat, three times over
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
One Bear's Opinion -- Book Series Review
Lady Arianna Regency Mysteries by Andrea Penrose
Sweet Revenge
The Cocoa Conspiracy
Recipe for Treason
I am reviewing this series in its entirety rather than one book at a time because I think it is very important to read the whole series. The main mystery carries through the three books, but the backstory is not recapitulated in the second and third books, so if you come to the series late, you are lost. Each book has an independent mystery, but the main focus carries through from the first to the third book.
I wish I could say I thoroughly enjoyed the books, but the truth is I did not. They had good parts, not the least of which are the chocolate recipes at the beginning of each chapter. There were some good scenes, but on the whole the books seemed both overlong and too short all at the same time.
It is obvious that the author did some research, but not enough to truly understand the scandals or science on which she based her mysteries. The fact that she never actually explains the scandal, just refers to it in vague terms is a big indication that she does not understand it herself. And while I applaud using the South Sea Bubble as a basis for the mystery, if the author can only repeat the Wikipedia highlights, it really leaves a bad feeling in the mouths of readers who actually do understand the scandal.
In the notes for the third book, the author admits that she does not have a complete understanding of the science involved in the plot, but loved the idea of using real people as characters and needed a plot that would allow them to be part of the action. And that is fair enough; history is full of characters in search of an author. But they need an author who can do their expertise justice, not one who wants to pepper historical fiction with real, if somewhat obscure, people.
Further to my skepticism of the author's research, even though the author cites a couple of sources indicating that chocolate was available in certain high-end, luxury shops in Paris at the time, I have serious doubts that chocolate was as widely available as is portrayed in and around London at the time. It certain flies in the face of history of Cadbury I read not long ago. Even if it were available, it would certainly be prohibitively expensive for anyone but the very rich. I also doubt that the author has ever lived in any country but the US, and does not have a fair grasp of the workings of imports and exports to other countries. Even in a modern world products are not as easily available as the author indicates they would be 200 years ago when distribution was much more difficult.
I feel all I have to say about this series is nitpicking. And I am sorry about that. But on the whole, I was disappointed by this series. It had such potential, but fell far short of realizing even a bit of that. I would say, if you are thinking about this series, to give it a pass. There are far better Regency Period mysteries out there -- I suggest Rosemary Stevens' Beau Brummell series or Kate Ross' Julian Kestrel series. While neither of those have the chocolate connection, both are better researched and better formulated and plotted mysteries than Ms. Penrose's series.
One Bear's Opinion: One cup of lukewarm chocolate-infused tea
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Sweet Revenge
The Cocoa Conspiracy
Recipe for Treason
I am reviewing this series in its entirety rather than one book at a time because I think it is very important to read the whole series. The main mystery carries through the three books, but the backstory is not recapitulated in the second and third books, so if you come to the series late, you are lost. Each book has an independent mystery, but the main focus carries through from the first to the third book.
I wish I could say I thoroughly enjoyed the books, but the truth is I did not. They had good parts, not the least of which are the chocolate recipes at the beginning of each chapter. There were some good scenes, but on the whole the books seemed both overlong and too short all at the same time.
It is obvious that the author did some research, but not enough to truly understand the scandals or science on which she based her mysteries. The fact that she never actually explains the scandal, just refers to it in vague terms is a big indication that she does not understand it herself. And while I applaud using the South Sea Bubble as a basis for the mystery, if the author can only repeat the Wikipedia highlights, it really leaves a bad feeling in the mouths of readers who actually do understand the scandal.
In the notes for the third book, the author admits that she does not have a complete understanding of the science involved in the plot, but loved the idea of using real people as characters and needed a plot that would allow them to be part of the action. And that is fair enough; history is full of characters in search of an author. But they need an author who can do their expertise justice, not one who wants to pepper historical fiction with real, if somewhat obscure, people.
