WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here.
1. What are you currently reading? 150 Glimpses of The Beatles by Craig Brown. The story of The Fab Four and their impact on the world, told through anecdotes from people who knew them. Or studied them. Or loved them, whether up close or from afar. It's an interesting device. Because it's not linear and the stories so very wide ranging, I am always surprised by what comes next.
Here's a sample "glimpse" from Melanie Coe. She and Paul McCartney intersected twice. In 1963, when the Beatles were just on the cusp of superstardom and she was an affluent 14-year-old, she won a lip synch contest judged by Paul. Melanie parlayed this into a gig as a backup dancer on a BBC teen show, which sent her spinning into a sophisticated world she was unprepared for. In 1967, Paul read a story in The Daily Mail about a runaway 17-year-old girl. Melanie's father told the reporter he couldn't understand why she would leave her car, fur coat and comfortable bedroom. Not realizing this girl was the one he'd met four years before, he was inspired to write "She's Leaving Home."
As a passionate and lifelong Beatle fan, I can follow along with 150 Glimpses easily. I wonder, though, if it's as much fun for someone not as familiar with the Lads from Liverpool.
2. What did you recently finish reading? And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. (AKA "Ten Little Indians.") What a nifty little thriller this is! Ten strangers are summoned to a luxury house on a secluded island. Three (a secretary and a maid/butler married couple) are hired to work for the couple renting the house. The other seven come from various walks of life and are lured by the mysterious, unexpected invitation for a free vacation.
Strange, but their hosts and/or employers aren't there to greet them and never show up. Horrifically, the 10 strangers find themselves being knocked off. One by one.
I knew the story when I picked this book up, having seen the two versions of the movie. I was surprised that the book ends differently. I won't give anything away, except to say that the book (while more of a downer) makes more sense. Sometimes, I'm afraid, happy endings aren't in order.
