Windsor Books

This book is an important eulogy for the now deceased comic. In many ways it is the opposite to Roger Lewis' destructive biography, in that we actually hear from someone who spent time with Sellers. Touching, funny, but ultimately honest, Graham Stark defends his dead friend, by showing his genius, his frailties [numerous as they were], but also his humanity. A good portrait of damaged talent.

Well-written, insightful, sometimes poignant, mostly amusing, this was a joy to read from start to finish. I think I've read just about every book on Peter Sellers ever published, and this is top of the list. This is not some psycho-analysis of his character or motivations; it is the affectionate but honest memories of someone who was a close and loyal friend for many many years. And despite the personal involvement, Stark soon proves his views are more worthy of trust than any twisted analytical biographer with possible ulterior motives (see Roger Lewis).

Stark struck me as the sort of behind-the-scenes person we never hear about, yet who is vital to those in the spotlight, and I ended up having just as much respect for the book's author as I do for its subject. To my amazement I actually stayed up all night reading this book - the wryly-told anecdotes of the many escapades these two shared, as well as the insight into characters of the film and entertainment world of the time, was fascinating and constantly hilarious.

Subject aside (ie. even if you aren't specifically interested in Peter Sellers), this is a very well-written book, very "readable", from someone who can write perceptively without ever being harshly critical. Stark strikes a wonderful balance between being appreciative of people without being blind to their faults. His down-to-earth outlook, balanced, fair views and sense of humour are a refreshing change from so much of the biased and/or sensationalist stuff that is written about "stars", and I look forward to his autobiography out in a few months.

This book is an important eulogy for the now deceased comic. In many ways it is the opposite to Roger Lewis' destructive biography, in that we actually hear from someone who spent time with Sellers. Touching, funny, but ultimately honest, Graham Stark defends his dead friend, by showing his genius, his frailties [numerous as they were], but also his humanity. A good portrait of damaged talent.

A marvellous trip through the years with Peter Sellers, as remembered by his ever good humoured mate, Graham Stark. A far cry from the sad books about Sellers, this brings out the hilarious times Graham and Peter had together including the filming of the Pink Panther films. Graham Stark does note his old pals failings within the stories, but it would have been impossible for him not to make some mention of it. It's mostly fun and Graham Stark deserves a big hand for actually bringing out a true picture of a man who trod the thin line of being a genius comedy performer and coping with all the problems that come with this gift.

Well-written, insightful, sometimes poignant, mostly humourous, this was a joy to read from start to finish. I think I've read just about every book on Peter Sellers ever published, and this was certainly the most enjoyable.

This is not some psycho-analysis of his character or motivations; it is the affectionate but honest recollections of someone who was a close and loyal friend for many many years. And despite the personal involvement, Stark soon proves his views are more worthy of trust than any twisted analytical "biographer's" bizarre conclusions (see Roger Lewis).

Stark struck me as the sort of behind-the-scenes person we may not hear about very much, yet who is vital to those in the spotlight. I ended up having as much respect for the book's author as I do for its subject. To my amazement, I actually stayed up all night reading this book - the humourously-told anecdotes of the escapades these two shared, as well as the insight into personalities of the film and entertainment world of the time, was fascinating and constantly hilarious.

Subject aside (ie. even if you're not specifically interested in Peter Sellers) this is a surprisingly well-written book, very "readable", from someone who can write perceptively without ever being harshly critical. Stark strikes a wonderful balance between being appreciative of people without being blind to their faults. His good-natured, no-false-pretensions outlook, fair views and wry humour are a refreshing change from so much of the biased, sensationalist stuff written about stars, and I look forward to his autobiography out in a few months.

A brilliant telling of one woman's midlife self-discovery. The story is emotional without nostalgia. I couldn't put this book down.

Most women will love this book. Some men (yours truly included) will appreciate the author's obvious skill, but not be persuaded by its self-referential, overly reflective style. If men can be emotionally/erotically described as blowtorches, and women as ovens, this book can be said to have a very long warm-up cycle, producing a modest, flaky little pastry, and leaving the kitchen warm for a short time, while the other rooms of the house remain cold.

