D_Kyle
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The City of Tomorrow and Its PlanningThe City of Tomorrow and Its Planning, eBook
by Le CorbusiereBook - 2013eBook, 2013
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Mar 11, 2021
Marjorie PrimeMarjorie Prime, DVD
DVD - 2017 | Special edition.DVD, 2017. Special edition.
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jun 04, 2019
Added Jun 03, 2019
Comment:
Twangy female vocalist for those of us with a lower register, Neko Case (of New Pornographers fame) builds dark portraits with her lyrics in Deep Red Bells - "A hand print on the driver's side, It looks a lot like engine oil And tastes like being poor and small And popsicles in summer"
...but she alternates with lightness as on I Missed the Point: "I'm so sorry That I missed the point Of this pageantry, But I'm grateful That you love me."
Great music to belt out in the shower or on the way home from work, also check out Middle Cyclone, her 4th studio album. Consistently good tunes and lyrics.Twangy female vocalist for those of us with a lower register, Neko Case (of New Pornographers fame) builds dark portraits with her lyrics in Deep Red Bells - "A hand print on the driver's side, It looks a lot like engine oil And tastes like being…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 30, 2019
Comment:
This book was slow to start, but once Hella sets off for the small town of Kaarmela, and starts asking questions things pick up. There's a man who's been murdered (or has he?), a priest with a past, a fink of a neighbor, and a hand with pink fingernail varnish. Hella perseveres, though some of her conclusions and the clues are not well-drawn. The Finish countryside is vivid and cold. The characters are colorful and the plot moves along well. I agree with Raven's assessment about a possible dig at NATO, but the author is Russian with a history degree and the world has many different points of view. If you enjoy Nordic Noir, this first book by Katja Ivar is enticing and worth a read. Let's see what else she can do.This book was slow to start, but once Hella sets off for the small town of Kaarmela, and starts asking questions things pick up. There's a man who's been murdered (or has he?), a priest with a past, a fink of a neighbor, and a hand with pink…
The BookshopThe Bookshop, DVD
DVD - 2019DVD, 2019
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 12, 2019
Comment:
Disclaimer: I did not read the beloved book. I love all these actors, and they seem to do a splendid job, but..... A story about vicious back-biting in a small town determined to stymie an honest woman - but there is likely something lost in translation - the movie left me flat and asking questions about the plot. Maybe I'll go read the book - it's probably better than the movie.Disclaimer: I did not read the beloved book. I love all these actors, and they seem to do a splendid job, but..... A story about vicious back-biting in a small town determined to stymie an honest woman - but there is likely something lost in…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Apr 19, 2019
Comment:
If you're a Nordic Noir fan and haven't read Harri Nykanen, try this first installment of the Ariel Kafka detective series. A smart, likable investigator, he is also a Jew. His ties to the Jewish community of Helsinki become essential when two Arabic-looking men shouting threats outside the synogogue just before Yom Kippur are suddenly found murdered. If you like this book, the other two in the series are just as good, and you can recommend that Sno-Isle purchase them: Behind God's Back and Holy Ceremony. The writing is tight, but descriptive against the Helsinki background. Highly recommend!If you're a Nordic Noir fan and haven't read Harri Nykanen, try this first installment of the Ariel Kafka detective series. A smart, likable investigator, he is also a Jew. His ties to the Jewish community of Helsinki become essential when two…
Added Apr 19, 2019
Comment:
I've read most of the Irene Huss novels and I was glad to see a departure - read the whole book in one go. This story revolves around an annual hunting trip where powerful men are being picked off for a crime that occurred many years before, and the young detective, Embla, a member of the hunting party, is also a target because she is slowly realizing who the killer is. Embla herself (the name is derived from Norse mythology for the first woman), has an event from her past that haunts her, but she's tough in nearly every sense of the word - I'm looking forward to more from Helen Tursten in this series.I've read most of the Irene Huss novels and I was glad to see a departure - read the whole book in one go. This story revolves around an annual hunting trip where powerful men are being picked off for a crime that occurred many years before, and…
The PeripheralThe Peripheral, Audiobook CD
by Gibson, WilliamAudiobook CD - 2014 | Unabridged.Audiobook CD, 2014. Unabridged.
