Grantchester Book 1

Front Cover of my copy of the book

Back Cover of my copy of the book.

Thanks to my Aunt Denise for recommending the Grantchester Mysteries series by James Runcie. I picked up this softbound copy for $1 (that's right: one US  dollar) at my local grocery store's used book shelf. I was particularly thrilled because I had just finished watching the DVDs of the TV series broadcast on PBS.

I just finished the first book, Sydney Chambers and The Shadow of Death, in the series of  six (at this time). For the past two weeks I have been riding the bus to and from work due to the loss of my car. That has allowed about 20 minutes of reading each way.

I had a hard time putting down this book. It is one I could easily read again, just to pay more attention to some of the witty dialogue and keen observations regarding religion and people.

The book consists of six short stories told in chronological order. Four of these correspond to the six episodes in Season One of the TV series. This book was first published in 2012

Description from the publisher (similar to the summary above on the back cover):

It is 1953, the coronation year of Queen Elizabeth II . Sidney Chambers, vicar of Grantchester and honorary canon of Ely Cathedral, is a thirty-two-year-old bachelor. Tall, with dark brown hair, eyes the color of hazelnuts, and a reassuringly gentle manner, Sidney is an unconventional clerical detective. He can go where the police cannot.

Together with his roguish friend, inspector Geordie Keating, Sidney inquires into the suspect suicide of a Cambridge solicitor, a scandalous jewelry theft at a New Year's Eve dinner party, the unexplained death of a jazz promoter's daughter, and a shocking art forgery that puts a close friend in danger. 

Sidney discovers that being a detective, like being a clergyman, means that you are never off duty, but he nonetheless manages to find time for a keen interest in cricket, warm beer, and hot jazz-as well as a curious fondness for a German widow three years his junior.

I identified with the main character (Sydney Chambers) due to his struggle trying to lead a life of  faith (although I am not a priest nor an orthodox Christian). I also felt connected due to his frustrated love life. Although popular with women, they are put off by his religion and the love of his life has ruled out marriage to him though she loves him dearly.  Limiting their relationship to being friends is so much easier for her. To further drive home the point, she gives Sydney a dog in order to combat his loneliness.

I think the book can be read on more than one level. Obviously, it can be read as a straight forward mystery. On the other hand, it can be taken as a metaphor for good and evil, as well as the mystery of human relationships.

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Links:
https://www.jamesruncie.com/grantchester-mysteries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Runcie
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/shows/grantchester/
http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2017/10/crunch-time.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantchester_(TV_series)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grantchester
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Written Saturday 11 November 2017.

Who Invented Baseball?

My hard back copy (with dust jacket)  of Abner & Me.

Recently I finished my "evening book," ABNER & Me. It is the sixth book in the Baseball Card Adventures by Dan Gutman.

I was in the the mood for some light reading before bed and I cam across this book at a used book sale. I thought my sister Carol might be interested in it since she earlier this year she was into baseball history trivia. I thought I would read it myself before sending it to her. Now that I'm done, I can send it off to her.

The dust jacket states that the book is aimed for ages 8-12. The description in the front inside piece says:

Cannons are blasting!
Bullets are flying!
Wounded soldiers are everywhere!

Stosh has time-traveled to 1863, right into the middle of the Civil War. In possibly his most exciting and definitely his most dangerous trip yet, Stosh as decided to answer the question for all time: did Abner Doubleday, a Civil War general, really invent the game of baseball? 

It's all here: big laughs, dramatic action,fast baseball games in the middle of a battlefield. You'll be blown away by this sixth amazing baseball card adventure.

The book has 167 numbered pages and was published in 2005.

The Library of Congress summary states:

With his ability to travel through time using baseball cards and photographs, thirteen-year-old Joe and his mother go back to 1863 to ask Abner Doubleday whether he invented baseball, but instead find themselves in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg.

At the beginning of the book is an "Author's Note:" This book contains more violent scenes than my previous books. It may not be suitable for younger readers.

And this warning was true: I had to stop reading several nights because the battle scenes were getting me anxious. However, I kept at it until I finished the book. (A chapter or two a night).

It was an interesting mix: baseball, fantasy, and history. Abner Doubleday, though, does not come across as well as might be expected. However, his history is kind of interesting in itself.

In the final analysis, I liked the book and will be keeping my eyes open to pick up other books in the series.

Doubleday gravestone
(from Find A Grave)

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Card_Adventures
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Gutman
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/abner-doubleday
http://dangutman.com/dans-books/baseball-card-adventure-series/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Doubleday
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg
http://arlingtoncemetery.net/doubledy.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/abner-doubleday
https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=4830
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Written Saturday 4 November 2017.

Trinity

Dust jacket for 1st edition.

I just finished reading this book: TRINITY by Leon Uris. It is a huge (751 pages), sprawling novel about Ireland. The story opens in May 1985 in the little town of Ballytuogue in Ireland; it ends in 1916. The book was published in 1976.

I don't exactly remember when I started reading this book. At the start of this year, it wasn't on my reading list nor had I really ever heard of it. However, for St. Patrick's Day, I sent out an email that triggered my friend  Joan from St. James Bible study days to  protest about the reference to orange regarding St. Patrick's day.

As you can see from the dust jacket illustrated above, there is significance regarding the colors green (Roman Catholic) and orange (Protestant) for Ireland. The book's main characters are Roman Catholics that are seeking freedom (independence) from the Protestant British empire.

Joan wrote in her email that she remembered reading/listening to the book years ago. Shortly after her email, I encountered a copy of the book at a used book sale. So I bought it and sent it to her. I was so impressed with the maps that were sprinklered throughout the book, along with the story line, that I soon bought a copy for my own reading.

 

My copy of the Trinity book (no dust jacket).

I don't think I have ever read a novel with this many pages. I found a lot of correlation between the issues in the book and the current political situation today: the powers that be using religion to pit the common folk against each other and exploit the minority.

There is a sequel that was published nearly 20 years later. I picked up a used copy of that. But I am taking a break from the Irish saga by reading the first book of the The Grantchester Mysteries (but that will have to wait for a future post).

I am glad that I read TRINITY and recommend it especially for those who enjoy historical fiction.

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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(novel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Uris
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grantchester_Mysteries
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Written Sunday 29 October 2017