One the most enjoyable items of modern technology is the instant access to all sorts of information. I remember the days when we had to make a special trip to the library when we needed to look something up in the encyclopedia. Now information is just a click away. I enjoy using Wikipedia. Every day on the home page, there is a special feature. This past week they had this picture of a beautiful Australian songbird. But the first paragraph had me reaching for my dictionary, online of course. Here’s what I found, all in one paragraph.

The Superb Fairywren is a common and familiar passerine bird of the Maluridae family. Sedentary and territorial, it is found across south-eastern Australia. The species exhibits a high degree of sexual dimorphism; the male in breeding plumage has a striking bright blue forehead, ear coverts, mantle, and tail, with a black mask and black or dark blue throat. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles are predominantly grey-brown in colour; this gave the early impression that males were polygamous as all dull-coloured birds were taken for females.

1. Passerine refers to birds that are adapted to perching. That includes all songbirds.

2. Dimorphism refers to something representing two distinct forms.

3.  Covert is not the same as “covert ops” as in a thriller, but close. In ornithology it means the feathers covering the main bases. In this case, the feathers covering the Fairywren’s ears.

4.  Polygamous in this sentence also means having more than one mate, no different from the human form of polygamy.

What new words did you find this week? I hope you’ll join us in Wondrous Words Wednesday. Be sure to visit Kathy, our stouthearted (courageous, determined) leader.

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Several people asked me last week how I go about catching all the new words while I am reading. Here’s my method: I use post-its or sticky papers, whatever you call them. I prefer the kind the are only about a half-inch across and maybe an inch and a half long.

When I start a new book I put about a half dozen into the front of the book. When I come to a new word I put the sticky note in the sentence where the new word occurs and then let the end stick out a little bit so I can find it again later. If the word is really a stopper, I’ll go find a dictionary right away.

I also use the papers to mark a special passage I may want to quote or talk about in my review. What did I do before the invention of sticky notes? Don’t tell anyone but I bent the pages – bottom of the page for new words and top of the page for quotes or special passages. But I never, ever did that in a library book. I learned about the sacredness of library books when I was seven and left my books out in the rain.

The “world’s greatest detective,” Hercule Poirot, and his trusty companion, Captain Hastings, are staying at a nearby luxurious hotel. They are there for a vacation but they soon involve themselves in a mystery. Actually, I should say that Poirot involves them in a mystery. Hastings would prefer to play golf.

Poirot is convinced that someone is trying to kill Nick. He would like to solve a murder before it actually becomes a murder. Nick doesn’t seem to take the incidents seriously until there finally is a murder.

At the very beginning of the book there is a Cast of Characters. I really needed that just to keep everybody straight in my head. With this Cast, Poirot has a whole line-up of suspects to choose from. Very diligently and methodically Poirot works his way through the suspects and the clues. When all else fails he used a seance, which surprised me. Agatha Christie used a couple of seances in last month’s book, The Sittaford Mystery.

Even though this was a re-read for me, I didn’t remember who the killer was. I figured it out just a little bit before Poirot did. This was another wonderful Agatha Christie book. There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing.

This is book 13 in my challenge to read all of Christie’s books in order of their publication date. For more information visit Kerrie at Mysteries in Paradise. I also watched the movie version of this on dvd. It starred the wonderful David Suchet as Poirot, Hugh Fraser as Hastings, Phillip Jackson as Inspector Japp, and Polly Walker as Nick Buckley. I’m also counting this as one of my Read the Book, See the Movie Challenge events.

Check your local library for copies of Peril At End House in both the book and the dvd. Amazon also has the book.

Simon & Schuster, 1932  My Rating: A

The Comforts of Home

by Flannery O’Connor, 1965

Thomas is a thirty-five year old man living with his mother. His father is physically dead but seems to mentally plague Thomas from time to time. His mother develops an attachment to a young woman in jail. She manages to get the young woman released, finds a place for her to live and a job.

For some reason that doesn’t seem to be enough for the young woman. Soon she is living in their guest room and taking over every room in the house. When she shows up in Thomas’ bedroom, Thomas gets mad enough to explode. He issues an ultimatum to his mother: the young woman must be out of the house today or he will leave. Mother must choose between the young woman and her son.

