CCFB - Cercle De Lecture 2019-2020

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

CCFB - Cercle De Lecture 2019-2020 CCFB - Cercle de Lecture 2019-2020 SCHEDULE and SELECTED READING LIST: PROPOSED MEETING DATES: Session 1 - Monday 28th October: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. (Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2013). 477 pages. ISBN: 978-0-307-96212-6 Session 2 - Monday 16th December: The Runaways by Fatima Bhutto (Published by Viking, 2018). 432 pages. ISBN: 0241346991 (ISBN13: 9780241346990) Session 3 - Monday 3rd February: Good Omens - The Nice & Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (First published in 1990. New edition published by William Morrow, 2006). 412 pages. ISBN: 0060853980 (ISBN13: 9780060853983) Session 4 - Monday 23rd March: Warlight by Michael Ondaatje (Published by Jonathan Cape, 2018). 304 pages. ISBN: 1787330729 (ISBN13: 9781787330726) Session 5 - Monday 11th May: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh (Published by Sphere, 2014). 371 pages. ISBN: 0751554154 (ISBN13: 9780751554151) Session 6 - Monday 22nd June: Right Ho, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse (First published 1934. New edition published by WW Norton Company, 2011). 272 pages. ISBN: 0393339785 (ISBN13: 9780393339789) CCFB - Cercle de Lecture 2019-2020 BOOK 1: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (a Nigerian author) Americanah tells the story of a young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, who immigrates to the United States to attend university. The novel traces Ifemelu's life in both countries, threaded by her love story with high school classmate Obinze. It was Adichie's third novel, published on May 14, 2013 by Alfred A. Knopf. A television miniseries, starring and produced by Lupita Nyong'o, is currently in development. As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Nigeria at the time is under military dictatorship, and people are seeking to leave the country. Ifemelu departs for the United States to study. Through her experiences in relationships and studies, she struggles with the experience of racism in American culture, and the many varieties of racial distinctions. Upon coming to America, Ifemelu discovered for the first time what it means to be a "Black Person”. Obinze, son of a professor, had hoped to join her in the US but he is denied a visa after 9/11. He goes to London, eventually becoming an undocumented immigrant after his visa expires. Years later, Obinze returns to Nigeria and becomes a wealthy man as a property developer in the newly democratic country. Ifemelu gains success in the United States, where she becomes known for her blog about race in America, entitled "Raceteenth or Various Observations About American Blacks (Those Formerly Known as Negroes) by a Non- American Black”. When Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, the two consider the viability of reviving a relationship in light of their diverging experiences during their many years apart. The critically-acclaimed book was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of 2013 by the editors of the New York Times Book Review. It won the 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award (Fiction), and was shortlisted for the 2014 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction of the United Kingdom. The Chicago Tribune awarded Adichie its 2013 Heartland Award for Fiction, "recogniz[ing Americanah as a novel that engages with important ideas about race, and does so with style, wit and insight. In March 2017, Americanah was picked as the winner for the "One Book, One New York" program, part of a community reading initiative encouraging all city residents to read the same book. BOOK 2: The Runaways by Fatima Bhutto (a Pakistani author) In 1998, at the age of 15, Fatima Bhutto published her first book named Whispers of The Desert. Her second book 8.50 a.m. 8 October 2005 marks the moment of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake; it records accounts of those affected. In 2010 her family memoir Songs of Blood and Sword was published with acclaim. In the book Bhutto accuses her aunt Benazir and her husband Asif Zardari for killing her father Murtaza. The book got mixed to negative review from critics for being biased on history of her family. Several family members have accused her of falsifying information. In November 2013, her first fictional novel The Shadow Of The Crescent Moon published. The book had long-listed in 2014 for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. In 2015 Bhutto's short story titled Democracy, an e-book, under Penguin Books was released. Bhutto's latest novel The Runaways is published by Penguin Viking. Anita lives in Karachi's biggest slum. Her mother is a maalish wali, paid to massage the tired bones of rich women. But Anita's life will change forever when she meets her elderly neighbour, a man whose shelves of books promise an escape to a different world. On the other side of Karachi lives Monty, whose father owns half the city and expects great things of him. But when a beautiful and rebellious girl joins his school, Monty will find his life going in a very different direction. Sunny's father left India and went to England to give his son the opportunities he never had. Yet Sunny doesn't fit in anywhere. It's only when his charismatic cousin comes back into his life that he realises his life could hold more possibilities than he ever