Rules for Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson

I saw this book on a colleague’s desk and picked it up. After flicking through a couple of pages it had definitely caught my interest and I decided it was worth a read. 

The main character, a bookstore owner, is interviewed by an FBI agent about a book list he had created for his blog some years before. Eight books describing eight perfect murders. But why is he being interviewed? What's the agent's interest? It's all about unsolved murders which appear to be following the plot lines of various murder mystery novels... are they following his list?

I immediately identified with the main character, as running a small independent book shop is a bit of a fantasy of mine. He seems plain, boring and a bit clueless and as you find out more about him this impression is only reinforced. However, as you follow him further and deeper into the story, more and more information comes to light and those impressions change.

This is a book with twists and turns that keep going right to the end, packed with psychological suspense.

You also end up with a good list of books to read at a later date. Look out for Nero the cat (He didn't do it).

eBook Link: Rules for Perfect Murders

Posted by Rob

I'll be Your Mirror: the collected lyrics by Lou Reed

This is an expanded reissue of an earlier book of his lyrics. Now updated with the lyrics from “The Raven” and “Lulu”, projects he completed before passing in 2013.

I was initially excited about seeing this and dutifully played the albums while reading the lyrics.

When I was at high school we used to drop in to the record shop and flick through the records .Lou Reed’s were always a favourite. In 1980 “Growing in public” came out it become a favourite of that period. The song “My old man” seemed to particularly resonate with me. The whole album is clever and the next few albums are more accessible that some of his earlier albums.
Like Bowie he would go back and revisit songs he was not happy with. He redid an early song “Berlin” and developed a whole album around it. This is a slower and somewhat sad album, but if you listen carefully it celebrates life in all its many forms.

He can write powerful sharp observant lyrics “Songs for Drella”, with John Cale and “Magic and loss” are filled with powerful imagery.

What I didn’t like about the book is that it could have been a lot more visually interesting. It could have had some album art and then the lyrics for the album. There are also no listings of who played on the albums. At the end of the book it lists the albums and they all say words by Lou Reed, but there is no listing for the music. Again some details from the album would have helped.

So a bit disappointed with this as I thought it would be a book I would have to purchase, but still a good read.

The library has a number of other books about Lou Reed, check the catalogue.

Reviewed by Rob Middleton

Catalogue link:  I'll be Your Mirror

eGraphic Novels in Libby

Hastings District Libraries eLibrary has some great graphic novels to explore.

To to find these once you are in Libby, try going to explore and do a search on graphic novels.
This will give a result of around 797 books.
There are graphic novels for the whole family. Geronimo Stilton, Percy Jackson, The Witcher,
Locke and Key, The Walking dead and Doctor Who. There are also Japanese language Books.
All the big names from Marvel are there The Avengers, Wolverine, X-Men, Spiderman, Black Panther Captain America, Daredevil, Deadpool, Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy.
There are also some DC titles, Batman, and others
There are the special event issue’s like House of M, Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity War, Annihilation, The Dark Knight returns, The Killing Joke, V for Vendetta and others.
Some of these are of older material and you may have never seen them before. The joy with this is you can easily read an entire series in order.
The collection doesn’t cover everything but it does give you good options to go back and view the highlights.
So log in and have a search for something you might like (and remember if you read it quickly there is an option to return it early so someone else can get it out).

Posted by Rob Middleton

Dancing Barefoot: The Patti Smith Story by Dave Thompson

I am usually a bit wary of musician’s lives told from articles and interviews, but the media has always had a fascination with Patti Smith so everything she has done has been well documented.

I knew a lot of this information from previous books, but this went into much more detail about the musicians and who played on what albums. This puts much more context around the music itself and you can see the different musical influences effecting the album. You will have your own favourite songs, but of course music was only part of the Patti Smith experience.

She moved to New York City and successfully created four albums that are imprinted into music history. Sometimes a group of people end up making music that is completely unique and can’t or shouldn’t be repeated. In some ways it was good that she stopped creating albums for some time, as these four stand out as a unique set of albums

Her story is a sobering tale of fame, someone finding their one love, death and rebirth.