Further to my skepticism of the author's research, even though the author cites a couple of sources indicating that chocolate was available in certain high-end, luxury shops in Paris at the time, I have serious doubts that chocolate was as widely available as is portrayed in and around London at the time. It certain flies in the face of history of Cadbury I read not long ago. Even if it were available, it would certainly be prohibitively expensive for anyone but the very rich. I also doubt that the author has ever lived in any country but the US, and does not have a fair grasp of the workings of imports and exports to other countries. Even in a modern world products are not as easily available as the author indicates they would be 200 years ago when distribution was much more difficult.
I feel all I have to say about this series is nitpicking. And I am sorry about that. But on the whole, I was disappointed by this series. It had such potential, but fell far short of realizing even a bit of that. I would say, if you are thinking about this series, to give it a pass. There are far better Regency Period mysteries out there -- I suggest Rosemary Stevens' Beau Brummell series or Kate Ross' Julian Kestrel series. While neither of those have the chocolate connection, both are better researched and better formulated and plotted mysteries than Ms. Penrose's series.
One Bear's Opinion: One cup of lukewarm chocolate-infused tea
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
One Bear's Opinion -- Book Review
The Cat Next Door by Marian Babson
Marian Babson's books always surprise me. I have read quite a few, and with each new one, I remember that I really like them and should read more. Usually I stop at just one though, so I get to have that surprise each time.
The Cat Next Door is one of the many books that were retitled for the American market. Originally this book was published as Deadly Deceit and frankly that is a far better title. It appears to me that publishers of books in the US, especially mystery books, have to have a unifying theme for the "series." Whether the hook is the detective's hobby, the detective's business, the setting, or some other connection, every mystery book is described as a "something or other mystery." There are chef mysteries, teacher mysteries, librarian mysteries, mom mysteries, crafting mysteries, tea shop mysteries, dog mysteries, vampire mysteries, Regency mysteries, Jane Austen mysteries, the list goes on and on and on. I fully expect to see series of "One Eyed, Left-Handed, Vegan, Wedding Planner Werewolf" mysteries on the shelf the next time I'm in a bookstore.
Admittedly, I read many mysteries, and many mystery series with such dubious series descriptions. But Marian Babson's books are not one of those. If only because Marian Babson's books are not a series in the way the word is traditionally understood. Marian Babson authored some 40 books, and of those, maybe 10 or 12 make up a couple of series. The rest of her works are independent books, with no character, location, or plot cross-over or continuation.
I think the books have all been retitled for the US market, highlighting the "cat" aspect so that they can be marketed as a "series." This is a disservice to both the author, whose works can surely stand on their own, and to the reader, as it gives the impression that the books are connected in some way. They are not. And what's more, the cats in the titles usually have very little to do with the mystery. They are most often merely house-pets that are mentioned in passing, simply characters who pop and in out of the story as they float in and out of the main characters' days.
That was certainly the case here. The title cat, a registered purebred Abyssinian cat named Tickety-Boo, called Tikki, was the family's pet, who had decided to move in next door for the duration of the plot events. Beyond that, the cat had no real role in the story. His scenes could have been completely removed and the book would have been no different. So calling the book The Cat Next Door is quite misleading.
Anyway, the mystery was quite good. Like all Marian Babson books I've read, the first two-thirds of the book is background information, situation set-up, and plot exposition. Many readers get frustrated by this, but I find it interesting. By the time that the actual murder occurs, I am usually so wrapped up in the back-story that it makes it difficult to figure out the killer. And in my mind, that is what makes a good mystery. For this one, I was pleased by the mystery, but there were some points made in the back-story that I wish the author had flushed out, so I was a bit disappointed by plot twists that went nowhere.
Overall, it was a very good book, and reminded me why I like Marian Babson's books so much and that I really should read more of them.
One Bear's Opinion: Four cups of tea in a window seat with a purring cat on an autumn afternoon
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Marian Babson's books always surprise me. I have read quite a few, and with each new one, I remember that I really like them and should read more. Usually I stop at just one though, so I get to have that surprise each time.
The Cat Next Door is one of the many books that were retitled for the American market. Originally this book was published as Deadly Deceit and frankly that is a far better title. It appears to me that publishers of books in the US, especially mystery books, have to have a unifying theme for the "series." Whether the hook is the detective's hobby, the detective's business, the setting, or some other connection, every mystery book is described as a "something or other mystery." There are chef mysteries, teacher mysteries, librarian mysteries, mom mysteries, crafting mysteries, tea shop mysteries, dog mysteries, vampire mysteries, Regency mysteries, Jane Austen mysteries, the list goes on and on and on. I fully expect to see series of "One Eyed, Left-Handed, Vegan, Wedding Planner Werewolf" mysteries on the shelf the next time I'm in a bookstore.
Admittedly, I read many mysteries, and many mystery series with such dubious series descriptions. But Marian Babson's books are not one of those. If only because Marian Babson's books are not a series in the way the word is traditionally understood. Marian Babson authored some 40 books, and of those, maybe 10 or 12 make up a couple of series. The rest of her works are independent books, with no character, location, or plot cross-over or continuation.
I think the books have all been retitled for the US market, highlighting the "cat" aspect so that they can be marketed as a "series." This is a disservice to both the author, whose works can surely stand on their own, and to the reader, as it gives the impression that the books are connected in some way. They are not. And what's more, the cats in the titles usually have very little to do with the mystery. They are most often merely house-pets that are mentioned in passing, simply characters who pop and in out of the story as they float in and out of the main characters' days.
That was certainly the case here. The title cat, a registered purebred Abyssinian cat named Tickety-Boo, called Tikki, was the family's pet, who had decided to move in next door for the duration of the plot events. Beyond that, the cat had no real role in the story. His scenes could have been completely removed and the book would have been no different. So calling the book The Cat Next Door is quite misleading.
Anyway, the mystery was quite good. Like all Marian Babson books I've read, the first two-thirds of the book is background information, situation set-up, and plot exposition. Many readers get frustrated by this, but I find it interesting. By the time that the actual murder occurs, I am usually so wrapped up in the back-story that it makes it difficult to figure out the killer. And in my mind, that is what makes a good mystery. For this one, I was pleased by the mystery, but there were some points made in the back-story that I wish the author had flushed out, so I was a bit disappointed by plot twists that went nowhere.
Overall, it was a very good book, and reminded me why I like Marian Babson's books so much and that I really should read more of them.
One Bear's Opinion: Four cups of tea in a window seat with a purring cat on an autumn afternoon
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Eurovision 2013: A Novice's Take
We were asked by our friend Tigger, who has gone Eurovision Crazy, if he could do a guest post reviewing the famous song multinational song contest. We admit that we are not quite as gung-ho for the silliness as he is, but we decided it would be rude to deny him this platform.
Oliver & Spencer
Hello Everyone!
Thank you for having me over to review Eurovision 2013 Song Contest from Malmö, Sweden. I have been watching the festivities courtesy of the SBS television network and it has been an eye-opening experience.
My friends could classify me as the most fun-loving character they know, and I would not take offense at that description. And as Spencer says, Eurovision was made for folks like me. I think it is supposed to be a serious competition, and some entries treat it that way, but some just have fun with it. It's those entries that I think are the best representation of the contest.
(Aside: I am watching the final as I compose this post, so it may be interrupted with live-at-the-time observations.)
My housemate, Oliver and I took a cruise of the Baltic in 2000 and we had calls at the ports of: Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Visby. When the tour guide in Tallinn asked where else the cruise was calling, and was told the next ports of call, she commented "Well at least you have a happy port after the depressing ones of Tallinn and St. Petersburg." That was exactly how I felt after the second night. At least we had the second night's fun to counteract the first night's melancholy.
I much prefer the thumbs up or thumbs down voting. I think over both Semi-Finals I only gave three acts thumbs down. It felt like I was being mean unless it was a case of sure and certain channel changing when the song came on. It's much nicer to be able to say yes or no to each, rather than having to leave someone deserving out. I'm so glad my votes don't really count, despite the fun I've had trying to figure it out.
Time for nibbles. My housemates got some nice cheese and crackers for nibbles with the Final, and they have a bottle of Moscato, but I'm not sure I'll have any of that.
(Aside: I think this is the longest thing I have ever composed and written already and we are only eight songs into the Final!)
I can't say I like the behind-the-scenes bits in between the acts, but I can see the fun in them.
It's time for the last song of the night, and the contest. It is also the last of the butterfly-flags to mark each entry. Those were some of the best artwork of the night. And the butterfly for Israel (in Semi-Final #1) was great, with the stylized Star of David. I'd love to get a book of just those; they were very nice artwork and would make a great collage for a hallway or other long blank wall.
Keep bouncing everyone,
Tigger.
Oliver & Spencer
Hello Everyone!
Thank you for having me over to review Eurovision 2013 Song Contest from Malmö, Sweden. I have been watching the festivities courtesy of the SBS television network and it has been an eye-opening experience.
My friends could classify me as the most fun-loving character they know, and I would not take offense at that description. And as Spencer says, Eurovision was made for folks like me. I think it is supposed to be a serious competition, and some entries treat it that way, but some just have fun with it. It's those entries that I think are the best representation of the contest.
(Aside: I am watching the final as I compose this post, so it may be interrupted with live-at-the-time observations.)
Song 01, France: Amandine Bourgeois - L'enfer Et Moi: nothing special, definitely would not get my vote.The first night (Semi-Final #1) was, as a housemate described, "pretty austere" and made me wonder if my first experience of Eurovision would be my last. I'm not sure it was not a product of the austerity measures all over Europe, but it was generally depressing, and truly only had one fun act, and one worthy of my best bounces.
Song 02, Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis - Something: eh, again, nothing special, but had a few bouncy bits
Song 03, Moldova: Aliona Moon - O Mie: the special effects on the dress were the best partThe second night (Semi-Final #2) was much better and much more fun for those of us who wanted to be happy and have a good time watching the silliness. There were many more chances for bounces, and there was a much happier tone, even from traditionally depressed countries.
My housemate, Oliver and I took a cruise of the Baltic in 2000 and we had calls at the ports of: Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Visby. When the tour guide in Tallinn asked where else the cruise was calling, and was told the next ports of call, she commented "Well at least you have a happy port after the depressing ones of Tallinn and St. Petersburg." That was exactly how I felt after the second night. At least we had the second night's fun to counteract the first night's melancholy.
Song 04, Finland: Krista Siegfrids - Marry Me: maximum bounce-ability! this is a fun, fun song; and I really don't get the controversy about the end.
Song 05, Spain: ESDM - Contigo Hasta El Final (With You Until The End): eh, I can take or leave it, there is nothing stand-out special (funny host comment: nothing says Spain quite like bagpipes.)
Song 06, Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa - Love Kills: I remember him from the other night; he wasn't bad, but definitely had a boy-band feelBoth Semi-Finals the television station broadcasting the event here in Australia offered on-line voting. I had fun checking thumbs up or thumbs down for each act, but had a really tough time deciding to whom to award my three final votes.
Song 07, Estonia: Birgit - Et Uus Saaks Alguse: I really don't get the black & white aspect at the beginning of the song, surely that is only for the viewers at home, it would be impossible to pull off in the stadium. But other than that, it was not bad, and certainly something I can hear as restaurant background music (and I do not mean that in a bad way).I had trouble deciding how to allocate my votes for both Semi-Finals, but for different reasons. The first night seemed to have nothing but melancholy, depressing acts, while the second night had an overabundance of fun and bouncy acts. It was a case of feast or famine from one night to the next. Tonight, in the final I am having an equally hard time as I can only award 3 votes over 26 entries!!!
Song 08, Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya - Solayoh: One of the few bouncy songs from the first night, definitely a fun entry.Hmm. I wonder why they took away the live music aspect and have the groups singing to backing tracks now. It would be nicer to have live musicians, and it would put more people to work in Europe.
I much prefer the thumbs up or thumbs down voting. I think over both Semi-Finals I only gave three acts thumbs down. It felt like I was being mean unless it was a case of sure and certain channel changing when the song came on. It's much nicer to be able to say yes or no to each, rather than having to leave someone deserving out. I'm so glad my votes don't really count, despite the fun I've had trying to figure it out.
