The hot weather continues, and it makes me cranky. I’m still reading short stories.
From The Bottom of the Harbor by Joseph Mitchell
Forward by Luc Sante
Up In the Old Hotel
The Bottom of the Harbor
The Rats on the Waterfront
Mr. Hunter’s Grave
Dragger Captain
The Rivermen
I read this straight through. These are pieces written in the 1940s and 1950s, published in The New Yorker Magazine. I enjoyed this collection a lot, and it reminded me of the old days when The New Yorker was really good, before it was extensively revised in format and editorial philosophy.
Reading this next anthology is going to take a long time, but I’m pecking away at it, so here’s a little more from The Black Lizard Big Book Of Locked-Room Mysteries:
The Glass Gravestone – Joseph Cummings
The Tea Leaf-Edgar Jepson & Robert Eustace
The Flung-Back Lid-Peter Godfrey
The Crooked Picture-John Lutz
Blind Man’s Hood-Carter Dickson
from The Python Pit by George F. Worts:
Sapphires and Suckers
The Python Pit
The Isle of the Meteor
I’m nearly, but not quite, finished with this yet. Then I have tons of short story collections here, and haven’t decided which of them to dip into next.
Barbara finished Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo. It’s a stand alone, not part of the Harry Hole series. She prefers the series books, but this one was well written. Now she’s reading Split Second by David Baldacci. Next up is Gathering Prey by John Sanford.
How about you?
Have you read these books or authors?
What are you reading?
Tip the Wink 
It’s been unseasonably hot here, Richard, punctuated by violent evening thunderstorms and occasional tornado warnings. My lawn is a jungle and will stay that way until the weather eases up.
This past week I’ve read MIRACLE MAN #4:THE GOLDEN AGE, a graphic novel collection by Neil Gaiman. This one contains stories from the comic book from when Alan Moore handed over the reins to Gaiman. Also read was Harry Harrison’s paean to sex in SF illustration GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!, which was my FFB this week.. NEMO by Ray Bradbury was an unproduced movie script based on the old Winsor McCay Little Nemo comic strip. I doubt if Bradbury’s vision could have ever been faithfully filmed. I’m still reading a lot of short stories and finished John W. Campbell’s ANALOG 3 and ANALOG 4 anthologies. Some good stuff there and a few that left me cold. And I also finished Agatha Christie’s MRS. MCGINTY’S DEAD — middle tier Poirot, I’d say.
Coming up are the new “Barbara Allan” Trash ‘n’ treasure mystery, Joe Lansdale’s SHADOWS WEST and PARADISE SKY, the final book in Neil Gaiman’s Interworld trilogy, a pile of short stories, and a few books that have been hanging around for weeks. I’m still waiting for Patti’s CONCRETE ANGEL.
Jerry, leave the lawn like that, it’s nature’s way. Not a Gaiman fan, though not sure why.
I read those stories in the ANALOG collections as they appeared. I think Agatha Christie’s MRS. MCGINTY’S DEAD is a little better than that, but not top form.
Yes I’ve read the Mitchell, of course, and the locked room collection. For whatever reason my recent reading has been at a glacial pace, annoying as I have a number of things I do want to read.
I read Elmore Leonard’s collection, CHARLIE MARTZ & Other Stories: The Unpublished Stories. Many of these were from the 1950’s when Leonard was teaching himself to write. Some are westerns. All are worth a look if you’re a Leonard fan. The other finished book (finally) was Gore Vidal’s 1953 book “written as Cameron Kay,” THIEVES FALL OUT. It’s set in the Egypt of King Farouk and has an idiot for a protagonist. No, perhaps that’s a little strong, though he does have ‘dupe’ written on his forehead from page one. And considering that he is the hero and likely to survive, this makes for soso reading. Let’s just say it is no BURR or LINCOLN.
I’ve also been reading other stories in EQMM.
New arrivals. Thanks to Rick for a copy of RESORTING TO MURDER, which he recently reviewed here, stories edited by Martin Edwards, a nice trade paperback. A bigger (way bigger) trade paperback (also recommended by Rick) which arrived this week was James S. A> Corey’s LEVIATHAN WAKES, first in The Expanse series, which is soon to be a series on SyFy. I bought that for $3.14. Lastly, from PaperbackSwap, I got I SPY #4: WIPEOUT by John Tiger (Walter Wager). And I got a couple of library books.
Current reading. After recommendations from George Kelley, Bill Crider, and Art Scott I’m reading Martin Edwards’s THE GOLDEN AGE OF MURDER. Since the TV series is starting this week I thought I’d read James Patterson’s ZOO. Then I’ve gone back to another collection, RAZORED SADDLES, classified by editors Joe Lansdale & Pat LoBrutto as “Macabre Western Tales.”
Jeff, of course you’ve read the Mitchell. 🙂 My reading is glacial also. Your glacial is faster than mine.
Your welcome, hope you enjoy RESORTING TO MURDER. and Leviathan. Remember you’ll be reading the first of five thick books in the series… I have THE GOLDEN AGE OF MURDER coming from the library one of these days.
I’ve read the first 100 pages today. For a long book it is a very fast read, and there are lots of juicy little tidbits.
Glad you’re enjoying it.
I was busy reading (and rereading) books for Time Travel Week on my blog. Now, I’m finishing up some Library books. Just finished PAPER TOWNS by John Green. The movie version will be in the theaters next month.
I’ve read all the Green books. He’s the King of YA these days.
Geez, Jerry, I feel like I should just mail you a copy. If you don’t get one soon, email me.
I am struggling to read anything lately where Phil is tearing through books at a great clip. He especially liked the Olen Steinhauer book-something about Old Knives. I have the new Judy Blume but can’t get into it. Also piles of books I should like,. I need a sure-fire read to break this spell.
Patti, I’m struggling with anything longer than a short story, which is why novels, one in particular, sit untouched. For some reason, with the heat, short stories seem to work, another reason I’m reading them, I guess.
How’s Phil coming with your garden?
Patti: ALL THE OLD KNIVES. I liked it too.
I haven’t read any Jo Nesbo, but we did watch Headhunters, a movie out of Norway based on one of his books, and we really liked it.
Lately I’m reading Stegner, listening to Abbey via Audible, and trying to pretend the heat is as romantic as they make it sound.
Romantic? That’s curling up before a cozy fire, not sweating all over the sheets.
the python pit looks tres cool
Charles, it and the first collection of the adventures of Singapore Sammy are both great. Worts was a good adventure writer.