Book Review: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

 

The Hobbit     

Author: JRR Tolkien

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

American release date: January 1, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Hardcover/Epic Fantasy/314 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who lives in a hole in the ground in a place called The Shire, along with a number of other hobbits, some of whom are related to Bilbo. He leads a rather peaceful existence there. He loves his meals, and he loves his pipe, and he loves the quiet pace of life in The Shire. Then one day he meets an old man with a staff, a pointy blue hat, a long gray cloak and a long white beard. The man identifies himself as Gandalf, a wizard, whom Bilbo vaguely remembers meeting some years before and recalls he shot off spectacular fireworks. Gandalf prophesies that Mr. Baggins will have great adventures. Bilbo politely scoffs and says no thank you, he is not that sort of hobbit, but little is he aware that the adventures are about to begin…

Later, an unexpected knock at his door reveals a dwarf named Dwalin, who makes himself at home in Bilbo’s hole upon admission, and apparently he is very hungry. What else is a good host to be but feed his guest, expected or not. Hmmm, dwarves do eat a lot, don’t they? Another knock and here comes Balin. His arrival is followed by that of Fili and Kili, and then others, last of whom announces himself as Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain. The presence of thirteen dwarves makes his hole seem much smaller than it is, and how quickly they eat their way through his food supplies that were meant to last for some time. Bilbo is beside himself. When he asks why they are there, they say they came to the door with the mark on it, as instructed, but Bilbo sees no such mark and demands to know who instructed them thus. And then Gandalf arrives and the gathering is complete as the wizard proceeds to tell them what’s up. Well, everyone else knows what’s going on, except for Bilbo. Apparently, the dwarves, being thirteen in number, can clearly not embark upon their task without gaining a fourteenth member, as everyone knows thirteen is unlucky, and Gandalf has been kind enough to recommend Mr. Baggins. As what, the confused hobbit asks. Why, as a burglar, they respond.

Now Bilbo, besides being a Baggins is also a Took, and the Tooks have been known to do some adventurous things at times. While the Baggins side of him says no, definitely not, the Took side stirs. Which is why the next morning finds him chasing after Gandalf and the dwarves, waving the contract they’d left for him, in order to join their numbers. And now the adventure begins…

The Hobbit is the first book in an adventure series which will lead to the three books that comprise The Lord of the Rings. As Shakespeare once said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” I believe Bilbo is the last of those, for he was very reluctant to embark upon such an undertaking, not being a burglar at all. But as the adventure progresses, we see the qualities in him that made him the perfect choice for this role, as he rises to each and every occasion, although not without some missteps along the way.

Heroes come in all sizes, and Bilbo Baggins is no exception. While some people claim The Hobbit (and the Lord of the Rings for that matter) to be an allegory, Tolkien says absolutely not, and I have to go with the author rather than mere bystanders. It’s a beautifully written fantasy about hobbits and dwarves, elves and wizards, goblins and shifters, and all manner of creatures. I think it’s mostly about finding the courage within yourself to follow your dreams, to be the best you that you can be.  I love this book. This particular edition is part of a set of four hardcover books that came together in a box. They are compact and beautifully illustrated. I recommend this book for adults and young people alike. Parents can have fun reading this book to their kids.

 

 

Saturday is Horror Day #155 - Red Eye, Saw VIII: Jigsaw

 Red Eye

Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams) is flying back home after attending her grandmother's funeral. A flight delay is frustrating because she needs to get back to her job as manager of a high end hotel where a VIP is expected shortly. Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy) has also had his flight delayed. When they end up next to one another in line, he invites her for a drink while they wait. Hesitant at first, she accepts, and she finds him charming company. But then, when she finally boards her flight, she finds he is her seatmate, and suddenly things seem very unreal. Especially when he confesses that he was there because of her - they've targeted her father Joe (Brian Cox) and unless she does exactly what they tell her to do, her father will die.

