I want to thank Spo-fans far and near for their praises of the last post. The chief reason I blog is my passion to write. Most of what I scribble is nonsense and dribble but occasionally something pulls together into thoughtful and pretty prose. Yesterday’s entry felt like a success and I was blithe others thought so as well. The Board of Directors Here at Spo-Reflections was also pleased as punch. They sent me a bonus barrel of mead (the dears!) They also adamantly deny they are responsible for Notre Dame. They may relish in pyro-shenanigans towards public buildings but they are no fools to touch something that big.
Last weekend when I visited Brother #3 we had nice morning going through his library looking at his collection of books. My Tsundoku is quite active; the last thing I need is more books. However I am always on the look-out for fabulous findings and recommendations.
On his shelf sits a collection of books from our youth. These are the “Alfred Hitchcock and the three investigators” mystery series. A group of lads go about and solve mysteries. I read these tomes instead of “The Hardy Boys”. Would you believe it – I didn’t think I was ‘butch’ enough to read the latter. * Laying eyes on these ancient tomes lit up my eyes to elicit a euphoria the type one gets when you stumble upon a childhood memento you haven’t seen in decades but seeing them you immediately recall them and all they entailed. B#3 found them in the basement of The Progenitors; he took the lot home hoping someday my nephew The Posthumous Thomas will read them.
We noticed (as can you in the photo) some in series are missing. We can’t recall if we never had them or they are lost. This raised a mystery to solve of its own. Next time he visits The Progenitors he will try to find them. If he is unsuccessful we will hit Ebay and buy the missing ones. Meanwhile I will do some research: how they came to be and how long they went on etc.
After we finished the tour, I took down The Mystery of the Talking Skull, which is one I books I remember enjoying, and I read a few chapters. Do you ever reread your childhood favorites? I do. This is usually a mixed bag of emotions. There is a satisfaction nothing like rereading a story that quickly comes back to mind. On the other hand these reads are never are quite as stirring or as magical as when they were first read. “Talking Skull” wasn’t scary or as deep as I remembered. There was a sense of camp to it viz. failed seriousness. Oh well, I am no longer ten years old.
Someday after we complete the set I hope to read them all. How many times have I said that before! I’ve got to make a more concerted effort to make time for reading. If I don’t I fear ‘The three investigators’ will sit on the shelf taunting me as books do when they want you to pick them out and enter them again.
*I probably still am not.
28 comments
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April 17, 2019 at 9:14 AM
David Godfrey
Keep writing, we will keep reading. I grew up in a house with few books, with parents that read little other than the Detroit News. I cherish the reading time of my daily commute and long airline flights.
April 17, 2019 at 9:29 AM
Urspo
Some irony here: I grew up reading nonstop yet nowadays I don’t/regret so.
You grew up not reading but you have lots of lovely time to ‘catch up’. Good for you!
April 17, 2019 at 9:37 AM
Friko
I always was one for history, so much of my childhood and YA reading concerned itself with the distant past and what people might have got up to. I found a set of ‘HOEHLENKINDER’ in a second hand bookshop, promptly bought it and read it forthwith. Well, I say ‘read it’ but I found the stories rather pompous and a tad boring so gave up after the first one. Sad, I was so certain that these stories would enthral me as they did many moons ago. Like you said, we are not 10 any more.
April 17, 2019 at 10:04 AM
Urspo
Given so many books yet unread, I feel a bit off trying to read old ones as they somewhat thwart ‘going forward’ and overall they are not that entertaining anymore. Happily, they are quick reads, having been written for childrens’ levels of attention and vocabulary.
April 17, 2019 at 10:22 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
Not butch enough for the Hardy Boys, eh? Hahahahahahaha! I adored the Hardy Boys and read every one I could find. And look how I turned out!
April 17, 2019 at 11:11 AM
Urspo
The facts speak for themselves 🙂
April 17, 2019 at 10:33 AM
anne marie in philly
I have 4-5 books on my amazon wish list right now. books are priceless.
April 17, 2019 at 11:11 AM
Urspo
You are priceless. 🙂
April 17, 2019 at 1:58 PM
anne marie in philly
damn str8 (or gay)! 🙂
April 17, 2019 at 10:33 AM
Moving with Mitchell
What a great collection to still have! Most of my books went to my brother. If he didn’t destroy them, my mother gave them away. Just as well. But what memories. I wonder how many of those books I would enjoy now.
April 17, 2019 at 11:13 AM
Urspo
Try to find a few and find out why dontcha
April 17, 2019 at 1:50 PM
mcpersonalspace54
Ah, a return to my childhood. I used to read that series of books!
April 17, 2019 at 8:08 PM
Urspo
Did you enjoy them?
April 17, 2019 at 5:10 PM
Old Lurker
I distinctly remember wanting to be Jupiter Jones, but I do not remember the association with Alfred Hitchcock. I also remember that these books were less formulaic than the Hardy Boys (but given Debra’s observation I probably should have read the latter).
April 17, 2019 at 8:09 PM
Urspo
Mr. Hitchcock would briefly appear at the end when the three reported their summary to him. It felt a bit like Charlie’s Angels
April 17, 2019 at 8:36 PM
Ravager619
Keep writing. Hey, I just thought of something. If The Hardy Boys is too butch, maybe you might want to give a Nancy Drew comic series a try? I bought the one Kelly Thompson wrote about a year ago on Comixology and it was really good. It’s only 5 issues and they’re selling for $1.99 each right now. Oh, it features the Hardy Boys but Nancy runs the show.
April 17, 2019 at 9:35 PM
Urspo
I think I will read The Nancy Boys rather
April 18, 2019 at 12:11 AM
Raybeard
I’ve never heard of this series. They certainly never caught on in England – most likely because they were never published here. I’d like to give them a go, but a first taste by an ageing (very) adult is probably not the readership for which they were intended.
I’ve just finished a blisteringly dull 600-page schlocker, ‘Sign of the Cross’ by one Chris Kuzneski. (Once I start a book I’ve just got to finish it!) Religion, gore and present day grisly crucifixions all wrapped up in a 21st century riddle – ”Who exactly WAS this Jesus Christ? Saints preserve us! That Dan Brown has a hell of a lot to answer for!
But I’ve found salve in a true quality read – a re-read, in fact – first encountered by me exactly 40 years ago – ‘The Merry-Go-Round’ by Somerset Maugham – just a student work but even so. The quality of language with its richness, wide vocabulary and imagination is spellbinding and puts back my faith in good literature. Just the restorative medicine I needed!
April 18, 2019 at 7:22 AM
Urspo
I find rereading some books a marvelous experience; each time I reread it I find new things in it or react differently. I may read Oliver Twist again soon, as the first time < bewildered/disbelief, thought it science fiction; second time < funny and dark humor; third < sad and pathos.
April 19, 2019 at 12:07 AM
Raybeard
It’s something I’ve always done, though now at my age with the thought that this will very likely be the last time. It certainly focuses one’s attention. :-).
‘O.Twist’ as science fiction? I’ll need time to get my head around that one!
April 18, 2019 at 6:33 AM
thickethouse
My kids all read those Alfred Hitchcock mysteries. We are a family of readers. I just finished Happiness by Aminatta Forna. You might find this interesting, too. (I am reluctant to recommend books to others. It can be the kiss of death!) I loved Raybeard’s comment that Dan Brown has a lot to answer for!
April 18, 2019 at 7:24 AM
Urspo
I am always looking for book recommendations, thank you! One never knows – it could be a jewel of a find or merely not my cup of tea. The trick is not to become offended when the recipient doesn’t care for a book we find marvelous; it almost feels like an offense. All book lovers have experienced that.
Thank you for posting a comment.
April 18, 2019 at 6:36 AM
thickethouse
Here is an excerpt from the blurb about happiness: “London. A fox makes its way across Waterloo Bridge. The distraction causes two pedestrians to collide—Jean, an American studying the habits of urban foxes, and Attila, a Ghanaian psychiatrist there to deliver a keynote speech. From this chance encounter, Aminatta Forna’s unerring powers of observation show how in the midst of the rush of a great city lie numerous moments of connection.”
April 18, 2019 at 7:24 AM
Urspo
I like it already!
April 19, 2019 at 4:45 PM
Frogdancer Jones
I read The Three Investigators when I was a kid, too!
April 21, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Urspo
I am enjoying hearing from others I was not the only one who knew and read them.
April 21, 2019 at 4:33 AM
Elle
I have these as well (although not in as good shape). My brothers read them, and then of course I had to read them. We grew up w/parents that valued reading and books. My favorites are a set of Zane Grey novels; my grandmother got them for my dad when he was @6 years old and sick with chicken pox. My grandfather would read to my dad from them everyday when he came home from work…my dad’s now 82. Books carry such memories.
April 21, 2019 at 10:12 AM
Urspo
Lucky person to have had such an experience !