The Stick is Mightier than the Conch

Mossflower by Brian Jacques
The Black Stallion Returns by Walter Farley
Freddy Goes to the North Pole by Walter R. Brooks

I've been given the stick by Glenn of Dare I Read? and I guess that means I'm stuck.....hello, is this thing on?

Before tackling the questions at hand I just wanted to bid farewell, after only two posts from the depths of my soul, to the Short and Sweet concept. In the future if I have barely a paragraph to contribute to a book then so be it. Also Dare I Read? is an original concept where the author focuses more on the story surrounding his book than the book itself. Summaries and critical reviews can be found just about anywhere for any published book. I'll just use Glenn's technique when the occasion calls for it.

The Stick: You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

Delta of Venus or any set of stories by Anais Nin. Sex and Sensuality is best when it's forbidden plus if things have to be hot what's better hot than sex?

The Stick: Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Don't believe a thing Tammy tells you about Ramona Geraldine Quimby. Besides, I was 9 years old.

The Stick: The last book you bought is:

Numbers 11 through 14 of the Mack Bolan Executioner series by Don Pendleton.

The Stick: The last book you read:

Completely? All the way through? The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter.

The Stick: What book are you currently reading?

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian (which will be posted soon.)

The Stick: Five books you would take on a deserted island

Christ I hate these kind of questions. The Anarchist's Cookbook and I really don't know or care which else. Oh, I know...and four many-paged notebooks to finally get away from my chronic writer's block and work without interruptions.

The Stick: Who are you going to pass this stick too (3 persons) and why?

Tammy, because she's a questionaire/survey junkie, and probably no one else because the people I know tend to hate these things. Oh wait, I'll send my cousin the stick because she's always forwarding me wasteful little jokes, chain letters, inspirational stories and whatnot. Before Hotmail expanded and gave us all that space Î was constantly in danger of reaching my limit thanks to her.

So that's the stick, if you stumble upon this site you're required to comment or sign my guestbook and then consider yourself "sticked"

Before I sign out, Mossflower was exciting and compelling but suffered from the main villain being tortured by prophetic nightmares (ala Richard III) exactly as Cluny the Scourge was in Redwall. The Black Stallion Returns is better than the first book, and Freddy Goes to the North Pole was fine for what it was, lite writing for lite reading, but I had to laugh evilly over something: two orphans, brother and sister, are rescued from an abusive home. Spankings are so much a fact of life that they've grown accustomed to them. They spank each other for familiarity's sake for the first few days after salvation. From what I understand there's similar stories on certain newsgroups. If your Internet Provider is Integrity Online (or whatever that sham might be calling itself these days) you'll be blocked from searching them out yourself.

A Rabidly Historical Review

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
The Story of Mankind by Hendrik van Loon

Old Yeller gets shot at the end.

"MERWYN!," you might scream, "why didn't you put SPOILER warnings up? You just ruined the book for everyone!"

Now hold on. First of all, the fact that Old Yeller gets shot at the end is a bit of cultural trivia that is known by most people even if they've never read the book or seen the movie. Secondly we're told so right up front, on the first page:

He made me so mad at first that I wanted to kill him. Then, later, when I had to kill him, it was like having to shoot some of my own folks.

But the whole story isn't about how Travis Coates ends up shooting his dog. It's a reminiscence, loosely based on family stories of Gipson's grandparents, of a fourteen year old boy's coming of age the year his father left on a cattle drive.

The men of Salt Licks, Texas, pooled their herds together to get the best price in Abilene. This was to acquire "cash money" which was sorely lacking in those years after The Civil War. Travis Coates is given the unenviable task of being the man of the family during his father's absence and he does it without complaint. Well, actually, there are a couple complaints: His five-year-old brother Arliss and an ugly stray dog that steals the last of the pork meat.

Travis would have been happy enough to kill the dog right then and there. Little Arliss wanted to keep him, however, and Mrs. Coates didn't see why not. The first few chapters give us examples of why Travis wants to get rid of Yeller but soon one complaint does something that shows him how important both of them are to him. (That right there is a poorly written sentence that would get slashed, crossed, circled and underlined in any English Class or Editor's office. Come to think of it so is this one.)

While Fred Gipson considered Old Yeller to be his best book most give that honor to Hound Dog Man which was written a couple years earlier. Gipson followed Old Yeller with the sequel Savage Sam which was critically applauded despite it's being too violent for younger readers. Todays' reader may have a problem with the portrayal of Indians in the books, especially Savage Sam. I personally don't see the need. I consider Dances with Wolves to be one of my favorite movies: That, along with plenty of shows and documentaries on The History Channel, give me more than my share of "white guilt". Being respectful of todays' Native Americans shouldn't require one to block out the fact that sometimes settlers were massacred.

There's nothing wrong with history being looked at from a different perspective. It's admirable to let all sides have their say. When we're told that "those who forget history are condemned to repeat it" we must remember that it applies to all aspects.

