Wonderful Books

Not As Important, But Wonderful Reading

King of the Confessors, Thomas Hoving. What's it like to be the head curator for one of the world's greatest art museums? A lot more exciting than you might think. In this book, Hoving recounts a years-long investigation into the authenticity of a medieval artifact of great value. It is just absolutely fascinating!
I haven't read the two books below, but I intend to do so, based on my experience with "King of the Confessors".
Making the Mummies Dance, Thomas Hoving.
False Impressions: The Hunt for Big-Time Art Fakes, Thomas Hoving. (paperback) - (hardcover)
The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens.
This is my favorite Dickens. Engrossing and funny. I have a first edition, which I read and did a lot of damage to in the process. Sigh.
Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
I read several books by Dickens, this was my favorite serious one.
The James Bond books, Ian Fleming.
The Flashman books,.
The Hunt for Red October, Tom Clancy.
Will, G. Gordon Liddy. (paperback) - (hardcover)
This autobiography by the rascal of Watergate is a fascinating book. You get not only Watergate poodah, but engaging tales of the inside workings of the FBI. Liddy's use of the language shows he was taught more than self-esteem in school. Somewhere along the way, he picked up the self-esteem on his own.
Shogun, James Clavell.
The Sot-Weed Factor, John Barth. It's been some time since I read this, but I remember that it was special. Seventeenth century goings-on in off-shore Maryland. Sot-Weed is tobacco and a "factor" is an agent. A quirky, literate picture of the times, true or not. Approaches fantasy, maybe, it's hard to tell. That's how clever this book is.
The Journeyer, Gary Jennings.
An outstandingly good premise for a book, executed brilliantly -
"What would Marco Polo have chronicled had he not been inhibited by his readers' disbelief?"
This is a long, rich book. In a little corner of this adventure is a description of the construction and operation of a "kamel", a device used for East-West navigation. Easy! The book gets a bit raunchy in parts, so I wouldn't recommend it for youngsters. Also, I think Tibetans would probably be offended.
The Vagrant Viking, Peter Freuchen.
A great book by one of the founders of Thule, Greenland.
The Story of English, Robert McCrum & Robert MacNeil.
Companion book to the television series of a few years ago. If you have any interest in English, you will love this book.
Wordstruck, Robert MacNeil.
A nice, sweet little book by one of the authors of "The Story of English" (see above). It made me regret more than ever my neglect of Shakespeare.
The Tin Drum,.

Starr, Clinton and Lewinsky - The Official Poodah!

William Faulkner

William Faulkner is my favorite American author; he has an elegant way with the English language. His prose reads like poetry. His stories are engrossing. While I was at The University (UVa), he was Writer-in-Residence and he lectured my English class for one full period (actually, it was a question-and-answer session). A small man with a beautiful, languid, yet precise aristocratic Mississippi accent. I remember with relish his answer to a particularly assiduous student who had posed one of those questions that takes three minutes to ask and is more an essay than a question. I believe the "question" had to do with naming one of the characters "Joe Christmas" in Light in August. Mr. Faulkner patiently withstood the barrage and, after a short pause, probably to be sure it was over, but maybe for effect, he answered, "Young man, I am sorry, but I cannot answer your question because I am not a literary person."

I saw him often in his tweeds and Tyrolean green felt hat, walking the grounds, smoking a pipe. He joined the local hunt club (fox hunt) and was writing a book about it when he died, so I heard. It was rumored that his book would expose scandals of the nabobs of Albemarle County, who were very relieved at its remaining unfinished. An excellent narrative of his time at UVa, written by one of his department colleagues, can be read in The Virginia Quarterly Review. He doesn't mention the unfinished book, so maybe it never existed. Also, if you read the article, please believe me when I say that I did not steal the "tweeds and Tyrolean green felt hat" from it. I wrote that before reading the article.

A Faulkner book I especially liked was Sanctuary. One of the characters is a student at The University back in the days when we all wore coats and ties. He gets into a lot of trouble. I could really identify with that character.

If you are looking for informal, non-professional, irreverent and entertaining investment advice, check out the "Drooling Oatmeal Investment Club". Poodah (of this site) contributes occasional pieces there.

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