Red Eye is a Wes Craven movie. You know, the Nightmare on Elm Street guy. I think he's stepped up to a 

new level with this film. Cillian is both charming and menacing, which he does well, while Rachel McAdams character refuses to be intimidated by him and is constantly trying to thwart his plans and save her father. What she is expected to do involves the VIP guest that is arriving. She finds herself between a rock and a hard place. Great suspense, well written and acted. It kept me in suspense, with definite unexpected moments. I wasn't sure how it was going to end.

I am a huge fan of Cillian Murphy, he is a very versatile actor who can take any role and make it his. This was an enjoyable watch that I definitely recommend. I'll give this film 4 Stars.

Saw VIII: Jigsaw

John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, has been dead for ten years - or is he? The body count is rising, each death more gruesome than the lasat. And all the evidence seems to point to John Kramer being the culprit. How can that be?  Five people awaken inside a barn with buckets on their heads and chains around their necks. As they are pulled toward a wall of buzzsaws, a voice tells them they must each sacrifice blood to survive. And so the game begins anew...

The theme for the eighth film in the Saw series seems to be confession and penitence. Detective 

Halloran (Callum Keith Rennie) and his partner Detective Hunt (Cle Bennett) are tasked with investigating the murders. Halloran becomes suspicious of two pathologists, Logan Nelson (Matt Passmore) and Eleanor Bonneville (Hannah Emily Anderson), especially after Eleanor confesses herself to be a Saw fangirl. Meanwhile, the five in the barn have dwindled in number as they continue to face test after test.

I enjoyed seeing Matt Passmore, who was in The Glades. And it's always good to see John Kramer. Despite seeing some negative reviews, I liked it. In fact, I saw it at the theater once and streaming once. I would watch it again. It has all the elements of a good Saw story but with fresh elements and new progragonists. I'll give this film 4 Stars.

Book Review: The way of the Househusband, Vol 11 by Kousuke Oono

 

The Way of the Househusband, Vol 11     

Author: Kousuke Oono

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: February 20, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Comedy/168 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Tatsu and Miku head to a theme park for a little fun, but everywhere they go, someone is muscling in on them – none other than Tora, who is there with his sister, Koharu. Everywhere they go, the two couples seem to keep running into each other, with the men trying to outdo each other. Can Miku and Koharu keep these two in check?

Masa is looking for new digs because his landlady is threatening to kick him out if he’s late with the rent again! Tatsu goes with him to do some recon, but the realtors seem kind of shady. The trouble is, Masa doesn’t have a lot of money. Can he make do with what he can afford, with the help of Tatsu? And can he overlook some of the problems?

The small café where Tatsu works during the day becomes a bar at night. A new client who enters the premises is dismayed by the strong Yakuza presence. But he quickly learns that appearances can be deceiving as he pours his heart out to them.

When Miku asks Masa if he’s made any progress at cooking, he offers to cook them something from whatever Tatsu has on hand. When Miku shows off her skills with ramen, Masa knows he can do better, given the chance. Will he manage to impress his boss, or will Tatsu have to school him once again?

Miku’s friend gives her an old camera, and Tatsu suddenly becomes camera-shy, telling her not to point it at him. To please Miku, they head off for a day of photography, and all is well, until something unexpected starts to show up in the photos.

Tatsu doesn’t like the way his clothes smell when dried inside because of the rain so he orders a secret weapon – a professional grade laundry dehumidifier! Tatsu declares war on odors, and that includes Gin!

Tatsu learns about a new and improved product that has five times the lactic acid bacteria, is good for stress relief, and improves sleep quality. But when he tries to purchase some, he’s told the product is sold out! Of course, he can pay a high price for it on the black market. Tatsu’s mission is to find a source of Yakmil Y – cause he’s gotta have it!

Tatsu and Miku receive thank you gifts in the mail from the hometown tax donation program – marbled matsukata steaks! Miku wants the cooking to commence, but Tatsu tells her that’s not the way to do it. They have to let the steaks rest until dinner the next day. All day, they manage to get through each of their days by remembering the dinner that is to come!

A young reporter visits the Katagi Shopping District, but she is rather brash and impolite in some of her language. When she enters the café where Tatsu works, she immediately accuses everyone of being Yakuza! Time she learned who she is really dealing with!

