Not Very Sparkling

Ailz went to the family party and I stayed at home. I felt too buggered to cope even with Elmore Leonard- so I watched Robin Hood- which must be one of the silliest programmes ever.

Which prompts an aside about Dr Who. I've always been a fan of Russell T. Davies and ready to defend him against most charges, but the Christmas Special found him shamelessly recycling old ideas- his own and other people's- and it's clearly time he handed over the reins. I'm thinking it'll make a difference having Catherine Tate on board. An established comedian as Doctor's companion- it's bound to affect the way the writers write.

Anyway it seems I was missed (at the family party). Nick and John (my sort of niece and nephew) missed me so much they want to come and visit. Of course I'm flattered. I'm a grumpy, dry, old cove who increasing doesn't give a fart what people think of him- and maybe that's missable. I dunno. The less you try to sparkle, the more interesting you become; does that make any sense?

Georges Simenon v Elmore Leonard

I prefer Simenon.

Because- for instance- in the book I've just been reading- The Stain on the Snow- he really does try to get under the skin of his 18 year old street thug (how he's comfortable in some places, uncomfortable in others- afraid of some people- not necessarily the obvious ones- how he calculates his bravado, how he's not as completely in control of himself as he thinks he is).  Maybe the exercise doesn't quite come off and the psychology is a little too pat (thank you for those insights, Dr Freud) but at least here's a writer who's working his imagination hard. 

With Leonard what you're getting- for all the accuracy of the surface detail- is romance. He's into the whole Chandler thing where the street-soiled gumshoe is really Sir Galahad and the crim is a laid-back mastermind and the gal is one hell of a classy broad. It's like he's wetting himself that these people carry guns and it's all so cool. 

Simenon wants to give you some truth and Leonard doesn't. Simple as that, really.