Her later works are listed and are interesting but not as ground breaking as the original four. Banga her latest album is a return to form and is soaked in imagery. An album of beauty and storytelling at its best.

It is hard to write about someone who has done so much and has been at the forefront of so many things. You like what she does, but I would struggle to qualify what exactly it is that attracts me to her work.
Patti Smith always had a specific idea of what it was to be a Rock and Roll star and she achieved it.

At the end of this book there is a list of book and music releases which is quite helpful if you are looking for other Patti Smith creations. She has a new book out called Year of the Monkey, but also check out other books the library has, M train, Just Kids, Devotion and the superbly named Woolgathering

Currently she is on the cover of Uncut Oct 2019 and will be playing in Wellington and Christchurch in April 2020

Reviewed by Rob Middleton

Catalogue link:  Dancing Barefoot

The Disappearance of Emile Zola by Michael Rosen

In 1898 the French novelist, critic and political activist Emile Zola writes ‘J’accuse’ an open letter in a newspaper supporting Alfred Dreyfus against the government. Dreyfus had been falsely tried, found guilty of treason and sent to Devils Island. Unfortunately the government was not impressed by his criticism and his friends advised him to flee the country rather than face trial. He quickly flees and reporters camp outside his Paris house awaiting news and newspapers openly speculated on where he has gone to.

Zola goes to England in what he hopes will be a short time but soon finds himself depressed and far away from the land he loves. For a man who loved every aspect of French life as Zola did, to be placed in such a foreign land was abhorrent and ‘the food was awful’. He was also separated from his wife, mistress and illegitimate children; and as his books stopped selling, his funds began to run out.

Emile Zola was much loved by the French people due to this sympathetic portrayal of them. However criticising the government and supporting Dreyfus who was a Jew brought him a lot of unwanted attention. There was a large anti- Semitic feeling which had been whipped up by the papers. This is a very interesting period in history, the ideas of socialism are gathering support and blind faith in leaders is being questioned openly. Even the everyday process of living is fascinating.

A few years ago now I read a large number of Zola novels, unfortunately not in French but at the time they left quite an impression on me. ‘Germinal’ in particular highlights the harsh lives of the French working class of this period. The movie is of course true to the book as it would have to be and is very grim. It clocks in at 2 hours 50 minutes and is available at the Havelock North library (sub-titled). Gerard Depardieu plays the villain and in the gets his come-uppance in a most gruesome way.

As well as the ‘Germinal’ DVD the library also has the books ‘Money’ and ‘Therese Raquin’.

Reviewed by Rob M

Catalogue link:  The Disappearance of Emile Zola

Uncommon People: The rise and fall of the rock stars by David Hepworth

David Hepworth says the Rock Star is dead; so what happened? The idea still lives on but what do we see in them? Confident reckless bastards full of sexual charisma; with great hair and interesting shoes?  Do we wish we were them, to stay forever young and live out their songs in real life? Do we wish for the double-edged sword called fame or is it about the music, the fans, the money? In many ways these people changed our lives and our fantasies, so it’s our story as well.

So what makes a Rock star, a Rock Star? Different musicians have different ideas about stardom just like you or I. TVs thrown out windows, Rolls Royces in swimming pools, drugged-up parties.
The Rolling Stones, Bowie, Morrissey, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen etc. they have all added their own spin on the phrase.

Hepworth has written a year by year look at the music industry and the names that were big in that period.  This a well written snap-shot on rock history. He also gives you a playlist for each year so you can go and search for the music of the period. Even if you listen to it in a digital format.

Music of course today is different, it’s all Disneyfied or record company label created. Occasionally a lone voice like Lana Del Ray will pop up and sear the landscape but overall it’s pretty boring.
A quote in the book says pop stars are only as good as the songs but rock stars will go on forever.
He’s not wrong.

So: Un-Common people is a reference to Common People by Pulp.
Check out the full lyrics on Google Lyrics; the Pulp video on YouTube; or for extra credits the William Shatner version of the same song on YouTube.

Posted by Rob M

Catalogue link: Uncommon People