Time for nibbles. My housemates got some nice cheese and crackers for nibbles with the Final, and they have a bottle of Moscato, but I'm not sure I'll have any of that.
(Aside: I think this is the longest thing I have ever composed and written already and we are only eight songs into the Final!)
Song 09, Malta: Gianluca - Tomorrow: Hands down my favorite so far! It's so fun and bouncy. happy and joyful. I'd love to have this on cd to bounce along to. And the performers seem so happy to be there.
Song 10, Russia: Dina Garipova - What If: It's a nice song, but honestly this felt and looked very much like Russia, a bit plain and monochrome, and a lot depressing and unhappy. Definitely not my favorite of the night.
Song 11, Germany: Cascada - Glorious: new act for Final night. It has a Spice Girls feel to me, not my favorite, despite the dance- and bounce-ability. Sorry, Germany.The television station also has a Live Chat feature along with the voting. I do not like it, mostly because most of the comments are mean-spirited. There is no need for that, and if you don't like the act, take the lesson from Thumper in Bambi: "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing [anything] at all." (well, take the lesson in proper English, without the double negative.)
Song 12, Armenia: Dorians - Lonely Planet: This entry has a stadium-rock feel, not terrible, but not the best entry of the night either.
Song 13, The Netherlands: Anouk - Birds: This was another of depressing songs from the first night. I would like it more if it were happier.I realize that I am overly happy and excited, and want everyone to share my excitement at each moment of life. I know that not everyone does, and that's why there are many different choices. But I do hope no-one gets the idea that I am being mean to anyone. Each and every performer, even the ones I do not like as much deserve applause if only for the effort of getting out on stage. That's part of the reason the Live Chat feature makes me so mad. It's one thing to make constructive comments, but it's completely different to just be mean.
Song 14, Romania: Cezar - It's My Life: This was one of the most interesting entries of the Song Contest. Cezar's voice is fantastic and deserves every second of applause, but I think this would be better suited in an opera rather than a pop-music contest.Nibbles break. I'd love to share my cheese and crackers with you, but I'm not partaking of the wine. My housemates say I am plenty bouncy enough without help.
I can't say I like the behind-the-scenes bits in between the acts, but I can see the fun in them.
Song 15, United Kingdom: Bonnie Tyler - Believe In Me: new song for tonight. It's a Bonnie Tyler song, which is good because it is Bonnie Tyler, but I can't say much more.
Song 16, Sweden: Robin Stjernberg - You: new tonight, and the host country. Much cheering in the stadium. I really don't know what to say about this entry. I want to like it, but it just falls a bit flat of favorite status.However the cheese and crackers are very nice -- we have a trilogy of sun-dried tomato, summer herbs and sharp cheddar, and a very nice buttery creamy, soft cheese, the name of which I cannot remember. Ohh and some nice whole wheat crackers with seeds and some rosemary & sea salt lavash.
Song 17, Hungary: ByeAlex - Kedvesem: Aside from the grunge-holdover costumes, there is nothing I do not like about this song. Definitely a favorite of the night.
Song 18, Denmark: Emmelie de Forest - Only Teardrops: I really like the beat of this song, particularly during the refrain, but it feels like other songs I have heard out and about, there is nothing special or standout-ish.
Song 19, Iceland: Eythor Ingi - Ég Á Líf: This song reminds me very much of the Celtic-inspired music of Nova Scotia, especially Cape Breton. I really enjoy it, and would not mind an entire album of his songs.I'm not sure I've mentioned it, but now is as good a time as any to say that I really like the entrants who sing in their native languages, rather than in English. I know the song contest is broadcast world-wide, and they want to appeal to as many people as possible, especially in Europe where the votes actually count, and English may be the best way to get the votes. But I think it's awesome when they sing in other languages. Maybe it's growing up in a predominantly English-speaking country, but I find the diversity in language as exciting as the diversity in entrants. And to me it seems more embracing if there is more than just English spoken. A great song, a great performance should transcend the language of both the artist and the audience. The Eurovision Song Contest is a perfect forum to reinforce that truth.
