THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

Just starting this week:
Persuasion
The Black Ice
The Van Alen Legacy

Sadie wrote: "Gary wrote: "Sadie wrote: "I loved The Count of Monte Cristo and The 3 Muskateers. Both kept me on the edge of my seat."
Alexander Dumas wrote 3 Muskateers.
"

You're right he wrote both The C..."
Dumas wrote 4 sequels to THE THREE MUSKETEERS - He also wrote several other novels - which were very entertaining- many much shorter than his most famous.

The Fencing Master (Le Maître d'armes, 1840)
Georges (1843): The protagonist of this novel is a man of mixed race, a rare allusion to Dumas' own African ancestry.
The Nutcracker (Histoire d'un casse-noisette, 1844): a revision of Hoffmann's story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, later adapted by Tchaikovsky as a ballet
the D'Artagnan Romances:
The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires, 1844)
Twenty Years After (Vingt ans après, 1845)
The Vicomte de Bragelonne, sometimes called "Ten Years Later", (Le Vicomte de Bragelonne, ou Dix ans plus tard, 1847): When published in English, it was usually split into three parts: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask, of which the last part is the best known. (A third sequel, The Son of Porthos, 1883 (a.k.a. The Death of Aramis) was published under the name of Alexandre Dumas; however, the real author was Paul Mahalin.)
The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, 1845–1846)
The Regent's Daughter (Une Fille du régent, 1845)
The Two Dianas (Les Deux Diane, 1846)
the Valois romances
La Reine Margot (1845)
La Dame de Monsoreau (1846) (a.k.a. Chicot the Jester)
The Forty-Five Guardsmen (1847) (Les Quarante-cinq)
the Marie Antoinette romances:
Joseph Balsamo (Mémoires d'un médecin: Joseph Balsamo, 1846–1848) (a.k.a. Memoirs of a Physician, Cagliostro, Madame Dubarry, The Countess Dubarry, or The Elixir of Life)
The Queen's Necklace (Le Collier de la Reine, 1849–1850)
Ange Pitou (1853) (a.k.a. Storming the Bastille or Six Years Later)
The Countess de Charny (La Comtesse de Charny, 1853–1855) (a.k.a. Andrée de Taverney, or The Mesmerist's Victim)
Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge (1845) (a.k.a. The Knight of the Red House, or The Knight of Maison-Rouge)
The Black Tulip (La Tulipe noire, 1850)
The Wolf-Leader (Le Meneur de loups, 1857)
The Gold Thieves (after 1857): a play that was lost but rediscovered by the Canadian Reginald Hamel, researcher in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in 2004
The Companions of Jehu (Les Compagnons de Jehu, 1857)
Robin Hood (Robin Hood le proscrit, 1863)
The Whites and the Blues (Les Blancs et les Bleus, 1867)

Brian wrote: "Wow Gary, I checked it out, that is so awesome and very reasonably priced. It is the best of both worlds, my favorite macrabe poet along with my favorite narrator. As a kid I watched so many old bl..."

Brian- if you want to see a classic Vincent Price performance- in which he is not scary- but rather utterly hilarious- watch CHAMPAIGNE FOR CAESAR- starring Ronald Colman- Price plays the very neurotic owner of a soap company - who sponsors aradio quiz show- and he is falloff the couch funny!

your not kidding? Vincent Price in a comedy? I just HAVE to see this. I will search the web for the orignal release date. I have a hard time picturing that but just reading your comment sounds hilarious!

That's not hard to picture - Vincent Price didn't give the impression of taking himself seriously at all.

Really? His narrations and black and white movies sounded serious to me. I am always open to new ideas and learning so perhaps you can elaborate?

Well, the example that comes to mind for me is the campy narration he did on that Michael Jackson video - don't remember which song it was. I remember seeing him do something else that showed his sense of humor but don't remember what, maybe either a commercial or an appearance on a talk show.

Oh yeah, forgot about Vincent Price on an M.J video. It is also true that he is an actor and of course could be totally different off camera. His narration on an Iron Maiden song "Number Of The Beast" is quite serious though. However, what you stated makes sense.

The way I think of him is as an excellent actor with a broad enough range to do horror, and humor, and although I can't think of an example, he would probably have done an outstanding job in a straight dramatic role as either a star or supporting actor. Unlike so many actors who seem to just keep playing the same character over and over...