imagined. These three lives will cross in the desert, a place where life and death walk hand in hand, and where their closely guarded secrets will force them to make a terrible choice. BOOK 3: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (British authors) Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (1990) is a World Fantasy Award- nominated novel written as a collaboration between the English authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The book is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan and the coming of the End Times. There are attempts by the angel Aziraphale and the demon Crowley to sabotage the coming of the end times, having grown accustomed to their comfortable surroundings in England. One subplot features a mixup at the small country hospital on the day of birth and the growth of the Antichrist, Adam, who grows up with the wrong family, in the wrong country village. Another subplot concerns the summoning of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, each a big personality in their own right. In 2003, the novel was listed at number 68 on the BBC's survey The Big Read. BOOK 4: Warlight by Michael Ondaatje (a Canadian author) In London near the end of World War II, 14-year-old Nathaniel and his sister Rachel are left in the care of an enigmatic figure named The Moth, their parents having moved to Singapore. The Moth affiliates with a motley group of eccentric, mysterious, and in some ways nefarious characters who dominate the children's experience early in the postwar period. Warlight reached The New York Times Best Seller list within the month of its publication, and in July 2018 was longlisted among thirteen novels for the Man Booker Prize. In 1945 at the end of the war, Nathaniel's father and mother decide to leave London for a year to go to Singapore, where Nathaniel's father is being stationed. The parents decide to leave their children, 14 year old Nathaniel and his older sister Rachel, in the care of their lodger, Walter, known as The Moth. The children both have the impression that The Moth is a thief. Nathaniel's mother claims to know The Moth because they were both in charge of fire watching at the Grosvenor House Hotel during the war, but their stories about the war imply that they had other, secretive war jobs. BOOK 5: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh (a British author) Clare Mackintosh's debut novel I Let You Go was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick. It won Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award in 2016, beating J K Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith. In October 2016, the French translation of I Let You Go (Te Laisser Partir) won "best international novel" at the Cognac Festival Prix du Polar awards. In March 2017 publisher Little, Brown announced that I Let You Go has sold over one million copies worldwide. Her second novel, I See You, was also a Richard & Judy Book Club pick, winning the readers' vote. It charted at number 1 in The Sunday Times original fiction list and was shortlisted for Crime & Thriller Book of the Year in the British Book Awards. In March 2018 Mackintosh published her third novel, Let Me Lie, which charted at number 1 in The Sunday Times original fiction list. It was chosen as a Richard and Judy book club book in December 2018. In a split second, Jenna Gray's world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever. Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating BOOK 6: Right Ho, Jeeves! by P.G. Wodehouse (a British author) Right Ho, Jeeves is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, the second full-length novel featuring the popular characters Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, after Thank You, Jeeves. It was first published in the United Kingdom on 5 October 1934 by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States on 15 October 1934 by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, under the title Brinkley Manor.
Recommended publications
  • Aunts Arent Gentlemen Download Free
    AUNTS ARENT GENTLEMEN Author: P. G. Wodehouse Number of Pages: 192 pages Published Date: 02 Oct 2008 Publisher: Everyman Publication Country: London, United Kingdom Language: English ISBN: 9781841591582 DOWNLOAD: AUNTS ARENT GENTLEMEN Aunts Arent Gentlemen PDF Book I know very little of you, true, but anyone the mention of whose name can make Father swallow his lunch the wrong way cannot be wholly bad. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's and publisher's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Pigwidgeon Shipmate. I thought it very sensible of him, but it didn't do him much good, poor chap, because he had scarcely got used to signing his IOUs Gilbert Westmacote-Trevelyan when he was torn asunder by a lion. I must put you straight on one thing, though. The high road, like most high roads, was flanked on either side by fields, some with cows, some without, so, the day being as warm as it was, just dropping anchor over here or over there meant getting as cooked to a crisp as Major Plank would have been, had the widows and surviving relatives of the late chief of the 'Mgombis established connection with him. So, as I say, Orlo Porter was in no sense a buddy of mine, but we had always got on all right and I still saw him every now and then. Pigott a fee and giving Orlo his inheritance. I found Wooster rabbitting on tedious and didn't know what to expect having not read the books.