History is complex; the stories from any aspect are almost infinite. History books today cover every conceivable event and subject. One bit of History Trivia is that the first winner of The John Newbery Medal is a history book, The Story of Mankind, by the Dutch-American historian Hendrik Willem van Loon.

Hendrik covered the entire known historical story of the world in one book, writing and illustrating it in a manner easy for youngsters to grasp. (The Durants would do the exact opposite with their multi-book series, each chapter of van Loon equaling 500 pages, small type, of Durant.)

The Story of Mankind, having been written in 1921, is a bit dated. Not because it precedes The Atomic Age and The Space Race and Watergate and AIDS but because Hendrik made the assumption that not only were his readers going to be white but also of Dutch descent. He had originally written it for his children so it's possible he never got around to re-editing it for a broader audience.

van Loon's book, despite its simplicity, is loaded with insightful observation, such as:

Gaius Julius Octavianus Augustus was living in the palace of the Palitine hill, busily engaged upon the task of ruling his empire.

In a little village of distant Syria, Mary, the wife of Joseph the Carpenter, was tending her little boy, born in a stable of Bethlehem.

This is a strange world.

Before long, the palace and the stable were to meet in open combat.

And the stable was to emerge victorious.

Hendrik van Loon intended for The Story of Mankind to be updated frequently. Long after his death new editions with extra chapters are still being released. After 400 pages of Hendrik's style these extra pieces stick out like a sore thumb. When reading the book for this review (again) I read only as far as his original went. That left me nearly 200 pages of unread material but I was only interested in van Loon's take.

Anti-Lent

Cod: A Biography Of The Fish That Changed The World by Mark Kurlansky

I love seafood. I've eaten it for as long as I can remember. Clams, Mussels, Crab, Shrimp, Oysters, I love it all.

When I was younger I never cared for the fish portion that usually came with a platter. Often deeply breaded and fried I never got any enjoyable flavors out of it.

Slowly that changed over the years. Not counting Salmon and Tuna I originally thought that all fish tasted the same. As a teen I had halibut that had been marinated in teriyaki and loved it. I was able to have red snapper, sea bass, and halibut that wasn't altered by any strong sauce. I thought that perhaps it was cod I didn't like until one day I ate a dish that made me wanting more. Noting that I was also liking peppers and olives, two foods I hadn't cared for before, I figured my taste buds had matured.

Even with a newfound love for the taste of cod I didn't think it could be a valid subject for a history book. Mark Kurlansky proved me wrong. Not only is his book well researched it is well written, never mired in boring dates or names. His claim, that cod changed the World, is not hyperbole.

When cod is salted and dried it is practically 80% protein and can last indefinitely. Folks of the Middle Ages needed cheap food that would survive without refrigeration. Cod was the answer, and also answered the Catholics need for protein on Fridays and Lent.

The pursuit of cod was the backbone for John Cabot's exploration of the New World and those who followed him. Those who were able to establish fisheries became millionaires. The colonists made money in a triangle-trade between Africa and the Caribean. George III's attempts to tax or squelch that trade was a major bone of contention that led to the Revolution.

Students in the Pacific Northwest learn how Britain and America nearly went to war once over a pig and a potato field. Britain and Iceland actually did go to war, over fishing rights, three times and all in the 20th century.

Iceland depended on cod for their entire economy, it was only a small portion of England's. As all the nations depleted the stock and fish became more scarce Iceland was instrumental in the maritime nations having 200 miles of ocean be their territory. England opposed it, saying that the ocean should be open for anyone regardless of how close to another country's shore it was. England would sing a different tune later when Spain wanted to be admitted to the European Union's waters.

Cod is a hearty fish. It can survive more punishment than a salmon. It is disease resistant and has very few predators. Unfortunately one of its predators is man, whose greed knows no satiety. Long Lines and Bottom Trawlers have done their part to turn former breeding grounds into an ocean desert. When old fishing grounds run dry fishermen commonly blame outsiders. Instead of considering conservation methods and their own impact on the environment, they compensate for a small catch by using a bigger net.

William Hooper said, "The biggest problem we have is the fault of the Spanish." He was asked how it could all be the fault of the Spanish since they were newcomers and the catch had been declining for forty years. Hooper thought a minute and then added, "Yes, the Scots used to overfish."

I love the taste of cod and other fish too. As much as it dismays me I would be willing to give it up, a sort of Anti-Lent, in order to allow the stock to replenish itself. Unfortunately Man and Nature might take the decision out of my hands.

In January 1994, a new minister, Brian Tobin, announced an extension of the moratorium. All the Atlantic cod fisheries in Canada were to be closed except for one in southwestern Nova Scotia, and strict quotas were placed on other ground species. Canadian cod was not yet biologically extinct, but it was commercially extinct - so rare that it could no longer be considered commercially viable. Just three years short of the 500-year anniversary of the reports of Cabot's men scooping up cod in baskets, it was over. Fishermen had caught them all.

