Monday, June 09, 2008

The taking of Meme 123

I've just received a visit from an old friend, the Page 123 meme. You know that one. It's the one that asks you to:

1) Pick up the nearest book.
2) Open it to page 123.
3) Find the fifth sentence.
4) Post the next three sentences.
5) Pass the meme on to five more people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you.

This meme first came my way April 22 , and my reply gave rise to a stimulating interview with Megan Abbott, whose novel Queenpin I happened to be reading at the time. So I have fond feelings toward Page 123, and I thank Sidhubaba, from the city formerly known as Calcutta, for sending it my way again.

The meme has been around awhile, though, and I may be unable to come up with five people who have not been tagged already. But I am happy to fulfill the rest of the assignment, and shortly thereafter, I will add the book in question to the roster of Forgotten Books that deserve to be better remembered.

The book is The Etruscan Bull by Frank Gruber. Happily, Page 123 begins with a new sentence, which means no worrying over whether a sentence that spills over onto a second page is the last sentence of Page 122 or the first sentence of Page 123.

Sentences 6, 7, 8, Page 123 of this enjoyable, humorous, action- and history-packed thriller are:

"A gun in Carmela's fist roared and a bullet kicked some splinters from the wall only inches from Logan.

"Logan fired once at the car itself, shifted to cover Rocco again. `Stop him, Rocco, or you get it — "
Shooting is usually good for a dose of excitement, and the sentence's ending in a dash, breaking off before any of you find out what happens, is a nice touch. If only the Carmela in question were a woman! That might have nudged the passage into the Page 123 Hall of Fame.

And now, readers, let's blow this meme to the stars. I invite all of you to take the Page 123 challenge with your current book. Let me know what happens!

© Peter Rozovsky 2008

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Saturday, June 07, 2008

Make Forgotten Books a part of your life

I urge you to read Patti Abbott's Forgotten Books posts religiously. Each week she asks readers, writers and bloggers to post a short essay on their own blogs about a book that deserves to be better remembered. She then compiles lists of all the essays in a weekly summing up that is the only shopping list a serious crime-fiction fan will ever need. And it renews every week!

Why the excitement? Because the lists are a good idea, but also because I've used them. An author I had not heard of previously stuck in my mind from one of the lists. His name registered when I found an old copy of one of his novels at Philadelphia's own version of Aladdin's Cave, otherwise known as Port Richmond Books. I pulled it off the shelf, found a grabber within the first two pages, and bought the book. So, guarantee yourself a fistful of pleasant surprises every week, and don't forget to read Forgotten Books.

© Peter Rozovsky 2008

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