tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post2797119746269767053..comments2024-03-24T11:34:36.903-07:00Comments on Bitter Tea and Mystery: Darling, It's Death: Richard S. PratherTracyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-1743061943037795552016-01-20T12:30:36.502-08:002016-01-20T12:30:36.502-08:00It does sound like that, Mathew. Let us hope that ...It does sound like that, Mathew. Let us hope that the author benefited from the adaptations, even if they did not represent the books well.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-23050748664183230322016-01-20T11:08:36.536-08:002016-01-20T11:08:36.536-08:00I believe I saw only one of the films, Tracy, and ...I believe I saw only one of the films, Tracy, and was aghast that Dean Martin was cast as Helm. As I recall the thing was done as a farce, a satire of the Helm book series. In a word: travesty. Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-69238918403985501172016-01-19T19:45:22.835-08:002016-01-19T19:45:22.835-08:00Interesting, Mathew. I was probably confused by th...Interesting, Mathew. I was probably confused by the Matt Helm films with Dean Martin, not that I have seen any of those. Still interested in finding some of those books to try.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-53859018235842074592016-01-19T15:32:37.670-08:002016-01-19T15:32:37.670-08:00Not much similarity, Tracy. Helm was a secret agen...Not much similarity, Tracy. Helm was a secret agent with none of the levity in the Shell Scott novels. I was a big fan, tho, and read the entire series. Hamilton was a good storyteller.Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-68417404664421341702016-01-19T15:04:47.573-08:002016-01-19T15:04:47.573-08:00Moira, you would enjoy them. There are description...Moira, you would enjoy them. There are descriptions of the clothing on the scantily clad ladies, and Shell Scott dresses very loudly, in this book, and I think in others. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-69335930964930235632016-01-19T13:16:13.846-08:002016-01-19T13:16:13.846-08:00Those covers are wonderful - I had never heard of ...Those covers are wonderful - I had never heard of this series, but should try them. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-10817154192593602582016-01-16T12:15:27.329-08:002016-01-16T12:15:27.329-08:00Thanks, Mathew. I saw your comment at Tip the Wink...Thanks, Mathew. I saw your comment at Tip the Wink about Donald Hamilton’s Matt Helm series. I had wondered how close that series might be to this one. I will have to find one of those and give it a try.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-76010149384034770672016-01-16T11:59:13.324-08:002016-01-16T11:59:13.324-08:00SHOCKED SHOCKED...gasp...did you say s-s-s-sexist?...SHOCKED SHOCKED...gasp...did you say s-s-s-sexist??? Now that I have my wind back...I did enjoy your review, Tracy. I did! Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-34131175992349582682016-01-16T11:16:20.947-08:002016-01-16T11:16:20.947-08:00Reading this book was a very different experience ...Reading this book was a very different experience for me, Col. I think I will like others that I read even more, now that I know what to expect.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-88284972382847032252016-01-16T06:43:36.773-08:002016-01-16T06:43:36.773-08:00Not tried him, not got anything by him either. Pro...Not tried him, not got anything by him either. Probably an author I'll pass on.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-67843865228668314552016-01-15T18:26:03.481-08:002016-01-15T18:26:03.481-08:00I learned about Prather because of the artwork on ...I learned about Prather because of the artwork on the paperback covers. Many times the artwork has little to do with the content, but in his case it often does relate to a certain extent. I am glad I got motivated to sample one of them. <br /><br />It is interesting to see how our reactions to sexism or violence in books can vary from author to author or book to book. I still get very irritated when men call women girls. It amazes me how many men in the workplace (who are much younger than me) still do that.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-58565251871078407922016-01-15T15:29:39.721-08:002016-01-15T15:29:39.721-08:00I have not even hear of this author. So much of my...I have not even hear of this author. So much of my crime reading education still to get through :)<br /><br />Your comment about the depiction of women is spot on - though I find my own tolerance level varies. My recent 1950 book has some fairly obnoxious views about women (or girls as they are generally referred to in the book) but it didn't bother me nearly as much as a book I read last year set 2 decades later but espousing similar views. I don't know why sometimes it bothers me more than others - sometimes I can give allowances for the time period of the writing and others I can't. Just ornery I guessBernadettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641617609801125707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-85184525799228879832016-01-14T20:41:59.188-08:002016-01-14T20:41:59.188-08:00Prashant, I am glad to hear you are enjoying the P...Prashant, I am glad to hear you are enjoying the Prather book. I am definitely going to read more of them, and looking forward to it.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-9317047492864832992016-01-14T20:40:29.250-08:002016-01-14T20:40:29.250-08:00John, I did see your excellent review of Dead Man&...John, I did see your excellent review of Dead Man's Walk. I found only one use of the word tomato in reference to a woman in this book. I never thought of that before ... how tomato came to used for a woman or a pretty woman.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-40950277600921464382016-01-14T20:37:36.103-08:002016-01-14T20:37:36.103-08:00Margot, You should try at least one of them. I thi...Margot, You should try at least one of them. I think you would find this an interesting read. I would have to read more of them to see what I really think of the treatment of women in the series, but I wasn't offended. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-2925082986409009782016-01-14T20:32:15.533-08:002016-01-14T20:32:15.533-08:00I wish I had discovered them when I was younger. T...I wish I had discovered them when I was younger. They are a lot of fun.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-63418412710869146992016-01-14T20:07:35.945-08:002016-01-14T20:07:35.945-08:00Tracy, I bought an ebook of Prather's "Th...Tracy, I bought an ebook of Prather's "The Wailing Frail" but couldn't finish it in time for Patti's special on the author. I have enjoyed the novel so far. The writing is crisp.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-60175314593826278532016-01-14T11:39:35.080-08:002016-01-14T11:39:35.080-08:00I like the Shell Scott books. Prather's offbea...I like the Shell Scott books. Prather's offbeat sense of humor make them so enjoyable for me. As you discovered sometimes the plots are ridiculously over-the-top or enter the territory of the bizarre like in <i>Dead Man's Walk</i>, one of my favorites in the series for its voodoo storyline. BTW - did Shell call any of the women "tomato" in this one? You can't get much more dated or insulting than that! :^)J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-9509553231027842812016-01-14T08:49:51.527-08:002016-01-14T08:49:51.527-08:00Very interesting, Tracy. I've heard of his wor...Very interesting, Tracy. I've heard of his work, but never gotten/taken the time to read it. I'm not crazy about blatant sexism, but as you say, the times were the times. May try one of these out. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-13213640862292912292016-01-14T06:49:02.314-08:002016-01-14T06:49:02.314-08:00I read the Shell Scott books years ago, they were ...I read the Shell Scott books years ago, they were in my Dad's library. I found them funny.Mac n' Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05732924562630675589noreply@blogger.com