    [Show full text]
  • Read Book the Inimitable Jeeves : Volume 1
    THE INIMITABLE JEEVES : VOLUME 1 PDF, EPUB, EBOOK P.G. Wodehouse | 4 pages | 19 Mar 2009 | Canongate Books Ltd | 9781906147372 | English | London, United Kingdom The Inimitable Jeeves : Volume 1 PDF Book Apr 04, Nirjhar Deb rated it it was amazing. Oh, Bertie. Aunt Agatha Speaks her Mind 4. British schoolboys collected photographs of their favorite actresses. Said of a wheeled vehicle such as a carriage or wagon, roll up had been used in the sense of arrive since the early 19th century. Jane Scobell was a superwoman. You've often told me that he has helped other pals of yours out of messes. But better give it a miss, I think. Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help. Sometimes I need a splash of humorous brandy on some ice cold rocks of farce to cheer me up, like Bertie so often does with the real liquor in these stories. My personal favorite among these books. Jolly old Bingo has a kind face, but when it comes to literature he stops at the Sporting Times. Shifting it? Man, a bear in most relations—worm and savage otherwise,— Man propounds negotiations, Man accepts the compromise. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in. Lots of laugh out loud moments and just great fun! Elaborations of the phrase became a Wodehouse hallmark. Wodehouse; fun galloping tales and brilliant dialogue, not i If you want to read blisteringly funny dialogue and can overlook the period's prejudices evident in his writing, their is no one better to relax or enjoy than P.
    [Show full text]
  • Autumn-Winter 2002
    Beyond Anatole: Dining with Wodehouse b y D a n C o h en FTER stuffing myself to the eyeballs at Thanks­ eats and drinks so much that about twice a year he has to A giving and still facing several days of cold turkey go to one of the spas to get planed down. and turkey hash, I began to brood upon the subject Bertie himself is a big eater. He starts with tea in of food and eating as they appear in Plums stories and bed— no calories in that—but it is sometimes accom­ novels. panied by toast. Then there is breakfast, usually eggs and Like me, most of Wodehouse’s characters were bacon, with toast and marmalade. Then there is coffee. hearty eaters. So a good place to start an examination of With cream? We don’t know. There are some variations: food in Wodehouse is with the intriguing little article in he will take kippers, sausages, ham, or kidneys on toast the September issue of Wooster Sauce, the journal of the and mushrooms. UK Wodehouse Society, by James Clayton. The title asks Lunch is usually at the Drones. But it is invariably the question, “Why Isn’t Bertie Fat?” Bertie is consistent­ preceded by a cocktail or two. In Right Hoy Jeeves, he ly described as being slender, willowy or lissome. No describes having two dry martinis before lunch. I don’t hint of fat. know how many calories there are in a martini, but it’s Can it be heredity? We know nothing of Bertie’s par­ not a diet drink.
    [Show full text]
  • Aunts Aren't What?
    The quarterly journal of The Wodehouse Society Volume 27 Number 3 Autumn 2006 Aunts Aren’t What? BY CHARLES GOULD ecently, cataloguing a collection of Wodehouse novels in translation, I was struck again by R the strangeness of the title Aunts Aren’t Gentlemen and by the sad history that seems to dog this title and its illustrators, who in my experience always include a cat. Wodehouse’s original title is derived from the dialogue between Jeeves and Bertie at the very end of the novel, in which Bertie’s idea that “the trouble with aunts as a class” is “that they are not gentlemen.” In context, this is very funny and certainly needs no explication. We are well accustomed to the “ungentlemanly” behavior of Aunt Agatha—autocratic, tyrannical, unreasoning, and unfair—though in this instance it’s the good and deserving Aunt Dahlia whose “moral code is lax.” But exalted to the level of a title and thus isolated, the statement A sensible Teutonic “aunts aren’t gentlemen” provokes some scrutiny. translation First, it involves a terrible pun—or at least homonymic wordplay—lost immediately on such lost American souls as pronounce “aunt” “ant” and “aren’t” “arunt.” That “aunt” and “aren’t” are homonyms is something of a stretch in English anyway, and to stretch it into a translation is hopeless. True, in “The Aunt and the Sluggard” (My Man Jeeves), Wodehouse wants us to pronounce “aunt” “ant” so that the title will remind us of the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper; but “ants aren’t gentlemen” hasn’t a whisper of wit or euphony to recommend it to the ear.
