Weekend Links 4-30-21

 Hard to believe we are already at the end of April. Where has this year gone? Hopefully you have some fun plans for the weekend that include reading the articles below. 

In 1888 baseball was still a relatively new pastime. But that didn't stop Albert Goodwill Spalding (later founder of the successful sporting goods company) from taking his Chicago White Stockings team on a worldwide barnstorming tour that would include among other stops playing baseball at the foot of the Sphinx. 

Food served to astronauts has come a long way since the early days of space travel. I am surprised to learn that astronauts have never eaten astronaut ice cream in space. I feel so lied to. Special thanks to my daughter Katie for this tip. 

Fish sticks were a regular feature on Fridays in the school cafeteria when I was a kid. Here's the surprising history of their success. 

Is Citizen Kane the best movie of all time? It's certainly one of the best I have ever seen and one that anyone who is serious about studying film should watch. 

There was a time I wouldn't dream of eating a steak without a little A. 1. Sauce. Little did I know that originally it was created for a king. 

Book review: why Hercule Poirot is the greatest fictional detective in the world. 

Caroline Crampton, hostess of one of my favorite podcasts Shedunnit, explores the world of Honkaku - the fiendishly clever world of the Japanese whodunnit.

Long read of the week: a father, a daughter, and K-pop. 

Weekend Links 4-23-21

Your weekly roundup of interesting reading. Hope you enjoy reading these articles as much as I enjoyed finding them.

The Oscars are this weekend. The folks over at Cine-Pop were kind enough to ask me to cast my votes for who I thought would win. Here is a compilation of the votes and comments from all their writers.  I will be completely honest and tell you I haven't seen any of the nominated films yet though Minari is on my watch list. I cast my votes solely based on what I had heard about each film. I suspect I will be nowhere close to picking the actual winners. 

Speaking of movies, check out this story about how one studio got in trouble for employing a fake film critic. Can you really trust the blurbs in movie ads?

Potterheads rejoice! Harry Potter New York is scheduled to open this summer. 

How Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde are connected. 

I don't have an opinion on this (as I have never tried it) but I at least appreciate this writers heartfelt love for McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich.

The story behind the lyrics of "Smelly Cat" from Friends. I was surprised to learn the song originally wasn't about a cat.  

Roget is best remembered for his thesaurus. Perhaps less well known is the fact that earlier in his life he had to flee from Napoleon. 

The earliest appearances of Hercule Poirot on radio and television. A book excerpt from Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World by Mark Aldridge.

Weekend Links 4-16-21

It's a veritable cornucopia of interesting links for your weekend reading. Enjoy!

Before the days of the internet research involved spending hours in libraries surrounded by books or searching through newspapers on microfilm. In theory being able to do your research on the internet should be easier. But sometimes internet research can actually be more difficult as this article points out. I found this story strangely fascinating.

Last week The Masters was held in Augusta, Georgia. Along with great golf there is also a long tradition of iconic snacks including their famed pimento cheese sandwich. But the sandwich is at the heart of a controversy.  I am actually curious to try the recipe in the article. 

Full disclosure: I haven't seen the films mentioned in this article so I don't have an opinion on which film should have won the Best Picture Academy Award in 1999. But it is interesting to see how this particular Best Picture campaign changed the way producers campaign for Academy votes .

See World War II in color. These pictures are amazing. 

How All In the Family changed television forever. This begs the question: would this series get made today? 

This just goes to prove you can get a degree in just about anything. An Irish academic is getting his PhD in whiskey. I actually find it interesting that he's trying to revive long lost whiskey recipes. 

I hadn't thought about this before: what happened to the Ford's Theater actors the night Lincoln was shot? 

Long read of the week: the woman who made van Gogh. I somehow always knew that van Gogh was not commercially successful during his lifetime but I never stopped to think how he became known as an artistic genius. 

In Brooklyn, you can visit the world's largest library of sketchbooks. 

Need a question answered? Forget Google. Consult a librarian. They are the best detectives. 

Answering the important questions: Why didn't Sports Jeopardy! succeed the way Jeopardy! did? 

Yesterday marked the anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut in 1947 and the breaking of the so-called color barrier. But there was another player that almost broke the color barrier....in 1905!

