Colin Falconer

I’m reading Colin Falconer’s Silk Road. It’s a brilliant adventure historical fiction.  It pairs a Templar with a Dominic papal priest travelling from to the ‘centre of the universe’, Karakoram, capital of the Mongol Empire,  near the centre of modern day Mongolia.  They are on a mission to speak to the Khan but what is so enjoyable are their meeting with people along the silk route, their conversations, the great adventures, the incredible Tatar Princess, and the comparison of her with the Chin Dynastiy women. All the while there is discussion of Buddhism, Mohammedism, Christian Nestorianism and the most rigid Catholicism as opposed to the liberal faith based Templar tradition. Great wars and romance and visual delights woven by the greatest of story tellers.I am so glad I’ve found this new author.

He’s right up there with previous authors of historical fiction like American writer, James Michener’s whose books were a wealth of history, geography and philosophy. Michener’s characters and plot are not  as well developed as Falconer’s whose more comparable to the great African writer Wilbur Smith.  His writing certainly captures conflict well like Tolstoy, but equally the sensual like D.H. Lawrence  His passion in not at all salacious as George Macdonald Frazer, creator of that greatest that great historical fiction character, Flashman. I was excited to find Falconer as I was to find Peter Rimmer whose writer is as ‘full’ and ‘absorbing’.  This Silk Road captured me as Flight of the Fish Eagle did.  Colin Falconer is simply brilliant though in his ability to take the most erudite subject, a discussion of the nature of being, and turn it into a dialogue as good as Franny and Zoey of Salinger or Steppenwolf of Herman Hesse. 

I’ve downloaded several more of his books as happy as I was when I found Baldacci, Daniel Kallas, Ian Rankin, Anthony Melville-Ross,Phillip McCurtchan, Hiiansen, Harlan Coban, Manda Scott, Bernard Cornwall,  Griff Hosker,  Louis L’Amour, Tom Clancy, Asimov.  Each of so many writers has been just that good that I haven’t been able to stop at one.  Like ice cream they cry for more.  I’m an inveterate reader of every genre except perhaps horror though Steven King is the exception.  I can remember young when I ‘found’  Robert Heinlein and later Douglas Adams.  True treasures.  But historical fiction has always had it’s appeal for me a student of history.  I’ve often read a text of ‘non fiction’ history alongside an historical fiction enchanted by the tale woven by the writer who not only is a story teller but a researcher.  

Finding Colin Falconer has awakened that delight I’ve known again and again though less with age. I sometimes feel jaded and a bit ‘bored’ by modern writers, like the too predictable detective story.  I liked reading Tannis Laidlaw recently who adds to the Agatha Christie genre.  As a psychologist her insights into humans are so engaging. Colin Falconer though does all of this and more with his intimate grasp of ideas ,brilliant caracterization and the truly epic adventure tale.  

Thank you.  I now have quite a few books to read when the books shelves were less well stocked than those of the young man. That young man simply soared to meet Dostoyevsky,  William Somerset Maugham , Winston Churchill and H.G. Wells. Now it takes an Abraham Verghese , Cutting the Stone to lift me out of older age and that ennui so well written of in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Thank you, Colin Falconer for being a truly inspirational  author that keeps me up late at night, glad to be alive, looking forward to the next page like a child enthralled by the campfire tale. . 

Leslie Jordan

Thanks to Moon I heard and attended Leslie Jordan's comedy show, "Fruit Fly: Do Gay Men Really Become their Mothers?"  Leslie Jordan won the 2006 Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for his work on Will and Grace.  He's also appeared in Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Monk and Murphy Brown. Tonight's sold out show was featured at the Orpheum Annex and sponsored by the Filmore Family.  The Loving Spoonful charity was advertised with Fred Lee, among others, promoting their upcoming  "Awesome Race' fund raiser.
Then Leslie Jordan was simply non stop storytelling heart stroking and more wonderful with his witty reflections on growing up gay in a military family in the Chattanooga south, his mother's favourite until the twins.  Grand photo shot backdrops in black and white and early kodak colour captured this very well dressed little boy whose family really did epitomize 'Father Knows Best' until Father died and the stepfather stepped in.  How extraordinary to hear this remarkably funny story of deep pathos, resilience and entertainment.
I was simply enthralled by the performance and the humour had me bursting out in gut wrenching laughter.  I was almost in tears when he explained that his southern belle mother getting traveller's cheques for the first time was asked by the  bank teller , "what denomination?"  answered, Baptist.
After, I bought his latest book, "My Trip Down the Pink Carpet". I  enjoyed being able to have my picture taken with the "author" at this after show impromptu signing, even if it does look like I'm groping him.
Moon who'd  seen him here when she was last visiting Vancouver shared  recollections to their mutual amusement.  Two Americans meeting again and again in Canada.  Thank you Leslie for a heart warming evening. I am so glad you keep coming back as I too  hope to see you again and again!

William Lashner

I've just finished "Falls the Shadow" by William Lashner. It's a brilliant mix of the finest of the classics of the detective genre brought into modern day parlance. A kind of Hitchcock remake by Steven Spielberg.  A horrid French chef in prison for murdering his wife has an old lover now wealthy from marital gold digging hire Derringer and Carl legal team to get him a retrial.  Derringer is a beautiful big hearted woman lawyer paired with the gumshoe skeptic Carl.  Through twists and turns of who dunnit and amazing characterization we follow the story of  the tragedy all the while the parallel pro bono case of child rescue entertwines with the main characters in the murder mystery thriller.  William Lashner (www.williamlashner.com) was himself a trial attorney in the criminal division of the United States Justice Department.  We never do learn where he got his very mixed feelings about dentists but it must indeed be a truly piercing story.  A gripping read.  I can only look forward to reading more by this Philadelphian New York Times best seller.