In the beginning...

...there were The Flyaways, a family who traveled in their miraculous flying machine having daring adventures with Goldilocks and Cinderella. The first in the 3-book series by Alice Dale Hardy was published by Grosset and Dunlap in 1925 and copies are almost extinct. Few people remember Ma and Pa, Tommy and Susie Flyaway now.

I became acquainted with them on my grandfather's lap, my dear Grandpa Baker who read and read and read to me every evening for as many years as I can remember. I would hold my breath as each chapter ending neared, hoping he would not stop. I would keep begging for "just one more" chapter until his voice got so hoarse I would have to run to his room to get his throat lozenges.

Over the years we covered all of Uncle Wiggly and Honey Bunch, the Bobbsey Twins, the Five Little Peppers, the Wind in the Willow series, some of them more than once. He read to me until long after I could read everything for myself, until I was into Beverly Gray, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. I was safe and happy snuggled up on the couch with him and that feeling has never left me. I still read and read and read, and it still makes me feel safe and happy.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

A Couple in December

Relentless struck me as kind of a Christmas story although the holiday is not mentioned in the novel. Grady Adams and his Irish wolfhound Merlin discover a pair of unidentifiable creatures in a meadow near their home. When the pair appear to be stalking their house, Grady calls his friend, the local vet, to find out what they are, and finds her as baffled as he is. Unfortunately for all, the idiots at Homeland Security catch wind of the amazing creatures and launch a full out takeover, endangering the future of what is the discovery of the millenium. This is not Koontz' best writing, some iffy and seemingly irrelevant subplots, but real suspenseful moments and an imaginative and delightful tale. I vote yes.

I also just read the new bio by - yes - Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) with a collaborator whose name I can't remember. Fascinated as I have been for over 30 years with the professional wrestling world, I was very interested in the private persona of this mega superstar and this seemed to be a fairly honest portrayal of his, including his drug and steroid usage, and his failings as a father. It was enlightening and a real easy read. My confession here includes that I have also read the bio of Mick Foley, aka Mankind, and found that quite astonishing.

I could elevate my reading matter a little, I guess, as I have Rainwater, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Three Cups of Tea all sitting on my coffee table waiting for me, but I am distracted with other things such as online shopping. I am waiting for the coffee to brew and must get on with the Christmas wrapping.
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