That time that the New York Mets replaced their mascot Mr. Met with a live mule. It didn't end well. 

President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Bob Kendrick has a fabulous new podcast called Black Diamonds in which he profiles the key figures of the league. He is a fantastic storyteller and this podcast is well worth a listen.

Weekend Links 4-9-21

 Maybe it's just me but this has felt like a strange week. The baseball season has just gotten underway and already in some quarters there is panic because teams aren't playing as well as they are expected to play. My take is that we're only a handful of games into a long season. It's far too early to be passing judgements on teams or individual players. Check back in around June and see how guys are doing. By then you should have a better idea of how the season is going to shake out. 

This week's roundup is mostly baseball and crime stories. Not sure why it worked out that way. Also, I normally try to only feature one story per website but this week I am breaking that rule as you will see below. It's my blog and I can break the rules if I want to, right? Anyway, here are this week's links:

It's Oscar season so time to rank the best movies that have won Best Picture. I can't vouch for the quality of all these films as I have only seen about a third of them. I don't know that I would necessarily be keen to see the ones I haven't seen, either. 

The story behind a new Netflix documentary about one of the world's most lucrative art heists. The thing that struck me is that the crime remains unsolved. I haven't seen the documentary so I can't necessarily vouch for it. 

Speaking of heists, who knew that stolen LEGO were so lucrative?

From the New York Times, how the New York Yankees luckiest batboy ended up in an unmarked grave. The story has a happy ending. 

Hard to believe that 40 years on, Fernandomania is still a thing. 

How a potato ended a catcher's career. Yes, you read that correctly. 

Anyone who reads this blog on the regular (and I know there are at least a couple of you) know that I link regularly to CrimeReasds. It is one of my favorite sites. This week I am featuring three of their stories (thus breaking my own rules because I can) as they are really good. 

First up, ranking Sherlock Holmes portrayals from worst to best. Honestly I didn't know that (a) there were so many and (b) that some of these portrayals existed at all. It's an interesting list of names. 

Next, Jane Healey, author of The Secret Stealers, uncovers the history of women who served in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the World War II precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 

Finally, Flynn Berry, author of the new novel Northern Spy (which was just selected by Reese Witherspoon as her book this month for her book club) uncovers the history of women who were involved in the IRA. 

Weekend Links 4-2-21

 "You always get a special kick on opening day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you're a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen." ~ Joe DiMaggio

Yesterday was Opening Day in Major League Baseball. After a pandemic-shortened 2020 season they will attempt to play a full season. Fans will also be gradually be allowed back in ballparks which means that slowly things are returning to normal. Optimism abounds as every team starts with the exact same chance to win it all. In case you have forgotten, here's why baseball matters:

Here are a few things for your weekend enjoyment....

Something strange is always bound to happen on opening day. Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit a home run, was called out, and only credited with a single. 

In honor of Opening Day I wrote this article for Cine-Pop Movie Reviews on the Top 5 family friendly baseball movies. 

One more baseball related link: one of the greatest April Fool's pranks revolved around a New York Mets phenom. Why we are still curious about the case of Sidd Finch.  If you're not familiar with the original story you can read it here. 

Ranking the best Hercule Poirot novels.

Long read of the week: a band of rare book thieves pulling off capers reminiscent of Mission: Impossible. 

Video of the week: Dave Kindred covered most of the major sporting events during his illustrious career. No doubt he had thoughts about settling down to a quiet retirement. Then he went to a girls high school basketball game and it changed everything. Writers gotta write. 

Weekend Links 3-27-21

Apologies to my loyal readers (the few that there are - thank you for your support) for the lateness of this post. I had stuff together but couldn't get my act together to get the post up yesterday. Still here are some links of interest for your weekend reading.

First Person: how Jacqueline Winspear became a famous mystery writer by breaking all the rules. 

First Person, part 2: Lee Isaac Chung on the inspiration for Minari. I haven't had a chance to see it yet but I am rooting for the film to win Best Picture at the Oscars this year. 

Major League Baseball made the right call last year by announcing they would recognize the Negro Leagues as a major league. But recognition for the Negro Leagues means more than just recognizing statistics. 