In Bonus Story 1, Tatsu prepares to take his tea like a gentleman,  and in Bonus Story 2, the young reporter spends some time with Gin. In the third Bonus story, a boss rallies his employees to do their best at Katagy Land!

I never get tired of reading about Tatsu and his adventures, to be honest, so I hope he keeps writing them for a long time to come. I especially like stories with Tatsu and Miku, or Tatsu and Masa, or the three of them together. I loved the first story, with Tatsu and Tora posturing at the theme park, Katkagy Land, which also features in one of the bonus stories.  I’m afraid one of the stories didn’t exactly resonate with me, the one with the Yakmil Y, but I think it was because Tatsu was portrayed as some kind of addict I that one, but that doesn’t mean others won’t enjoy that one too. That didn’t deter me from enjoying the entire book, already pre-ordered the next one!

 

 

Book Review: Spy x Family: Family Portrait (Spy x Family Family Novels) by Aya Yajima

Spy x Family: Family Portrait (Spy x Family Novels     

Author: Aya Yajima

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: February 20, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/YA Light Novel/Comedy/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

The best spy in Westalis is the secret agent whose code name is Twilight, his real name unknown. He is indeed a master of disguise. His new assignment concerns a high-level minister in Ostania, Donovan Desmond, who is believed to be a warmonger. Twilight must find out what Desmond’s plans are before they can come to fruition. But the man is elusive, and rarely goes out among other people. The only sure way to get to him is through the prestigious Eden Academy, which his son attends. But to do so, Twilight needs a wife and child, neither of which he possesses!  And so Twilight has become Loid Forger, and he finds a wife and child – Yor and Anya – both of whom possess skills he is unaware of. The mission is on.

Mission 1:  Anya’s class at Eden Academy is going on an overnight camping trip! While Yor is apprehensive, as Anya hasn’t been anywhere overnight before, Anya realizes this could be very important for her Papa (Anya is a telepath, unknown to both Loid and Yor, and knows about Operation Strix). Anya comes up with her own plan, calling it Operation Camp Friends. But she is also a bit scatterbrained and, by the time they arrive at camp, the plan is forgotten. Everything Anya does seems to irritate Donovan Desmond’s son, Damian. The worst comes when they are assigned to partner for a task and, thanks to Anya, they get lost in the woods!

Mission 2: Yuri Briar is Yor’s younger brother. Yuri adores Yor, who raised him since he was little and sacrificed much for him. He’d do anything for her and is very unhappy with her marriage to Loid Forger, which he doesn’t realize is fake. He also isn’t especially fond of Anya, but he really hates Loid. When Yor asks him to come over, he is overjoyed… until he discovers the reason. But he can’t turn her down, which is how he ends up babysitting Anya.

Mission 3: Franky is in the spy business, an associate of Twilight, who provides him with intel, equipment, and whatever else he might need. But he resents that Loid treats him more like a personal assistant and assumes much, including having Franky walk the family dog, Bond (who can see the future, by the way, unknown to everyone but Anya, who can read his mind).  Franky (who Anya calls Scruffy) finds himself seeing a doctor at the hospital after his last interaction with Twilight. But leaving the hospital, he gets lost and ends up in a courtyard where he hears someone singing. He follows the voice to find a beautiful young woman. Afraid to talk to her at first, he discovers that she is blind, so he grows bolder, and they begin a friendship. Considering the nature of what Franky does, though, can their relationship last?

Mission 4: Loid has to make sure his family looks like a normal family to outsiders, so sometimes they have to do typical family things. Today he is taking them to the park for a picnic. While there, they are approached by a young art student, who wants to paint them. When he tells Loid his name, Loid recognizes it at once. This young man is actually a famous artist! Loid is afraid that any painting of the fake Forger family might end up in a very public place, seen by many people, and someone just might be able to blow their cover. What is he to do?

Short Story: In a quaint restaurant in Ostania, some of the staff discuss their feelings about the customers they serve, and how appearances can be deceiving. One of those regulars just happens to be the Forger family.