Totally agree James, Vincent Price was very talented. I have seen many movies from actors who are suited for mainly one type of role. I do not like to pick on any particular actor but especially comedy. I am positive you can guess the two I am thinking of. Excellent points James!

I just started reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Marquez and find it fascinating. I believe there is a huge magical realism element.

Hi Rick: My wife would like to join this group also but is unsure about doing so. She may be not as versed in literature as me but her knowledge of movie adaptations far surpasses mine. She has read some classics for sure. She sees how much I enjoy this group and wants to be part of it. Her knowledge of "The Equalizer", "Get Smart", Alfred Hitchcook movies, Sherlock Holmes movies, Vincent Price and so many more is extensive. Her knowledge on the above is impecable! Sandra already is in goodreads in different groups that appears not to be as lively as this one. My advice to her was the same as yours, just join!

Bertille wrote: "I just started reading One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Marquez and find it fascinating. I believe there is a huge magical realism element. "

I've always wanted to read it. Have a copy, we were going to do it for bookclub,and a couple members threw a fit,and i cancelled it.
yes, they say he's the king of magical realism. i need to dig that puppy out and read it!

Plus the author is a huge fan of Hemingway's. That's a big plus in my book!

Hemingway is an extraordinary man.Lengendary for many things he's accomplished in his life.For Whom The Bell Tolls is a book most of us have read.I believe there was an adaptation on it too.

To me, For Whom the Bell Tolls is a towering book - one of those that when I read it, I wished I'd gotten to it many years sooner. The movie with Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman was good, but as with nearly any film it couldn't live up to the book.
If I was going to have a shelf of American classics to take to the proverbial desert island, the first two titles that I can think of are For Whom the Bell Tolls and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Of course, as an aspiring fiction author, those books are pretty intimidating...

Yes it was a towering book! I thought so but in most cases if the movie isn't grabbing me in the first ten mins I usually turn it off.I did see a version of it but wasn't sure.The book in this case was way better.To Kill A mockingbird was another classic I read it in High School I was a Fan of Hemmingway's literature and Poems.Don't let those be intimdating I wish you well in your books I would love to read them sometime.

Brian wrote: "Hi Rick: My wife would like to join this group also but is unsure about doing so. She may be not as versed in literature as me but her knowledge of movie adaptations far surpasses mine. She has re..."

Brian,
I say have her join, because if I can belong to a group where I didn't even know of it's namesake then she can be involved without having read all of the books! :) Obviously we talk about plenty more stuff than just british literature!

Thanks Rick for the extensive information on Dumas. I knew I couldn't make a statement like "I'm not familiar with...." and not have it answered! :) You're amazing!

Sadie wrote: "Brian wrote: "Hi Rick: My wife would like to join this group also but is unsure about doing so. She may be not as versed in literature as me but her knowledge of movie adaptations far surpasses mi..."

Brian
by all means!!! have her join the club!!!!! EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!
I VERY MUCH LOOK FOWARD TO HAVING YOUR WIFE AS A MEMBER!!!
RICK

Sadie wrote: "Thanks Rick for the extensive information on Dumas. I knew I couldn't make a statement like "I'm not familiar with...." and not have it answered! :) You're amazing!"

my pleasure -Sadie!

Thank you all for welcoming me in this club.Great minds think alike!!!

Hi Rick,

I am sorry this is coming so late. I usually try to have the book for the following month voted for a month ahead of time. That way, people have time to get the book from the library. We also have a diversified group. We select themes for each month, and one of the two books for that month is based on the theme of the month. We vote on the theme also.

Randi

Catamorandi wrote: "Hi Rick,

I am sorry this is coming so late. I usually try to have the book for the following month voted for a month ahead of time. That way, people have time to get the book from the library...."

very happy to have you in group!

Sandra wrote: "
Thank you all for welcoming me in this club.Great minds think alike!!!
"

Sandra- you add quite a bit to James mason Group- thanks!

I knew my wife would enjoy this group. One of the reasons we are together. We both love classic movies, B&W, detective movies and series like Sherlock Holmes, "The Equalizer", "Mission Impossible" and of course literature. Yes, she watched more James Mason movies than I did. She likes poetry too.