Asking the important questions: why don't great books translate into great movies? To put it another way, why is it that mediocre or only good books are made into great movies?

Here are some bookstores you can rent for a date night or more. Sounds like a great idea to me. 

My youngest daughter weighs in with her latest review at Cine-Pop of Justice League. 

How Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura on Star Trek) changed the face of NASA. I had no idea she had made such valuable contributions.

A history of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, one of the strangest shows to dominate television. 

Weekend Links 3-19-21

 Only two more weeks until Opening Day. Though I enjoy watching Spring Training games I'm ready to get started with the regular season. 2020 was such a weird year for a lot of players and I'm sure that they will be ready to dive back into a full season of baseball. I know I'm ready. In the spirit of the impending start of baseball there's quite a few baseball-related links in this week's post. But first, some a few other things of interest:

The new movie The Courier premieres today and looks like it will be an interesting film. It's based on a true story but oddly enough separating the fact from the fiction was a difficult task for the screenwriter. 

David Cornwell was better known in the literary world as John Le Carre. What is less well known is what a critical role his wife played in him becoming a successful author. 

Speaking of Le Carre, an appreciation for his most realistic fictional spy George Smiley. 

This year, Major League Baseball will begin celebrating Lou Gehrig Day every June 2nd. It's great for him to finally get his day and to raise awareness and funds for ALS research. 

Looking for a good baseball book? Check out this list of the best 50 baseball books of the last 50 years from the Society for American Baseball Research. 

Everywhere you go you'll see folks wearing baseball caps. Here's how the headgear became a fashion necessity. 

Does Kevin Costner deserve to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame? You make the call. 

After listing to this episode of the PosCast with Joe Posnanski and Bob Costas I want to start a campaign for Costas to be elected baseball's commissioner. It's a fascinating and wide ranging discussion of mostly baseball. 

Weekend Links 3-12-21

 Welcome to the weekend. The weather here is getting warmer. Baseball season is just three weeks away. I am ready for real games to start. While it's been fun watching spring training games it's no substitute for the real thing. Plus fans will be allowed back in ballparks this season though in most cities in only limited capacity. Personally, I think this is a smart move until we get more folks vaccinated and the number of COVID cases continue to decline. It will be nice having fans back as the energy is not the same when there is no one in the ballpark. In the meantime here are some links of interest for your weekend reading.

Today is Alfred Hitchcock day where his career is celebrated in the UK. So it's fitting to come up with a list of his best films and where to see them. 

Hitchcock is also famous for coining the term MacGuffin. But what exactly is a MacGuffin? Why does it matter? (Warning: this article contains spoilers).

Speaking of movies, why isn't French Kiss available for streaming? I honestly didn't know this was a problem until I read this article. For what it's worth I like the film though I am not as nearly devoted to it as the article's author is. 

Now that the weather is getting warmer it's getting to be time to head to Dairy Queen to get a Blizzard. Here are some fun facts about the frozen concoction. 

Disc golf has exploded in popularity during the pandemic thanks in part to one woman who is the most successful professional disc golf player to date. 

A profile of Harlan Coben who is one of the most prolific and bestselling thriller writers working today. I have not read any of his books but I have seen a couple of the adapations of his books on Netflix (The Stranger and Safe) and they are really good.

A closer look at the women of Bletchley Park who were responsible for breaking German codes during World War II. 

As the song says, "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot." However, you never know what you might uncover while building a parking lot. 

Weekend Links 3-5-21

 A  year ago at this time I was sitting in the airport in New Orleans enjoying coffee and beignets from Cafe Du Monde (a must visit if you are ever in the city). I was on my way home from a business trip and had far too much time on my hands. Time moves slowly in lots of places but never as slowly as in an airport when waiting on a flight. Coronavirus was just starting to make news. Little did we know that a week later we would be in complete lockdown. Hopefully now with the rollout of vaccines life begins to return to normal or at least more like what it was like pre-lockdown. In the meantime here are some links of interest for your weekend reading.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of one of the best cartoons ever made: Baseball Bugs.

An inside look in the competitive world of growing giant vegetables.

