Miles Watson > Recent Status Updates

This is an excellent book, very funny and informative, written in the pleasantly baroque style of the 19th/early 20th century. Corbett's memoir should be much better known than it is, particularly in light of the fact it was the inspiration, in part, for one of the better Errol Flynn movies ever made.

Fascinating autobiography by James J. Corbett, the 19th century heavyweight champion. One of ten Irish-Americans from San Francisco, he worked at a bank by day (top hat and silk gloves) and fought by night. Source material for one of the best of all the movies Errol Flynn ever made, "Gentleman Jim." I love the way people composed their thoughts and words in the pre-Hemingway era of literature.

A big departure for Sanders, and very interesting. The stakes aren't terribly high, but he doesn't make the mistake of imposing his late 20th-century morality on early 20th century characters. In Hollywood, no less.

I'll read (almost) anything by Lawrence Sanders. This one is definitely a departure. Set in mid-late 1920s Hollywood, it seems to be about a crusty studio boss trying to get his latest picture made while suffering personal problems and multiple studio intrigues. He's already had one woman on the casting couch, so no punches pulled about my old industry: entertainment. We'll see where this goes.

So far, so good. I have seen the John Wayne movie this book was based upon and found it interesting, if depressing as hell and occasionally rage-inducing. In 1942 and even 1943, these poor guys had to hold the line against the most dangerous navy on the seas with wooden boats whose only advantage was their speed. Very few of them survived. I look forward to the rest of the tale.

The story finally picked up -- not surprisingly, when it shifted away from England to Egypt. I've seen two different cinematic adaptations of this book so I know it's not a traditional "mummy" story in any sense of the word but hey, it's still about a mummy's curse, so we NEED Egypt, tombs, treasures and horrible deaths resulting from violations of same.

One reviewer said of The Jewel of Seven Stars: "This story drags like a corpse." He wasn't lying. I'll forever be grateful to Stoker for writing Dracula, but this story couldn't be more sluggish, repetitive or over-written. There are moments where his talent shines through the clouds of mostly unnecessary words, but finishing this will be a battle unless the pace picks up.

This is a fascinating, informative and extremely witty look at the daily life of a Civil War soldier as told by one. It's not about battle, but everyday reality. The language is beautiful and the wit relentless and full of irony. Once in a while the author will remind the reader of more gruesome aspects of soldierly life -- punishments, executions -- just to keep it real.

Gave this a shot last night and am enjoying it, especially a) the prose style of the 19th century and b) the fact the author (a literal Yankee, from New England) is not even attempting to be objective in his assessments of the pro-Confederacy folk whether Northern or Southern. (Most post-CW books written by veterans are, in my experience, remarkably conciliatory. Not so much here.)