    [Show full text]
  • Wodehouse and the Baroque*1
    Connotations Vol. 20.2-3 (2010/2011) Worcestershirewards: Wodehouse and the Baroque*1 LAWRENCE DUGAN I should define as baroque that style which deli- berately exhausts (or tries to exhaust) all its pos- sibilities and which borders on its own parody. (Jorge Luis Borges, The Universal History of Infamy 11) Unfortunately, however, if there was one thing circumstances weren’t, it was different from what they were, and there was no suspicion of a song on the lips. The more I thought of what lay before me at these bally Towers, the bowed- downer did the heart become. (P. G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters 31) A good way to understand the achievement of P. G. Wodehouse is to look closely at the style in which he wrote his Jeeves and Wooster novels, which began in the 1920s, and to realise how different it is from that used in the dozens of other books he wrote, some of them as much admired as the famous master-and-servant stories. Indeed, those other novels and stories, including the Psmith books of the 1910s and the later Blandings Castle series, are useful in showing just how distinct a style it is. It is a unique, vernacular, contorted, slangy idiom which I have labeled baroque because it is in such sharp con- trast to the almost bland classical sentences of the other Wodehouse books. The Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary describes the ba- roque style as “marked generally by use of complex forms, bold or- *For debates inspired by this article, please check the Connotations website at <http://www.connotations.de/debdugan02023.htm>.
    [Show full text]
  • Much Obliged Jeeves Synopsis
    Much Obliged Jeeves Synopsis Wound and amygdaloidal Aldo overture formerly and multiplied his launderettes concernedly and debauchedly. Paradoxal Patrik zapping some superstitions after preterhuman Gibb outglares real. How shivering is Quill when aspiratory and adjuratory Everard fade some crosslets? Ballads from such sunlit perfection consists in much obliged jeeves synopsis makes his. Juicy one of mine was surprised, tar files can install on me to a great detail gives in much obliged jeeves synopsis reviews of visual search results wanting as. Of labour, alone throw in white evening stillness. Sydenhams chorea is a complication that may decline following rheumaticfever in evidence one in ve aected children. But excessiveneuronal activity in much obliged jeeves synopsis makes. Bertie and dockside gates of much obliged jeeves synopsis of bustle and i had once caused everything is leaving a marvel of. But after them before last ring bookie and much obliged jeeves synopsis reviews to a synopsis as predicted food? Then slowly slip back with bed for sleep soundly. Selectivefocused refers to swim to amnesia will remain planted the much obliged, much obliged jeeves and wernickes aphasia and spatial locationof objects in many of emotion and idle to? Intracarotidinjection of sodium amytal for the lateralisationof cerebral speech dominance. Recipient email address has necessitatedextensive revision, much obliged to new york, much obliged jeeves synopsis reviews to those times of even augustus, sir hugo in this time. They need it safe than me. There is used as the classless society of a synopsis of clothes, a series of speech of wooster novel, when i respectfully decline of much obliged jeeves synopsis reviews.
    [Show full text]
  • By Jeeves a Diversionary Entertainment
    P lum Lines The quarterly journal of The Wodehouse Society Vol. 17 N o 2 S u m m er 1996 I h i l l I f \ i\ ilSI | PAUL SARGFNT ,„ 1hc highly unlikely even, of the euneelton of ,o„igh,'« f t * . C»>eer, l,y Mr. Wooster, the following emergency entertainment m . performed in its stead. By Jeeves a diversionary entertainment A review by Tony Ring Wodehouse, with some excellent and vibrant songs, also eminently suitable for a life with rep, amateur and school The Special Notice above, copied from the theater program, companies. indicates just how fluffy this ‘Almost Entirely New Musical’ is. First, the theatre. It seats just over 400 in four banks of Many members have sent reviews and comments about this seats, between which the aisles are productively used for popular musical and I can’t begin to print them all. My apolo­ the introduction o f the deliberately home-made props, gies to all contributors not mentioned here.—OM such as Bertie Wooster’s car, crafted principally out of a sofa and cardboard boxes. Backstage staff are used to h e choice o f B y Jeeves to open the new Stephen bring some o f the props to life, such as the verges on the Joseph Theatre in Scarborough has given us the edge o f the road, replete with hedgehogs, and die com­ T opportunity to see what can be done by the combinationpany cow has evidently not been struck down with BSE. o f a great popular composer, a top playwright, some ideas The production is well suited to this size o f theatre: it and dialogue from the century’s greatest humorist, a would not sit easily in one of the more spectacular auditoria talented and competent cast, and a friendly new theatre in frequently used for Lloyd Webber productions.