The Road to Lichfield, Penelope's Lively's first novel, is a deeply satisfying read. Anne Linton, a housewife and part-time history teacher, goes to Lichfield to visit her senility-inflicted father who is dying in a nursing home. The frequent trips down become a sojourn into the past, into discovering her father and into exploring her growing illicit relationship with a headmaster, David Fielding, who was her father's fishing partner. Lively's Booker-nominated book is an adult, intelligent, articulate novel about how relationships and history shape our past and future. At 216 pages, it paints a vivid, if concise, picture of middle-class British suburban life with full of probable, living characters.

"Anne Linton drove northward toward Lichfield. Berkshire gave way to Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire to Warwickshire and on to Stratfordshire. Her own past, too, waved a cheery hand from over the horizon." So, the beginning of the first book by Penelope Lively. I have grown to love this writer. She provides intelligence, perception and a thoroughly believable and interesting cast of characters. She breathes life into the characters, and her vivid style increases our enjoyment of her novels.

Anne Linton is a history teacher married to a stodgy, unemotional barrister. Her husband is caught up in his career and seems to take Anne for granted. Anne is caught in the middle of her life as mother to two teenagers, teacher, wife and now daughter of a man who is dying. Anne begins the fortnight drives to Lichfield to visit her father in a nursing home and to organize the house that they had lived in. The house is actually kept quite clean by the housekeeper. It is Anne's job to look at the finances and to clean out all the morass of years of things.

Within the years collected in papers, Anne discovers that fifteen pounds a month are being sent to an unknown woman. She mentions this to her brother, Graham, who tells her that yes; her father had a mistress for many years and this may be where the money goes. Anne is astounded; this information has changed her entire perception of her life.

While Anne is visiting her father a neighbor drops by. He is a headmaster of a school, and a little older than Anne. He tells her that he and her father used to go fishing regularly and formed a great friendship. Anne and David form a friendship of their own, and she meets him whenever she comes to Lichfield. The friendship deepens into something else. A startling contrast to her father? How will she resolve this affair with her present life?

At the same time, Anne is involved with several other townspeople in trying to save an old building from being torn down. She finds them much too aggressive and dashing forward without the information they need to proceed with intelligence. She tries to tell the group her views, but they hush her and move forward. She withdraws from this group, feeling slighted and out of sorts. Her family's importance to her becomes significant. Her visits to her father renew her energy with her family and her ties to her old life. She visits the daughter of the woman who loved her father. She found surprisingly enough that he father loved music and dance. He was a different person with different needs in this household; She also found that this family loved her father. How to reconcile this family she does not know and the father she thought she knew dying in his bed?

Penelope Lively has given us a refreshing validation of the positive aspects of change. This novel is a testament of confidence in human nature. We are all good people trying to do our best in this world. Another great novel about finding ourselves, change and consequence, and the generations and future we never anticipated. prisrob

I read a lot, and can often anticipate the course a plot will take. Not this time. The central characters in this book all surprised me at important junctures, though the choices they made did not interfere with the logic of their characters. Partly for this reason, the book itself becomes very suspenseful, in defiance of its setting. It ends on a note that is both shocking and, at least to me, highly disturbing, though not sensational.

I expected to enjoy it, but did not foresee how caught up I would become. The characters still haunt me a bit. This is not your typical first novel, and not your typical genteel British lady novelist. She is ruthless. She is not politically correct.

I have not yet read anything by Carol Shields that I have not liked, so this book was no exception in that regard. As always, her characters are flawed, and likeable more because of that than anything else. Judith Gill, the main character in this book finds herself looking at her life in an almost bewildered way. She knows she should be happy, but wonders if she truly is. Shields has injected the novel with her usual dose of satire on academia, but one of the most wonderful things is how she pokes fun at herself here. One of the characters, a successful fiction writer keeps a terrible secret - I don't want to give anything away here, let me leave it at: Carol Shields was born in the US!