I honestly did not know that Tetris had its origins in the Soviet Union. Here's how the video game conquered the world. 

The reboot of All Creatures Great and Small was a huge success on PBS. But who was James Herriot the man who created the unforgettable stories?

You never know what you will find at a yard sale. A porcelain bowl purchased for $35 is actually worth a fortune. 

Arguably one of the best things about the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy is the soundtrack. Here are some fun facts about how it came together. I was particularly surprised to learn that scenes were written to fit the songs rather than having the songs selected to fit a particular scene. 

Podcast of the week: I thoroughly enjoyed this episode of How I Found My Voice with Anthony Horowitz. In the interview he discusses why he is a fan of Golden Age detective fiction, how he became a writer, the misery of being at prep school, and more. I especially appreciated the shout out for New Blood which is one of my favorite TV shows that unfortunately left the air far too soon. Thankfully you can still stream it on BritBox. 

Weekend Links 2-26-21

Welcome to the last Friday of February. Spring is right around the corner. Spring training baseball games start next week which means it's only a matter of time before teams will be playing games that count. I'm ready for baseball season to start. In the meantime here are a few articles of interest for you to enjoy.

How Star Trek helped NASA dream big. NASA also helped Star Trek stick around. 

Victory over Nazi Germany would not have been possible during World War II if it hadn't been for a group of artists. 

This week one of my favorite shows All Creatures Great and Small finished its first season on PBS. The ending of the season was absolutely pitch perfect. Caution: spoilers abound in this article. 

Mystery solved? Uncovering who was responsible for the hidden message inscribed in Edvard Munch's "The Scream". 

In an upcoming Netflix series, Holmes and Watson are the villains and the Baker Street Irregulars solve all the mysteries. 

If I ever get to Kansas City I am going to be sure to pay a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. 

This is a fascinating story about Willie Mays' days in the Army and a personal connection for the author of the article. 

Though they were briefly teammates, Satchel Paige once pitched to Henry Aaron in a game. You have to read the whole story to believe who won the battle. 

Clearing up some misconceptions about Colonial America. 

She might not be a household name but she did help avert a nuclear war. 

Podcast of the week: I am a huge fan of Golden Age detective fiction. I was especially thrilled to listen to this interview with Martin Edwards who is the author of The Golden Age of Murder and The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books along with two dozen other books. If you are like me and a fan of Agatha Christie and other Golden Age authors you won't want to miss this. 

Weekend Links 2-18-21

Winter has been asserting itself with a vengeance here in the United States this week. Hopefully you are safe and warm wherever you are. For your enjoyment are a plethora of interesting reads this week. 

Why Hercule Poirot is the sleuth of the century. Warning: this article contains spoilers. 

Tips on reading more when you're really busy. Lots of good advice in this article. I try to take advantage of opportunities to read as they come and always have at least one book I am reading.

Willie Nelson has a new tribute album to Frank Sinatra coming out later this month. The first single is a  duet with Diana Krall of "I Won't Dance" that is accompanied by a terrific animated video (embedded in the linked article). At first this seemed like a somewhat odd pairing (the two couldn't be more different vocally speaking) but it really works. 

Truth be told it was his physicality that made Cary Grant a great actor. 

Speaking of actors, Nicholas Ralph may not be a household name yet but he has made a tremendous impression in his acting debut as James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small. 

My youngest daughter has another terrific review up at Cine-Pop. This week she takes you into the world of Korean Drama with a review of Crash Landing on You. If you haven't discovered the world of K-drama yet this series is a great place to start. 

Fifty years ago, Satchel Paige, arguably one of the greatest pitchers of all time, brought the Negro Leagues to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

This is fascinating: how the Boeing 747 changed the way airplanes are designed. 

Ask Jeeves: six reasons why P. G. Wodehouse is Stephen Fry's hero. 

"You never know, you might meet her." A sweet love story that is well worth your time. 

Now I should go read Pride and Prejudice again: what Jane Austen teaches us about resilience. 

Lego announces a new set based on Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Starry Night". If Legos aren't your thing you can always have the painting recreated in your swimming pool. 

