Thursday, February 05, 2015

Whata to Read 53: "Comeback" by Richard Stark.

What to Read

Comeback by Richard Stark. Donald Westlake wrote several novels using the pseudonym Richard Stark. Almost all of those novels featured Parker, an expert thief and robber. But, even all of Parker's skill and planning cannot prevent the incompetence of others and random chance.  


Comeback is Westlake's 1997 return to his Stark work after a 23 year break. Here is an excerpt from the first four pages.



JOhn Wick and Cracker Want to Dance

Artists Play Instruments in Front of Microphones and the Recorded Songs are Translated Into Digital Signals.

Berkeley to Bakersfield by Cracker. Double album of singers singing songs of punk and country western.  Guess who missed Cracker's free, outdoor concert in Madison over the summer? That's right, me.



Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance by Belle and Sebastian.  Scottish singers sing songs of pop and harmony.


Grammy 2015 Nominees by [many and varied but mostly the same as other years]. Taylor Swift sings songs of shaking.



What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World by The Decemberists. Singers sing indecisive songs.



God Help the Girl by [original soundtrack].  Singers sing songs and musicians play background music.


Fantastique by U-Mass Wind Ensmeble. People blow into weirdly shaped devices that make pretty sounds.


Requiem by John Rutter, performed by Choir of Clare College, Cambridge.  Singers sing songs of death.



DVD

John Wick starring John Leguizamo, Keanu Reeves, Adrienne Palicki and Willem Dafoe.  Former hired killer is upset someone killed his dog.