Thursday, January 24, 2008
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Join the Mystery Book Discussion Group on Tuesday, February 12, 12 - 1 p.m. when we discuss Agatha Christie's classic mystery, Murder on the Orient Express. Copies are available for borrowing from the Greenwood County Library.Christie is often regarded as the Queen of the Golden Age detective and mystery novels. Murder on The Orient Express, written in 1934, is considered a Golden Age, between-the wars, or classic mystery novel. As in Murder on The Orient Express, a.k.a. Murder on the Calais Coach, Christie's novels accurately portray the life of upper-middle class, British men and women of this period. Her novels put little emphasis on the working class; the books typically describe the lives of leisure class, rich tourists. In her later work, she attempted to script the lifestyles of the coffee bar, beat generation kids, but with less success.
Murder on The Orient Express was favorably reviewed and praised in England. It was made into a film in 1974 and is one of the most successful British films ever made. Even Agatha, who generally expressed dislike for film versions of her books, expressed appreciation.
Murder on The Orient Express was favorably reviewed and praised in England. It was made into a film in 1974 and is one of the most successful British films ever made. Even Agatha, who generally expressed dislike for film versions of her books, expressed appreciation.
Murder on the Orient Express features Hercule Poirot, one of Agatha Christie's - and the mystery genre's - most remarkable and famous characters. Poirot is a retired Belgian police officer turned private detective. As a private detective he tours Europe and the Mid-East solving mysteries. Because he is a private detective and has no apparent family, Hercule Poirot has a great deal of freedom. He is independently wealthy and the decisions he makes are not subject to law or otherwise. While Poirot does not always obey the law, he always abides his conscience and his sense moral law.
Join us as we figure out "whodunit" on the luxurious Orient Express.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Jubilee by Margaret Walker
Join the Souther Writers Book Discussion Group on Saturday, February 2, 1 p.m. in the Children's Story Room when we discuss Jubilee by Margaret Walker. Copies are available for borrowing at the Greenwood County Library. For more information about the Library's book discussion programs, please contact Prudence Taylor at 941 - 4650.Written by Marget Walker over a thirty year period, Jubilee is based on the life of Walker's great - grandmother, Elvira Dozier Ware. The daughter of a slave woman, Hetta, and the plantation's master, John, Vyry is raised in her father's house as a servant to her half - sister, Lillian. Walker breaks Vyry's life - and the book - into three parts: before the Civil War, during the War, and through Reconstruction.
Margaret Walker was a gifted poet and writer who studied at Northwestern University and the University of Iowa. She worked as a social worker, newspaper reporter, and magazine editor before beginning her long teaching career. In 1942 she published her first book, For My People, a series of poems she wrote as her Master's thesis at the Iowa Writers Workshop, University of Iowa. She received the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award and was named to the Honor Roll of Race Relations by the New York Public Library for her book.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Join the Ware Shoals Reading Group this Thursday, January 17, 3 - 4 p.m. at Town Hall when we discuss this month's choice, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.
Set in 19th century China, Lily tells the story of her friendship with Snow Flower. Their lives are typical - and tragic. With bound feet, both girls live in seclusion. They will not be educated since the desirable young woman is not expected to think or feel. Women have developed nu shu, or women's writing, through which they communicate and enjoy deep friendships.
Lily receives a silk fan on which Snow Flower has written a poem introducing herself in nu shu. At the age of 7, they become "old sames," and enjoy a friendship that lasts through arranged marriages, motherhood, and tragedy.
Copies of the book are available for borrowing at the Ware Shoals Community Library.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout
Author Biography
- Born in Nobleville, IN December 1, 1886.
- Recognized as a prodigy in arithmetic.
- Studied at the University of Kansas.
- Quit school to enlist in the Navy.
- Served as warrant officer on board President Theodore Roosevelt's yacht.
- Devised Bank Day, a school banking system which was so successful it allowed him to move to Paris and write full time.
- Returned to the United States and built a house in 1930 on the Connecticut - New York State line to avoid having conservative Hamilton Fish as his representative. (To his disappointment, he wound up with Clare Booth Luce, another conservative.)
- First Nero Wolfe novel, Fer - de - Lance, was published in 1934.
- Strongly opposed Nazism and, during WWII, served as Chairman of the War Writers Board, MC of the radio program, Speaking of Liberty, and as a member of several national committees.
- Resumed writing mysteries after the war, and wrote more than 70 books and short stories about Nero Wolfe.
- Won the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award in 1957.
- Died October 27, 1975 at the age of 88 and one month after publishing the final Nero Wolfe book, A Family Affair.
The League of Frightened Men was Stout's second mystery featuring Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, and was published in 1935. The story takes place from Friday, November 2 through Thursday, November 15, 1934. A group of Harvard alumni approach Wolfe because they fear a classmate Paul Chapin. A college hazing incident left Chapin crippled years before. The men now fear for their lives after a number of them are found dead under mysterious circumstances, and letters from Chapin hint at his involvement and his intent to harm others of the league. Is Chapin guilty of the murders or not? And why is he writing threatening letters to this group? And if he isn't the killer, who is the real murderer, and what is behind this killing spree?
Copies of the book are available for borrowing at the Greenwood County Library.
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