Weekend Links 2-12-21

What a week it has been. If you've been watching the news (and I don't recommend doing that) you know that there have been lots of disturbing images this week. Maybe it's just me but this week has felt like one where some distractions are especially needed. As difficult as this week has been the good news is Spring Training starts next week. In just a couple of weeks there will be baseball games. Winter is almost over. Spring will be here soon. Here are a few links that hopefully will serve as a welcome distraction from a difficult week. 

When it comes to '80s songs and music videos few are as iconic as A-ha's "Take on Me". Here is the story behind the song and the animated video. 

The origins of the term bookworm. 

Ranking the best prison escape movies. I haven't seen all of these but I can definitely agree with the top choice. It's one of my favorites.

This article and the accompanying photographs are guaranteed to make you hungry: ranking the best doughnuts in every state. Anyone up for a road trip?

Speaking of sweet stuff, a tasty history of Boston Cream Pie.

Longread of the week: an incredible case of identity theft that started with a simple help wanted ad. 

Meetings these days are taking place over Zoom instead of in person. Unfortunately things don't always go as planned. 

Someday I would love to visit the Yorkshire Dales. In the meantime I will just have to enjoy looking at these locations that are featured in the new adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small. 

Invariably when researching articles for these posts I run across a story I had never heard before. That's certainly true of this story which also happens to be my personal favorite of the week: Audrey Hepburn's Favorite Song.

Shameless plug alert: my youngest daughter reviews the newest version of Carmen Sandiego. By the way, the site is a new one that was created by a couple of friends of mine. It's worth a regular check. 

Finally, a theme park is developing a new attraction featuring a replica of Howl's Moving Castle. 

Weekend Links 2-5-21

It's been cold and snowy this week in my corner of Virginia. Makes me long for spring to arrive soon. We're only a couple of weeks away from Spring Training which means baseball will be back before you know it. There's quite a bit of baseball related content this week which I have put at the end of the post.

Here are some things of interest that I discovered this week. Hopefully these will come as a welcome distraction from the events of the past few days.

Meet the man who has made it his mission to take high resolution photos of snowflakes. The photos in this post are stunning. 

If you are being bombarded with unsolicited spam emails or texts there is one thing you should not do: unsubscribe. I honestly hadn't thought about this but it makes a lot of sense. 

I don't know what it is about the Brits and their metal detectors but every few weeks some new amazing discovery gets made. The latest is the detectorist that found part of Henry VIII's crown. Not to be outdone, a four year-old girl in Wales discovered a dinosaur footprint. 

Longread of the week: the audacious CIA plot to steal a Russian satellite. It's fascinating stuff. 

Maybe he was guilty after all. A new study suggests Richard III did kill the princes in the tower. 

What could have been: Orson Welles, Lucille Ball, and the thriller that was never made.

Remembering the most famous golf shot ever made: Alan Shepherd hits a golf ball on the moon. 

A look at the hobby boom of the 1950s. My dad used to build Revell model airplanes. Brings back a lot of great memories. 

And now, the baseball stuff:

New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra becomes the latest baseball great to get his own stamp. 

The man who photographed the home run kings. 

I've been a baseball fan for years and have never thought about this: why aren't there any left-handed catchers in the majors? 

Weekend Links 1-29-21

Hard to believe that we are already a month into 2021. Where has this year gone? Brew up a good strong cup of coffee (or tea or whatever other beverage you prefer) and dive into this week's diversionary reading for the weekend.

Last December Major League Baseball announced they would recognize the seven leagues known as the Negro Leagues that played between 1920 and 1948 as "major" leagues. Now comes the hard part: verifying the player statistics from that era. 

A few not-so-serious suggestions how to read more books. 

Poirot at 100: the refugee detective who stole Britain's heart. 

No one has ever demonstrated a mastery of the English language as P. G. Wodehouse. Here are 9 words we have thanks to him. 

Need a reason to celebrate? Here are 18 unusual holidays from around the world. 

All Creatures Great and Small (currently airing on PBS) has become the perfect antidote for our pandemic plagued world. Here's a fascinating look at the folks that design this wonderful world. Also, is the village of Darrowby a real place? 

A brief history of the spelling bee. 