Song 20, Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov - Hold Me: This was one my housemate liked because of the box guy. And truthfully the guy in the box upstaged the singer.
Song 21, Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis - Alcohol Is Free: This song was voted into the final on the strength of the lyrics I am sure. But beyond that, it's a fun song and a fun performance.The commentator made a comment about the "kilts" the Greek entry is wearing. I think he might be one of the people who has a middle-school giggle at men in "skirts." But it is a very traditional costume for many cultures, not only the Scots. Traditional national dress in Greece is a skirt for men, usually a white skirt, but a skirt nonetheless. (Wikipedia indicates the skirt is called a fustanella and is traditional dress for not only Greece, but other Balkan states as well.) I understand the idea that it is worn tonight to "unify Europe," but it has a deeper cultural meaning than that.
Song 22, Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich - Gravity: this was a forgettable entry for me, the only stand-out was Igor, the really, really tall guy who carried the singer onto the stage.
Song 23, Italy: Marco Mengoni - L'Essenziale: another new performance for Final night. It's definitely stirring, but I'm not sure if it's the lyrics, the music, the artist's performance, but I like it.
Song 24, Norway: Margaret Berger - I Feed You My Love: This song reminds me of Pink, at least that's who I think it is. There's nothing terrible about it, but nothing really special either. Plus it's hard to time good bounces with the techno track.I've been having a great time sharing Eurovision with everyone. I hope you haven't been too bored reading along. And don't the indentations for the song comments look like little bounces in and out of the story?
Song 25, Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani - Waterfall: this feels like a love theme to a romantic movie, when the couple finally gets together after trials and tribulations. It's not bad, but it's not a stand-out either.I wonder what the budget for dry ice is for the Eurovision spectacular? And is it a requirement for the acts to have a feature of some kind? It's not nasty to say that, because sometimes the spectacular add-ons take away from the performance rather than enhance it, as the smoke did in Georgia's performance.
It's time for the last song of the night, and the contest. It is also the last of the butterfly-flags to mark each entry. Those were some of the best artwork of the night. And the butterfly for Israel (in Semi-Final #1) was great, with the stylized Star of David. I'd love to get a book of just those; they were very nice artwork and would make a great collage for a hallway or other long blank wall.
Song 26, Ireland: Ryan Dolan - Only Love Survives: I love the accompaniment to this song, the traditional drums are great. The song is a bit same-ish, but the drums are wonderful.Well, it's been fun. I'm off to cast my vote for the best acts. And then it's a long wait for the vote tally in Europe. Whatever the outcome, I've had fun sharing this with you.
Keep bouncing everyone,
Tigger.
Monday, May 6, 2013
One Bear's Opinion -- Book Review
A Death in Gascony by Sarah D'Almeida
This is the fourth book in the Musketeers Mystery series, and I think we read it only because the Musketeers are some of my housemate's favourite literary characters. I know that my housemate has a literary crush on Athos, so this series was a perfect fit for her. But that is not to mean that it is not a good fit for me either.
There is plenty of action and activity, and much swashbuckling. It is after all a series with Alexandre Dumas' Three Musketeers as the main characters. In most historical mysteries featuring famous people or famous fictional characters, the famous person is an amateur investigator. That is not exactly the case in these mysteries. The Musketeers are investigating mysteries that center around friends and family of the Musketeers but the books do not give the impression that amateur sleuth is the new profession of the "Inseparables."
This book features a mystery surrounding the death of D'Artagnan's father and a trip outside Paris for the Musketeers to D'Artagnan's home in Gascony (an area in the Southwest of France, on the Spanish Border, including the cities of Bordeaux and Bayonne, among others). It was an interesting mystery, wrapped up in family history and secrets, but still had plenty of action for the Musketeers to practice their sword-play and knife fighting.
It was a fun and fast-paced mystery, with plenty of misdirections and questionable clues. The author kept the character profiles that Dumas had carefully created for them, and nothing was out of character for either the Musketeers or their personal servants. On the whole it was a great visit with old friends, and reminded both my housemate and me that we have never finished the Three Musketeers collection of books. Perhaps it's time to pull them out and spend more quality time with Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan.