Added Apr 08, 2019
Comment:
Lorelei King's narration seems antiseptic at first - stick with it - she nails it. Beautiful and slightly brutal story about two moments on time and how they collide. Surprised that the future has compassion for the past - William Gibson is such a fine yarn spinner. Made my commute so easy!Lorelei King's narration seems antiseptic at first - stick with it - she nails it. Beautiful and slightly brutal story about two moments on time and how they collide. Surprised that the future has compassion for the past - William Gibson is such a…
Dead LionsDead Lions, Downloadable Audiobook
by Herron, MickDownloadable Audiobook - 2013Downloadable Audiobook, 2013
Added Jan 27, 2019
Comment:
Many people on Amazon's audiobook site, Audible, had poor things to say of Michael Healy's narration of this Gold Dagger Award winning spy novel. I cannot disagree strongly enough with this sentiment. Healy's voice drips with the sarcasm and acid wit required to pull off the jaded old has-been spook, Jackson Lamb, and he is equally adept with the haughty Di Tavener and the naive River Cartwright. Gerard Doyle who narrates the other Slough House books simply can't catch the contemptuous tone required to pull off this kind of acerbic novel. While I think Herron's later books in this series are a bit tighter, plot-wise, if you enjoy a well-written spy novel with a dash of off-color British humor, you will certainly enjoy this performance!Many people on Amazon's audiobook site, Audible, had poor things to say of Michael Healy's narration of this Gold Dagger Award winning spy novel. I cannot disagree strongly enough with this sentiment. Healy's voice drips with the sarcasm and acid…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jan 27, 2019
Comment:
Many people on Amazon's audiobook site, Audible, had poor things to say of Michael Healy's narration of this Gold Dagger Award winning spy novel. I cannot disagree strongly enough with this sentiment. Healy's voice drips with the sarcasm and acid wit required to pull off the jaded old has-been spook, Jackson Lamb, and he is equally adept with the haughty Di Tavener and the naive River Cartwright. Gerard Doyle who narrates the other Slough House books simply can't catch the contemptuous tone required to pull off this kind of acerbic novel. While I think Herron's later books in this series are a bit tighter, plot-wise, if you enjoy a well-written spy novel with a dash of off-color British humor, you will certainly enjoy this performance!Many people on Amazon's audiobook site, Audible, had poor things to say of Michael Healy's narration of this Gold Dagger Award winning spy novel. I cannot disagree strongly enough with this sentiment. Healy's voice drips with the sarcasm and acid…
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D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jan 09, 2019
Comment:
Attention Nordic Noir lovers! This is the fifth installment in the Konrad Simonsen novels of Danish brother-sister writing team Soren and Lotte Hammer. If you haven't read the other four and are interested in police procedurals with a Euro-flair, you may want to begin with the first book (The Hanging), because the characters develop and ripen over time. What begins as an atrocity in Copenhagen has deep ties to the past and while I don't want to give things away too much, the idea of such a ruthless killer getting away with decades of grief and mischief initially had me disappointed. The story redeems itself but our detective, while still sharp, is aging and it feels like there can't be too many Konrad Simonsen novels left. The pace is moderate, as there is some government red tape, but the characters are so well-drawn, it flows well and had me up past my bedtime to finish it. Besides Copenhagen and rural environs, the story also makes a stop-over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally touches down in American Samoa. A worthy read, even if the title is completely misleading; the original Danish title ‘Den Sindssyge Polak’ (The Insane Pollack) is also deceptive, but intentionally so. Great series!Attention Nordic Noir lovers! This is the fifth installment in the Konrad Simonsen novels of Danish brother-sister writing team Soren and Lotte Hammer. If you haven't read the other four and are interested in police procedurals with a Euro-flair,…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Aug 17, 2018
Comment:
I cannot get enough of this series; it seems a crime to blow through what must be a years worth of writing in a day, but the books are quite compelling! This third installment enlarges the world and characters created in Slow Horses and Dead Lions, and I recommend reading them in order. Tightly plotted and suspenseful, yet often laugh-out-loud funny. Highly recommended!
