“ BILLY SUMMERS ” By: Stephen King (ISBN 9781982173616 / hardback)
I’m doing something here that I never thought I’d do; recommending a Stephen King novel. I am though.
As I have said Stephen King has only rarely impressed me with his writing, and then only when he was writing within someone else’s strictures.
“Billy Summers” is an exception.
King has used both his talent and skill to good effect, and actually created dialogue between his characters that isn’t an obscenity fest.
Although there is some language, it actually fits with the characters as King wrote them, and he wrote them all well.
“Billy Summers” is tightly plotted and the character himself is the first character in one of King’s novels I’ve actually liked, and there are others who are actually written as decent people as well.
I did skip over some parts because, as with Melville in “Moby Dick” there are passages that run too long, but those passages are in between plot points, and can be skipped without losing the thread.
Very short plot summation: Iraq war veteran turns assassin for hire for various mobs of gangsters.
King wrote the novel in the first person almost to the end, and then switched seamlessly to the third person with another character. That impressed me greatly.
If you like Stephen King’s writing, I’m sure you’ll like his writing in “Billy Summers”.
Is this a copper caper to capture the villainous Colossal Curve?
Is this a colossal caper to curve a copper; and which one?
Is Bat Basset teaming up with the Colossal Curve to help the coppers with their caper?
Kids love to make this stuff, I know because we used to make it at my Aunt’s.
She’d put us around the table, and we’d get our fingers nice and greasy with butter and pull our allotment from the pan.
I’ve made it as an adult, but despite my known liking for sugar, I’m not big on candies.
It tastes good too.
From: “The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook”
By: The women of General Foods Kitchens
Published by: Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 59 – 1084
“Taffy-Pull Taffy”
1 cup maple-blended syrup
1 3/4 cups light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon vanilla (real not artificial)
Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until well blended.
Continue cooking until small amount of syrup forms a hard ball in very cold water (or to a temperature of 260° F.).
Remove from heat, add soda and vanilla, and beat until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a greased 8×8-inch pan.
When cool enough to handle, butter hands lightly, and pull candy until satiny and light in color.
Pull into long strips 3/4 inch in diameter; then cut the strips into 1-inch pieces with scissors.
Wrap each piece in waxed paper.
Makes 1 1/2 pounds taffy.
Notes from me:
Butter means butter.
A candy thermometer makes this easier.
Use refrigerator cooled water to confirm the thermometer.
.
It’s him! IT’S HIM!!
Can I have your arfograph, BatBasset?
is he part of the C & C Flash Mob?
Nicky Litchfiel
Titled: “Yoo Hoo”
DONKEY!!!
Looking at her just makes me happy. 🙂
NYC
Standing in for Muttropolis?
in this case it’s Got-ham City
Silly me.
Wrong basset superhero.
“Nyc, nyc, nyc…”
“ Book review: ”
“ BILLY SUMMERS ” By: Stephen King (ISBN 9781982173616 / hardback)
I’m doing something here that I never thought I’d do; recommending a Stephen King novel. I am though.
As I have said Stephen King has only rarely impressed me with his writing, and then only when he was writing within someone else’s strictures.
“Billy Summers” is an exception.
King has used both his talent and skill to good effect, and actually created dialogue between his characters that isn’t an obscenity fest.
Although there is some language, it actually fits with the characters as King wrote them, and he wrote them all well.
“Billy Summers” is tightly plotted and the character himself is the first character in one of King’s novels I’ve actually liked, and there are others who are actually written as decent people as well.
I did skip over some parts because, as with Melville in “Moby Dick” there are passages that run too long, but those passages are in between plot points, and can be skipped without losing the thread.
Very short plot summation: Iraq war veteran turns assassin for hire for various mobs of gangsters.
King wrote the novel in the first person almost to the end, and then switched seamlessly to the third person with another character. That impressed me greatly.
If you like Stephen King’s writing, I’m sure you’ll like his writing in “Billy Summers”.
Lulu is now 73 years old with a 44 year old son and 12 year old granddaughter.
wonder how Tubby, Annie, Wilbur and Alvin are doing?
They haven’t been heard from since 1984.
They turned bad and robbed a bank.
Rumour has it that they’re still hiding out in Bolivia.
I wonder if her granddaughter, and for that matter her son, thinks it’s cool that grandma did that when she was young. I hope so.
“Bat Basset and The Colossal Curve-Copper Caper”
Is this a copper caper to capture the villainous Colossal Curve?
Is this a colossal caper to curve a copper; and which one?
Is Bat Basset teaming up with the Colossal Curve to help the coppers with their caper?
I guess we’ll find out as the plot unfolds.
Willing and Mabel ~ cute!
I do hope that carpet is fake.
It looks like the putting surface at mini-golf.
Enjoyed the selections tonight.
Wowie!!!
And holy crimefighting caper, BatFans!
BATBASSET is BACK!!
Yay!!
…
It’s been a long time… I’ve wondered what the caped doggy duo has been up to.
…
Come on, you two… the BatPhone® is beeping: crime is calling, there’s no time for lying low…
These are exciting times.
…
I’m gonna pop some kibblecorn, fill my BatBasset® mug with hot chocolate…
and hunker down in front of the screen.
There’s plenty, if anybody wants to come watch with me!
…
I just know adventure is heading our way!
Batbasset™ mugs, t-shirts and hats are available in the Cleo and Company gift shop
I still have to get a BatBasset one….
in an alternate universe…..sigh
i’ll take one of each!
Your MM will be jealous.
Better get two of each.
hahahahaaaaaaaa
taffy
Kids love to make this stuff, I know because we used to make it at my Aunt’s.
She’d put us around the table, and we’d get our fingers nice and greasy with butter and pull our allotment from the pan.
I’ve made it as an adult, but despite my known liking for sugar, I’m not big on candies.
It tastes good too.
From: “The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook”
By: The women of General Foods Kitchens
Published by: Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 59 – 1084
“Taffy-Pull Taffy”
1 cup maple-blended syrup
1 3/4 cups light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon vanilla (real not artificial)
Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until well blended.
Continue cooking until small amount of syrup forms a hard ball in very cold water (or to a temperature of 260° F.).
Remove from heat, add soda and vanilla, and beat until smooth and creamy.
Pour into a greased 8×8-inch pan.
When cool enough to handle, butter hands lightly, and pull candy until satiny and light in color.
Pull into long strips 3/4 inch in diameter; then cut the strips into 1-inch pieces with scissors.
Wrap each piece in waxed paper.
Makes 1 1/2 pounds taffy.
Notes from me:
Butter means butter.
A candy thermometer makes this easier.
Use refrigerator cooled water to confirm the thermometer.
The taffy shop here in Depoe Bay has a puller and the wrapper. Both are in the front window.
Fun to watch…
Still kinda icky to eat.
IMHO
For a moment I thought it was a Victorian model of the human inner ear.
BIFF BAM POW
It’s Monday Cleo serialists and the start of another crime fighting story!
Found a 1944D Wheat penny the other day.
Y’all have a great day. (((((HuGz!)))))
that’s lucky! that’s my birth year.
oh my gracious goodness! it’s BatBasset time. hooray!!!
we’ll get a sneak preview of Stately Whine Manor, too. woohoo!
Glad to see Batbasset. I love the continuing stories.
me, too.
Me three.