Rick wrote: "I always read two books at the same time! Usually a current thriller or mystery and a classic- Right now I am just finishing up- The Elusive Pimpernel- the sequel to The Scarlet Pimpernel- so my mi..."
I'm with you, on the two books at at time gig. If something's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. Currently in the grasp of three, non-fics:Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, and Maureen Dowd.

I am still reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Now I am also reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.

Like Edgar Allan Poe got that one for my kids when they were little.Read it to them every night.Aesop Fables Medical journals things like that.

Catamorandi wrote: "I am still reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. Now I am also reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis."

Hi Catamorandi. Love Gladwell and Lewis of course. Not long ago read Gladwells The Tipping Point...brilliant. And Lewis...come around to him again every so often.

I am reading The Converging Mark of the Demon by George Straatman,Blood Price by Tanye Huff and will ask Brian for Seven Per Cent Solution Sherlock Holmes.

Sandra wrote: "Like Edgar Allan Poe got that one for my kids when they were little.Read it to them every night.Aesop Fables Medical journals things like that."

Good call,Poe. I've a whole collection of his. Read The Raven to my kids, Aesop's Fables of course, and one book that sticks with them, It Could Be Worse, by James Stevenson.

Of Course, The Raven is the best one: "Who's that knock knock knocking at my chamber door....." I got to get that one. Read it to our newest little bundle of joy coming soon. What is It about "It Could Be Worse"?

Sandra wrote: "Of Course, The Raven is the best one: "Who's that knock knock knocking at my chamber door....." I got to get that one. Read it to our newest little bundle of joy coming soon. What is It about "It ..."

Oh Sandra,It Could Be Worse is a cute perfect for little ones story about a brother and sister who when whining to their grandfather about any number of trivial woes the grandfather replies, "Could be worse." Brilliant. Stuck to my kids better than Krazy Glue.

Thanks I'll get it.

I'm just finishing up with How to Think About Weird Things by Theodore Schick and Lewis Vaughn - it's about systematically applying critical thinking skills to the consideration of claims of paranormal or other hard-to-believe events or situations:

How to Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age
It's engagingly written and often funny, but right on target - not an out-of-hand dismissal of any claims, but a textbook (literally, with discussion and study questions at the end of each chapter) on how to evaluate them.

I'm currently reading Eclipse, the third volume of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. (Having read the first two books --and seen the movie versions-- I'm a hooked Twilight series fan. :-))

I am now reading Lady Audley's Secret (1862) by Mary Braddon and The Face of the Assassin a recent thriller

Fisher wrote: "Sandra wrote: "Of Course, The Raven is the best one: "Who's that knock knock knocking at my chamber door....." I got to get that one. Read it to our newest little bundle of joy coming soon. What i..."

while I own The Complete Poe- I must admit the he is not one of my favorites- I really like stories with more dialogue then long descriptive passages that Poe expertly does- I enjoy the Conan Doyle stories for that reason- more " "!

Elizabeth B wrote: "I read "All Creatures Great and Small" series by James Herriott. Loved them! We're watching the whole series on DVD now, we get them from Netflix.
I also read one story a night from Alfred Hitchco..."

I loved the James Herriot series. I listened to them on audiobook with Timothy as the reader, he is amazing. He was also very funny in the t.v. series, although I haven't seen all of the episodes.

Hi Rick; This may be a tough one but your like a walking dictionary when it comes to knowledge. My parents talked a fair ammount of a radio program many at the time gathered around to listen to in anticipation. Before T.V. which arrived in Northern Ontario in the mid 50's. A suspence broadcast called "Only the Shadow Knows". Can you provide any details about that? More interestingly, did that radio program air in a British format?

Hi Elizabeth; I am happy you mentioned "The Avengers". I forgot all about that series. I used to watch it in the '70's as reruns. Really enjoyed that series. Although off topic somewhat I really enjoyed the "Monty Python" movies. They were hilarious. I watched "The Holy Grail" about 15x. Many more like "Monty Python At The Hollywood Bowl". Some of the most hilarious movies I ever watched. Great off the wall comedy!

Brian wrote: "Hi Rick; This may be a tough one but your like a walking dictionary when it comes to knowledge. My parents talked a fair ammount of a radio program many at the time gathered around to listen to in ..."