Followed by Spook Street.I cannot get enough of this series; it seems a crime to blow through what must be a years worth of writing in a day, but the books are quite compelling! This third installment enlarges the world and characters created in Slow Horses and Dead Lions,…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Aug 17, 2018
Comment:
This fourth installment in the Slough House series does not disappoint. You can read them out of order, but the backstories of secondary characters build over time and reading them in order gives greater depth to the series as whole. Preceded by Real Tigers, followed by London Rules. Herron's books are gaining popularity; if you find yourself on the hold list, shorten the wait with his other series featuring two Oxford lady detectives whose lives overlap and entwine.This fourth installment in the Slough House series does not disappoint. You can read them out of order, but the backstories of secondary characters build over time and reading them in order gives greater depth to the series as whole. Preceded by…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jun 13, 2018
Slow HorsesSlow Horses, Downloadable Audiobook
by Herron, MickDownloadable Audiobook - 2017Downloadable Audiobook, 2017
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jun 12, 2018
Comment:
This first installment in the "Jackson Lamb" series has me hooked! Mick Herron's writing is intelligent, face-paced and liberally sprinkled with deadpan British humor and vocabulary; a comedic LeCarre. Scenes are descriptive and effectively transport the reader. The story moves quickly and weaves a number of simultaneous threads together that involve disgraced MI-5 agents who have been put out to pasture in dismal dead-end Slough House (rhymes with cow) with mind-numbing tasks in the hopes they'll peel off. Jackson Lamb, Slough House's nominal leader is a shuffling, uncivil, washed-up shadow, but proves he has a cool head when his agents get into deep water. Amongst the seemingly fruitless data they sift, they unwittingly uncover a covert op designed to put a foreign power in the Crown's debt, but without a Plan B in place it turns into a debacle when an agent is exposed. The team, all of which are held in contempt by agents and "achievers" at headquarters, have interesting quirks and backstory that are examined in light detail and help fill out the story nicely. I had brief intervals of re-reading when I realized the author had switched to a different thread of the story, but this should not deter you, because the voices of the characters make it obvious pretty quickly. Ultra fast read, augmented by a well-narrated audiobook version during my commute. Already started on the sequel, Dead Lions, a CWA Gold Dagger Award (2013).This first installment in the "Jackson Lamb" series has me hooked! Mick Herron's writing is intelligent, face-paced and liberally sprinkled with deadpan British humor and vocabulary; a comedic LeCarre. Scenes are descriptive and effectively…
Slow HorsesSlow Horses, Book
by Herron, MickBook - 2010 | First US edition.Book, 2010. First US edition.
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jun 11, 2018
Comment:
This first installment in the "Jackson Lamb" series has me hooked! Mick Herron's writing is intelligent, face-paced and liberally sprinkled with deadpan British humor and vocabulary; a comedic LeCarre. Scenes are descriptive and effectively transport the reader. The story moves quickly and weaves a number of simultaneous threads together that involve disgraced MI-5 agents who have been put out to pasture in dismal dead-end Slough (rhymes with "cow") House with mind-numbing tasks in the hopes they'll peel off. Jackson Lamb, Slough House's nominal leader is a shuffling, uncivil, washed-up shadow, but proves he has a cool head when his agents get into deep water. Amongst the seemingly fruitless data they sift, they unwittingly uncover a covert op designed to put a foreign power in the Crown's debt, but without a Plan B in place it turns into a debacle when an agent is exposed. The team, all of which are held in contempt by agents and "achievers" at headquarters, have interesting quirks and backstory that are examined in light detail and help fill out the story nicely. I had brief intervals of re-reading when I realized the author had switched to a different thread of the story, but this should not deter you, because the voices of the characters make it obvious pretty quickly. Ultra fast read, augmented by a well-narrated audiobook version during my commute. Already started on the sequel, Dead Lions, a CWA Gold Dagger Award (2013).This first installment in the "Jackson Lamb" series has me hooked! Mick Herron's writing is intelligent, face-paced and liberally sprinkled with deadpan British humor and vocabulary; a comedic LeCarre. Scenes are descriptive and effectively…
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The Gun SellerThe Gun Seller, Downloadable Audiobook
by Laurie, HughDownloadable AudiobookDownloadable Audiobook
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Jun 08, 2018
Comment:
You already know Hugh Laurie as the acerbic doctor/addict from the House hospital drama, but Surprise!...he's also a fine writer! This spy novel parody is best enjoyed as an audiobook, which is performed flawlessly by the veteran narrator, Simon Prebble. The book is utterly enjoyable and I had a number of "driveway moments" as I waited to see how a chapter ended. Prebble is adept at moving in and out of characters and the only time he seemed to have difficulty was with Lang (the main character) impersonating an American, but he has no difficulty with comedic timing, which made for numerous chortle-worthy stretches of commuting.
