Monday, June 29, 2009
Mystery & Detective Literature
I'm wondering what would be the best medium for students to post their projects. We often have sound issues with powerpoint, so maybe an easy blog page will work well. Many students fear using a wiki, collaborating together, and a blog can be even easier to use. I'll practice here for them.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Resources
I own:
The Perfect Murder, David Lehman
20th C. Crime Fiction, Lee Horsley
Detective Fiction, Charles J. Rzepka
Library Notables, may want to own
The Fine Art of Murder, Gorman, Greenberg, Segriff, Breen
Unsure
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Summer 08 Reads
Deaver, Jeffrey Blue Nowhere - identity theft, social engineering, murder, CA good read, won't teach but better than Leonard Chang
Mosley, Walter Cinnamon - listened to on tape in car over two weeks, setting LA, SF, '60's , great plot, dialogue, characters, lots of sex, maybe teach with R rating warning
Boyle, TC Friend of Earth, eco-future story, Michael Jackson-like character, weird story that gets better as it goes along, Sierra the tree sitter, father Ty, eco-crazy like Earth First type, not a mystery but filled with law-breakers
!!!King, Laurie, The Art of Detection, Kate Martinelli, lesbian SF cop, investigates murder of memeber of a Sherlock Holmes club. Clever, strong characters and setting, especially Marin Headlands. Could teach in mystery course.
!!!Russell, Kurt, Shell Games, first in a new series featuring John Marquez, a Fish & Game law enforcer, who solves a murder involving abalone poachers & drugs. Kind of involved, but good to read and teach.
Gordon, Nadia, Sharpshooter, I was so excited to read this murder mystery about a foodie in the Napa valley (sharpshooter is both killer with a gun and an insect). Unfortunately written in chick-lit dialogue. Really too bad.
Revoyr, Nina. Southland. Another one I was excited to read, but didn't even finish. A good idea for a story: gay, Japanese law student discovers family past during and post Watts riots in '65. Too many layers, gratuitous sex.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Testing the Blog
Dr. Koory wants to help former students continue the conversation regarding all related to the mystery novel. I want to join this group, too, as I'm already feeling the need to discuss my latest finds and reads! Will a simple blog serve this purpose?
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Books read
Date: Jan 5, 2008
Source: Library
Role: possible selections for my ca mys. course
Contact or Biblio: A is for Alibi Sue Grafton , Big Hello and the Long Good-Bye Peter Gessner, A Credible Threat Janet Dawson, Over the Shoulder Leonard Chang, Over the Edge Susan Dunlap, Vanishing Point Marcia Muller.
Notes: (Grafton)I like Kinsey Millhone, she's brave and flawed, has a hot affair w/suspect and she's sorry as he's the bad guy in the end;. (Dawson)Jeri Howard, a Berkeley-based PI investigates ex-hushand's daughter's harrassement and then house bombing. (Dunlap)Jill Smith another likable female, a real Berkeley cop, so different from Milhone and Howard, PIs. She, too, is flawed, certainly in her eating habits, but she has better taste in men than Millhone. Smith has an enviable relationship w/a hot, handsome doctor who travels just enough, so she can live her own life. (Muller) Sharon McCone, another likable, strong PI, finally married to long-time love Hy Ripinsky. A pilot, too, McCone has a business in SF and in this case is asked to find a woman who has been missing for 22 years.
But which one would I choose to teach? What is my favorite, and why?
Insight to Note: All the characters/authors/stories I like have female protagonists. The two contemporay male authors with male protagonists, I did not like. Chang and his character were of the soft-boiled type and Gessner's writing is overdone, self-conscience. However, I'm do enjoy the more hard-boiled male detectives: Lew Archer, Hercule Pirot, Sam Spade. I do, however, like Elvis Cole. This is getting to be more complex and confusing than learning the characters and relationships in any Greek mythology!!
Action: Need to choose a favorite female and be able to articulate why??????
Source: Library
Role: possible selections for my ca mys. course
Contact or Biblio: A is for Alibi Sue Grafton , Big Hello and the Long Good-Bye Peter Gessner, A Credible Threat Janet Dawson, Over the Shoulder Leonard Chang, Over the Edge Susan Dunlap, Vanishing Point Marcia Muller.
Notes: (Grafton)I like Kinsey Millhone, she's brave and flawed, has a hot affair w/suspect and she's sorry as he's the bad guy in the end;. (Dawson)Jeri Howard, a Berkeley-based PI investigates ex-hushand's daughter's harrassement and then house bombing. (Dunlap)Jill Smith another likable female, a real Berkeley cop, so different from Milhone and Howard, PIs. She, too, is flawed, certainly in her eating habits, but she has better taste in men than Millhone. Smith has an enviable relationship w/a hot, handsome doctor who travels just enough, so she can live her own life. (Muller) Sharon McCone, another likable, strong PI, finally married to long-time love Hy Ripinsky. A pilot, too, McCone has a business in SF and in this case is asked to find a woman who has been missing for 22 years.
But which one would I choose to teach? What is my favorite, and why?
Insight to Note: All the characters/authors/stories I like have female protagonists. The two contemporay male authors with male protagonists, I did not like. Chang and his character were of the soft-boiled type and Gessner's writing is overdone, self-conscience. However, I'm do enjoy the more hard-boiled male detectives: Lew Archer, Hercule Pirot, Sam Spade. I do, however, like Elvis Cole. This is getting to be more complex and confusing than learning the characters and relationships in any Greek mythology!!
Action: Need to choose a favorite female and be able to articulate why??????
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