That was 11 years ago, and it hasn't gotten better.

Short and Sweet #2

Longarm by Tabor Evans.

Custis Long is defined by his surname. Not only is his name Long, but so is his height and his, ahem, size. As a United States Marshall he is literally the Long Arm of the Law.

Longarm never wastes a step, breath or word. He doesn't waste time worrying or complaining about what he can't control. He's given a job and he does it.

When reviewing The Executioner books I originally planned on keeping a running tab of kills, but circumstances in the first book made that impossible. For Longarm's series I was going to tabulate his women, but circumstances in the first book kept that from happening. You'll just have to find a copy yourself to see what I'm talking about.

In this first book Longarm is sent to Crooked Lance to bring back Cotton Younger, suspected of knowing the whereabouts of Frank and Jesse James. He's hampered by other lawmen staking their claim to him and the town's vigilante committee holding out for the top bidder.

When another lawman succeeds in sneaking off with the prisoner it appears that Longarm's assignment is done, but here's a bit of a spoiler: Custis Long never quits until an assignment is complete.

The Executioner #1

War Against The Mafia by Don Pendleton

You say that a good cause will even sanctify war! I tell you, it is the good war that sanctifies every cause!
Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche has been maligned for most of the twentieth century. Often believed to be an inspiration for the Nazi party he was in fact an Anti-Nationalist who was also against Anti-Semitism. His sister, who didn't share his view, published selective portions of his writings deceptively to further her own agenda. He is also hated for having coined the phrase "God is Dead" even though that was his disgusted observation on Europe's rampant nihilism at the time and not a personal theocratic view.

Nietzsche, who was against Christianity (along with any public organization), wrote his philosophical take using Zarathustra (Zoroaster) metaphorically. The irony is that most of Christianity's core ideals, the idea of Good and Evil, the idea of a Paradise for the dead, the idea of a deity born of a virgin, the idea of monotheism, and the idea of a Trinity got their start in the Zoroastrianism of Babylonia.

Friedrich believed that Man wasn't complete, that from Animal to Man one could eventually evolve to Ubermensch which has been translated as Overman or Superman. An Overman was Master of himself and Servant to nobody. Neither was he a servant to Society, its morals or its values. Nietzsche's idea of Good and Evil are different from what we take it to be. "Evil" is anything that fights Society's norms and as such could be "Good" in some circumstances.

Sgt. Mack Bolan, star of Don Pendleton's phenomenal Executioner series and its many spin-offs, is a man doing good through evil. He got his nickname in the jungles of Vietnam from his calculated tally of terminations. The official count was at 95 (many of them top-ranked Viet Cong officers) when Bolan was rushed home to bury his family.

His fourteen year old brother told him what was kept from the police: Sam Bolan had borrowed money from a loan shark after a mild heart attack kept him from work for awhile. His lighter work load didn't pay him enough to keep up with the payments which resulted in harrassments and assaults that steadily increased. Sixteen year old Cindy Bolan tried to intervene and was talked into prostitution as a quick way to settle the debt. Johnny Bolan learned of his sister's work and couldn't think of anything other than telling their father, hoping he'd stop her. Sam Bolan's reaction was to shoot the family and then himself.

Mack Bolan learned that the loan company was tied to the Mafia. He also learned that the police weren't going to do squat; Mafia convictions were nearly impossible and Sam Bolan was clearly the killer. Mack didn't see the point in fighting an enemy on the other side of the planet when there were enemies at home.

In Vietnam Sgt. Bolan was an executioner, sent on missions to kill specific people. He was often close enough to hear them breathing, to see the pain and fear in their eyes when they knew they were dying. He did that 95 times, not miles away from a launch pad or aircraft, not in the heat of battle when Right and Wrong doesn't exist and all one thinks about is living another minute, but close enough for a conversation.

His Vietnam life became his Pittsfield life. His killings were often messy. His pity for those who begged was non-existent. Society could not condone his cold-blooded taking of human lives without benefit of trial but in Mack Bolan's philosophy, in the increasing public sentiment, and in the unofficial sanction of the police force, he was fighting the good fight.

He was Superman, literally fighting for Truth, Justice and The American Way. He was Superman, seemingly invincible (surviving a bullet in the shoulder.) He was Superman, the Man of Steel, son of Sam Bolan who spent his life in the Steel Industry; The Man of Steel, nicknamed Iron-Man Bolan by one of his few friends.

He had no delusions of living a long life, expecting every day to be his last, but War Against The Mafia ends with Bolan driving across the country to track down a plastic surgeon buddy from Vietnam, expecting it to be his last mile and planning on it being bloody to the end. Ten years after Don Pendleton's death Mack Bolan hasn't ended his final mile.