Carol Shields welcomes us in her first novel to the Ontario home of Judith Gill, and the table is set for a wonderful read. Shields's prose is tight and flows on humor, descriptive genius and observations that qualify as wisdom for any age. Lots goes on in this somewhat messy, subversive house: biographer and frustrated novelist Judith spins a tale of rude surprises, unexpected joys and everyday living over a 12 month period, laced with the anxious stuff of families. Husband Martin,academic and expert on "Paradise Lost"; teenage daughter Meredith, like her mother a "repository of innocence and knowledge"; and son Richard, 12 and "sour with love." The Gills in Shields's hands are enough to keep the novel charged, but visitors add to the flow: fellow-authors, academics, best friends, family and in-laws. Judith considers herself a prying spy; she ferrets for nuggets of enlightenment from those around her,and the results are wry and wise comments on life's long list of ironies. Shield's narrative entertains and delights with the ease of a life-long runner out for a jog; she lets her characters get lost in living, to enjoy the hilly and strenuous course. At the end of Small Ceremonies, after being enchanted by a maturing Judith and her eye for people and her faith in them, I knew more about life than when I began. Shields is an accessible author, somewhat quirky and without airs, a Canadian who keeps pace with Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro by being this person you'd really would have liked to have met.

The first Carol Shields book I read was "The Stone Diaries" which of course deserved all its awards. Then "Larry's Party" which, though it was somewhat ignored by the literary press, was every bit as enjoyable as "Diaries." By then I had realized that Shields is one of our greatest living novelists. I picked up "Small Ceremonies" knowing it was nearly 25 years old -- her first published novel -- and expecting it to be less than those two later books. I was wrong. "Small Ceremonies" is simply a terrific book. Buy it. Read it.

Having not read any of Shield's more acclaimed works, maybe I shouldn't have started with her first novel. While I can appreciate how well and acurately she portrays day to day life, human nature, and the observational lifestyle of writers, in the end I can't help but be wishing that more had HAPPENED in this novel. In the first half of the book nothing seems to happen at all, and then all the events set up in the second half seem to have no resolution of any kind. I understand that real life is also without specific beginnings and endings, but I can't help but wish for a little structure in fiction. However, it is is saved somewhat by the fact that it's beautifully written. I'd be willing to try her other books.

Small Ceremonies is a book to get lost in. Carol Shields has a way of making honouring everyday rituals, conversations and events and presenting them to the reader in a way that makes us savour her characters and stories. Like all Shields' novels, poems and plays, the irresitable Small Cermeonies, leads to contstant searching for more Carol Shields works. To publishers - devout readers want out of print works reprinted!

Extraordinary yarn; one can literally feel the storms of Cape Horn and smell the lush forests of Patagonia. Best nautical book I have read.

I think this shows the fantastic versatlity of the author. From the Starbuck chronicles, to Sharpe, to Stonhenge to this! I have read everything Mr Cornwell has written. This is off the beaten track for him and yet is still spellbinding.

A nice easy read that keeps your attention. I am the type of person that lays a book down and never picks it up, not this book.
Worth the price, and a nice book to hand over to the next person.

Cornwell deviates one more time from his Historical Fiction trademark novels and offers us a thriller. The results are mixed, the book is very well researched and written as are his historical ones. On the other side the story is formulaic and predictable, there is no real mystery here. There is one female character that gets increasingly annoying as the story progresses, and her relationship with the main character is forced and out of place.

This will not go down as a classic as many of his other books may but if you need an airplane ride or something for a quiet evening `Stormchild' will do the trick.

Stormchild is the story of a British boatyard owner Tim Blackburn. When his wife is killed by a bomb, the police suspect Tim's estranged daughter of the crime. (His daughter, Nicole ran away several years earlier with the Manson-like leader of an eco-terrorist group).

Tim, determined to find his daughter and deliver the news of his wife's death joins forces with a ditzy vegan reporter. Together they cut their ties to society and travel the oceans tracking Nicole. I really enjoyed Stormchild. I've read quite a few of Cornwell's historical novels and have enjoyed the blend of action and history. This novel was a refreshing change from his historical works.

Two things about this book I didn't care for. Tim's relationship with the reporter bugged me. Not a big fan of older man, younger woman relationships. Also, I felt the ending was a little too Rambo-esque for me. Up until the end, Tim had behaved logically and used logic to solve problems. I wish Cornwell had continued this theme through the end. It seemed a little silly for him to suddenly become the Terminator at the end of the book.

I would like to see a sequel to this novel. Tim and his girlfriend were fun protagonists.

A friend recommended this book to me and I was glad she did.
The focus was on female characters and heroines and I especially
enjoyed the changes in time sequences. Mr. Reilly writes with
the authority of someone who has studied history and with the
imagination of a very "free thinker". There were many surprises
in this book, but I won't give them away to any perspective readers. Suffice it to say that I'm now going to read his well-liked first novel "Shenanigan". All in all, "Through a Dark Passage" was an enjoyable read and a pleasurable experience.