One Bear's Opinion: Four Cups of Strong Tea and a Plate of Mini-Size Three Musketeers Bars
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
This is the fourth book in the Musketeers Mystery series, and I think we read it only because the Musketeers are some of my housemate's favourite literary characters. I know that my housemate has a literary crush on Athos, so this series was a perfect fit for her. But that is not to mean that it is not a good fit for me either.
There is plenty of action and activity, and much swashbuckling. It is after all a series with Alexandre Dumas' Three Musketeers as the main characters. In most historical mysteries featuring famous people or famous fictional characters, the famous person is an amateur investigator. That is not exactly the case in these mysteries. The Musketeers are investigating mysteries that center around friends and family of the Musketeers but the books do not give the impression that amateur sleuth is the new profession of the "Inseparables."
This book features a mystery surrounding the death of D'Artagnan's father and a trip outside Paris for the Musketeers to D'Artagnan's home in Gascony (an area in the Southwest of France, on the Spanish Border, including the cities of Bordeaux and Bayonne, among others). It was an interesting mystery, wrapped up in family history and secrets, but still had plenty of action for the Musketeers to practice their sword-play and knife fighting.
It was a fun and fast-paced mystery, with plenty of misdirections and questionable clues. The author kept the character profiles that Dumas had carefully created for them, and nothing was out of character for either the Musketeers or their personal servants. On the whole it was a great visit with old friends, and reminded both my housemate and me that we have never finished the Three Musketeers collection of books. Perhaps it's time to pull them out and spend more quality time with Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan.
One Bear's Opinion: Four Cups of Strong Tea and a Plate of Mini-Size Three Musketeers Bars
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Saturday, April 27, 2013
One Bear's Opinion -- Book Review
Face Down O'er the Border by Kathy Lynn Emerson
This is the last book in the Susanna, Lady Appleton series of historical mysteries. Overall, I have enjoyed the series, but this book felt like the last one the author wanted to write. It had such potential, but the final execution was lacking. In the end, it was a good thing the series is finished, because this was a disappointing book, and not one to indicate that another visit with the characters would be welcome.
The main mystery could have been so much better, but the author went down too many wrong paths and allowed too many sub-plots to cloud the main story. By spending too much time on building the sub-plots that were never resolved, the author did not do the main mystery justice, and in the end had the investigator hastily solve it in the classic mystery plot device of confronting the killer with the knowledge but no proof.
It was a disappointing ending for a book with such a great beginning. It left me wanting more, but at the same time glad the author decided to end the series. I am not sure if the characters had their own minds, or simply that the author tired of them and turned her attention to other endeavors, but whatever the reason, the familiar characters were not themselves and it showed. Though the over-arcing storyline was mentioned, nothing was finalized and the characters were left hanging, in a plodding kind of existence waiting for a final resolution. There were not even blank pages at the end of my copy of the book for me to write my own ending for the characters.
I missed the discussions of poisons which were a larger part of the earlier books in the series, as Lady Appleton is an herbalist and an expert in poisons. The only mention of anything approaching a medicinal herb was a poppy syrup that was administered to a suspect to keep him sedated while a plan was put into action. There was such potential to bring that part of her character to this book.
On the whole it was a disappointing end to a series and not really worth the time it took to read. It will certainly not make new readers want to search for the earlier books in the series. I had hoped for a better visit with old friends.
One Bear's Opinion: One Lukewarm Cup of Weak Lipton Tea
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
This is the last book in the Susanna, Lady Appleton series of historical mysteries. Overall, I have enjoyed the series, but this book felt like the last one the author wanted to write. It had such potential, but the final execution was lacking. In the end, it was a good thing the series is finished, because this was a disappointing book, and not one to indicate that another visit with the characters would be welcome.
The main mystery could have been so much better, but the author went down too many wrong paths and allowed too many sub-plots to cloud the main story. By spending too much time on building the sub-plots that were never resolved, the author did not do the main mystery justice, and in the end had the investigator hastily solve it in the classic mystery plot device of confronting the killer with the knowledge but no proof.
