Psmith in the City

Psmith in the City by P. G. Wodehouse

Some blokes get a job in a city bank. They are not super keen on the job. On the other hand, they do like cricket. Due to some illnesses, one gets a chance to play cricket with a a club. He opts to skip work to do it and has the other help cover for him. There is some very dry humor in the book. It is now in public domain so there are various options available.

The Father Brown Mysteries, Volume 1

The Father Brown Mysteries, Volume 1 by G.K. Chesterton 

This collection of 8 father brown books from the library is split into two at the library. Most of the stories come from the first Father Brown book, but a couple come from later books. Father Brown is a Catholic priest who uses logic and knowledge of human behavior to solve mysteries. In most of the cases, he uncovers details about the cases based on how the suspects acts. He will also use insights of "tricks" of human behavior to help debunk suppositions of supernatural. For instance, in "The Invisible Man", he debunks the supposition that "nobody" was there, to point out that the postman had passed by - and had the opportunity to remove the body. The stories are short and the radio productions are well done.

The stories included:

• The Blue Cross
• The Secret Garden
• The Queer Feet
• The Arrow of Heaven
• The Three Tools of Death
• The Flying Stars
• The Point of a Pin
• The Invisible Man

Phantom of the Opera

I couldn't help but hear Andrew Lloyd Webber's music playing as I made it through this book. It is a pretty easy read, though it tends to go off in tangents. It is also difficult to place. There is the underlying love story. Christine is torn between the "real life" love of a found childhood friend, and the "phantom" love of the angel of music. However, the "romance" is downplayed, and not the primary point of the book.

Then there is the "opera" itself. The opera "structure" itself is grandiose. (Was it really normal for operas to have so many stables, passages, etc.?) The attendees all dressed their very best, and concerned themselves with the very minutia of finery.

And of course, we have the ghost story. Like, the love story, this part is also downplayed. Many people just seem to acknowledge the presence of the opera ghost. "Sure, there is a ghost. You just have to make sure you treat it right, and all will go well. If you don't, then beware. Bad things have been known to happen to those who get on his bad side.

And finally, there is the story of a brilliant anti-social nonconformist. The "ghost" is a great singer and a master craftsman. But, he is also hideously ugly, and doesn't dare show himself to anybody out in the world. The story is really about him. He lives in anonymity, and has no qualms with seriously harming others as he advances his own personal goals. He falls in love with Christine, and finally is overjoyed as she reciprocates, even allowing him to kiss her before she is dead.

The narrative is told journalisticly, with a number of "accounts" in different styles. It is hard to identify any underlying agenda for writing this novel other than entertainment. It does succeed in entertaining, even if the narrative structure can at times be difficult.