Movie Review: The Hasty Heart (1949) directed by Vincent Sherman Burma, 1945, what will turn out to be V-J Day, the last day of World War Two. Scots soldier Lachie (Richard Todd) takes a piece of mine shrapnel to the back. The military doctors manage to save his life, but he’s lost one of his kidneys.… Continue reading Movie Review: The Hasty Heart (1949)
Tag: Scotland
Book Review: Strange Scottish Stories
Book Review: Strange Scottish Stories by William Owen Like many another country, Scotland has a bloody history of dark deeds done and tales of the supernatural to be told during long cold winter nights. This 1981 anthology features some of those stories as retold and illustrated by William Owen. Most of the stories are from… Continue reading Book Review: Strange Scottish Stories
Anime Review: Pluto
Anime Review: Pluto On an alternate Earth where robotics technology is far more advanced than our own, self-aware robots have spread into almost every facet of society. Some are virtually indistinguishable from humans, and in recent years, robots have been granted at least some civil rights. But some robots are more powerful than others, with… Continue reading Anime Review: Pluto
Movie Review: Dressed to Kill (1946)
Movie Review: Dressed to Kill (1946) directed by Roy William Neill Three seemingly-identical music boxes have come up for auction. The first is purchased by music box collector Julian “Stinky” Emery (Edmund Breon), the second by toy shop owner Evelyn Clifford (Patricia Cameron) (though she doesn’t leave her name) and the third by Mr. Kilgour (Harry… Continue reading Movie Review: Dressed to Kill (1946)
Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries
Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler While stories that could be considered “mysteries” in some sense have existed as long as writing, and perhaps a bit before, the short story mystery came into its own during the lifetime of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). This volume collects forty-nine notable stories from… Continue reading Book Review: The Big Book of Victorian Mysteries
Comic Book Review: The Story of Lee Volume 1
Comic Book Review: The Story of Lee Volume 1 written by Sean Michael Wilson, art by Chie Kutsuwada Lee is a big fan of British music, especially a band called The Clientele. But working in her father’s corner store in Hong Kong, it’s unlikely she’ll ever see them in person. Indeed, she’s feeling very stifled.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Story of Lee Volume 1
Open Thread: Top Ten Lists for 2022!
Open Thread: Top Ten Lists for 2022! Yes, it’s that time again, winding up a year of blog posts by listing the ones you, the audience, felt worthy of attention. Top 10 Posts of 2022 Book Review: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round TableAnime Review: Baki (2018)Manga Review: Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Volume 1Movie Review:… Continue reading Open Thread: Top Ten Lists for 2022!
Magazine Review: The Scots Magazine October 1978
Magazine Review: The Scots Magazine October 1978 Like many people of Scots descent, I have a mild interest in the country and customs of my ancestors. I even wonder sometimes what the place is currently like. For me and people like me, there’s the regional interest publication, The Scots Magazine. First published in 1739 as… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Scots Magazine October 1978
Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths
Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths by W.H. Matthews Humans have long been fascinated by structures that pack the maximum amount of path in a small space, and those that create a puzzle to move through to find a center or exit. This 1922 book was the first major work in English to take a thorough… Continue reading Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths
Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides
Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides by John Dickson Carr Castle Shira is not a canny place. Ever since one of the Campbell soldiers involved in the Glencoe Massacre threw himself from the tower, supposedly to escape the ghost of a murdered MacDonald, there have been a series of falling deaths associated with… Continue reading Book Review: The Case of the Constant Suicides