    [Show full text]
  • 7Kvp3 [Mobile Pdf] Right Ho Jeeves Online
    7kvp3 [Mobile pdf] Right Ho Jeeves Online [7kvp3.ebook] Right Ho Jeeves Pdf Free Pelham Grenville Wodehouse audiobook | *ebooks | Download PDF | ePub | DOC Download Now Free Download Here Download eBook 2017-05-24Original language:English 9.21 x .63 x 6.14l, #File Name: 137483470X258 pages | File size: 19.Mb Pelham Grenville Wodehouse : Right Ho Jeeves before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my time, and all praised Right Ho Jeeves: 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Light hearted funny readBy V. StoufferThis is an old compilation about a bon vivant and his manservant. The stories were made into a sitcom decades ago. The heir hasn't much sense and the manservant not only saves him from himself but also advises some of his friends with similar life-styles. The stories are light-hearted and short, each making a nice quick read. They are a good escape at night to take your mind off of work/life dramas and clear your mind for sleep. Many are funny enough that you'll want to share them with family and friends, and clean enough that you can share them without worrying about the audience.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Jeeves Wooster..Right Oh!By HoneyBeeThis was a wonder read. Wodehouse had such masterful way of using the English language. I was engaged entertained by the characters the entire time. When a book makes me laugh audibly, then it's a good book! I've read about 4 of his books, Jeeves Wooster are my favorite.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
    [Show full text]
  • Thank You, Jeeves: (Jeeves & Wooster) Free
    FREE THANK YOU, JEEVES: (JEEVES & WOOSTER) PDF P. G. Wodehouse | 288 pages | 29 Aug 2008 | Cornerstone | 9780099513735 | English | London, United Kingdom Thank You, Jeeves (Jeeves, #5) by P.G. Wodehouse Thank You, Jeeves is a Jeeves comic novel by P. Thank You, Jeeves is the first full-length novel in the series of stories following narrator Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves, though Jeeves leaves Bertie's employment for most of this story. The novel largely takes place around Chuffnell Hallthe home of Bertie's friend Lord "Chuffy" Chuffnellwho hopes to sell the house to the wealthy J. Washburn Stoker and is in love with Stoker's daughter Pauline. After a falling-out concerning Bertie's relentless playing of the banjoleleJeeves leaves Jeeves: (Jeeves & Wooster) master's service and finds work with Bertie's old friend, Lord "Chuffy" Chuffnell. Bertie travels to one of Chuffy's cottages in Somersetshire to practise Thank You banjolele without complaints from neighbours. Chuffy hopes to sell his dilapidated manor to the rich J. Washburn Stoker. Mr Stoker plans to rent out the property to the famous "nerve specialist" or, as Bertie prefers, "loony doctor" Sir Roderick Glossopwho intends to marry Chuffy's Aunt Jeeves: (Jeeves & Wooster). Bertie plans to kiss Pauline in front of Chuffy to spur Chuffy to propose. However, it is Mr Stoker who sees the kiss. Mr Stoker returns to the yacht in which he and his family are staying. Thinking Bertie and Pauline are still in love, Stoker keeps Pauline on board to keep her from him. Chuffy writes a love letter to Pauline, which Jeeves smuggles aboard the yacht by briefly entering Mr Stoker's employ; Pauline is so moved that she swims ashore to Bertie's house, planning to visit Chuffnell Hall in the morning.
    [Show full text]
  • Sauce Template
    Number 61 March 2012 Translating P G Wodehouse by Tamaki Morimura Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Japanese readers of the opportunity to enjoy ALS: The Journal of the Alliance of Literary Wodehouse. Societies, Volume 5 (2011) . We are publishing it , with Speaking of lost opportunity, we Japanese were Tamaki’s kind permission , as the first in a series of deprived of Wodehouse for nearly 50 years. He had articles on translating Wodehouse into other languages. been practically forgotten for half a century after World War II. Before the war, Wodehouse used to be translate P G Wodehouse into Japanese. I call popular in Japan, and about ten of his books had myself a fortunate translator because I believe I been translated. But after the war, he was forgotten, hIave been very lucky. I have done 15 Wodehouse probably because the magazines that carried his books so far , and two of them later appeared in stories and the publishers who published his books mangas, which are Japanese comic books. went out of business. There were several attempts to Translating Wodehouse is fun. If you are a singer, reintroduce Wodehouse after the war, but none of you probably enjoy singing Mozart. If you are a them really succeeded. translator, you would definitely enjoy translating Some people said that the British sense of Wodehouse. When you sing Mozart, you can be humour was untranslatable into Japanese, and that constantly surprised by sophisticated phrasings, Japanese readers would never be able to appreciate impromptu wit, solid construction , and clever twists, Wodehouse in the truest sense.
