What Do You Care What Other People Think?

1988, first edition, from W. W. Norton
Richard P. Feynman as told to Ralph Leighton
What Do You Care What Other People Think?: Further Adventures of a Curious Character
Original price $17.95, purchase price $3.98
Hardcover in good condition
B

I consider this about equal to Surely You're Joking, although it's less anecdotal and more serious.  We here learn more about his first wife Arline, who was a curious character in her own right.  We also find out about the forthright Feynman up against NASA bureacracy during his work investigating the Challenger explosion.  His friend Leighton gathered and organized his stories in preparation for publication, as Feynman's health grew worse.  Feynman died of cancer in February of '88, and Leighton's introduction is from March.

I found "Appendix F," Feynman's controversial contribution to the Challenger report, a bit dull, although the rest of the book, even the more technical parts, held my interest.  I definitely recommend reading the earlier book before this one, since otherwise you may find some of his references, as well as the chronology, confusing.

Corruptions of Empire

1988, updated from 1987 edition, this edition from Verso
Alexander Cockburn
Corruptions of Empire: Life Studies & The Reagan Era
Bought newish for $16.95
Very worn paperback
B+

Like Noam Chomsky, Cockburn is interested in both language and justice.  But, while there's certainly a lot about politics in here, this book also offers his "life studies" (including stories of his Communist father, author of Beat the Devil) and whimsy that's a bit like Roy Blount, Jr.  This collection of writing covers roughly '76 to '88, from his emigration from the U.K. (he was born in Ireland) to the middle of the '88 presidential campaign.  In December 1984 he published a hilarious piece on "the new stand-up toothpaste dispenser" as "harbinger of Reagan's America, newly erect," managing to combine mainstream politics with sexual politics and of course marketing.  I'll narrow down three paragraphs to my favorite quote:  "I don't know how feminists feel about having to grab hold of a dildo every time they clean their teeth, but the plain fact is that the new road to gum pride in Reagan's America comes by way of the simulacrum of a male Caucasian sexual member, or-- if you want to be overdetermined about it-- of a nuclear missile."

One of Cockburn's influences is interestingly P. G. Wodehouse, who appears in a couple of the longer pieces, and whose style pops up in phrasing like (I don't remember the exact quote) "the dustbin of h."  While Chomsky is concerned with the Newspeak abuse of language, Cockburn seems to have a love-hate for bad writing, as when he brilliantly gives a cliched-tour of the world, e.g. "Hong Kong, a time bomb, but also a listening post."  A good chunk of the book is columns from the time of Iran-Contra, and even now his glee is delightful.  He says of one of Reagan's spring 1987 ramblings, "This is fun to read, particularly if you rearrange it in blank verse, but it suggests a high score on the Alzheimer graph."  Vicious, yes, especially since Reagan was later diagnosed as having Alzheimer's, but believe me I needed such viciousness when I first read this book during the post-Reagan years.  (And in fact, in the early 2000s I read the Reagan quote as "poetry" at a women's open-mic.)

We'll get to see Cockburn be vicious against Bush, Sr. and Clinton in The Golden Age Is in Us: Journeys and Encounters, 1987-1994, coming up in 1995....

The Culture of Terrorism

1988, apparently first edition (at least in paperback), from South End Press
Noam Chomsky
The Culture of Terrorism
Bought newish for $14.00
Slightly worn paperback
B

This obviously isn't a book I read often, as the condition and subject matter indicate, so I was pleasantly surprised by how good it still is.  His premise is that the U.S. under Reagan (and to a lesser degree Carter) was a terrorist state, in that the government funded terror squads (particularly in El Salvador and Nicarauga) that injured and killed local residents.  He also looks at how the U.S. press (for the most part) supported this by accepting the government's terms (both terminology and standards).  I was most interested in the discussion of Orwellian language, "Newspeak," as in the definition of "democracy."  His combination of cynicism and compassion is as welcome now (a dozen years after the aftermath of 9/11) as it was to me as an idealistic, left-leaning young woman trying to find alternative views in the literal and figurative desert of inland Southern California.  I wouldn't have owned this book in '88 but I was then listening to KPFK and I definitely bought the book within five years of its publication.

There are some slightly dull patches but he doesn't get bogged down like Rogin.  The next book coming up is by Alexander Cockburn, and it's not surprising that they quote each other.  I prefer Cockburn's book, for reasons I'll discuss in that place, but that's no slight on Chomsky.  Until the bookcase gets redistributed (I'm still not sure if I'll be moving 1991 over), this book for now is a fine ending to its shelf.

Gracie: A Love Story

1988, undated later edition, from G. P. Putnam's Sons
George Burns
Gracie: A Love Story
Original price $16.95, purchase price unknown
Worn hardcover
B-

As the title suggests, Burns talks about his much-missed late wife.  Having watched some episodes again in the last few years, I think their 1950s TV show holds up remarkably well (much better than their friend Jack Benny's show).  Unfortunately, some of Burns's jokes in this book fall flat, bringing it down from a potential B.  I did enjoy reading about his life with Gracie, on and offstage.  He was 92 at the time this book came out and would make it to the 100 years he'd joked about since the '70s.  He survived Gracie by 32 years, but it's clear from this book that she was always on his mind, even when he achieved late-life solo success (as God among other characters).  Although some might see the "Gracie Allen character" (as distinct from the real woman) as a dumb blonde (she actually had black hair but dyed it for the movies), I think her twisted logic was brilliantly surreal.  And although I wouldn't call Burns a feminist per se, there's no doubt that he didn't mind being his wife's sidekick. 

The book could be stronger-- funnier, more detailed, less bitter against Jack Benny's wife, etc.-- but it's definitely worth reading, especially if you're a Gracie fan.

