January 2012 Reading: Part 1

Well, January is nearing its close, and I thought that I should take stock of how I am faring with my New Year's resolutions. As noted in my last hub, I tried to narrow my list of resolutions this year, in the hope that such concentration would lead to success.

Unfortunately, I have to report that my resolve has apparently been rather weak. I am happy to note that my exercise goals have essentially been met, and that is definitely a step in the right direction. My three other goals are sort of just twisting in the wind, though. This is only my second blog of the year, rather than the two or three weekly ones that I had been aiming for. I haven't really devoted much time to my Spanish studies, and my sleep hours and patterns are still largely disasters. Wednesday ushers in a new month, though, and I will try to re-dedicate my efforts toward my four resolutions.

Though not one of my stated goals, I do have to relate that I have done lots of reading this month. I have finished a number of terrific books, and I thought that I should share some of the titles and authors with you. I will not be revealing any plot developments, so I have no need to issue any spoiler alerts.

• Linda Castillo

The first author that I want to mention is Linda Castillo. I have now read all three books in her mystery series centered in Painters Mill, Ohio, where there is a significant Amish population. The most recent volume is Breaking Silence. The first in the series is entitled Sworn to Silence, while the second installment is Pray for Silence.

I have to say that mysteries constitute my favorite literary genre. Linda Castillo's works are so very well written, with fascinating, intricate plots. The main character is Kate Burkholder, the police chief of Painters Mill. In each story, she is ably assisted by John Tomasetti who works for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI). I do have to warn you that the murders are brutal. The lead characters are each troubled by psychological issues. Sleep is a commodity much in demand, but hard to come by for them. The reader can almost feel their torment. Ms. Castillo's stories also provide good insights into Amish culture, which is something I knew little about.

I wanted to add one note about an aspect of this series which is common to other mystery series. Who would want to live in Painters Mill, especially if someone is Amish? You would know for sure that another murder was imminent and that it would probably impact the Amish community. In like fashion, do you remember the "Murder She Wrote" tv series? I always thought that any friends and acquaintances of Angela Lansbury's character, Jessica Fletcher, would immediately make reservations to leave town when they learned she was heading their way. Jessica was certain to have death as a travel companion.

For more information about Linda Castillo's novels, visit www.lindacastillo.com.

• Spencer Quinn

At my local library, I also recently happened upon the Bernie and Chet series of mysteries, authored by Spencer Quinn. A short time ago, I read The Dog Who Knew Too Much. This is the fourth volume of this series. I was reluctant to read this book first because I usually like to read the books in order, to see the characters develop. I felt that I missed very little, though, by reading this last book first. Soon after, I did get around to finding, and reading, the first book, Dog On It. Both were quite interesting mysteries, and each book was narrated from the perspective of Chet, the dog who teams with the human Bernie to solve crimes. I normally am not a big fan of stories told by animals, but I thought this rendition was quite expertly handled. Chet relates the story very well, but he is often distracted by matters which would capture the attention of most dogs, such as a tasty snack, a passing dog, or a thrown tennis ball. Chet also has a short attention span and often asks if he has already told the reader a particular fact. I found this rather refreshing and amusing. These books are definitely worth a read! For more information, see www.authors.simonandschuster.com/Spencer-Quinn.

• Chad Harbach

The last book I wanted to mention today is The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. This was one of my favorite reads of 2011. This work centered on five main characters--Henry Skrimshander, a superbly talented shortshop for his college team; his best friend, Mike Schwartz, who is also a wonderful football and baseball player; Owen Dunne, Henry's gay roommate; Guert Affenlight, the president of the university; and Pella Affenlight, the president's daughter.

The action takes place at Westish University, a private college on the shores of Lake Michigan in the state of Wisconsin. The school teams are named the Harpooners, based upon a fairly loose connection of Herman Melville with the school. This book has so many themes unfolding in its 528 pages that it can make one's head spin. From my viewpoint, I could identify themes on the beauty of baseball almost as an art form; the strive for perfection; coming of age in one's teens and early 20s; coping with romance, both straight and gay; dealing with middle age; chances at redemption; coming to terms with death.

I really didn't want this book to end, it was just so beautiful. I am rather lacking in a strong literary foundation, so I am certain that I missed many literary references and themes. Although this book reinforced my love of baseball, it is not a true sports book. I think readers of any background would definitely enjoy this work.

Well, I will close for now. I am resolved to write a Part 2 about my January readings. Let us see if I can keep this resolution!