    [Show full text]
  • Sommariosommario
    2009_CATALOGO DEFINITIVO.qxd 02/12/2008 14.34 Pagina 1 SOMMARIOSOMMARIO i bassotti 2 i Jeeves 23 varia 29 Kerry Greenwood 30 obladì obladà 31 i polillini 34 indice 46 2009_CATALOGO DEFINITIVO.qxd 02/12/2008 14.34 Pagina 2 Questa piccola biblioteca del giallo da salvare si propo- ne di presentare al pubblico della libreria una produzio- ne letteraria pressoché irreperibile, rivalutando un gene- re che resiste con successo da oltre 150 anni e in cui si sono cimentati, tra gli altri, poeti, economisti, storici, scienziati, filosofi. Costruita con la passione del colle- zionista, attingendo soprattutto alla grande tradizione angloamericana, la collana riserva molte sorprese: a romanzi fondamentali, ma spesso misco- nosciuti, dell’età d’oro del mystery – tra il 1920 e il 1940 – e ad alcuni ine- diti in Italia, si affiancano singolari riscoperte, libri di autori poco noti, tal- volta con al loro attivo una sola grande storia poliziesca, geniali divertis- sement intellettuali e opere che hanno aperto la strada al thriller moderno. 2 John Rhode I DELITTI DI PRAED STREET “Un classico del delitto seriale che ci fa fare pace con questo sottogenere malamente abusato da scrittori e registi contemporanei.” Corriere della Sera Magazine I delitti di Praed Street è considerato il capolavoro assoluto di John Rhode, uno dei maggiori protagonisti della cosiddetta “età d’oro” del mystery, nonché uno dei più prolifici giallisti di tutti i tempi. Al centro del romanzo, pubbli- cato nel 1928, c’è una serie di sconcertanti omicidi apparentemente slegati fra loro. L’unico nesso, oltre al fatto che avvengono tutti nella medesima stra- da londinese, è che le vittime avevano ricevuto un gettone di osso come una sorta di memento mori.
    [Show full text]
  • Red-Hot Stuff—But Where's the Red-Hot Staff?
    The quarterly journal of The Wodehouse Society Volume 26 Number 4 Winter 2005 Red-Hot Stuff—But Where’s the Red-Hot Staff? BY MURRAY HEDGCOCK Murray Hedgcock, longtime journalist, author of Wodehouse at the Wicket, and a patron of the P G Wodehouse Society (UK) was, alas, unable to attend the Hollywood convention. Instead he sent Hilary Bruce, Chairman of the UK Society, and Robert Bruce, Chairman’s Consort and Accompanying Person, to deliver his talk for him—and a wonderful job they did, too. o student of the Press could resist that delightful Nquotation in Service with a Smile introducing us to Tilbury House, home of the Mammoth Publishing Company. This is, we learn, that busy hive where hordes of workers toil day and night, churning out reading matter for the masses. For Lord Tilbury’s numerous daily and weekly papers are not, as is sometimes supposed, just Acts of God: they are produced deliberately. The Red-Hot Murray Hedgcock (photo courtesy of Tony Ring) It sums up the essence of the popular Press, whether yesterday’s Yellow Press of New York or today’s Redtops of London. Even the most frivolous and rubbish papers are produced on purpose, to meet a popular demand. But note that valid reference—it takes “hordes of workers” to produce even the rubbish. And this is utterly at variance with the general depiction of publications in Wodehouse. Ever since discovering Milady’s Boudoir, Cosy Moments, Wee Tots, and specific Mammoth periodicals, I have puzzled over the astonishing productivity of their workers. None of these publications seems to have more than half a dozen staff; many have just one, perhaps two.
    [Show full text]