This book is a novelization of the Spy x Family manga/anime.  As such, I was skeptical but I bought it anyway because, well, it’s Twilight and he is amazing (I have a little Twilight figurine by my laptop 😊) And yes, there is a lot of exposition, because the author couldn’t assume everyone has read the manga and would know everything. Novelizations don’t tend to be as good as the original by nature of being written by someone other than the author. But as I was reading, I found myself slipping deeper and deeper into the way she portrayed the characters. These are not stories we saw in the manga, so it’s fresh material, and I enjoyed them greatly, especially Mission 2, which is saying a lot because I am not a fan of Yuri Briar. Mostly because he wants to kill Loid lol  If he only realized that Loid is Twilight, well…

At any rate, I ended up really liking this book a lot and I hope they do more of these. I understand there are novelizations of other series, such as Demon Slayer and Blue Exorcist, both of which manga I’ve read. I might have to look for those. I do recommend this if you are a fan of Spy X Family. 

Wednesday Briefs: Dracula #5 (2.1)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Dracula is off to church - but not to worship! He is meeting a married woman there, with whom he has been having relations. That won't be a problem, will it? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their link follow my tale! Enjoy!

Dracula #5 (2.1)

Compared to other Orthodox churches throughout Romania, the church in Bistritz was smaller and less elaborate. Built of stone during the thirteenth century, it lay on the outskirts of the village, and served as the town’s spiritual center until a second church was built some years later, nearer to the town center. The villagers referred to the original church as the Old Church, while the newer edifice was simply the Church. The Old Church was unusual in that pews had been installed, a feature not common in traditional Orthodox churches, as it was considered disrespectful for people to sit during sermons. Dracula’s ancestors had graciously donated the pews for not altogether altruistic motives—namely their own comfort. The first pews had been built from sturdy European beech, which was plentiful in the area. But sometime after the Americas were begun to be colonized, the Dracula family had replaced two of the beech benches—the ones closest to the altar, naturally—with seats made of beautiful Brazilian rosewood. The villagers were impressed with the reddish-brown color of the expensive wood, which contained streaks of a darker chocolate brown. It was tacitly understood that anyone could avail themselves of these pews, but when the family was in attendance, their presence took precedence. Nobody complained. Not surprising, considering the reputation the family had even then, which only grew darker and more sinister over the years. No one wanted to be on their bad side.

Now Count Dracula was the last of the lineage and he had lost his faith in religion many years ago. The last time he’d attended a mass or made confession was well before any of the present residents were even born, and probably several generations before them. But he remembered the beautiful pews with fondness, and he remembered that they were always well cared for. He therefore had no hesitation in availing himself of them while desecrating them with carnal knowledge of the blacksmith’s wife. Access to the church was easy, as the parish priest, Father Gunther, never locked the building, believing it should be kept available to everyone at all times. During the evenings, the good father—when he wasn’t tending to the members of his flock— was generally to be found at the local alehouse, downing pints with the other villagers, and having a generally good time, blissfully oblivious to what was happening behind his back in his church.

Dracula paused just outside the door of the church and listened. Only one heart beat inside. Not surprising, as their trysts heretofore had always been uninterrupted. He quietly pulled open the heavy oaken door. As a child, he had once marveled at the images of the saints carved into the wooden panels, but he no longer saw them, having long ago grown enured to them. Tonight he was intent on what lay inside—the church as a place of worship no longer held any interest for him.

He passed swiftly through the narthex—the vestibule of the church, where worshippers would commonly pause to refocus their energies on matters of the spirit as well as to light a candle—and then on into the nave. He spied her at once, kneeling before the altar in the position of a supplicant, head bowed and hands clasped before her as if in prayer. She had lit several candles in anticipation of his arrival. The flames flickered in the eternal draft that blew through the church like an ill wind. He noticed she’d worn her best fota for him, one he’d seen several times before. The white wool wraparound skirt decorated in elaborate geometrical designs in red and blue concealed the suppleness of the limbs beneath. On her head a white marama embroidered with white designs covered her dark brown hair, so soft to the touch.

Foolish girl.