A beutifully written eclectic tale that combines science fiction, history, and karma in a novel that can not be completely categorized. Reilly breaks away from the pack by telling a story of redemption of one man, as he perhaps reincarnates over time and distant places. This novel speaks about human nature in a way that captures your attention, intrigues your mind, and sometimes makes you laugh. The personality in its most base form, lives on to make amends for past deeds, while remaining true to their characteristics and talents. Reilly has hit a home run with his hard earned insight, a talent for thinking outside the box, and a writing style that leaves you wanting more, more, more.

Charles Reilly's novel "Through a Dark Passage" uses a unique style to intertwine five seemingly unrelated stories into a very coherent and fascinating novel. Using real events from history and a keen flair for the dramatic, Mr. Reilly's second novel exceeds the promise of his first, and should help him attain many more readers. This is story-telling at its best with a pleasant mix of surprises and brutal irony. Highly recommended.

With "Through a Dark Passage", author Charles Reilly departs from the successful formula of his first book, "Shenanigan" (which contains some of the finest Vietnam scenes I have ever read), with five seemingly unrelated tales, set in both the past, obscure and famous, and the future. But somehow the author weaves them together with the common themes of repentence, redemption, and even second chances. In doing so, the author explores some "what-if" notions that have fascinated mankind for centuries. He also gores a sacred cow here and there, for there is a streak of gentle humor throughout the tales. Mr. Reilly has succeeded in this new format; he is a natural story teller, and a superb one at that.

Why is it that stylish English prose is best left in the hands of Irish authors or those of Irish decent? Mr. Reilly writes simply yet forcefully, in absolutely correct and proper English, and never uses smut or gratuitous sex or violence as a filler. To be honest, he writes more confidently in some places than others, as can be expected from an author just starting to explore serious fiction writing. But in scenes of action, he is matchless. One passage, set in the French Revolution, is probably the best I've seen in the English language of a famous and ferocious event. There are others, too, but I dare not give more away . . .

I thoroughly enjoyed, "Through a Dark Passage." I cannot wait for Mr. Reilly's third book.

Was very pleased to find Mr Reilly had not taken the easy way out in this second novel. Already a strong story teller, Charles Reilly utilized complex philosophical issues and questions to feed the story through imagination and grit. "How would we view ourselves through someone else's eyes?" is just one of many thought provoking themes that lace this book, and I think that any intelligent human being would find this thought provoking work a refreshing change from the banal, and predictable "literature" being pushed through the publishing worlds uterus these days.

Rosalind Laker is like the battery bunny, she keeps on giving! I have now read 17 of her books including this last one The Venetian Mask. I have not found one to dislike in any way. Even though this book was published in 1993, it is a dynamic book for today's read! All of her characters come to life in all of her books. The scenery, the politics of the era, & the reasons for masks all come through loud & clear in this novel. I prefer historical novels & Ms. Laker grants me those eras in her writings. Plus 5 stars for Rosalind Laker!!!

I can't say enough about this author, she is witty and can write the glory and despair of amore. In this book she does that, but she lets up no slack on writing vivid details of the life in Venice that brings two friends together, and sometimes apart. The unique setting of the Pieta, where the girls are raised by nuns and taught the arts of music and song, was brought to life by her descriptions. The characters are wonderful and shown with true light revealing greatness in them and flaws as well. I enjoyed the theme of the "mask", the detail that she illuminates into its creation and purpose for this society. I enjoyed this book and the author's writing style as I always have, and she brings the tale to a glorious ending.

While not a deep and thought-provoking story, nevertheless an intriguing read. The friendship on which the story is based is at best two-dimensional, but since Ms. Laker is such a good storyteller the lack of depth is not terribly crippling. She has a gift for description. Do not read this book if you like to see beyond a plot line and find thought-provoking themes and introspection. Do read it if you want to thoroughly enjoy yourself and forget that there could be such a thing as these literary devices once in a while.

