Friday, October 3, 2014

A peak into Duck the Halls and Desert Solitaire

Let's start with something silly, shall we ? For Book Beginnings on Friday, hosted by Rose City Reader here is something from the first page of Duck the Halls by Dona Andrews ...

The buzzing noise woke me from a already restless sleep. In my dream, it was Christmas morning. We were opening presents and all of the boxes I'd wrapped so neatly had suddenly become empty. Or worse, they contained odd, inappropriate objects, like bottles of vodka for my four-year-old twin sons and a subscription to Guns & Ammo for my cousin Rose Noire, who couldn't even stand to see anyone use a flyswatter for its intended purpose. 

"What interesting choices," Mother was murmuring, holding up the power drill that had been in her box. 



For nonfiction I felt in need of something old school so here is the beginning of Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey  ...

This is the most beautiful place on earth.

There are many such places. Every man, every woman, carries in heart and mind the image of the ideal place, the right place, the one true home, known or unknown, actual or visionary. A houseboat in Kashmir, a view in the Allegheny Mountains, a cabin on the shore of a blue lake in spruce and fir country, a greasy alley near the Hoboken waterfront, or even, possibly, for those of a less demanding sensibility, the world seen from a comfortable apartment high in teh tender, velvety smog of Manhattan, Chicago, Paris, Tokyo, Rio or Rome – there's no limit to the human capacity for the homing sentiment. 



For The Friday 56 hosted at Freda's Voice something from page 56 from Duck the Halls

I pulled out my cell phone, but I didn't want to move my left arm, and trying to hold the cell phone and dial it with my one good hand wasn't working out too well. 

Um, I don't think I can go on too much more without spoiling something so I will leave that teaser hanging there (with the note that Donna Andrews books are comic mysteries so nothing too horrible is going to happen.) 


And from page 56 of Desert Solitaire ...

Natural Bridges National Monument. Another small gem in the park system, a group of three adjacent natural bridges tucked away in the canyon country of southern Utah. Formerly you could drive your cad (over dirt roads, of course) to within sight of and easy walking distance - a hundred yards? - of the most spectacular of the three bridges. From there it was only a few hours walking time to the other two. All three could easily be seen in a single day. But this was not good enough for the developers. They have now constructed a paved road into the heart of the area, between the two biggest bridges. 

Owachomo Bridge Natural Bridges National Monument

9 comments:

  1. Lovely excerpts and the photo is awesome...thanks for sharing! Here's mine: “DANCE THE EAGLE TO SLEEP”

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  2. I have read one of the Donna Andrews series and really enjoyed it. I have no idea why I haven't gone back to read more. Desert Solitaire sounds like an interesting read. It's definitely about a region I'm unfamiliar with.

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  3. Someone recommended this very book to me years ago. I've never had a chance to read it. Thanks for showing the Natural bridge. I love Donna Andrews' Christmas cozy. I have written Duck The Halls on my library list. Really, enjoyed your posts this week.

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  4. I like the beginning of Duck in the Halls, it's very humorous!
    My Friday Post

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  5. Both of these books sound excellent. I love comic mysteries, so Duck the Halls has been added to my TBR list. And Desert Solitaire sounds fascinating.
    Here's the link to my Friday post: House Rules.

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  6. Lovely image. I need to read more non-fiction. I have so many books to read that they just keep getting passed over.
    Duck the Halls looks and sounds delightful. I'll add it to my Christmas TBR!
    here is my 56 - http://fuonlyknew.com/2014/10/03/the-friday-56-39-the-abyss-above-us/

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  7. Duck In The Halls sounds fun. A mother with a power drill is comical.

    Love the photo from your desert book. And I love the description of all the places. LOL!!

    ENJOY your books and your weekend.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Book Beginnings

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  8. That Duck The Halls looks like a lot of fun!
    Happy weekend!

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