Dracula frowned, momentarily annoyed with her, perhaps because he’d told her more than once how much he disliked such posturing before a non-existent deity. But her religious upbringing was apparently too strong to be set aside, even for him, despite the fact she was committing the cardinal sin of adultery within the very walls of her god’s house of worship. Both ironic and erotic. He would have to remind her of his wishes… but not right now. Such matters as his contempt for the church he had once embraced could wait. His desire for her was stronger than his displeasure. When he grew tired of her and ceased to want her, then he would end the relationship and obliterate her memory of him. But, in the meantime…

He glided smoothly down the aisle between the pews and reached her before she was even aware of his presence. She gasped as he lifted her easily into his embrace and carried her to the front pew.

“Draga mea,” she murmured. My sweetheart.

“Floare frumoasa,” he responded. Beautiful flower. He brushed his lips lightly across hers and felt her quiver. He distributed small kisses upon her cheeks before running his tongue along her jaw and around the sensitive outer shell of her ear. She was very tactile and responded ardently to his every touch as if she’d never been touched in that way before. Not surprising, considering the brute she was wed to. In the brief time of their intimacy, he had shown her pleasure such as she had never experienced before, and sadly would never again, once he removed himself from her life.

With his heightened senses, he could smell the tanginess of her arousal. She shifted beneath him, her hand pressing against his hardness. She’d become rather bold in letting him know what she wanted, and he was more than happy to give it to her, although he was also careful not to spend himself inside of her. The last thing he wanted was to procreate—with her or anyone else— knowing that any child of his must of course be fated to die, and that would be a difficult burden to bear.

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

 

 

 

Saturday is Horror Day #154 - The Mimic, Silent Night (2012), The Midnight Meat Train

 The Mimic

The Jangsan Tiger is an urban legend of South Korean, a creature that lures its prey by mimicking sounds such as a woman's wail. Hee-uyeon (Yum Jung-ah) and her husband Min-ho (Park Hyuk-kwon) are unaware of this. All they know is their son has been missing for five years and they feel the might to get away.; They take their daughter Jun-hee (Yu-sul Bang) and Hee-yon's mother Sun-ja (Heo Jin) to the countryside in an effort to get away from their troubles. But new troubles arise, including Jun-hee's growing dementia. Min suggests the woman needs care, as in a home, but Hee-yon won't hear of it, unwilling to lose another family member.

Their new home is near an old forest, and in that forest is a cave...

The Mimic is a horror story, but it's also about loss and grieving - the woman who mourns the son who disappeared and won't accept that he is probably dead, as well as the loss of her mother as she has always known her. The movie has an interesting opening, involving a couple who are up to no good at the cave, foreshadowing what is to come.

Everything clicks in this film, acting, writing, direction... It has a tremendous tension and suspense that only grows as the film goes on. The little girl is very cute too. I thought it was very well done, and I recommend it. I'll give this film 4 Stars

Silent Night (2012)

Twas the night before Christmas in a small Wisconsin town, but all is not well. Deputy Jordan (Brendan Fehr) is missing, so Aubrey (Jaime King) has to come even to cover his shift despite having plans with her family, to her dismay. But Sheriff Cooper (Malcolm McDowell) has decreed it, so she has no choice. She hopes it will be a peaceful night, but no such luck.

Her first call concerns a Santa that is telling kids disturbing things. Santa Jim (Donal Logue) is rather 

disgruntled and quite the cynic. After that, her next call leads her to a dead body... and suddenly the town is faced with the knowledge that someone dressed as Santa is on a murder spree. Trouble is, there are a lot of people dressed as Santa tonight, since it's Christmas Eve. And this guy is an equal opportunity killer - men, women, or children, he kills them all.  Ho, ho, ho... Merry Christmas!

This was touted as a remake of the original Silent Night, Deadly Night, but they might as well have called it Silent Night Deadly Night 6. To be honest, it was better than I expected, given the last few films. But not great. I wasn't bored, and it didn't drag. Lots of violence and gore, which is what you expect from these films. Malcolm McDowell was wasted, though, as I never did buy him as a small town Midwestern sheriff. Should have saved the money and gone with someone else. The high point of this film, in my opinion, was Donal Logue, who improves anything he is in. He does every character he plays well. Also, listen for the line "what is this, garbage day?" That's a reference from Silent Night, Deadly Night 2, spoken by Eric Freeman as Ricky (no, there's no Ricky in this one). Just gonna plus Eric's website, https://www.theeericfreeman.com/, where I bought a magnet with a photo of Garbage Day, and it was signed by Eric to me. For these two things, I'll give this film 2 Stars.