Hugh Laurie's stint as Bertie Wooster in the Jeeves and Wooster series from the early 90's has perhaps indelibly marked his writing because if you can imagine Wodehouse writing a spy novel, it might sound very much like The Gun Seller. There was initially to be a 2009 sequel entitled The Paper Soldier, but Laurie has commented that "The Paper Soldier is late. Very late. Very very late." If you enjoy self-deprecating, deadpan British humor, with a dash of suspense, you may certainly enjoy this audiobook.You already know Hugh Laurie as the acerbic doctor/addict from the House hospital drama, but Surprise!...he's also a fine writer! This spy novel parody is best enjoyed as an audiobook, which is performed flawlessly by the veteran narrator, Simon…
The SnowmanThe Snowman, DVD
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 29, 2018
Comment:
This moody, atmospheric rendition of Jo Nesbo's iconic Nordic Noir novel varies somewhat from the original, but the chill certainly seeps in: winter in Norway is so very cold. Split between Bergen and Oslo, the story follows the crimes of an established serial killer whose cases begin to multiply as his m.o. is more closely studied. Harry, a self-destructive, but brilliant detective takes on a rookie colleague with an agenda of her own and together they close ranks on the perpetrator as the snow deepens.
Yes, there are holes in the plot, and inconsistencies in filming as well, but I’m willing to suspend my demand for realism when it comes to Nordic Noir, and I was pleased on the whole. There are a few scenes of gore and suspense, the scenery is stark and lovely, the acting is fair and the actors easy on the eyes. Dynamics of the investigative team are omitted and may have contributed to a tighter plot line, but may have made the movie unnecessarily long. Certainly not a half-star movie unless you’re quite picky!This moody, atmospheric rendition of Jo Nesbo's iconic Nordic Noir novel varies somewhat from the original, but the chill certainly seeps in: winter in Norway is so very cold. Split between Bergen and Oslo, the story follows the crimes of an…
RememoryRememory, DVD
DVD - 2017DVD, 2017
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 27, 2018
Comment:
My expectations were pretty low, and there ARE huge holes in the plot (how many are truly watertight?), but despite these, this moody flick kept my attention. There's a twist at the end, and a bit of schmaltz, but overall, I had the feeling of time well-wasted. Dinklage is allowed some depth, and Julia Ormond (so lovely in Smilla's Sense of Snow) does not disappoint. The tag line reads "We are nothing more than the memories we keep" and this driving theme is the heart of the antagonist's dilemma. What happens when we try to purge or suppress things we'd rather not remember and face?My expectations were pretty low, and there ARE huge holes in the plot (how many are truly watertight?), but despite these, this moody flick kept my attention. There's a twist at the end, and a bit of schmaltz, but overall, I had the feeling of time…
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 22, 2018
BrazenBrazen, Graphic NovelRebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
by Bagieu, PénélopeGraphic Novel - 2018 | First American edition.Graphic Novel, 2018. First American edition.
