Missive #460 Published 11 March 2025
Tells the stories of explorers, mountain men, missionaries, thieves, settlers, naturalists, and writers associated with the Sierra Nevada Mountains and discusses the history of the region.
This is the ninth in the American Folkways Series and like most of them it has almost nothing on the web about it. It also has almost no readers at Amazon or goodreads.com.
Missive #459 Published 9 March 2025
Continuing The Federalist Papers.
Federalist No.42
The Powers Conferred by the Constitution Further Considered
Author: James Madison
To the People of the State of New York:
Missive #458 Published 8 March 2025
A hallowed place it may be, but No 5 Caper Court in the Inner Temple is riddled with rumour and uncertainty. The head of chambers is dying; there is a move afoot to leave the Temple for Lincoln's Inn; and Leo Davies, the QC with the charmed and amoral life, is about to take one risk too many. Behind him lie a failed marriage, a string of lovers, and a habit of seductive cruelty which, until now, has left him unscathed. But at least two chickens are coming home to roost:..
Missive #457 Published 7 March 2025
77. The Cabbage and the Cooking-Pot
Nasruddin and his friends were sitting in the coffeehouse, boasting.
“I once grew a cucumber as long as my arm,” one man said.
“That’s nothing!” said another. “I once grew a watermelon as big as a sheep.”
“Ha!” said another. “I’ve got you both beat: I once grew a head of cabbage that was as large as an elephant.”
Then Nasruddin said, “Just yesterday I bought a cooking-pot as big as a polo field.”
“That’s ridiculous!” the men shouted at Nasruddin. “Why would anyone want a pot that big?”
“In order to cook that head of cabbage!” replied Nasruddin, smiling.
Missive #456 Published 5 March 2025
Luther Eustis runs off with and then murders Beulah, his much younger girlfriend. The book starts with his murder trial and his guilt is not in dispute. What makes this book entertaining are the character studies and back stories of the people who tell the story of this crime in alternating chapters. These chapters gradually reveal all of the circumstances surrounding the murder. We hear from the murderer, his wife, the victim, the murderer's defense lawyer, a reporter and others. It was very well written and the narration of the audio book by Grover Gardner was very good.
Missive #455 Published 3 March 2025
The Road by Cormac McCarthy is an awful, awful book. I have to consciously restrain myself from judging those of you who believe the book has merit. Don’t worry, the fact that I’m part of a very small minority in this regard (only the smartest 3% of my fellow Goodreads bibliophiles also gave The Road a one-star review) has not escaped me. I am nevertheless convinced of the objective correctness of my position… Edited customer review @ goodreads.com
Missive #454 Published 2 March 2025
Continuing The Anti-Federalist Papers
Cato IV
by George Clinton
To the People of the State of New York:
Missive #453 Published 1 March 2025
Whoever wrote the dust cover should have written the book. The copious quotations that he speaks of were mostly in French with only a few of them having English translations. I understood the dust cover but very little of the book. I provide one quote from the book, if you understand it then you will probably like the book. I didn't understand it.
Missive #452 Published 28 February 2025
76. Donkeys and Horses
Nasruddin was riding his donkey along the road when a rich man on a fine horse rode up alongside him.
“I’ve been watching you and your donkey,” he said, “and you are a sorry-looking sight. I don’t know who looks more pathetic: you or your donkey!”
Nasruddin did not reply.
“I’m talking to you!” shouted the rich man. “Don’t you have anything to say?”
“Excuse me,” said Nasruddin apologetically. “I was just so surprised that I didn’t know what to say.”
“What do you mean you were surprised?”
Nasruddin smiled. “I’ve never actually seen a donkey riding a horse."
Missive #451 Published 26 February 2025