This is a book full of vivid imagery in typical Rosalind Laker fashion. Following the historical setting of Venice during it's Serenissima granduer, Laker weaves in characters and intrigue to draw the reader into the story. Her skillful writing makes you love and hate the characters, feeling wrapped up into the story and lives. The detail evokes the grand picture of Venice. The life and death mystery portions made me not want to put the book down. If you enjoy historical novels, or sweeping epic type of stories, this is a book for you

Rosalind weaves a wonderful tale of romance, mystery, and suspence taking you back to the fading splendor of Venice. Honestly before reading this book, I never really had an interest in visiting Venice. This sparked an interest and last year I was fortunate to have an opportunity to briefly visit Venice. The reading of this book greatly enhanced my enjoyment of and appreciation for Venice. Rosalind did her homework extremely well. The historical events she refers to are very accurate as well as the history of the places mentioned. The story take place during a significant time of change in the history in Venice. I strongly recommend this book to anyone planning to visit Venice, and to anyone who enjoys a good book that immerses you in a bygone era.

"Why Shoot a Butler?" is a tale of lost heirs and blackmail. A most unimportant victim leads Frank Amberley to assist the police to solve a crime while visiting with relatives. The young woman he finds beside a car, on a dark road, is compelling and elusive until she turns up at a fancy dress ball.
Three persons die before the killer is brought to justice in a deadly ending. The tale has complex motives, which are explored at length for the unwilling bystanders who build the plot and aid the participants.
A good read is the second mystery written by Georgette Heyer with her standard sharp dialogue and humor.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Sins of the Fathers."

This suspenseful mystery is most enjoyable for its dialogue and character development, much like a Dorothy Sayers novel. The hero is a very realistic, dynamic young lawyer. He finds himself in love with an enigmatic young woman who is a central figure in very mysterious circumstances, including a murdered butler. The plot and pace of the book are excellent, as is the ending.

To find out, you'll just have to read the book! A typical Heyer, with a delicious hero, resourceful heroine, and an happily resolved ending, with a few murderous twists on the way. A must-read for any Heyer addicts.

The dead butler was not the only one who did it.

Central to the plot is the femme fatale Shirley Brown. Unlike her uncharacteristic name, Miss Brown has caused quite a stir at two manor houses in an otherwise quite English countryside. Because of her, three people have been murdered, and she herself was a near victim. Needless the say, she has induced the Upstairs and Downstairs subjects, two dogs, and the local constables in a highly excited and distracted state of mind. All except Frank Amberley,of course.

This delightful Heyer mystery has the youthful barrister, Frank Amberley, sleuthing for clues as to the personage of Shirley Brown and the reasons behind the homicides.

Justice was meted out to the just and unjust. Shirely Brown has received hers all because of Frank Amberley's devotion to duty. And the latter couldn't have done it without the assistance of his butler, Peterson.

A lot of fun, written tongue-in-cheak. Not the way most mysterys are done, but this one works. Cocky young barrister on his way to visit family finds a young woman standing next to car with a dead butler in it. The plot involves him solving the murder but only after he is begged by the local police. Good fun.

Like an above reveiwer siad: I felt like I knew Mr. Grant after reading this. Ms. Donaldson has written a superb book revealing the real Cary Grant. We, the readers, see Mr. Grant for the real person he is. A gentleman, an overprotective loving father, an insecure, private man. and she writes of her relationship with Cary. Their many many good times together. The insecurities of Cary's that drove her nuts and finally ended their relationship, and her relationship with Cary's daughter Jennifer. Her and Jennifer became close friends. I felt like I knew Cary Grant inside and out after reading this. I recommend this book to all fellow Cary Grant fans!!!

I really enjoyed reading this book. Cary Grant might be very complex and
difficult person to live with.Yet he is gentle and kind.That is enough.I
simply feel sorry that Maureen Donaldson didn't marry him.She Couldn't
realize how much she was loved!She will also regret not marrying him for the
rest of her life!! (Sorry for my bad English)

I give this book 5 stars because there are not too many books that keep me awake at night. Usually even a good book puts me to sleep sooner or later. Not this one.

Maureen Donaldson had a four year relationship with legendary Hollywood actor Cary Grant from 1973-1977 after he had retired from film making. Her descriptions of meeting and first getting to know Grant made me feel like I was almost experiencing it with her. I could definitely identify with her feelings of awe and being overwhelmed that Cary Grant was interested in her. I would have felt the same way. As she got to know him and spend more time with him, she saw that he was only human (aren't we all). In fact, he was very human, with many of the same fears, insecurities and childhood hurts that so many of us have to deal with ourselves.

I agree with other reviewers who feel this book is not a trash Cary Grant book. I don't think that was her intention. I don't think less of Grant now than before I read the book. From everything I have read about Grant in this book and elsewhere, it seems he had a very rock-solid core to him. He comes across as a very loyal friend, surprisingly generous at times (when the mood struck him), tender-hearted and kind.

Maureen tells in her book how Grant read a daily devotional each day of the year out of a Christian booklet he had a subscription to. After they broke up Maureen said she continued the practice of reading those daily selections herself.

She took Grant to an Alice Cooper concert (with Grant in disguise). He hated it, but the fact that she talked him into going proves to me that he really cared about her. A man his age going to an Alice Cooper concert? That is love.

I do wonder why she wrote this book. I guess I should not try to speculate. According to Maureen, Grant tried to get her to marry him and even enlisted Jennifer Jones and her last husband to offer their home as a wedding site.

Even after reading the whole book I still can't help but think Maureen was nuts not to marry him.

I've just finished reading this and i'm a little shellshocked. Not because I feel Grant has been villified but perhaps merely because it shows such a debonair and enigmatic idol of mine as a true fallible human being.

Like the other reviewer commented, I too thought it seemed to be written with a fair amount of objectivity. It did not come across to me as a bitter and delibrate attempt to trash or undermine Grant. It does come across, however, as a bit of a tacky and harrowing romance novel, even the presentation of the book conveys such an image.

I think if you're a Cary Grant fan that wants to find out a little more about Archie Leach and is willing to accept the fact that their view of Cary may be tarnished in the process; then go ahead and read this, it is an interesting and (from what I can tell) balanced read.

Let's all hope he was happy in the end.

I felt like I knew Cary Grant much better after reading this book. It seems to have been written with some objectivity. The book makes you feel as though you are right in the middle of their relationship. I really enjoyed reading about the details of the most dashing man of the classic movie era. There will never be another Cary Grant, unfortunately.

This compendium of various Windsor chair designs is outstanding in it's breadth and informative in it's detail. The book discusses a selection of classic Windsor chairs and selected from that collection are examples with detailed construction drawings. This book contains a wealth of information for the collector and the craftsman.

No one with an interest in appreciating, collecting, or building windsor furniture should be without this book, 'nuf said. I especially appreciated the numerous detailed drawings of various types.

I have really enjoyed this book. It was recommended by a master Windsor Chairmaker and it is great. It would have been five stars except for the plans included. They are a little too small for old eyes.

This book is decent, but a bit expensive for what it offers.
If you want history and critiques of a bunch of windsor chairs...this is your book.
If you want to build one of these chairs, this is not the book for you.

I have been studying the Shaker lifestyle and artifacts for a good number of years and having read Dr. Kassays newest book leaves me with a feeling of the most comprehensive study to date.

Geoffrey Homes was the pseudonym of Daniel Mainwaring, who was born and raised in the Central California city of Fresno, began working as a journalist after college, then moved to Hollywood to launch a highly successful screenwriting career. "Build My Gallows High" later became the fantastic film noir classic "Out of the Past," with the original name being preserved in Great Britain.

As a strong devotee of "Out of the Past," and having conversed many times with the film's beautiful star, the recently deceased Jane Greer, I was anxious to supplement my appreciation for the film by reading the novel that was then adapted by Homes to the screen with some uncredited assistance from established Hollywood pro Frank Fenton. The novel contains the biting edge of the best hard-boiled detective fiction of the forties' period when the book was written. Red Bailey from the book becomes Jeff Bailey in the film, with Robert Mitchum perfectly cast as the tough, laconic, shrewd loner whose common sense deserts him when confronted by the combustible noir brunette charms of femme fatale Jane Greer. The book hits on the same cylinders, unremarkable in that Homes adapted it to the screen. Bailey does everything he can to forge a new life away from Greer, including finding a sweet, homespun girlfriend who is the diammetrical opposite of the ruthless femme fatale, but to no avail. He can never reject Kathie's enticements, despite his awareness of her treachery. The book is strong on hard-bitten narrative and those who like the work of Chandler and Hammett should appreciate "Build My Gallows High."

The British newspaper The Guardian strikes the correct note concerning the book, "Intermingling obsessive love, crime and betrayal ... the film's razor-sharp dialogue is mostly already there in the novel and an even more tortuous plot." Curl up on a dark, spooky evening, begin reading, and enjoy.

The basis for the great RKO film Out of the Past, Build my Gallows High is a fine 40's crime thriller. Weighing in at 153 pages this is really only of interest as a companion piece to the film. The narrative is much more straightforward than the film, character names changed, combined or eliminated. Although the book and film were structured differently, I found it difficult to not imagine Mitchum and the others as I read the story (the images of the film are seared into my brain). I love the film and liked the book. Interesting note that the author of this novel (Daniel Mainwaring under the pseudonym Geoffrey Holmes) also was the adapter for the film. I love to read books that have been turned into the great films, this is not essential reading.

I read this book many, many years ago and then saw the movie "Out of the Past," when it first came out. Robert Mitchum appeared in person with his film and he sang a few songs (yes he had a good voice) and then talked about making the movie and urged everyone to read the book. When I met him after the performance he said he thought the book was 'too old' for me and teased me about reading books suitable for a fifteen year old. He also urged me to stay in school and get a good education so I wouldn't have to earn my living making stupid movies (though as he said NOT THIS ONE). He was very proud of this film. So, if your in the mood for a good Noir mystery, then this is the one for you, see the movie again after reading the book to see how much of the flavor of the book is retained in the film.

This is a very short but good novella which consciously imitates the Maltese Falcon. The situations and characters over time have become well-known noir archetypes, if not quite cliches. The plot is set up from its opening paragraphs for calamity, yet a surprising amount of irony squeezed from a story barreling toward a foregone conclusion. And this is how the novel functions best- like a Greek tragedy; everything seems ideal between the protagonist and his beloved, but a dark misdeed in his past provides the undercurrent of wrong.

Jeff Bailey, former PI, tries to escape that past but cannot. The man he wronged finds him and forces him to perform one last task for him. Jeff cannot escape, because he is blackmailed. It is all a crooked plan to pin a murder on him, and he is sucked deeper into a labyrinth of illegality and betrayal. He is neither completely innocent nor completely guilty. He is just a flawed man in an elaborate, shadowy trap. The cops and crooks pursue him from all sides as he desperately tries to find a way out of his mess, all the while just wanting to go away and sit on the beach with his best gal...

As stated before, this is a very short book- there is not much description. People just do things because they do them, seldom with any emotive insight or explanation. This style works because the characters are who they are: a loyal friend is a loyal friend and a dirty double-crossing dame is a dirty double-crossing dame. Only one character really changes or acts in a surprising way. The aloof approach and moral complexity means relatively few characters garner too much sympathy from the reader; however, there is still some legitimate suspense developed, as we generally just want to see things end happily. But remember, Homes was shooting for a Maltese Falcon feel...

The already fast-moving book was streamlined for the movie "Out of the Past." And almost none of the great dialogue present in the film came from the novel, which surprised me, since they were both written by Homes. Perhaps an uncredited Frank Fenton (His Kind of Woman) had more to do with the witty and sardonic repartee in the screenplay than Homes. The prose of the book is like Hammett written by Cain- it's hard-boiled all right, but laconic; a lot goes unsaid. It has a poet's heart and a mug's voice. Which is fine, just not quite what I expected.

Overall, a good but not altogether satisfying read. Add Build My Gallows High to the short list (see also: Cape Fear, Big Clock, Strangers on a Train) where the movie eclipses the literary source.

Who knows if this well-told story of love, murder, and betrayal would still be in print were it not for Jacques Tourneur's magnificent adaptation of it--OUT OF THE PAST starring Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas. I'd seen the film many times before I'd ever read the book; and whereas the film is both tough and tender, the tenderness of the novel by Geoffrey Homes (who penned the sharply-written screenplay as well) is downright poetic--and is surprisingly well-integrated into what is, at heart, a detective novel. All the double-crossing of the book makes it into the film intact, but the film adds a depth to it that leaves you breathless at the conclusion. A cynical, despairing work of art that stands out in the hard-boiled genre for the beauty of its prose and the depth of its tragedy.