The ultimatum doesn’t work and now Thomas must hatch a new plot to get rid of her. His plot is to stash his gun in the young woman’s belongings and tell the sheriff the gun is missing.

This story is another excellent example of how a short story has me totally absorbed until the last paragraph. The story ends but my mind is still thinking about it. I ask the author, “What’s going to happen now?” but she doesn’t answer. So here’s the real beauty of short stories – I get to make up my own final conclusion.

It’s been a couple of days since I read the story but I’m still thinking about Thomas and the young woman. I really like my conclusion. Tell me if you’ve had the same reaction to short stories.

I read this story in my new book, The Best American Mystery Stories of the Century (edited by Toni Hillerman). I could not find The Comforts of Home online but check your library’s collection of short stories.

Short Story Monday is sponsored by John of Book Mind Set. Be sure to visit John for more short stories.

As you can see, it’s a rather modest home. It sits on a big corner lot with only a simple iron fence surrounding it. It’s only a few blocks away from the Independence business district.

The home was built by the grandfather of Truman’s wife, Bess Wallace Truman. It was known primarily as the Wallace house. During the years Truman was president (1945 – 1953) this home was the Summer White House.

Harry Truman loved to read. His mother taught him to read before he started school. He continued to read his entire life. He was too poor to afford college, but managed to educate himself.

It’s only fitting that Harry Truman have his own library. This was one of the first presidential libraries we visited. It’s an effective way to learn a portion of history.

Since that time all former presidents of the past century have libraries housing their papers and other items of interest. They are scattered all over the country. Have you had a chance to visit a presidential library?

* The last two pictures were borrowed from the National Park website.

The hometown of Guy Fieri, the host of the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, is Santa Rosa, California. Since we are not too far away we decided to try one of the featured restaurants in that town. We chose Willie Bird’s on Santa Rosa Avenue.

What is unique about Willie Bird’s is that they specialize in turkey. Since I love turkey I chose the Willie Bird’s Special. The special includes thick slices of turkey breast, their own stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, salad and a roll.

It was way too much food. And, I should have asked for the gravy on the side. But – it was delicious. The turkey was moist, the potatoes were real, and the stuffing was almost as good as mine.  (I really like mine.) I only ate a fourth of the turkey and took the rest of it home. It made a great turkey pot pie.

They do offer some other dishes besides turkey. Jay had the special of the day – pot roast. As you can see to the right, his meal included the beef roast, chunks of potato and carrots cooked with celery. He was also served a salad and roll.

Pot Roast is one of Jay’s favorites. He said this one was nice and moist, however it wasn’t the normal cut of meat we usually use in a pot roast. We usually use one more marbled with fat which adds to the flavor. This one could have used more flavor.

Overall, we would give Willie Bird’s Restaurant a B- or a C+. It’s comfort food but not really better than what we do at home. It didn’t have that Wow!! factor that I expect from a restaurant that has been featured on national television. The thing that saved the experience for us was the waitress. She was friendly,  patient, helpful and didn’t hover. She allowed us plenty of time to enjoy our meals.

We probably won’t visit Willie Bird’s again but that’s okay. There are hundreds more to try from those two books.

Talking about food is a regular feature on my blog and on other blogs as well. Visit Beth Fish Reads for other bloggers who are participating in Weekend Cooking.

by Garth Stein

Harper, 2008

My Rating: C+

Synopsis (from Amazon)

If you’ve ever wondered what your dog is thinking, Stein’s third novel offers an answer. Enzo is a lab terrier mix plucked from a farm outside Seattle to ride shotgun with race car driver Denny Swift as he pursues success on the track and off.

Denny meets and marries Eve, has a daughter, Zoë, and risks his savings and his life to make it on the professional racing circuit. Enzo, frustrated by his inability to speak and his lack of opposable thumbs, watches Denny’s old racing videos, coins koanlike aphorisms that apply to both driving and life, and hopes for the day when his life as a dog will be over and he can be reborn a man.

When Denny hits an extended rough patch, Enzo remains his most steadfast if silent supporter. Enzo is a reliable companion and a likable enough narrator, though the string of Denny’s bad luck stories strains believability. Much like Denny, however, Stein is able to salvage some dignity from the over-the-top drama.

