What Are You Currently Reading?

[iank]

Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson. The gripping true story of the toxic fog that killed thousands over the course of five days in 1950s London - and a rather more human serial killer operating in the area at the same time. A compulsive read.

[Demoncrat]

Two related HBs ... Kim Johnson's Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday ... which is more or less the diary of a facet of how Life Of Brian was made .... and Terry Gilliam's Gilliam-esquse ... which, as you might imagine, is a memoir (of sorts)

[Susan Foreman]

About 25 years ago, I got a copy of 'The Complete Tales And Poems Of Edgar Allen Poe'

Over the years, I have picked it up and put it down, but last week I decided to actually read the thing! So far I have done:

'The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall' (Adventure/Science Fiction, first published Southern Literary Messenger, June 1835) - Told mainly as a journal, the story tells of a journey to the moon by use of a hot air balloon. It's an enjoyable tale which must have been an influence on Jules Verne when he wrote 'From the Earth to the Moon' (18650. [Note: Apparently Poe considered this to be the first part of an ongoing serial. However, a few months late in August 1835, the New York Sun published a story called 'The Great Moon Hoax' which Poe claimed was a plaguarisation of his story]

'The Gold Bug' (Adventure, first published Dollar Newspaper, June 1843) - The plot follows William Legrand who was bitten by a gold-colored bug. His servant Jupiter fears that Legrand is going insane and goes to Legrand's friend, an unnamed narrator, who agrees to visit his old friend. Legrand pulls the other two into an adventure after deciphering a secret message that will lead to a buried treasure. Another entertaining story which sadly is a product of it's time. Jupiter is depicted as a comical negro, who regularly refers to himself as a 'nigger', and speaks in a stereotypical way: "And dis all cum ob de goole-bug! what I bossed in dat sabage kind od style! Ain't you shamed ob yourself, nigger? - answer me dat". [Note: I could very easily see the basic plot of this being made as an Indiana Jones-esque film]

'The Balloon Hoax' (Newspaper hoax, first published in the New York Sun, April 1844) - Originally presented as a true story, the short tale tells of a gas balloon trip from Wales to France, which is blown off course and ends up crossing the Atlantic Ocean in three days

'Von Kempelen and His Discovery' (Hoax, first published in The Flag of Our Union, April 1849) - Reportedly a man discovers the secret of Alchemistry, and the ability to turn lead into gold

'Mesmeric Revelation' (Science fiction, first published The Columbian Magazine, August 1844) - A philosophical dialogue between a hypnotist and his consumptive patient who, in the mesmerized state, answers questions about immortality, life after death, ether, and the nature of God

'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar' (Horror, first published The American Review, December 1845) - Another take on the concept used in 'Mesmeric Revelation' features a hypnotist who mesmerizes a patient at the moment of death, and keeps him 'alive'. The first out-and-out horror story in the collection is gripping throughout. [Note: The first film version of this story was made in 1960 in Argentina. Corman used it as the last story in 'Tales Of Terror' (1962) and Romero adapted it for 'Two Evil Eyes' (1990)]

'The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade' (Comedy, First published in Godey's Lady Book, February 1845) - Purportedly a continuation of 'The Thousand And One Nights', this features the story of a journey undertaken by Sinbad the sailor. Sadly, what starts as a entertaining tale evolves into a list of creatures and wonders of nature and endless footnotes

[bleakshaun]

Originally Posted by Susan Foreman

About 25 years ago, I got a copy of 'The Complete Tales And Poems Of Edgar Allen Poe'

Over the years, I have picked it up and put it down, but last week I decided to actually read the thing! So far I have done:

'The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall' (Adventure/Science Fiction, first published Southern Literary Messenger, June 1835) - Told mainly as a journal, the story tells of a journey to the moon by use of a hot air balloon. It's an enjoyable tale which must have been an influence on Jules Verne when he wrote 'From the Earth to the Moon' (18650. [Note: Apparently Poe considered this to be the first part of an ongoing serial. However, a few months late in August 1835, the New York Sun published a story called 'The Great Moon Hoax' which Poe claimed was a plaguarisation of his story]

'The Gold Bug' (Adventure, first published Dollar Newspaper, June 1843) - The plot follows William Legrand who was bitten by a gold-colored bug. His servant Jupiter fears that Legrand is going insane and goes to Legrand's friend, an unnamed narrator, who agrees to visit his old friend. Legrand pulls the other two into an adventure after deciphering a secret message that will lead to a buried treasure. Another entertaining story which sadly is a product of it's time. Jupiter is depicted as a comical negro, who regularly refers to himself as a 'nigger', and speaks in a stereotypical way: "And dis all cum ob de goole-bug! what I bossed in dat sabage kind od style! Ain't you shamed ob yourself, nigger? - answer me dat". [Note: I could very easily see the basic plot of this being made as an Indiana Jones-esque film]

'The Balloon Hoax' (Newspaper hoax, first published in the New York Sun, April 1844) - Originally presented as a true story, the short tale tells of a gas balloon trip from Wales to France, which is blown off course and ends up crossing the Atlantic Ocean in three days

'Von Kempelen and His Discovery' (Hoax, first published in The Flag of Our Union, April 1849) - Reportedly a man discovers the secret of Alchemistry, and the ability to turn lead into gold

'Mesmeric Revelation' (Science fiction, first published The Columbian Magazine, August 1844) - A philosophical dialogue between a hypnotist and his consumptive patient who, in the mesmerized state, answers questions about immortality, life after death, ether, and the nature of God

'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar' (Horror, first published The American Review, December 1845) - Another take on the concept used in 'Mesmeric Revelation' features a hypnotist who mesmerizes a patient at the moment of death, and keeps him 'alive'. The first out-and-out horror story in the collection is gripping throughout. [Note: The first film version of this story was made in 1960 in Argentina. Corman used it as the last story in 'Tales Of Terror' (1962) and Romero adapted it for 'Two Evil Eyes' (1990)]

'The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade' (Comedy, First published in Godey's Lady Book, February 1845) - Purportedly a continuation of 'The Thousand And One Nights', this features the story of a journey undertaken by Sinbad the sailor. Sadly, what starts as a entertaining tale evolves into a list of creatures and wonders of nature and endless footnotes

I've got that same book sitting in my wardrobe

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[Demoncrat]

Poe is for reading
On this I must insist
It's not a matter of breeding
But then again I'm pissed



I'll get me cloak ....


