My Return

It's been ages since I've last published a blog post......not since April 2, 2025 as a matter of fact.

There are a number of reasons why I've neglected the blog. First of all, there was a problem with my PC. It took quite some time to get it running and I still don't know if it's completely up to where it should be.

Also, I've not been reading as much as I had been doing in the past. Since that last blog post, I've only read nine books; fewer in nine months than had been my usual number for just one month.

In April, I read three books by Ed McBain: Lady Killer - Killer's Wedge and 'Til Death.

I managed two by Donna Leon in April and May:Transient Desires and Give Unto Others. In June, I read Pope Leo XIII's Encyclicals and reread The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Only one book in July: Starry Messenger by Neil deGrasse Tyson .

From July 04 until December 21 I only managed to read one: Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton.

I don't recall exactly how I came upon Hangover Square but I'm glad I did. The novel is dark and intense. It is considered by critics to be Hamilton' best work. According to wikipedia, the novel is

Set against the backdrop of the days preceding Britain declaring war on Germany, the main character is George Harvey Bone, a lonely borderline alcoholic who has a form of dissociative identity disorder, referred to in the text as a "dead mood".

When the novel was written,"dissociative identity disorder" would have been called "multiple personalities".

I'm hoping with this post, I'll return to blogging and after Hangover Square, I'll return to reading as often as I did in the past.