Welcome to my Blog!
I hope to share here my irrepressible thoughts on news, music, books, arts and such like. In general these will be items, events and issues which I feel have no place on my website (which focusses on aviation history and travel photography).

The item immediately below this would be the latest posting.

Anybody, providing he knows how to be amusing, has the right to talk about himself. - Charles Baudelaire
Esse est percipi (To be is to be perceived) - Bishop George Berkeley

In 2013 I started a series of photo albums on Blurb.com, named '36Exp' (a subject adressed in 36 exposures, a reference to the exposures on most common rolls of 35 mm film: 12, 24 & 36.). The books can be ordered directly from the Blurb.com website.
http://www.blurb.com/user/ruudleeuw

CURRENT BLOG

After having read 'The Savage Altar' (a.k.a. 'Sun Storm', 2007) and 'The Blood Spilt' (2008) written by Asa Larsson, I felt enthusiastic about reading another 'Rebecka Martinsson' story. And I wasn't disappointed.
This 2011 translation by Laurie Thompson is again situated in the high north of Sweden, in and around Kiruna.
Besides Rebecka Martinsson it also features police inspector Anna-Maria Mella, whose point of perspective on the developing story is used to vary from Martinsson's perspective.
There is always a miasma of the supernatural surrounding Rebecka and the other characters and settings in these novels, without interferring with the logical sequence of event I hasten to add. But it is rather novel to start the story from the perspective of the victim and continue to use that perspective at times merely to illustrate how characters travel or behave.
The plot starts with the discovery of the body of a young student, apparently drowned beneath the ice of a frozen lake.
Anna-Marie Mella is the policewoman in charge of the investigation, and we learn of her emotions in her relationship but something has gone sour with her collegues as well. Rebecka as prosecutor decides to take over at some point.
A sinister family becomes the focus of the murder inquiry. Their family secret and the mystery of the fatal treasure hunt beneath the ice in the frozen lake is somehow related to World War Two, when the Swedes, officially neutral, helped the Germans with transport to the Baltic coast.
The factual background is explained in the Wikipedia entry on Kiruna.
The books remains compelling until the very last pages.

Read also Maxine Clarke's review on www.eurocrime.co.uk/reviews/

Among his best-known works are Get Shorty (loved the film!), Out of Sight, Hombre, Mr. Majestyk, and Rum Punch (adapted for the movie Jackie Brown, again a film a enjoyed so much I watched it several times). Leonard's writings include short stories that became the films 3:10 to Yuma (great!) and The Tall T.

Wikipedia.org - Elmore_Leonard

'The Anniversary Man' is the 3rd book I've read written by R.J. Ellory, the Englishman who situates his crime novels in the US and indeed write likes an American or at least as someone who lived there all his life.
This book is situated in New York City. Not as good in my opinion as 'A Quiet Belief In Angels', but that one was exceptionally outstanding, but better than 'City of Lies'.

The story is about detective Ray Irving trying to capture a serial killer who murders his victims very much like other serial killers and on exactly the same date; much like an anniversary.
Ray Irving is being assisted by John Costello, who is a rare survivor of a serial killer (but who saw his girl friend murdered during the attack). Costello is a crime researcher at the New York City Herald and his assistence is controversial, both at the police department as well as with his boss, Karen Langley.
There is mutual effection between Irving and Langley, but Irving is still smarting from a previous relationship and puts the job very much first.
The dialogue between Irving and Langley is a bit too hysterical at times to my taste, but Ellory successfully steers clear of the obvious in this book. Despite the brief chapters, the book has pace and is written with a nice eloquence.
An excellent crime novel, heartily recommended.

www.rjellory.com
Wikipedia.org - R._J._Ellory

Billy Collins (born William James Collins 22Mar1941) is an American poet, appointed as 'Poet Laureate of the United States' from 2001 to 2003.
Collins was recognized as a 'Literary Lion of the New York Public Library' (1992) and selected as the 'New York State Poet' for 2004 through 2006.

When Bukowski is too raw for my state of mind and I am in need of kinder words, I read poetry by Billy Collins.
Wikipedia

See also my blog 2017Q4

MacDonald took McGinniss to trial in 1984 and McGinniss' publisher had its insurer settle the matter out of court, paying a settlement of usd 325.000,- after a civil trial had resulted in a hung jury.

The book is written in the 'I form' and the book was found controversial when it was serialized in The New Yorker magazine, as Malcolm was involved in legal procedures herself and the book was looked upon by some as a personal vindication.
The 'Masson case' is explained on the Wikipedia page dedicated to Janet Malcolm; see link below.

The edition I read (Granta Books, 2012) had a lengthy explanatory note by Janet Malcolm, added as a last chapter. Only then did I realize the book was non-fiction having no knowledge of the MacDonald vs McGinniss trial, nor having ever heard of Joe McGinniss.

The book 'The Journalist and the Murderer' has since become regarded as an undisputed classic by some, ranking 97th in The Modern Library's list of the 20th century's '100 Best Works of Nonfiction'.

Malcolm was born in Prague in 1934 and has resided in the USA since her family emigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1939.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Journalist_and_the_Murderer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Malcolm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_McGinniss

Donna Leon’s 15th mystery became the first book by her to be read by me. While I prefer to read in English, a few Dutch copies came my way.
As I have a thing for Italy, I started reading and quite liked it, in a relaxing sort of way. Perhaps less drawn into the story as with some other writers, I was pleased to travel (walk, boat, public transport - he doesn't own a car) with Commissario Guido Brunetti through Venice, Italy.

The mystery is set on the island of Murano where Guido Brunetti investigates a murder at a glass furnace (fornace) there.
Prior to the murder, Brunetti started snooping around Murano because of suspicion that one of the factory owners may be out to do bodily harm to his son-in-law, an environmental activist and good friend of Brunetti’s sidekick, Vianello.

Through Brunetti’s eyes, we experience a wonderful springtime in Venice and superb descriptions of glassware and the age-old art of glass making. But I also love how easy it is for Italians to step outside for a cappuccino, go out for lunch and enjoy a warm meal at home prepared by the wife, staff found missing from their desk, etc.
I recognise the different way of life Italians have.

Besides the mystery the subject of the environment is adressed, poisining the laguna and possible health issues. Also, briefly, administrative corruption passes too.

In a less serious vain, we get to enjoy selections from Dante’s Inferno, the antics of Signorina Elletra, the stupidity of Vice-Questore Patta, and the usual immersion in Italian language, food, and culture.

A very enjoyful read.

Some of the wording and insight has been used from the following revies (recommended to read in full): http://italian-mysteries.com

Salgado explores the Brazilian rainforest, takes us to the icy light of Siberia, offers the dazzling dew of an Ecuadorian dawn with the spectral gloom of dusk in the Galápagos. Breathtaking.

A beautiful review written by Laura Cumming (The Observer - 14Apr2013) and from which most of the above has been borrowed, can be found here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/apr/14/sebastiao-salgado-genesis-review