Things Have Changed was released on the for the film The Wonder Boys in 2000 and went on to win an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. It was released on Dylan’s compilation albums afterward. It is a song about disillusionment and isolation, written in a storytelling style, full of imagery, references, and memorable lyrics. I have been a Dylan fan for almost 60 years and have many favorite songs. This one works very well for me:
Michael Connelly’s books have given us over 30 crime books in the last 30 years with central characters like Detective Harry Bosch and lawyer Micky Haller. He has also written books featuring Jack McEvoy (crime writer), Terry McCaleb (criminal profiler), and more recently Renee Ballard (detective), all set in Los Angeles. His books can be described as crime-related procedural novels, doggedly investigating violent crimes. As the protagonist works her/his way to follow clues and leads, various obstacles and dangers are encountered, adding thriller elements along with strong characters, and clear thematic tones.
Fair Warning follows the contemporary issue of genetic research and genetic testing and adds a “what if” conspiracy. Jack McEvoy is an investigative journalist who follows leads to discover how some individuals are victimized by those who have access to genetic information. Michael Connelly was a crime reporter and journalist so there is a strong sense of authenticity in McEvoy’s procedures, practices, and approach to ethical issues. All of Connelly’s books have well-developed characters and ethical issues are always at the forefront.
I have read almost all of Connelly’s books and he continues to bring me back to read his latest. There are 23 books that feature Harry Bosch, but we don’t tire of him because Connelly cares deeply for victims and Harry is his voice. Fair Warning is the third Jack McEvoy book and we hope to see him back again. Almost all of his stories have solid plots, exciting sections, and carefully considered endings. Fair Warning is not in my list of his top books, but it is a good crime novel, with some new and fresh characters and interesting topics so it is a recommended book. My rating – 4.3/5
White Winter Hymnal is an infectious song which invites repeated listens. It has folk instrumentation and folk-inspired harmonies. It is a short, but memorable song, added to my personal playlists. The video for the song is particularly enjoyable:
Some Lie and Some Die is a mystery novel by Ruth Rendell, the 8th book in the Inspector Wexford series. The setting is a music festival in Kings Markham. A woman is found in a quarry, a murder victim, and Wexford’s team need to investigate. There are lots of interviews with witnesses and suspects, lots of checking up, and a number of meetings, often in pubs, to discuss theories. This is standard detective fiction, but Ruth Rendell’s books always have a lot of in-depth character development, an unravelling of secrets, and some dark behaviors. In her books, the criminals are not usually villains. They and their friends and families are ordinary people, many with personal problems or relationship issues, and crimes are a result of trauma, obsession, and ill will. Some of her books are called psychological thrillers.
Some Lie and Some Die is a solid story, not her best, but she sets a high standard in the crime novel genre. Recommended, but there are some better Ruth Rendell stories to start with. 4.3 stars/5
I remember the first time I heard Billy Joel’s first album. A friend (now deceased) played the vinyl record and stated that this artist would be around for a long time. He was right. Many of Billy Joel’s songs are memorable and his voice perfectly provides the emphasis and empathy for the words sung in the tune. I heard this song performed live by a tribute band, and of all the songs, this one resonated with me.
She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes
And she can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child, but she's always a woman to me
Gallows View is the first book in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson. There are 28 mystery books and they have won a number of awards in the period from 1987 to 2023. All of the stories take place in Eastvale, a fictional city in the Yorkshire Dales. Banks moved there from London for a quieter life, but with the number of murders and other crimes portrayed in the series, it could not have been all that peaceful. The plots follow the police procedural structure, and the stories are reminiscent of the Ruth Rendell mysteries (high praise indeed).
Readers are often surprised by how good the first novel is and then they read more books and find that the series is consistently strong. In Gallows View, Banks deals with a peeping Tom, a murder, a rape, and some break-ins, all in the same time period, and we find that there are some links to the criminals and the events that unfold. The story is well told and a satisfying read.
All of the Inspector Banks stories are recommended. Rating – 4.4/5 stars.
I have been a fan of The Beatles for 60 years and I still listen to their songs, embedded onto my playlists. Many songs still resonate for me, and one of them is Let it Be. It is a Paul McCartney song, written in remembering his mother who had died when he was 14. It is tale of hope, resilience, and acceptance, reminiscent of his mother’s words. I sing along to the song, with my own mother in mind. It is a permanent personal playlist song:
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
River of the Gods – Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile is a historical account of the expeditions of Richard Burton and John Speke in the 1850s. The author Candice Millard has written a historical account of the at-the-time-famous expeditions by British explorers to trek from the East Coast of Africa into the Interior in search of the Mountains of the Moon and the source of the Nile. Burton is a fascinating man who spoke over 50 languages and had spent his whole life living in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa learning the cultures, traditions, and languages. On the other hand, he had little time or patience for missionaries, bureaucrats, slavers, profiteers, or politicians. He was well-admired for his research, intelligence, daring, and ability to withstand hardships. He takes on Speke as his second-in-command on expeditions that take years. They hire a freed slave Siti Mubarak Bombay who serves as their expedition manager. They are attacked by a gang of 200, they contract multiple tropical diseases, many of the porters and guards desert, they run out of supplies, and both become too sick to travel. In spite of this, they are the first Europeans to see Lake Tanganyika and in a period when Burton cannot travel, Speke and Bombay are the first to see Lake Nyanza (Lake Victoria). Speke is convinced he has finally found the source of the White Nile, but Burton wants further proof.
Speke was a jealous and self-centered man who had racist views and was not above lying and self-aggrandizing. He returned to England, sold his version of the story, and started to lecture. In his version of affairs, he was the leader and Burton was unfit for the expedition and unworthy of credit. When Burton finally returns, he finds himself embroiled in a public debate.
The author uses recorded statements to lay out the facts of the life of Burton, the explorations in the Middle East and in Africa, and in the aftermath of the media (of the time) coverage of the events.
The events of their lives and their key partners and friends after the expeditions are well-detailed and fascinating. Burton was an accomplished poet, translator, and essayist. He translated and published the first copies of the Kama Sutra and The Arabian Nights.
This was a precise and well-crafted historical account and a highly recommended book.
Force of Nature is a thriller/mystery novel written by Jane Harper, the second in the Aaron Falk series, set in Australia. Five women set out on a four day corporate retreat backpacking into the remote Giralang Range, but only four return. A search is started and the police question the women and anyone else associated with the missing Alice Russell. Their stories are not consistent as the author patiently develops the characters of the five women, each flawed, each with secrets, each dealing with personal, family, and work issues. Two police teams investigate and the truth slowly unfolds, but this is not a procedural detective story. It is an interwoven account of people under stress with trust, betrayal, loyalty, personal growth, resentment, fear, and anger. The truth is revealed through the interactions of the women with each other and the police, and at the end of the book regret and guilt are stronger than denial and lies.
This is another compelling story by Jane Harper and it is recommended as an engaging read. 4.4 stars/5.
One of my favorite female singer-songwriters for decades has been Kate Wolf. Many of her songs were in the folk/Americana/acoustic genre. With a crystal clear warm voice she wrote and sang many memorable songs until her death from leukemia in 1986. There are many wonderful songs to love, but Green Eyes is one of her best:
