Hitman

Hitman by Parnell Hall

In ten words or less: A hit man hires PI Stanley Hastings for a job.

Review: P.I. Stanley Hastings gets most of his jobs from a lawyer. He interviews potential clients and photographs potholes and slippery floors for personal injury suits. Martin Kessler wants to hire Hastings for a particular job. Kessler is a hitman, and wants Hastings to prevent him from carrying out his latest assignment. Hastings asks his cop friend to check out Kessler, who turns out to be a school teacher with a clean record. Something isn't right, but Hastings can't quite figure it out.

Why bother? The marginally competant Stanley Hastings manages to get in over his head once again. Another entertaining installment in the series.

Why? Because we still like you: an oral history of the Mickey Mouse Club

Jennifer Armstrong's "Why? Because we still like you: an oral history of the Mickey Mouse Club"

In ten words or less: Where are they now? Story of the original Mouseketeers

Review: Children in the 1950s grew up watching the Mickey Mouse Club, a television show produced by Walt Disney as a marketing prop to stir interest in the brand new Disneyland theme park. The kids on the show, "average" youngsters aged 8-14, sang, danced and acted in mini-series.

Annette Funicello quickly became the star of the show, and went on to a career in recording--even though she was no singer--and acting. Bobby Burgess continued in show business as a dancer on the Lawrence Welk Show, and Don Grady and Tim Considine starred in the sitcom "My Three Sons."

Cheryl Holdridge married Woolworth heir Lance Reventlow, David Stollery became an automobile designer, and Doreen Tracey posed nude for a men's magazine.

Why bother? If you can still sing along with the Mickey Mouse Club songs, you might like to see how you after-school favorites have aged. Nice black and white photos let you compare then and now photos. Fun for baby boomers!

July's Books

Tim Moore traces the steps of a 17th century cleryman, Thomas Coryate, in his attempt at recreating a Grand Tour of Europe in his book "Continental Drifter." Coryate wrote of his travels to 45 Eurpean cities in "Crudites," considered to be the first travel book. Moore sets out, not on foot but in an old Rolls Royce and clad in a velvet suit from an Oxfam shop. Fun to read, but I'm glad I wasn't around for the ride.

1000 Artist Trading Cards by Patricia Bolton
Budget Living Home Cheap Home
Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George
Continental Drifter by Tim Moore
XO by Jeffery Deaver
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Stick a Fork in it by Robin Allen
The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon