Foovay's Cauldron

New Mexico has kindly given us a few sunny days in the middle of winter, tempting me outside to walk the dog or ride the bike on my no computer Sundays. In spite of that, I have finished a few more books to share with you.

Ice (87th Precinct), by Ed McBain is yet another of the ten Ed McBain 87th Precinct books I purchased on sale for the Kindle. It was one that I had not yet read. One – then another – and yet another murder is committed with the same .38 special handgun. The ballistics guy puts it together and refers the detectives to one another until everyone is somewhat involved and the lieutenant is convinced none of his guys ever talk to each other. The beautiful but tough Eileen Burke makes an appearance, serving as the lure for a laundromat bandit who is robbing woman and stealing their panties. Detective Kling’s depression over his recent divorce is reaching epic proportions and everyone is concerned but no one knows how to reach him. The murders may all have been done with the same gun, but that seems to be their only connection – a street level coke dealer, a beautiful dancer, a diamond dealer – what could they have in common? Lots of red herrings in this one to keep you guessing right to the end.

Laughing Whitefish by Robert Traver (pen name for John D. Voelker who was District Attorney of Marquette County, Michigan, appointed to the Supreme Court of Michigan in 1957) was written in 1965 but deals with issues that are timely today. This is not a hot paced the bad guys are chasing us sort of trial novel, but a hard look through the eyes of a varied and well drawn cast of characters in early Michigan at the injustices dealt the Native Americans at the hands of white men, and corporations. There are several passages I would like to share with you – because they are so precognitive of events right now in the United States.

“…I predict that one day in this country there will be corporations so vast and so powerful – yes and so helpless to restrain their own giantism – that they will rival and possibly even challenge the Government itself.”

“…if the defendant here gave the Chippewa Indians a hundred Jackson Mines it wouldn’t replay them even a small fraction for all that we shites have stolen from them during the past centuries. We have left behind us an unbroken wake of broken promises, broken hearts, and broken people.”

The book is based on an actual case in which a descendant of the Chippewa Indian guide who showed the white men to the rich iron ore deposits which became the Jackson Mine sues the company for the percentage of the mine which was originally promised to her father in a written contract. My old copy does not have it – but I see the new copies available at Amazon include a forward by an expert on indigenous law and policy, which I am sure would be interesting to read.

The story of the case is interesting by itself – but Mr. Travers has populated it with memorable and lovable characters from the old alcoholic lawyer, to the young lawyer full of hope and idealism and more than half in love with his exceptionally beautiful, as well as educated and intelligent client, Laughing Whitefish.

I also finished Gypsy Magic: A Romany Book of Spells, Charms, and Fortune-Telling by Patrinella Cooper. This is a really interesting book that shares not only spells, charms, and fortune telling instructions clear enough to follow and use, but a lot of interesting background about the Romany. Every single page of this book contains something useful enough to bookmark. It is going to live in my reference bookcase!

Speaking of which, I am working on recreating my old “I am Pagan” website, and part of that is an aStore which showcases the Pagan references I find the most useful. The bookstore is ready, if you’d like to visit it – just click here.

Although it is unusual for me, I’d like to include a magazine in this weeks Sunday Reading List Review. New Mexico Magazine is one that I picked up at the library free table, attracted by an article about a Wild Horse Sanctuary in New Mexico, as well as a listing of the hot springs spas in New Mexico. I ended up reading this issue from cover to cover and will be tucking it into the shelf with notes and things for all the places I really want to go someday! It seemed like every single page included something or someplace I found useful or want to go visit. It’s rare for me to not only read a magazine – but put it on my wish list – but this one I want to find in my mail box every month! My only fear is that it will soon have a shelf or two to itself. Just when I thought I could master clutter…

That’s it for today – I had some odds and ends I wanted to mention, but I think I’ll just stick to the subject today

Come back later this week for more about what I’m really up to now

Summer Foovay