tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post8056808711073509690..comments2024-03-28T08:40:52.180-07:00Comments on Bitter Tea and Mystery: Too Many Cooks: Rex StoutTracyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-57993777192789229982016-01-08T14:59:35.093-08:002016-01-08T14:59:35.093-08:00I don't know why I have always loved those cha...I don't know why I have always loved those characters. Archie is sexist, Wolfe is a misogynist (mostly). The books do have some decent female characters sometimes, although not usually prominent ones. Nevertheless, I still can reread these books over and over.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-91824398825640478492016-01-08T13:37:34.187-08:002016-01-08T13:37:34.187-08:00I'm in complete sympathy with your preference ...I'm in complete sympathy with your preference of characters over plot puzzles, Tracy. Characters and voice trump pretty much everything else for me. I haven't read Rex Stout in ages, and I just now realized I miss those old boys, too. Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-17090581368862149422016-01-08T13:02:03.652-08:002016-01-08T13:02:03.652-08:00I agree, Graham. I cannot remember how I reacted w...I agree, Graham. I cannot remember how I reacted when I first read this book forty or more years; possibly it was clear to me that Wolfe's behavior makes up for any discomfort with the other characters' behavior. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-61386929526326895562016-01-08T10:13:39.757-08:002016-01-08T10:13:39.757-08:00When I first read TOO MANY COOKS, I actually got a...When I first read TOO MANY COOKS, I actually got angry at some of the language used by Archie and the local police, but it's clearly a setup. Later in the book Wolfe treats the black staff as equals, even pointing out that one of them is "a college man", and rebukes the casual racism of the other characters.Graham Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01775285782385634486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-14361113457828510102016-01-06T15:35:31.368-08:002016-01-06T15:35:31.368-08:00Thanks, Col, I cannot contain my enthusiasm for th...Thanks, Col, I cannot contain my enthusiasm for the Wolfe series. I have tried to think of a good one for you, but none of them are very gritty. I think you said you had Over My Dead Body, which I do like (of course). The only one I can think of with actual semi-thrillerish type activity was The Golden Spiders. There is a gunfight and thugs who are pretty threatening.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-12884413370228900982016-01-06T15:30:13.675-08:002016-01-06T15:30:13.675-08:00Prashant, I am sure you enjoy reading a Nero Wolfe...Prashant, I am sure you enjoy reading a Nero Wolfe book, and everyone should try at least one. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-86660508410483412702016-01-06T15:28:54.796-08:002016-01-06T15:28:54.796-08:00I like the books where Wolfe and Archie leave thei...I like the books where Wolfe and Archie leave their home, Margot, but I do miss all the other characters. But it does provide some variety. Not that I ever saw the Nero Wolfe series as formulaic.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-81140336881623016912016-01-06T15:27:04.965-08:002016-01-06T15:27:04.965-08:00That is funny, Cath. I even saw on Goodreads that ...That is funny, Cath. I even saw on Goodreads that you had added Books to Die For. I have that book, have read portions of it, but had forgotten that Too Many Cooks was covered in that book.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-20170788206440999122016-01-06T15:20:02.151-08:002016-01-06T15:20:02.151-08:00So here's a strange thing... I'm reading B...So here's a strange thing... I'm reading Books to Die For, John Connolly's book of famous authors recommending their favourite crime novels. And the one I got to today was someone (I forget who) recommending Too Many Cooks. Life is odd sometimes...Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-37316438372884494212016-01-06T08:46:19.012-08:002016-01-06T08:46:19.012-08:00I love your enthusiasm for the Wolfe books Tracy. ...I love your enthusiasm for the Wolfe books Tracy. I'll eventually get around to dipping my toes into the series at some point.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-49798505715797073572016-01-06T08:38:31.888-08:002016-01-06T08:38:31.888-08:00Nice piece and review, Tracy. After reading Moira&...Nice piece and review, Tracy. After reading Moira's review of a Rex Stout novel, previously reviewed by you, I'm really keen to read at least one novel by the author, to start with.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-91204538349300553372016-01-06T07:54:44.014-08:002016-01-06T07:54:44.014-08:00I found this a really interesting book, Tracy, not...I found this a really interesting book, Tracy, not least because it show Wolfe outside his usual environment. That alone got my attention. I agree with you that the 'regulars' such as Fritz add so much to the Wolfe stories. Still this is a good 'un with a solid mystery in it. And Archie. ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-1066356648207352662016-01-05T17:05:50.772-08:002016-01-05T17:05:50.772-08:00I do hope you like it, Cath. And I will be eager t...I do hope you like it, Cath. And I will be eager to hear what you thought of it, either way.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-51777658718880989052016-01-05T15:08:03.973-08:002016-01-05T15:08:03.973-08:00I planned to read this for the Vintage crime chall...I planned to read this for the Vintage crime challenge two years ago and never did get to it. As I'm doing it again this year I might well read this as it sounds fun.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-57506950447931101142016-01-05T13:13:52.328-08:002016-01-05T13:13:52.328-08:00Noah, The recipes at the end of the book was one o...Noah, The recipes at the end of the book was one of the things I neglected to mention. I was just running out of steam. The Dell mapback does have the recipes. I read 1/3 of the book using the Pyramid edition, then gave up on that one because the print was too light. I moved on to an omnibus edition containing Too Many Cooks, and it also had the recipes included. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-51099244136227593722016-01-05T13:08:27.838-08:002016-01-05T13:08:27.838-08:00Thanks for joining us for Rex Stout January! Ther...Thanks for joining us for Rex Stout January! There are a couple of editions of this book that contain the recipe for, among a few other things, saucisse minuit -- not the Pyramid edition you used, as I recall, but certainly in the Dell mapback you show. The editions with the recipes are harder to come by ... I won't be making saucisse minuit any time soon LOL, but it's nice to know I could if I wanted to!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-68870407809489148762016-01-05T12:59:45.031-08:002016-01-05T12:59:45.031-08:00I wish I could be reading some of these for the fi...I wish I could be reading some of these for the first time, Moira. An interesting point about this one is that one of the black characters is a prominent character in another Nero Wolfe story nearly thirty years later (A Right To Die, 1964). My post is very lengthy and there is so much more I could have said.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-7922239768465202972016-01-05T12:50:03.241-08:002016-01-05T12:50:03.241-08:00So glad you are joining us for Wolfe Month Tracy. ...So glad you are joining us for Wolfe Month Tracy. This one sounds great - I have heard of it but not read it, and will add it to my list. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.com