My thoughts:

I know I will offend many of you but The Art of Racing in the Rain was not that good for me. This was the Book Group’s choice, not mine. I will agree that the writing was very good and the story was very creative. I’m sure it was a personal thing that kept me from enjoying the book. Reading a book written by a dog was a little over the top for me. Others, particularly dog lovers, find the book to be heartwarming, charming, and very funny. Unfortunately, not me. Garth Stein has a new book out and I think I’m going to give it a try.

Check your public library for this book. It’s also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)

We are on a Chinese Take-Out binge this week. We’ve had it twice. All the leftovers make for a nice smorgasbord perfect for watching movies. I suppose for this movie we should have had Italian, but we didn’t think of it.

The Story: Lucy Honeychurch is visiting Florence, Italy with her older cousin Charlotte Bartlett. When the pensione where they are staying does not give them rooms with nice views as promised, fellow travelers, Mr. Emerson and his son George, agree to exchange rooms with them. In the days to follow they often find themselves together along with other English travelers. George finds himself attracted to Lucy and, on a picnic, sweeps her in his arms and passionately kisses her. He has fallen in love.

That is their only encounter and once back in England Lucy agrees to marry Cecil Vyse. The viewer can see that this is not a good match. Fortunately, fate intervenes when the Emerson’s lease a villa nearby. Lucy’s younger brother Freddy becomes good friends with George so he is at the house often on weekends. And then, as they say, the plot thickens.

What I Thought: Visually, this movie was stunning. I would have loved to have seen it on the big screen. The panoramic pictures of Florence and then the English countryside were like viewing classic paintings. The colors were soft and muted. I know breathtaking is a cliche, but the beauty did make me gasp in places.

There were also some outstanding performances. Maggie Smith as Charlotte and Simon Callow as the vicar were my favorites. I thought the actor who played Cecil was very good and was surprised to learn it was Daniel Day Lewis. Judy Densch had a small part. Lucy was played by Helena Bonham Carter and has gone on to quite a nice career. She’s been in the Harry Potter movies, the new Alice In Wonderland and others.

This is an adaptation of E. M. Forester’s classic novel by the same name. I found a little clip on YouTube so you can have a little taste of this film. Beware: There is a five-second scene of male nudity. In case you read German, there are also German sub-titles.

1. collation: “I’ll go for water while you prepare the collation.”

Collation means a light, informal meal.

That word came from Here Comes the Sun by Emilie Loring.

This next one I found in an interview with author Michael Connelly in Bookmarks Magazine:

2. tectonic: “Tectonic shift, social shifts, the haves and have-nots, it seems to all the part of the canvas that is the City of Angels–or the City of Angles, as some would have it.”

Tectonic refers to the structure of the earth’s crust and the large-scale processes that take place within it.

3. dyspepsia: “Sensible girl, to spare herself yours of mortal dulness, gossip, and dyspepsia,” was the placid reply.

Dyspepsia is indigestion. I found this word in the short story, Scarlet Stockings by Louisa May Alcott.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is sponsored by Kathy at Bermuda Onion’s Weblog. Visit her for more new words or to play along with words of your own.

All four of the books feature Charlie, and I’m glad they do. Charlie is a great character and I have to tell myself she is not real. Charlie is single although in Prime Time she meets the love of her life and he is still with her in the fourth.

Charlie has a great career and she’s very good at it. She’s very curious and seems to have that sixth sense for a good story. Each one of the books investigates a story that I swear I seen or read about. Charlie and her bottomless pit of a tote bag are always willing to risk everything to see a project to it’s end.

As I was reading the books I saw the author in the role of Charlie. Hank Phillippi Ryan is also an investigative reporter for a Boston TV channel. I can’t help but wonder if what I’m reading actually happened. Knowing the author’s background really enhanced the story for me.

Lucky for me, I had all four books. Once I finished one I picked up the next and started in. By the time I got to book four I slowed down. It was fun and I didn’t want it to end so I read just a little at a time. I decided to tell you about the last three books all at once in this post. Her is a short synopsis of each one.

