Let it snow, let it snow…

It’s nice and snowy. Makes you want to stay inside…

It’s not a secret or anything and not like I want to be egotistical about it, but if anyone was wondering, it is my birthday today. Yahoo.com had a nice birthday Thought For Today on my yahoo account – “Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.” — Attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).

Little trivia that I already knew: I share a birthday with U.S. President Martin van Buren (of NYS, to boot) and Walt Disney (the founder of the corporation that currently in turmoil).

Trivia that I didn’t know: turned out that in 1791, Mozart died on this date. Bummer. No wonder Yahoo had the Mozart quote attribution.

Now, that I’ve done this birthday observation, I can return to being in denial about getting older. So, let’s press on.

Notable book that I’ve just finished: “A Fearsome Doubt,” by Charles Todd. (Published by Bantam, paperback, 2002). Historical mystery: Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard, is a World War I veteran; it’s 1919, a year after armistice and Rutledge is still in recovery from his pychological wounds. In fact, in his mind, his constant companion is Hamish MacLeod, the Scottish corporal who was sadly executed by senior officer Rutledge for refusing to obey orders; Hamish the ghost/conscience is the representation of Rutledge’s perpetual guilt and his Watson; and, no, to even be more blunt, Hamish isn’t a real ghost. In “A Fearsome Doubt,” Rutledge is assigned to find out who’s been murdering veterans in the countryside. As a mystery, I found the solution a tad odd and incomplete, but strangely satisfying; then again, the Rutledge series generally ends with sort-of cliffhangers that leave me wanting more. As a novel of psychological and emotional exploration, it’s spectacular. Rutledge is so guilt-ridden, wavering, but still determined. Really good subway reading.

Enjoy the snow…