Sunday is for beginnings, when we take a look at the start of a Peter Abrahams novel, including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker™. Since some terrific baseball is going on now, how about we take a look at the start of The Fan, which is all about baseball. They made a movie based on it. Sort of.
“Who’s next? Gil on the car phone? What’s shakin’, Gil?”
Dead air.
“Speak, Gil.”.
“Is this ..
“Go on.”
“Hello?”
“You’re on the JOC.”
“Am I on?”
“Not for long, Gil, the way we’re going. This is supposed to be entertainment.”
Dead air.
“Got a question or a comment for us, Gil?”
“First-time caller.”
“Fantabulous. What’s on your mind?”
“I’m a little nervous.”
10 Comments on “Beginnings”
Good day to all.
Good morning, everyone! I hope you are enjoying a fine autumn day, like the one I’m having in Eagle, Idaho.
Yesterday’s mail brought quite the pleasant surprise! Wose’s awesome 2025 Plunderers’ Calendar arrived! I hope yours arrived as well.
Wouldn’t it be fun to have a C&B gathering, people and pets? I would love to meet you in person. I understand many of you have done so. Meanwhile, the calendar and the Photo Phridays will fill the bill.
Adding The Fan to my reading list!
Greetings!
I am happy to know that some of youse who ordered a calendar have already received them, especially those that weren’t scheduled to arrive until tomorrow. My faith (somewhat) in the post office has been restored. :^)
Good Sunday to all!
It is National Black Cat day and National Beer day. Not saying they are related in any way.
For those that have them, it is National Mother in Law day. No comment.
I know there has been a lot of baseball talk lately and that Bernie is a baseball guy, but today is National Tight End day. I don’t follow sports but I do know the basics of baseball. I am not so literate on football other than I know a tight end is a position in football. I know what a passer does and what a receiver does and what a kicker does. I just assume everyone else is out there protecting the quarter back and whoever is running around with the ball. I have no idea what the significance of the names Full back, Half back or Tight end are or what it is exactly that they do.
I’m also not real sure about the seasons when baseball and football are played. I do know that the “bowl” games are usually from Thanksgiving to New Years because my usual shows are canceled and stuff gets moved around or delayed. And the Puppy Bowl is around on of the biggest bowl game in maybe February so I have something I can watch instead. Been watching the Puppy Bowl since the first one and I have DVDs from the first 10 or so until they stopped making them. I think baseball has their big playoffs in Spring sometime but not sure. I have no clue about basketball. It is always a surprise when I can’t watch anything because it seems every night there is a basketball game on in prime time. Now that I mostly use my iPad and subscriptions it’s not so much of a problem. It will be when I finally get the antenna mounted and can watch more channels on the TV again.
So, how does Bernie feel about football. I don’t recall any mention of it in any significant way. Or basketball for that matter. Is he a sports guy or just a baseball guy? And has Peter Abrahams or Spencer Quinn written any book in which football plays any role of any significance?
ML: Wow, there is a lot to cover there and I will probably only scratch the surface. Please do not take offense, but your lack of knowledge about professional sports in the US is striking. Regarding scheduling, things have evolved over time and professional seasons for all four major professional sports (baseball, football, basketball and hockey) have grown longer and longer, and we are now for a short period of time in what can be referred to as sports fans heaven, as all four professional sport seasons are currently being played, although that will end within a week or so, when the World S-e-r-i-e-s comes to an end and the baseball season (previously known as the game of summer) comes to an end. Going to your last question, the answer is yes, at least one PA book deals extensively with football, although not at the professional level, but I believe high school — the book being one of his young adult books — Reality Check — for which Peter received the Edgar Award for best young adult book in 2010 (published (2009). Indeed, the book’s consideration for the Edgar, which would have been awarded in April 2010, was the subject of attention and celebration on the blog in its somewhat earlier days, and probably played at least a small role in formalizing the unique set of relationships that have come to be known as The Plunderers. Football also played a role, but a lesser one, in the third Echo Falls book, Behind the Curtain. If it was involved in any others, my memory fails me at this time.
Oh, Hockey. We don’t think very much about Hockey on the West Coast. It’s more Soccer here because of lack of ice and snow.
The World S-e-r-i-e-s is happening now? Well, I know how I missed that. I don’t get a newspaper (and when I did I never read the sports section) and I’m not watching commercial tv, especially the news so no sports.
Why is my ignorance so striking? I’ve never been a fan of watching sports. I like to participate and did play softball so roughly know baseball. With the exception of ice skating, gymnastics and ballroom dancing I’m not into observing, I would rather do than watch. I don’t watch football like I don’t watch golf, or soccer or basketball or bass fishing. I have no reason to know anything about football.
I know some stuff. Like football is divided into quarters. That there are downs and you only get three chances to move more than 10 yards. That you can run the ball or throw the ball and the other team can intercept it. That there are rules against some physical violence that cost you penalties. You can run the ball over the end zone or kick it over the goal posts. But the number of players, what their titles are and their purpose I couldn’t answer, not even for ready money. I know the Quarterback calls the shots. I know it is a bit similar to Soccer but I don’t follow that and it’s been 55 years since I took gym in school. I know the positions in baseball and what they do because I played softball. I’ve never played football, or hockey, played golf (aside from miniature) or gone bass fishing for that matter.
I think I’m pretty normal and not that unusual.
I can pretty much figure out the leagues like NFL although I couldn’t explain the borders or what teams belong to who. Sometimes I can identify whether a team is a football team, a baseball team or a basketball team.
I haven’t read any of the Echo Falls books, only the Bowser and Birdie and the Queenie and Arthur young adult books. I haven’t read very much outside of the Chet & Bernie books either. Just The Right Side and now the Mrs Plansky.
And not to be insulting, but I find my lack of sports knowledge hasn’t impacted my life negatively any more than my inability to do Calculus or diagram a sentence. To me all are equally useless for every day life. Perhaps it is my lack of competitiveness. Never been that tribal when it comes to “team loyalty” because I’ve just been outside of the whole sports thing.
Ok, guys! I have sent in a couple of photos and a write up for consideration on Phriday Photos. I imagine I am not the only one so won’t be too upset if I am not showcased this up coming Friday. Hopefully, Mom did not mess up the technical side of this and OFA didn’t receive a blank email.
Yay. Looking forward to it.
I’ll try to write something about Goliath and get that sent in.
I like Spence’s comment at the end about the movie version of The Fan. If anyone has seen the movie (and I have), it bears scant resemblance to the book other than the title. That is what happens when a Hollywood writer gets ahold of a terrific novel, and the reason why there will never be a Chet & Bernie movie.
I think this is more the norm when Hollywood gets hold of a book.
A few for instances.
First Knight with Sean Connery and Richard Gere. Other than the names it bears little resemblance to Arthurian legend. And that Rube Goldberg Hollywood reality TV competition thing in the middle?
Under the Tuscan Sun. I think the source material was more a cookbook and home renovation diary. Although I did like the movie.
Those Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. Arthur Conan Doyle must have spun in his grave enough to tunnel to the center of the earth.
It’s to be expected when they are making full length feature motion pictures using video games or comic books as source material.