Finally, times are tough for everyone. But these letters highlight that some folks have figured out ways to use humor to deal with creditors. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Letters of Note (@lettersofnote)

Weekend Links 1-22-21

The fun thing about assembling these posts is discovering so many things that I did not know before. This week is no exception. Here's to a collection of very interesting and informative posts to take your mind off other things. 

Before becoming a politician Abraham Lincoln tried his hand at true crime writing.

A brief history of peanut butter. 

Did you know that native Alaskans are called sourdoughs?

Answering the important questions: why doesn't cereal come in resealable bags? Actually makes sense if you think about it. 

Edgar Allan Poe didn't just invent the detective story. He changed the literary world forever. 

Answering the important questions, part 2: why Cubs fans sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch. 

The true story of a 1970 exhibition baseball game that honored Martin Luther King, Jr. At least 23 Hall of Famers played in the game. That's quite a collection of talent in one ballgame. 

If we ever get to travel again I would love to visit these places 

In praise of locked room mysteries. 

Was Walt Whitman a plagiarist? 

How a 1960s band helped promote Zip Codes. 

Weekend Links 1-15-21

 Here is your weekly roundup of interesting stuff to take your mind off the craziness that exists in our world these days. Here are a few interesting things I found:

A deep dive on what fonts are our favorites and why. 

History revealed: the story of how the Pentagon Papers came to be published. Really interesting to see the lengths reporters went to in order to bring the story to light. 

A League of Their Own told the story of the all to brief history of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. Now one of the league's former players is spearheading an effort to build a museum to celebrate the women of baseball. 

Did you know there is an empty crypt underneath the U. S. Capitol? 

Picture this: the Mona Lisa didn't become famous until it was stolen in 1911. 

This is what I call commitment to one's craft: visit one of the last studios in the world that makes globes by hand. 

This week marked the premiere of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS. If the first episode is any indication this is exactly the sort of television viewing we need in lockdown. A review of the program here and here. 

Binge watching recommendation: Churchill's Secret Agents: The New Recruits on Netflix. In this series which is part reality competition and part history, 14 recruits are subjected to the same training that members of Britan's Special Operations Executive would have been subjected to during World War II. It is an excellent series and well worth your time. 

Finally, in case you had thoughts about how to leave the planet in the midst of all the chaos, we have some helpful advice:

Weekend Links 1-8-21

 Welcome to the first Weekend Links of 2021. I had high hopes that 2021 was going to be a better year than 2020 but already we are a week into the year and it has developed into something far stranger than 2020. The word unprecedented comes to mind when reflecting on the events of this week in our nation's capitol. Even that seems to be a severe understatement. We are in for some rough times ahead. Here's to hoping things getting better very soon. In the meantime, here are a few links of interest that I discovered during the last couple of weeks. 

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy gave a stirring speech announcing the United States' intention to go to the moon. Here is the story behind that historic address.

Try wrapping your brain around this: Swedish television is developing a series based on the fictional detective Sven Hjerson which was a creation of fictional detective writer Ariadne Oliver which was a character in several Agatha Christie novels. 

Speaking of Agatha Christie, a new novel speculates what happened to Ms. Christie when she disappeared in 1926. 

Meet the archaeologist who has assembled a collection of over 4500 beer cans.

When my girls were young they loved Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. We read it aloud so many times they memorized the text. However, not everyone was a fan when the book was published including a very influential New York librarian. 

An interview with Alex Rider star Otto Farrant on making season 2 of the series and his favorite James Bond. 

Vince Guaraldi is best known as the man who scored the Peanuts specials. Here's the story of how one of his most famous compositions, Linus and Lucy, became a jazz standard. 

A tribute to the man who wrote the most perfect sentences in the English language: P. G. Wodehouse.

Strange history: how homing pigeons helped the Allies win World War II. 

In addition to writing numerous Perry Mason novels, Erle Stanley Gardner was also involved in several cases getting wrongly accused criminals exonerated. This is one of those cases. 

It's been 25 years since Calvin and Hobbes left the comics pages. Here's why the strip still enchants us. 

The long, strange history of baseball's most curious rule: the dropped third strike. 

