The Fencing Master by Arturo Perez-Reverte came my way via a donation to the floating book shop. Set in Madrid in the 1860's, it is a third person account told from the point of view of a proud traditionalist in his mid 50's, whose personality is so rigid he is often his own worst enemy. His life takes a sharp turn when a beautiful young woman, already skilled, asks for lessons on a lethal finishing move. At first he refuses, as he has never had a female student. She wins him over with her seriousness and her ability to pay handsomely. He needs the money, his services no longer in as much demand since the availability of firearms. It is a time of political upheaval, the monarchy threatened. About 60 pages in, I thought I knew where the narrative was going. I assumed tragedy and, later, I was encouraged that the tale would be unique when the master says: "... God tolerates the intolerable; he is inconsistent and irresponsible. He is not a gentleman." And, in a line from the woman: "... Or do you perhaps believe that only men have a Troy they left burning behind them?" Fortunately, it didn't go the feminism route. Unfortunately, it became a standard murder mystery differentiated only by the setting and weaponry. There is much detail about the art of fencing. For me, it went in one ear and out the other. I was interested only in the characters and the events. I was never bored, but I experienced that same dissatisfaction I do with almost every mystery I read. The author, like so many before him, began as a journalist, a war correspondent for 21 years in places such as El Salvador, Bosnia and Croatia. He has written more than a score of novels, most of them historical fiction, and five works of non-fiction. His books have been translated into many languages. Margaret Jull Costa's translation of The Fencing Master is solid, although a tad overdone. 108 users at Amazon have rated it, forging to a consensus of four on a scale of five. I rate it three. Published in 1988, the author's second novel, it is still selling modestly.
South Korean golf pros made kimchi of the field this weekend. In Wisconsin, Sei Young Kim, 31, won by nine shots. She ended 31 under par, besting the LPGA record she shared with Annika Sorenstam by four shots. Are you kidding me? In West Virginia, Kevin Na, 34, broke a six-year victory drought, winning by five shots. In that span he had finished second six times. Kudos to both. Here's a pic of the delicacy Koreans love, a side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables, most commonly cabbage and radish, blended with seasonings that include chili powder, scallions, garlic, ginger and jeotgal.
For some bizarre reason, Vince McMahon named the sidekick of the Ugandan giant, Kamala, Kim Chee. He was played in masked, full safari garb by Bensonhurt's Steve Lombardi. Kamala was played by Jim Harris of Mississippi. According to manager Classie Freddie Blassie, Kamala was the only man ever to defeat Idi Amin - "when he was a mere stripling of a boy, 14 years old." Here's a picture of these WWE Hall of Famers:
My thanks to the woman who purchased a crime thriller in Russian, and to Bad News Billy, who bought out the remaining CD's and DVD's. His latest ailment is an ingrown toenail, which pales in comparison to his congestive heart failure and sleep apnea. All the best, sir.
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