In Face Time Charlie fights for justice, journalism—and the battle against on-the air aging. (And for that dishy professor she met on the job.) The good news: she’s got explosive evidence to free an innocent woman from prison. The bad news: that makes Charlotte—and someone she loves—the killer’s next target.

Who better to crack the story than Boston’s own version of Brenda Starr? Unfortunately, the prime source won’t talk, the attorney general is trying to block the investigation, and the more Charlotte snoops around, the more people turn up dead.

An extended visit from her persnickety mother isn’t helping And the incredibly sexy new love of her life may be the picture of perfection, but that includes a close up of a prickly preteen who isn’t keen on sharing her daddy with Charlotte.

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In Air Time Charlie enters the glamorous and high-stakes world of high fashion…and soon discovers when the purses are fake—the danger is real.

To break her latest big-money blockbuster, Charlotte must go undercover—but what if the bad guys recognize her? This savvy TV journalist must face more than her fear of flying when her inside scoop on designer duplicates suddenly turns deadly.

Carrying a hidden camera and dressing to deceive, Charlie finds she’s not the only one disguising her identity. Nothing—and no one—is what they seem. And that means nothing—and no one—can be trusted. In her high-risk job and in her suddenly steamy love life, how can she tell the real thing?

Charlie is forced to make some life-changing—and life and death—decisions. With only a split-second to act and with her own life in the balance, Charlie knows if she chooses wrong it will be the last decision she ever makes.

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In Drive Time Charlie is an expert at keeping things confidential, but suddenly everyone has something to hide—and even Charlie realizes it’s possible to know too much.

Her latest television scoop—an expose of a dangerous car scam, complete with stakeouts, high-speed chases and hidden-camera footage—is ratings gold. Now, in the prime time of her journalism career, it seems like Charlie’s dreams are about to come true. If she can just balance her career and her upcoming wedding—perhaps she can really have it all.

But soon Charlie’s personal and professional lives are put on a terrifying collision course. Her fiancé is privy to information about ugly phone calls at an elite private school, threats that are suddenly turning deadly. There’s a mysterious death. And then—another. Her soon-to-be stepdaughter may be in danger. Her fiancé comes under suspicion. Then Charlie’s career takes a turn she never could have predicted.

I guess you can tell I really liked these books. For a great behind-the-camera look at TV news, you can’t beat these fun and page-turning books.

Scarlet Stockings

by Louisa May Alcott

Harry Lennox has been away from town for five years and is back visiting his sister Kate. Kate has become friends with Belle Morgan, “a nice, bright, energetic, warm-hearted dear.” Harry hasn’t met Belle yet but he likes to watch her pass by wearing her scarlet stockings. Harry would like Kate to introduce him, but Kate knows how Belle feels about Harry. Belle said she “wasn’t fond of peacocks.”

Harry does seem full of himself but he finally makes the acquaintance of Belle. I don’t think Belle is exactly what Harry was expecting. Belle is very “principled” about various issues in life. She is passionate about caring for the poor and sick, she walks five to six miles a day, and she knits large socks for unknown soldiers going to fight for the North.

As Harry gradually comes to understand Belle, his usual swagger and “peacock” ways begin to change. When his month’s visit to his sister is over, he is unhappy about leaving both his sister and Belle. Although Belle has changed her opinion of Harry, she still can’t give her affections to a man who is not patriotic enough to fight as a soldier for his country.

So Belle finishes her knitted socks and makes a few other items for an anonymous soldier who will be her “substitute” in the war. Belle’s father agrees to take the items to the anonymous soldier prior to their departure for the battlefield. As the troops set off they march through the streets of town. Belle is shocked when she sees the “substitute” soldier who is marching off to war.

This short story was pure Louisa May Alcott. It was the same old-fashioned, stiff writing as Little Women, but the characters shine through. In this short three-chapter story, the author gave us nicely developed characters, especially Harry and Belle. It was nice to find the short stories of Louisa May Alcott.  I can recommend this one, if you like Alcott’s writing but don’t want to wade through her novels. You can find this short story here.

If you’d like to read other bloggers who have posted short stories or if you’d like to join in, visit John at Book Mind Set for more Short Story Monday.