The Cat Who Sniffed Glue

1988, 1989 Jove Books edition
Lilian Jackson Braun
The Cat Who Sniffed Glue
Probably bought newish for $4.99
Very worn paperback
B

I can't remember when this is supposed to be set, but Qwill is "about fifty" and the weather is nice enough to walk around in.  It must be fairly soon after Knew Shakespeare, since Arch Riker starts publishing The Moose County Something.  (They hold a contest for a new name, and the placeholder wins.)  Arch is still charmed by grumpy Amanda Goodwinter, and they become engaged.  Meanwhile, Qwill is seeing Polly Duncan (they were snowbound at her place in the last book), and even bought her a car for Christmas.  (So this must be at least January '86.)  She has a jealous streak, and there are a lot of women for her to be jealous of in this entry, including Cokey Wright from Danish Modern.  The cats are also jealous, Koko especially (he still resents Ms. Wright's nickname), which seems to contradict Lori Bamba's theory that cats go for humans of the opposite sex.  (Is Koko gay?  Or misogynist?  What is Braun saying?)

The mystery involves the Fitch twins (who appeared briefly in earlier books) and, yes, glue, although the drug angle is a red herring.  The novel has acts and scenes, including an intermission, but is otherwise not in play format.  The Fitches are going to be in a play with Qwill, and the director is decorator Fran Brodie, another of Polly's rivals, as well as daughter of the sounding-board chief of police.

Although Braun is still at the top of her form (again, the mystery might be obvious in retrospect but is handled well enough), I can see the first signs of rot, due to Qwill being "one of the most eligible bachelors in town."  When Qwill visited the library in the previous book, "four friendly young clerks rushed to [his] assistance.  Young women were always attracted to the man with a luxuriant moustache and mournful eyes....Furthermore, he was the richest man in town."  Too much time is spent on Qwill's attractiveness, due to his wealth or not, and although Braun is keeping it just in bounds for the moment, it will eventually bring him to Gary Stu status.  He'll be beloved by every one in town (except for the murderers), and it'll be grating.  But for now, it's OK.

The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare

1988, Jove Books edition from later that year
Lilian Jackson Braun
The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare
Probably bought newish for $4.99
Paperback in pretty bad shape
B

In this book Qwill has been living in Moose County for about 18 months (more like 16 or 17), and we actually get calendar dates, like Monday, Nov. 11th.  That date fell on a Monday in 1985, for the first time since '74 and, with the R.R. reference in Post Office, this seems a reasonable year.  (The references to videotape in this book and the next show it's unlikely to be 1974 or earlier.)  True, he's "age fifty or so," and Qwill was "over forty-five" in Danish Modern, but maybe he was 47 or 48 then.

Speaking of Danish, Harry Noyton returns, only to die in a car accident with Gertrude "Gritty" Goodwinter, wife of newspaper-printer Senior (who's bumped off), mother of newspaper-publisher Junior.  (Speaking of Goodwinters, Dr. Melinda has left town, but Qwill gets a new love interest, Polly Duncan, of whom more later.)  This is not the only Cat Who to reference Shakespeare, but this time it's mostly Hamlet that Koko's dropping clues about.  The mystery seemed pretty obvious this time, especially after rereading Shakespeare a year and a half ago, but I'll cut Braun some slack since I was still entertained.

A slimmed-down Hixie also reappears, and while she's still unlucky in love, she's unsinkable and will become a fixture, including on the revamped newspaper....

Firefly Summer

1988, 1989 Dell edition
Maeve Binchy
Firefly Summer
Original price $6.99, purchase price 99 cents
Very worn paperback
B

This is Binchy's best and longest so far, although the title is more misleading than Echoes.  It actually covers four years, with only the last summer (1966) as the one with any fireflies, and that's because Dara Ryan finally sees them (in France) after hearing about them from American Kerry O'Neill.  Kerry's father Patrick is a wealthy American whose impoverished father left Mountfern forty years ago, shortly before the local estate was burned down.  This was 1922 and the Irish were achieving their independence from the English (and the Anglo-Irish, like the Fern family).  Patrick wants to rebuild the estate as a hotel, while also finding his roots in the area, although no one remembers his family.

This story is mostly about the intertwined lives of the Ryan and O'Neill families.  Patrick's proposed hotel threatens the livelihood of the Ryans' pub.  Kate Ryan, Dara's energetic and forthright mother, doesn't notice signs on the construction site and is hit by a bulldozer, breaking her spine.  Less tragic but still dramatic, Patrick's vain but charming children (not just criminal Kerry but "good girl" Grace) break the hearts of Dara and her twin Michael.

Since this is Binchy, we do get a whole cast of villagers and outsiders, most notably Fergus the lawyer with the unobtrusive crush on Kate; and puppyish Maggie, whose death made me cry.  The characters are much realer in this book than usual for Binchy, although still a bit off, noticeably the Americans.  (Kerry never seems American or in his late teens.  And why do the O'Neills use a phrase like "mark your card," as in "tip you off"?)  I noticed that some reviewers on Amazon and elsewhere are bothered by the ending, but honestly, compared to Light a Penny Candle, it feels plausible and unrushed, even if there is a sense that it could've gone on to the next summer.  (Kate, her husband, and her doctor may not be worried about her pregnancy, but I am.)  Still, I think it's to Binchy's credit that we want to keep going a bit further.

As for the title, Dara learns that fireflies are too exotic for the Irish climate, suggesting that not only the O'Neills but Patrick's glamorous girlfriend, a divorced Jew, can't thrive there.  I don't think Binchy is entirely xenophobic-- the novel is more complex than that-- but there is a thread of cosy/nosy/local vs. exotic/threatening/foreign running throughout.

This edition has a "preview" of Silver Wedding, which I don't own, so the next Binchy will be the Very Famous Circle of Friends in 1990....