Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, November 7, 1993 TAG: 9311070236
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
By Daniel Pool. Simon & Shuster. $25.
Here is a interesting book with a limited audience - those who enjoy reading 19th century English literature. Divided into two parts, a prose section and a glossary, the book explains how the Victorians lived and offers a quick reference for some of the archaic terms found in the literature of the time. So, when in the course of reading Dickens or Trollope the word "Bradshaw" comes to light, one can find it in the glossary and see that it means a schedule for trains, first published in 1839. If, while reading "Bleak House," the reader would like a short exposition of the Chancery, it can be found here.
- LARRY SHIELD
Murder: The Musical.
By Annette Meyers. Doubleday Perfect Crime. $18.50.
The atmosphere of the New York theater, the backstage back stabbing, sensitive egos, artistic conflicts and stresses of bringing a show to the stage are well handled in Annette Meyer's "Murder: the Musical."
Meyer's protagonist, Leslie Wetzon, is a dancer turned headhunter who is drawn back into the theater by her old friend, Carlos, a choreographer. Carlos and other acquaintances from her theatrical past are involved in a new musical, "Hotshot," which looks like a potential hit. Problems have been surfacing which have little to do with the content of the show, however, and when the widely disliked stage manager is murdered almost under Leslie's nose (well, over her head actually) she becomes involved.
The problems with the novel lie in the romantic subplot and the denouement of the main plot line. A romance between Leslie and a wealthy older man conflicts with her feelings for a former love who is a policeman, but that never really becomes real. The solution to the murder is a disappointing anti-climax. The strong point here is the intimate knowledge of the theater, warts and all, that Meyers brings to the texture and setting of her novel.
- ANNA WENTWORTH
The Outdoor Survival Handbook.
By Raymond Mears. St. Martin's. $13.95.
This heavily illustrated volume is loaded with tips on how to survive in the outdoors. However, though most of the tips are practical enough, the details of many of the techniques are severely lacking and many of the illustrations are rudimentary. Though I am an experienced backpacker and general craftsman, I doubt I could easily accomplish many of the things mentioned (making baskets and cordage, building a mud oven, skinning a rabbit, making a fire by friction) without a lot of intensive experimentation.
Nonetheless, this is a helpful overview on outdoor survival, and a number of the techniques (mainly employed by preliterate cultures) are immediately useful, such as those on building fires, observing wildlife and making soap.
- JUSTIN ASKINS
They Followed the Plume: The Story of J. E. B. Stuart and His Staff.
By Robert J. Trout. Stackpole Books. $33.50.
Someone has finally come up with a new twist to the history of the Civil\ War. Perhaps Robert J. Trout was tired of all the volumes that told about the\ great generals of North and South. Perhaps he wanted to know more about the\ war than traditional historians have allowed us to know. So, he researched\ and wrote about the men who served on a Civil War commander's staff. In this\ case, it was the staff of Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart. And, it makes\ for fascinating reading.
Trout, a school teacher living in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, has pored over\ service records from the National Archives, published and unpublished\ manuscripts and letters, and, of course, secondary material. The result is an\ insider's view of a Confederate headquarters. To be honest, Trout might have\ skipped over the second-hand stuff because the original material is a gold\ mine. His book provides detailed information on the history of the staff, how\ they were selected and what they did. Stout includes biographies of 48\ troopers, four headquarters personnel and brief information on more than 200\ men who were assigned to Stuart's headquarters.
"They Followed the Plume" is different Civil War reading. It provides\ insights and views that heretofore haven't been expressed. The book will be a\ great gift for the Civil War buff.
- ROBERT I. ALOTTA
Larry Shield trains dogs and horses in Franklin County.\ Anna Wentworth also reviews books and plays for WVTF-FM.\ Justin Askins teaches at Radford University.\ Robert I. Alotta's most recent book is `Signposts and Settlers.'
by CNB