It was a disappointing ending for a book with such a great beginning. It left me wanting more, but at the same time glad the author decided to end the series. I am not sure if the characters had their own minds, or simply that the author tired of them and turned her attention to other endeavors, but whatever the reason, the familiar characters were not themselves and it showed. Though the over-arcing storyline was mentioned, nothing was finalized and the characters were left hanging, in a plodding kind of existence waiting for a final resolution. There were not even blank pages at the end of my copy of the book for me to write my own ending for the characters.
I missed the discussions of poisons which were a larger part of the earlier books in the series, as Lady Appleton is an herbalist and an expert in poisons. The only mention of anything approaching a medicinal herb was a poppy syrup that was administered to a suspect to keep him sedated while a plan was put into action. There was such potential to bring that part of her character to this book.
On the whole it was a disappointing end to a series and not really worth the time it took to read. It will certainly not make new readers want to search for the earlier books in the series. I had hoped for a better visit with old friends.
One Bear's Opinion: One Lukewarm Cup of Weak Lipton Tea
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
One Bear's Opinion -- Book Review
Chocolate Wars: From Cadbury to Kraft: 200 Years of Sweet Success and Bitter Rivalries by Deborah Cadbury
I will be the first to admit that I really do not like chocolate. I tend to leave the chocolates to my housemates. But this chocolate was too irresistible to pass up.
I firmly believe that no knowledge is ever wasted, and this book was full of knowledge. I learned a great deal about chocolates. I learned why the major brands' milk chocolates are different, and why some chocolate brands are popular in the US, while others are favored in Europe. I also finally discovered why the Australians call a Milky Way a Mars (for reference: UK Mars)!
There was also a good amount of discussion of the ways of the Quakers with respect to business. I really had no idea that Cadbury started as a family owned and operated Quaker business. The history aspect of the book was very interesting, and the author, who had a personal interest in the history, did a great job of making it read less like a textbook and more like fiction.
Overall, it was a great book, and a very good read. It was interesting for me because, as the book indicates, Hershey's Chocolates dominated the US market for so long that other brands have really only appeared in the last 20 or 30 years, and have only recently moved from boutiques to mainstream shops. Cadbury was known for their Creme Eggs at Easter and nothing else, the basic milk chocolate bar was always a Hershey bar. Cadbury's chocolates were a treat relatives and friends brought back from trips to Canada or England. It was interesting to have a look in the world of chocolate outside the US boarders.
I can honestly say I will never look at a chocolate bar the same again.
One Bear's Opinion: Five Mugs of Cadbury Drinking Cocoa and a plate of S'Mores made with Hershey's bars
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
I will be the first to admit that I really do not like chocolate. I tend to leave the chocolates to my housemates. But this chocolate was too irresistible to pass up.
I firmly believe that no knowledge is ever wasted, and this book was full of knowledge. I learned a great deal about chocolates. I learned why the major brands' milk chocolates are different, and why some chocolate brands are popular in the US, while others are favored in Europe. I also finally discovered why the Australians call a Milky Way a Mars (for reference: UK Mars)!
There was also a good amount of discussion of the ways of the Quakers with respect to business. I really had no idea that Cadbury started as a family owned and operated Quaker business. The history aspect of the book was very interesting, and the author, who had a personal interest in the history, did a great job of making it read less like a textbook and more like fiction.
Overall, it was a great book, and a very good read. It was interesting for me because, as the book indicates, Hershey's Chocolates dominated the US market for so long that other brands have really only appeared in the last 20 or 30 years, and have only recently moved from boutiques to mainstream shops. Cadbury was known for their Creme Eggs at Easter and nothing else, the basic milk chocolate bar was always a Hershey bar. Cadbury's chocolates were a treat relatives and friends brought back from trips to Canada or England. It was interesting to have a look in the world of chocolate outside the US boarders.
I can honestly say I will never look at a chocolate bar the same again.
One Bear's Opinion: Five Mugs of Cadbury Drinking Cocoa and a plate of S'Mores made with Hershey's bars
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
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