Brian- hope this helps

The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante with psychic powers.[2:] One of the most famous pulp heroes of the 20th century, The Shadow has been featured in comic books, comic strips, television, video games, and at least five motion pictures. The radio drama is well-remembered for those episodes voiced by Orson Welles.

Introduced as a mysterious radio narrator by David Chrisman, William Sweets, and Harry Engman Charlot for Street and Smith Publications, The Shadow was fully developed and transformed into a pop culture icon by pulp writer Walter B. Gibson.

The Shadow debuted on July 31, 1930, as the mysterious narrator of the Street and Smith radio program Detective Story Hour.[3:] After gaining popularity among the show's listeners, the narrator became the star of The Shadow Magazine on April 1, 1931, a pulp series created and primarily written by the prolific Gibson.

Over the years, the character evolved. On September 26, 1937, The Shadow radio drama officially premiered with the story "The Deathhouse Rescue", in which the character had "the power to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him." The Shadow did not have the ability to become literally invisible; he could be detected by photoelectric beams and other mindless devices. Rather, the minds of his opponents simply overlooked him due to his psychic influence, even if they knew he was in the room.

Even after decades, the unmistakable introduction from The Shadow radio program, originally intoned by actor Frank Readick Jr., has earned a place in the American idiom: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" These words were accompanied by a an ominous laugh and a musical theme, Camille Saint-Saëns' Le Roulet d'Omphale ("Omphale's Spinning Wheel", composed in 1872). At the end of each episode, The Shadow reminded listeners, "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay.... The Shadow knows!"

Yes Rick, it helps alot, I was wondering if you googled it or know some of it yourself? The net is so useful, the downfall is it teaches students too many shortcuts and i am concerned that they are not learning proper English, especially using simply the beginning of words like brb or ttyl. What do you think? It is butchering the language.

I'm reading a book out of the YA section again. I hope I have grandchildren on of these days so I can share all these great books (no pressure son...LOL)

Bones of Faerie is a nice apocalyptic book of a world after a great war between Faerie and our own 'kill the environment' world. The Fae have made all the plants deadly and sentient so they destroyed all the cities/technology and humans have nuked the Fae. What's left is what the children much deal with including death from the village if any sign of magic is seen in them.

good point Sandra- while I use the internet for exact dates and names - ect- I am familiar with quite a bit of trivia concerning the subject matter that I write about- yet when I can find a concise passage- well written about it- I often will choose to use that.
As far as Black Adder and British TV Shows- I know quite a bit because I watch BBC-AMERICA channel very often- I also do quite a bit of reading about entertainment history- my area of true expertise is the character actors of the 1930-50's hollywood movies- in other words- I can tell you the name of the actor who opened the door for George Raft in that old gangster film!!
I agree about shortcuts- what got me started in loving old films-books- was when I was about 10- long before the PC- I saw a childrens film- THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASNT- and loved a wacky character actor who was in it- I search around for his name and he turned out to be Mischa Auer- who made over 100 films during Hollywood's golden age- I went to the library numerous times and by researching him- BY BOOK- I became enthralled by all old movies- specifically character actors- the same goes for James Mason- in 1978 HEAVEN CAN WAIT was on cable TV- and I was 11 - I saw him in it as Mr Jordon and asked my older brother -who is that- he is great- he told me he was named James Mason- I embarked an a similar research journey- only to find out he was quite the star when he was younger- I do miss those days!

Crowgirl wrote: "I'm reading a book out of the YA section again. I hope I have grandchildren on of these days so I can share all these great books (no pressure son...LOL)

Bones of Faerie is a nice a..."

I must admit that is a VERY INTRIGUING PLOT!!!!

My current fiction read is The Mists of Avalon, and although it isn't written by a Brit, it takes place in England. :)

I'm reading it because I hear good things about it. I did see the movie, thought that was pretty good. So far, I'm not hating it, but I'm not totally in love, yet.

Liz wrote: "My current fiction read is The Mists of Avalon, and although it isn't written by a Brit, it takes place in England. :)

I'm reading it because I hear good things about it. I did se..."

Liz- how far into the book areyou? do you feel the movie is effected how you view(read) the book?

I'm only on chapter 3.
No I don't think the movie effected me that much, I saw it a while ago, so it is faint. the only person I remember from the movie was Angelica Houston, so what does that say. :)