The Midnight Meat Train

Leon (Bradley Cooper) is a photojournalist with big dreams, but so far he isn't getting anywhere. An art gallery owner (Brooke Shields) suggests he isn't really "getting it", that he needs to go deeper. So he begins to wander the streets at night, desperate to achieve something, taking photos of random people, to his girlfriend's (Leslie Bibb) dismay. He comes upon a gang of young men harassing a young woman in the subway station late one night and photographs the interaction before convincing them to leave her alone. He thinks he understands now, but when the woman turns up as missing, he is shocked. He begins to haunt the late night trains, not sure what he is looking for. But then he finds it...

This film is based on a short story by Clive Barker. What is odd is that until I started to watch it, I had 

forgotten that I already watched it years ago, maybe when it came out in 2008. It's not a bad story and not a bad film, but it's also forgettable. Obviously, I forgot about it. I couldn't seem to care about any of the characters, and I found the photographer's obsession with the man on the train not just unsettling but stupid and not worth risking his life over, much less his girlfriend's life. And then the ending.... it was like I said to my kid after I watched it - it was all about the destination, not the journey. I think the ending was meant to shock, but it was more like, Really?

If you like Clive Barker, do yourself a favor and stick to Hellraiser (just the first two) or Nightbreed. Like I said, it's not a bad film, I just think it could have been done better. Maybe find the story and read it first before you decide to watch it. I'll give this film 2.5 Stars

Book Review: Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Internment Camp to a Life of Service by Connie Goldsmith with Kiyo Sato

 

Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Interment Camp to a Life of Service     

Author: Connie Goldsmith with Kiyo Sato

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books

American release date: September 1, 2020

Format/Genre/Length: Hardback/Historical Biography/136 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

December 7, 1941 was a traumatic occasion for all Americans, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, but especially for those Americans of Japanese heritage. The government, in its overly suspicious infinite wisdom, decided the best thing to do in order to avoid having subversives inside the country, was to round up these citizens and send them to places where they could be closely guarded. For the safety of the nation.

Kiyo Sato was one of nine children of Shinji and Tomomi Sato. Her parents came from Japan and started not only a farm, but a family, in the Sacramento area.  President Franklin Roosevelt signed two executive orders in 1942, ordering the internment of the Japanese Americans on the West Coast.  Perhaps the reasoning was that they were closer to Japan and more likely to be spies. The Satos were sent to a camp in Poston, Arizona. This is their story, as related by Kiyo Sato, the oldest of the nine siblings, to Connie Goldsmith.

Looking back from a great distance, it sems inconceivable that American citizens could be treated this way simply because of their heritage. Many of them had never even been to Japan and couldn’t speak Japanese. Because they had to leave most everything behind, many of them lost their homes, their livelihoods and most of what they owned, including beloved pets. They were only permitted to bring one suitcase per person. One internment camp was an abandoned racetrack, where people slept in the former horse stalls under very unsanitary conditions.

This is a heartbreaking story, and yet it’s also a story of hope and resilience of spirit, and how one family endured and thrived.  The Japanese have a saying: shikata ga nai – accept what cannot be changed. However, it is appalling to me that this ever happened, and year s later the courts agreed that there was no need for this to take place.  The survivors were awarded reparations, but no amount could change what happened or give them that time back. This country should be ashamed of having their version of the German concentration camps, call them what you will. Hard to take the high moral ground after that.

I am privileged to know the niece of Kiyo Sato, Pamela Sato, who is the person who told me about the book. I think all Americans should know what their country is/was capable of – think Guantanamo Bay. I highly recommend this book. Also, Kiyo wrote a book in her own words, Kiyo’s Story, which I intend to read.