World of Mind
World Of Mind WOM museum, Brussels. REUTERS photo by Yves Herman:
Born in Sutherland, England, Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow began as a teacher/lecturer before turning to writing under her married named Stewart. Her literary career spanned 1955-’97. She wrote romantic mysteries, fantasies, children’s novels and poetry. I’d never heard of her until a copy of Airs Above the Ground came my way recently. Published in 1965, it is the story of a woman who sees her husband in a newsreel. Supposedly in Sweden on business, he is in Austria in the presence of a young beauty. The wife, a vetinarian, sets out to find what’s what. The title refers to a leap done by a show horse. The solid prose is highly descriptive. Of course, there are the occasional, baffling instances of UK usage. Its 224 pages read like more, especially since the print is small. The story is tame by modern standards but entertaining. The reader will learn about equines and circus life, and be given a tour of rural Austria. Stewart’s knowledge is extensive, impressive. 2813 users at Amazon have rated Airs…, forging to a consensus of 4.6 on a scale of five. I’ll go with three, a reflection of my lukewarm opinion of mystery fiction. If I’ve read 100, only a handful transcended the genre. Stewart won four awards in the fantasy category and was nominated for four in mystery, winning an Agatha Award for Lifetime Achievement. She was unable to bear children. She passed away at 97 in 2014. Photo from Google Images:
It’s World Read Aloud Day. Photo from GI:
Two nights ago Movies!, channel 5–2 on OTA in NYC, ran Asylum (1972), a British horror film written by Robert Bloch, whose novel Psycho was adapted into the 1960 classic. It is the work of Amicus Productions, which released at least 28 movies from 1962-’77, the most successful Tales from the Crypt (1972). Asylum weaves several tales into one entertaining film. It is notable chiefly for its cast. Robert Powell went on to do the definitive portrayal of Christ in Jesus of Nazareth (1977). The lovely Barbara Parkins had already completed her 514-episode run on Peyton Place. London-born Barry Morse, who played Lt. Gerard, Richard Kimble’s dogged tracker in 119 episodes of The Fugitive, plays a tailor. Brit stalwarts Richard Todd, a WWII vet, Peter Cushing, master of macabre, and Patrick Magee, a Tony winner for the role of the Marquis de Sade in the original stage production of Marat/Sade, are along for the ride. And, when they were young, Charlotte Rampling and Britt Ekland, photo from GI:
It’s all in the genes. Headline from nypost.com: “WWII vet who ate McDonald’s breakfast nearly every day for last 36 years turns 100.” Have it your way, Sir. You’ve earned it.
From NYP. Nothing says love like: “I popped the question with a tattoo — she had to pull down my pants to see it.”
The move to impeach Mayorkas, a political puppet, failed. I’m shocked — shocked!
And Schmuck Schumer’s terrible border bill got the boot. Was it his intent all along to make Republicans seem blameworthy? If so, will most voters see through the nonsense?
The weather was balmy by the end of today’s session of the Anti-Inflation Book Shop. My thanks to the woman who donated a bunch of music, and to The Quiet Man, who pounced on a lot of it, including vinyl LPs from Doris Day and Tom Jones; and to the woman who bought Dragon’s Tears and In the Heart of the Fire by Dean Koontz, and Pandora’s Daughter and What Doesn’t Kill You by Iris Johansen; and to the woman who purchased A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, one of the first books I read cover to cover, circa age 14; and to the woman who took home a cook book in Russian; and to the gentleman who chose two more DVDs in that language.
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