Mortality, by Christopher Hitchens

Somewhat surprisingly I had not even heard of Christopher Hitchens until just a few months ago when I was listening to the weekly Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast and one of the regulars talked about his death. Lo and behold he was a heavy in the world of journalism and an advocate for the scientific community arguing that reason and rationalism should govern society and not religion. He died recently of esophageal cancer. Before his death he wrote a series of articles that appeared in (Vanity Fair?) in which he discussed all types of death related topics including experiences in the hospital with the medical community, reaction by fans at book signings, thoughts on (a) god, the process of dying, dignity and many others. His is an articulate prose with wit and a vast vocabulary. I have picked up his mammoth collection of essays, Arguably - I look forward to learning more about him. A great find!

Roseanna, by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

I am on a Swedish detective/mystery romp. And with much enjoyment despite my at best tepid response to the second of the dragoon tattoo books. This masterful tale from the 1960’s is excellent and the best of the bunch so far. What’s not to like? It’s tight. It’s vivid. It’s characters come alive, especially Beck, the detective and protagonist. The hunt for the killer is methodic and effective. It is a time before computers - a refreshing way to hear a police procedural tale. I look forward to the next in the series.

The Dogs of Riga, by Henning Mankell

The second in the series of Kurt Wallander Swedish detective mysteries. It moves along with a feel that is similar to Faceless Killers (see earlier post) and gets downright dark and gritty when the action turns to Latvia. I found the occasional discussion about politics, the State and the individual among the more rewarding moments in the book. Too, the moody and depressing descriptions of the cityscape are fraught with depression. On the downside I found the romantic bits between Wallander and Baiba a bit contrived. But, objectively, if Wallander had gone through everything that he had and found her attractive, can I blame him for trying to whisk her away to Sweden? Even if she was widowed recently and Wallander was investigating her husband’s death? I suppose. Mankell could’ve lent more realism to the ordeal by spending more time on Wallander’s illegal return trip to Latvia. Perhaps my objection is a result of Mankell’s ineffectiveness in conveying what an ordeal Wallander’s investigation and return journey were. Or, perhaps, it is my cynicism. My only other problem with the story was the ending (shoot-out on the roof). That was too much Hollywood and formulaic storytelling. Nevertheless, the novel was a good read. But I liked Faceless Killers better. I’ll give Mankell and Wallander another shot (no pun intended) – you should do the same.