Book 88: Emil and the Detectives, by Erich Kästner

I very much enjoyed this brief tale of a lad from the country town of Neustadt who goes by train to Berlin to visit his grandmother. Emil's mum sends him with some money for his grandma and warns him to be careful of it. But disaster strikes! Before he reaches Berlin, Emil's money is stolen from him. Desperate to get it back before he meets his grandmother, Emil turns detective. This is a very joyful childhood story in which the characters enjoy an implausible amount of freedom as they cavort about Berlin on a quest to bring justice. It has a promising title, and I wasn't disappointed.

Book 87: The Mennyms, by Sylvia Waugh

By the end of the first sentence I was confirmed in my sneaking suspicion that I had read this book before but just didn't remember the title. But Noah said that didn't count, so I read it again. I'm quite glad I did because it's a pretty good book, and I reckon this time around I was more aware of the character and relationship aspects of the tale than when I read it before.

First off, though, a note to Noah: don't read this book. You won't like it. In fact I'm not even sure if you'll like the review... and the reason is that it's a story all about life-size, bafflingly sentient, cloth-and-stuffing rag dolls. They even have button eyes (to which frequent reference is made). Naturally these beings - and especially blue-faced Soobie - find it difficult to mingle with the other residents of their town, instead electing to do everything by post and telephone (I think the internet would have had quite an impact on their mode of existence). All is well - until the letter arrives. It comes from Albert Pond, an Australian who has recently inherited ownership of the house they rent, and who is struck with a desire to visit England and to stay with his tenants. Boots, umbrellas, hoods and sunglasses serve as sufficient foils to recognition when out and about, but how can the Mennym family possibly avoid detection if a human being comes to stay? And then, in the very midst of this consternation, Soobie makes a deeply disturbing discovery up in the attic.

Raising questions about sentience, souls, God and creation, as well as issues of family, relationship and maturity, this was an enjoyable and compelling story with plenty in it to discuss. The only effect of having read it several years ago was a constant dim awareness of what was about to happen - and I honestly can't say whether that spoiled the story or not.

Book 86: Struwwelpeter, by Heinrich Hoffman (in English translation)

Read: Monday 15^th November 2010, snuggled up by the radiator in my room.

Review: A collection of cautionary tales for children, all totally politically correct and not remotely shocking or disturbing. Honest. They even rhyme.

I have endeavoured to work out who to credit as translator, but failed. The edition is by Dover Publications, USA.

Time: Five minutes? Maybe ten? This is a short book!

Book 85: White Fang, by Jack London

Read: November 2010

Review: At first, I have to confess, I found this book incredibly dull. Tis one of many with which, were it not for the challenge, I would have neglected to persevere. It is, after all, a book about a dog. Thankfully this dog is not anthropomorphised; his thoughts and feelings are described from a human point of view, but with constant reminders that he is, in fact, a dog. Or a wolf. Or something in between. The tale of White Fang, cub of one wolf and one half-wolf, born in the wild but taken in to the community of men at a young age, began to get interesting about a third of the way through. In spite of the overly liberal peppering (and frequent repetition) of moralistic and philosophical explanations, I enjoyed reading about the life of the wolf and how his different treatment at the hands of different people brings out the full variety of his character. The opening sequence, which lasts several chapters and is the only part of the book told from a human point of view, seemed irrelevant at first but, with hindsight, it has the effect of setting the scene, demonstrating the type of book this is to be, and providing us with some background knowledge of our protagonist and his lupine race. As the wolf’s character develops, reading about his exploits becomes more interesting. To me the parallels between wolf and human are only too obvious, as the widely different treatment recieved at the hands of White Fang’s three owners results in corresponding behaviour on the part of the animal. Interesting.

Film 65: "Jason and the Argonauts"

I finally got a film in! I'm SO busy these days. I finally have had a chance to watch a film as an engaged man... someone who's set to marry the most beautiful, loving and charming woman on this earth. What am I doing watching films??

Synoahpsis:

A romping good grecian adventure... this really old movie follows the story of Jason as he receives an command from the gods to quest for the fabled golden fleece- an item of great healing and defensive power rumored to be hanging from a tree on the other side of the world. Follow Jason as he talks his way into acquiring the finest ship in all Greece, the Argon, and assembling his crew from the strongest and most fearless greeks in all the land. With then without the help of the queen of the gods, Jason conquers bronze giants, captures tormenting harpies, sails under the armpit of Poseidon and much, much more.

I think Madea even comes up toward the end.

The best bit:

The bronze statue of Telos gets a little upset with Hercules and goes on a bit of a rampage. Even in this day and age, I still can't figure out how they made him look to convincing.

Marks out of ten:

I loved it at first, but the plot went to broad too quickly, and the film makers ruined their great progress in telling the story of Jason. Because they did so well with the effects... particularly for the time, I think they can be forgiven in part with a 6.9