Take Five: My Favorite Books of 2020

2020 has been a weird year in many ways. One of the most obvious ways for me is how the whole year has hampered my reading. According to my Goodreads profile I will have only read 24 books this year which is less than half of what I normally put away. In spite of the lower numbers there were still a few that stood out for me. Here are my five favorite books that I read during 2020. Note that not all of these books were necessarily published this year.

The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe

In the introduction to the book, Mike Rowe relates a story about nearly missing a flight because he was sitting in his car waiting for Paul Harvey to finish telling the latest tale in his The Rest of the Story. It's a feeling I can certainly relate to as there were many times I would either keep driving around the block or sitting in the driveway or a parking lot waiting for the end of the tale. For those not familiar with The Rest of the Story check out the unofficial audio archive.  

It's no secret that his podcast was inspired by Paul Harvey. I have to say that Rowe is every bit a great storyteller as Paul Harvey was in his day. The book is a combination of some of his best stories from the podcast along with biographical snippets that are extremely interesting. This is a book that can easily be read in small doses and is sure to give the reader many hours of pleasure. 

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Folks that know me well know of my love for detective fiction. My bookshelves are full of books by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Rex Stout, and others .But this year I had started the year trying to branch out to other authors I had not read. This was the first Josephine Tey novel I had tackled and it won't be the last. In the book, Inspector Alan Grant is confined to a hospital bed with a leg fracture. A friend suggests he pass the time by looking into a historical mystery: Was King Richard III guilty of murder? I love the premise of having to work through the crime from the hospital bed. Plus it is a dive into a period of England's history with which I was not familiar. 

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

  

Following the success of Magpie Murders, Anthony Horowitz returns with another installment in the adventures of literary agent Susan Ryland as she must once again solve a murder by relying on a murder mystery by Alan Conway. Horowitz has said in interviews he hadn't planned on writing a sequel to Magpie Murders until development started on a television series based on the novel and he realized it would be beneficial to have more material to draw from for the series. Once again he constructs a novel within a novel and manages to weave two distinctive cases together into one cohesive story. It's a thoroughly modern take on the Golden Age mystery novel. 

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

Erik Larson is one of my favorite authors. He has an ability to transport the reader to a particular place and time like no other I have ever read. The Splendid and The Vile is probably his best book to date and one of my personal favorites. 

Winston Churchil's first months as Britain's Prime Minister would be marked both by Dunkirk and the Blitz. Through 1940 Britain would be driven to the brink by the Nazis. If it wasn't for the leadership of Churchill it is doubtful that Britaim would have been able to survive the war. Larson gives the readers a clear idea of what it was like to live through the early days of the war. Well researched and written this reads like a thriller. 

Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse

If 2020 has taught us anything it is that the perfect literary antidote to the troubles of this world is P. G. Wodehouse. His novels feature a variety of unforgettable comic characters and Right Ho, Jeeves is no exception. Gussie Fink-Nottle presenting the prizes at the Market Snodsbury Grammar School is one of the funniest sequences in all of literature. There are plenty of moments in this novel that make it a joy to read again and aagin. 

Take Five: Christmas Movies and TV Shows

 Previously I shared my favorite Christmas songs. This time I am going to do the same for Christmas movies and TV shows. Just like Christmas songs there is no shortage of candidates for favorite movies or Christmas specials. All you have to do is turn to the Hallmark channels right after Halloween and you will begin to see an abundance of holiday themed movies. Hallmark alone produces several dozen new movies every Christmas. There are plenty of others made too. But the fact remains that few stand the test of time and become perennial favorites. Here are my five favorite Christmas movies and TV shows. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Ask just about anyone and they are likely to list A Charlie Brown Christmas as one of their favorite shows at Christmas. It is today regarded as a holiday classic. It's hard to believe that as it was about to air in 1965 network executives were afraid it was going to be a flop. Much of their fears revolved around different elements of the show: no laugh track, only child actors doing the voices, a jazz soundtrack, and a Bible reading. These were not considered to be the elements of a hit show. However, audiences apparently couldn't get enough of it. Approximately half of American households tuned into the premiere which was at the time an unheard of audience response. It has remained a favorite largely due to those very elements that were thought to be weaknesses. The success of A Charlie Brown Christmas would lead to numerous Peanuts animated specials in the future as well as other classic Christmas specials. 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

Following the immense success of A Charlie Brown Christmas, CBS hired Dr. Ted Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) and Chuck Jones (famed director of Looney Tunes)  to create a new animated special based on Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Seuss, like Charles Schulz before him, was hesitant about getting into the animation business. It no doubt helped that Seuss and Jones had collaborated previously. During World War II the two men were part of an Army production team that produced animated training films. 