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 21, 2018
Comment:
What a wonderful compendium of strong women! Some were very familiar; Josephine Baker & Temple Grandin, but others were very interesting and compelling women I’ve never heard of: “Tres Mariposas” from the Dominican Republic, Leymah Gbowee, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011, and Sonita Alizadeh, an Afghanistani Rap artist. Amazing! I had to Google a bunch of them to enlarge the brief stories from these pages.
Wonderful if you’d like a month’s worth of cheerfully illustrated 5-minute stories about real women who struggled and took chances and never lost sight of their goals. Recommended!What a wonderful compendium of strong women! Some were very familiar; Josephine Baker & Temple Grandin, but others were very interesting and compelling women I’ve never heard of: “Tres Mariposas” from the Dominican Republic, Leymah Gbowee, who won…
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Degas and the Little DancerDegas and the Little Dancer, BookA Story About Edgar Degas
by Anholt, LaurenceBook - 1996Book, 1996
Added May 21, 2018
Tags (1)
The HangingThe Hanging, BookA Thriller
by Hammer, LotteBook - 2013 | First U.S. edition.Book, 2013. First U.S. edition.
D_Kyle's rating:
Added May 01, 2018
Comment:
The sister/brother writing team of Lotte and Soren Hammer produce well-constructed crime novels that take place in Copenhagen and environs. These novels do not spare you the gore, but it is interesting if you're a forensics lover. The investigative team is led by Konrad Simonsen, an older commander used to being obeyed, but who bends to his wife and co-worker (surely this isn't really allowed!), a smart and determined lady, and a countess to boot. The remainder of the team is well rounded and includes a misfit who contributes gifts of her own.
This storyline is well described in the details above, and I recommend this book for anyone who appreciates Nordic Noir and police procedurals. The writing is tight, the characters are well developed (though I have trouble with a countess who is also a homicide detective), and the stories are compelling/fast paced and will keep you up past your bedtime! I agree with a previous comment regarding the translation - not as smooth as some other Danish translators.The sister/brother writing team of Lotte and Soren Hammer produce well-constructed crime novels that take place in Copenhagen and environs. These novels do not spare you the gore, but it is interesting if you're a forensics lover. The…
The essential Cesaria EvoraThe essential Cesaria Evora, Music CD
by Evora, CesariaMusic CD - 2010 | Creoles and pidgins, Portuguese-based (Other)Music CD, 2010. Language: Creoles and pidgins, Portuguese-based (Other)
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Apr 30, 2018
Comment:
Cesaria Evora (1941-2011) was from the tiny island nation of Cape Verde, off the Atlantic coast of Africa and colonized by the Portuguese in 1456. Her voice is at times lilting, at times filled with longing - always compelling, even if you don't understand Cape Verdean Creole - it's timeless. This music goes well with a twist of lime, lights on a string at evening and bare feet for dancing. On my shelf, it's in with the Paolo Conte and the Buena Vista Social Club because it gives me the same feeling of languid festivity - highly recommend!Cesaria Evora (1941-2011) was from the tiny island nation of Cape Verde, off the Atlantic coast of Africa and colonized by the Portuguese in 1456. Her voice is at times lilting, at times filled with longing - always compelling, even if you don't…
My Letter to the World and Other PoemsMy Letter to the World and Other Poems, Book
by Dickinson, EmilyBook - 2008Book, 2008
D_Kyle's rating:
Added Apr 03, 2018
Comment:
So beautifully realized by Isabelle Arsenault's delicate and haunting drawings. If I had a complaint, it would be that the book is so brief - but this is perhaps the way of something so lovely, and the poems she has chosen are as powerful as the drawings that illustrate them.
If you're a fan of Arsenault's work, she's illustrated many children's books that are easy for adults to enjoy as well.So beautifully realized by Isabelle Arsenault's delicate and haunting drawings. If I had a complaint, it would be that the book is so brief - but this is perhaps the way of something so lovely, and the poems she has chosen are as powerful as the…
Comment: