Fodor’s Railways of the World (1977)

     Fodor’s Railways of the World (1977) “Frimbo” (Roger E. M. Whitaker) contributes a pleasant narrative to this overview of passenger travel in the late 1970s. But the overview of railway travel is too vague and general to be of much use. There are no timetables whatever, so I wonder who’s the intended audience. The tone of the entries suggests the armchair traveller, but the dearth of interesting or curious details makes that unlikely. I haven’t seen Fodor’s Guides in years; perhaps too many people found them as pointless as I find this one. For the historian of passenger travel, the book may provide some useful data, since it lists classes and types of trains run, thus indirectly providing dates for these services. Jon found this book in a Toronto Public Library sales bin, but I don’t think I want to keep it. * (2007)

Chris Ellis, ed. Airfix Magazine Annual (1971)

     Chris Ellis, ed. Airfix Magazine Annual (1971) The annual compilation of magazine articles together with new material appears to be a peculiarly British custom. This book illustrates the phenomenon nicely. It includes 18 articles, a quiz, and a selection from the magazine's photo pages. Airfix made mostly aircraft and military models; the articles deal primarily with these subjects. Histories of the prototypes, instructions for kit building, painting, and detailing, or design of dioramas form the bulk of the contents. One article describes “One Man’s Model Railway”. The book (and the magazine) encouraged serious, historically accurate modelling. Airfix went bankrupt in the late 80s or early 90s, despite attempts to expand its range by buying other model manufacturers. That makes this something of a nostalgia item, but it contains a good deal of useful information for anyone interested in its subjects. I’m going to try to sell it. ** (2007) Update 2913: I didn't sell it, but I did donate it to a book sale.

Herbert Wöber. Festschrift 1893 -1993: Von Strobl nach St. Lorenz

     Herbert Wöber. Festschrift 1893 -1993: Von Strobl nach St. Lorenz. A compilation of news reports and other sources chronicling the construction of this section of the “Salzkammergut Localbahn” (as originally spelled.) A few pictures (postcards, photos) round out the pamphlet. Of interest to an SKGLB fan, and useful to a social historian: the references to the High and Mighty are amusing, especially in the account of the Emperor’s deigning to ride the line from Salzburg to Bad Ischl. Like all such amateur compilations, the reproduction of the photos is below par, and the collection of clippings etc leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but it's worth a look by anyone interested in Austrian narrow gauge railways. ** (2007)

Christianne, a musician from Blind River

Find her music here.

Susan Wittig Albert. Rueful Death (1996)

     Susan Wittig Albert. Rueful Death (1996) I buy cheap paperbacks at library book sales, used books stores, Value Village, etc. This book is one such, and it was worth more than the 25 cents I paid for it 
     China Bayles needs some rest time from her herb shop, books into a nunnery along with her friend Maggie, a former nun from that same nunnery, and finds herself the official investigator into a mess of badness swirling around and focussed on a mess of money that some nuns want to use to build a retreat centre, that is a resort for clergy and their friends. Local small town politics and an old flame complicate matters. The resolution's plausible and works psychologically. The religious life is cake, not icing, as it often is self-styled Christian fiction. A pleasant confection, with some nice references to herbs and such, as well as better than average scene setting. One can almost smell the river that borders one side of the property, and which China sees and hears from her cottage. **½

Jay Ingram's Barmaid's Brain

I've added a second review to the post of 12 September 2013, because I read it twice. I do that sometimes.

Ngaio Marsh. Scales of Justice (1955)

 

     Ngaio Marsh. Scales of Justice (1955) Ancient family secrets, a tight-knit society, an outsider who married one of the set and is made to feel unwelcome, a widower who is both a fool and at a dangerous age, and unacknowledged ties between people come together to produce murder. The solution hinges on the curious fact that no two fish have exactly the same pattern of growth rings on their scales. Nicely done, with rather more of the police procedures than usual. **½ (2007)