I had difficulty choosing a novel to read from the donations I’d received. Most were too long or seemed too pat. I suspected Pacific Avenue by Anne L. Watson of being a self-published/Print on Demand book. Since Close to the Edge is in that same category, I told myself I shouldn’t allow the possibility to prejudice me against it. I didn’t research the work until I was finished. It is self-published through an imprint run by her husband. I’m pleased to report the book is worthy of publication, the subject interesting, the writing solid and virtually free of errors. I spotted perhaps two or three, which is on a par with books issued by big houses. Its 320 pages glide by. Published in 2008, it is a story of an inter-racial relationship, set in Louisiana and California, mid ‘70’s, when such relationships were rare, especially in the south. It is told from alternating points of view, that of the young white female protagonist and the middle age black co-worker who serves as a surrogate mother to her. The author, who is white, delves into the difficulties realistically, without pulling punches. She did not leave it at that. The young man is a troubled Vietnam veteran, which I thought detracted from the central, more interesting theme. The narrative promotes diversity, inclusiveness and forgiveness, but not from a pulpit. The title refers to a street in a town outside L.A., ironically titled, as it is in a seedy neighborhood. 163 contributors have rated it at Amazon, forging to a consensus of four stars out of five. On a scale of five, I rate it 3.2. Watson has lately published two other novels, the Kindle versions of which are free. She has also written books on soap and lotion-making, and baking. She is a retired architectural consultant who once lived in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and San Pedro, the places where the novel is set. Today she resides in Olympia, Washington.
I noticed a review in today’s NY Post of an off-Broadway show, Here Comes the Night, about a songwriter whose name, Bert Berns, was unfamiliar, I'm embarrassed to admit. A Bronx boy, he contracted rheumatic fever as a child and was affected by it the rest of his life, which ended in heart failure at 38, but not before he wrote 51 songs that cracked the charts. Frank Scheck gave the show only two stars. It may fade away, but the music will live on. Here’s a list of his biggest hits, culled from Wiki, and the artists who recorded them:
A Little Bit of Soap - The Jarmels (1961)
Twist and Shout - The Top Notes (1961) / The Isley Brothers (1962) / The Beatles (1963)
Cry to Me - Solomon Burke (1962)
Tell Him - The Exciters (1962)
Cry Baby - Garnet Mimms (1963) / Janis Joplin (1971)
One Way Love - The Drifters (1963) / Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers (1964)
I Don't Want To Go On Without You - The Drifters (1964) / The Moody Blues (1965)
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love - Solomon Burke (1964) / Wilson Pickett (1967)
Baby Let Me Take You Home - The Animals (1964)
Here Comes the Night - Lulu (1964) / Them (1965)
I Want Candy - The Strangeloves (1965) / Bow Wow Wow (1982)
Hang on Sloopy - The McCoys (1965)
Down in the Valley - Solomon Burke (1964) Otis Redding (1965)
I'll Take Good Care Of You - Garnet Mimms (1967)
Are You Lonely For Me Baby - Freddie Scott (1967)
Piece of My Heart - Erma Franklin (1967) / Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin (1968) / Dusty Springfield (1968)[4]
Twenty Five Miles - Edwin Starr (1968)
RIP, sir. Thank you.
My thanks to the woman who donated eleven books, seven of them in Russian. Without her, the floating book shop would have had no sales today. A gentleman bought five of them. Spasibo, sir. My thanks also to Amazon, which deposited royalties for the sale of two Kindle books into my checking account.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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