AANYWay .... Gilliam - esque is very Terry. The audiobook would be er, unique I think.
A tale of travel and tremendous luck so far ... Python just off the blocks etc ... already you can see his propensity for scale even then ... recommended.

[bleakshaun]

Decided to read one of my new purchases: secret societies and creepy cults.

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[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

After finishing What the Hell Did I Just Read, another brilliant and hilarious book by Jason Pargin (a.k.a. David Wong), something which continues the adventures of John and Dave superbly, I've gone for something different: The Law and How It's Broken by Secret Barrister.

This is a very accessible and easy to read book about the state of the criminal justice system in England and Wales something which, as the author describes extremely well, would be on the front page of every newspaper if it was the NHS. Because almost any of us could be caught up in the legal system, whether as witnesses, jurors, victims, or even someone accused of a crime, the parlous state of a system designed to ensure that anyone who breaches the laws designed to enforce a social contract in our society should trouble everyone.

[Demoncrat]

Some old Viz Comics I found whilst shifting stuff. A Xmas Fru T. Bunn made me laugh so much ... tears etc. A real tonic they are ...

[Linbro]

New-ish horror novel called 'Kill Creek'. The set up seems almost 'hokey', but it came highly recommended. I haven't felt so...uneasy, reading a book, for a loooooooong time. I'm only halfway through, but so far - superb.

[Susan Foreman]

Continuing 'The Complete Tales And Poems Of Edgar Allen Poe':

'MS. Found in a Bottle' (Adventure, first published Baltimore Saturday Visiter, October 1833) - An unnamed narrator sets sail as a passenger aboard a cargo ship. A few days into the voyage, the ship is first becalmed then hit by a hurricane, killing almost everyone on board. Later, it collides with a ghost ship which the narrator boards, before being blown south to the Antarctic and sinking in a giant whirlpool

This is the first story in the volume that I struggled to finish. I found it tedious and a chore to read

'A Descent Into The Maelstrom' (Adventure, first published Graham's Magazine, April 1841) - Another sea based adventure which could very easily be a continuation of the above tale. A story remembered by a person of a fishing trip he went on with his two brothers. The boat they are on is caught in a hurricane, and sucked into a whirlpool, resulting in the narrator being the only survivor

The writing of the story was very rushed, and Poe later admitted that the conclusion was imperfect

'The Murders In The Rue Morgue' (Detective, first published Graham's Magazine, April 1841) - Acknowledged as being the first modern detective story, this concerns the Frenchman C. Auguste Dupin who solves a grisly double murder of two women in a 'locked room mystery' by using logic, intellect and reasoning

The first filmed adaptation of this story was ironically a Sherlock Holmes story entitled 'Sherlock Holmes in the Great Murder Mystery' in 1909. This is now a lost film, and the director and cast are unknown. Further films followed, including Universal's 'Murders In The Rue Morgue' in 1932 with Bela Lugosi and Sidney Fox; 'The Phantom Of The Rue Morgue' in 1954 with Karl Malden; 'Murders In The Rue Morgue' in 1971 with Jason Robards and Herbert Lom; George C. Scott and Val Kilmer appeared in a 1986 film directed by Jeannot Szwarc; and Iron Maiden had a song with the same title on their second album

'The Mystery of Marie Roget' (Detective, first serialized in three parts in Snowden's Ladies Companion in November 1842, December 1842 and February 1843) - A Sequel to 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue', this is the first murder mystery based on the details of a real crime. The narrative is based upon the actual unsolved murder of Mary Cecilia Rogers, whose body was found floating in the Hudson River on July 28, 1841. Relocating the story to Paris, and changing the name of the victim, C. Auguste Dupin once again used rationalization to solve the case

In 1942, Universal films released a film with the same title, directed by Phil Rosen and featuring Patric Knowles and Maria Montez

'The Purloined Letter' (Detective, first published in The Gift: A Christmas and New Year's Present in December 1844) - This is the third and final story featuring C. Auguste Dupin and it tells how he retrieves a stolen letter that contains information which could compromise an un-named woman

These three stories make up a loose trilogy, although they are not presented as such. As the first fictional detective, Dupin displays many traits which would became literary conventions (and even cliches) in subsequent fictional detectives - many later characters would follow the model of a brilliant but eccentric detective, his personal friend (who acts as a narrator), the bumbling constabulary and the final revelation being presented before the reasoning that leads up to it. Indeed, Conan-Doyle owes Poe a huge debt of gratitude when it comes to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries

Out of the three, I was least impressed with 'The Mystery of Marie Roget', but this is possibly because I am unfamiliar with the original case, and I don't know how factual Dupin's deductions are. It's an intriguing concept, however, and I am certain that, if Poe still been alive and writing in the late 1880's, Dupin would have been faced with unraveling the Jack The Ripper murders