The special contains the entire text of the book. In order to lengthen the special to fit the thirty minute time slot, Jones extended some of the sequences with his visual gags that had become his hallmark. The Grinch was met with a warm reception upon its premiere and has been a holiday staple ever since. 

A Christmas Story (1983)

It's not an understatement by any stretch of the imagination to say that 1983's A Christmas Story is the movie that changed Christmas movies forever. It's also the least likely of all possible films to accomplish that feat. For one thing, it took about 12 years for the film to be developed by director Bob Clark. Plus the story was a tough sell to studio executives. The movie only did a modest amount of business upon it's initial theatrical release. In fact, had it not been for home video and pay television the film would have likely been forgotten. But repeated airings on television have helped the movie build a devoted following. I didn't even discover it until it aired on cable many years after its release. 

The film is about a nine year old boy who wants nothing more for Christmas that a Red Ryder BB gun. His parents object based on the possibility he will get hurt ("You'll shoot your eye out" young Ralphie is told over and over again). But the film really is as much about the family as it is about Christmas. It provides a slice of life that almost anyone can relate to on some level.  

Elf (2003) 

This movie has a couple of connections to A Christmas Story. First, director Jon Favreau has cited A Christmas Story as inspiration for Elf. Secondly, Peter Billingsley, who played Ralphie in A Christmas Story, appears in Elf as, well, an elf. 

This is another movie that took a while to get made. The script was originally written in 1993 with Jim Carrey slated to take the title role. Initially much darker, Favreau worked with a group of writers (including star Will Ferrell) to lighten up the script. The finished product is a charming movie with absolute perfect casting. Much of the charm in the film is Will Ferrell simply being himself particularly in the improvised montage sequences of him in full elf costume running around New York. 

Eloise at Christmastime (2003) 

In 2003, ABC decided to adapt two of the Eloise books by Kay Thompson into full length movies. Eloise based on Eloise at the Plaza aired during the summer followed by Eloise at Christmastime in the fall. Of the two, Eloise at Christmastime is the better film. Much of the charm of the film has to do with the performance of then ten year old Sofia Vassilleva as Eloise and a strong supporting performance of Julie Andrews as Nanny. The two films were filmed back to back and it's clear by the time the second film rolls around that the cast had really become comfortable with one another. Visually speaking the film looks like the scenes were pulled directly out of the books. It's a joy to watch every year on Christmas Eve Eve. 

Weekend Links 12-18-20

This is going to be my last Weekend Links post for 2020. I still have a couple of things scheduled to post over the next couple of weeks but will be taking some time off from the blog for the holidays. Hopefully we will have a lot more fun content for you in 2021. Weekend Links will return on January 8, 2021. In the meantime here are a few links for your weekend reading.

You never know what you will find buried in the garden. Gardeners unearth coins inscribed with the initials of Henry VIII's first three wives. 

Last week Chuck Yeager passed away at the age of 97. Homer Hickam writes about what made Yeager a true American hero. 

Sir David Suchet reading The Night Before Christmas is just the holiday content we need. 

We also recently lost the great espionage novelist John Le Carre. This interview from 1965 with Malcolm Muggeridge is thoroughly fascinating. Thankfully he changed his mind and decided to continue writing sp novels. 

Pez dispensers are particularly popular as stocking stuffers this time of year. However the mints were actually developed as an anti-smoking measure. 

Podcast of the week: I just discovered The Golden Age of Baseball podcast and it is a delight. It is hosted by Eddie Robinson who just turned 100 years old this week and is the oldest living Major League Baseball player. His stories of his playing days are fascinating. 

This just goes to prove that there is a club for just about everything. 

During the tumultuous year of 1968 the Apollo 8 mission brought peace at Christmas to all the Earth. An excerpt from the new book Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo.