At 4:55 AM -0400 03/01/11, THDW wrote:
>Here's the Publisher's Weekly synopsis:
>
>>Blair's ostensible mission is to find John Rowland, the missing 
>>curate who was engaged to Hannay's daughter, but he quickly learns 
>>that he'll need all his bush survival skills just to stay alive in 
>>Wigan, where no one seems to want the curate found. Much of Blair's 
>>gritty charm lies in his hatred of all things English, just as he 
>>is hated in turn by the aristocratic Hannays, their peer relations, 
>>the Rowlands-and the miners.
>
>Sounds like one of your posts to this list.

Not fair, T -- you should have to read it yourself before you comment! :D

Actually, this is a poor synopsis. Blair is hated only by one Hannay, 
his opposite number as it were, is disliked by some of their satraps, 
like very much by the bailiff, the daughter loves him, Lord Hannay, 
the bishop, thinks him first class, and most of the miners like him 
too.

But the plot is not my primary interest when reading Cruz Smith; I 
would read him expounding on toilet paper manufacturing processes, I 
think, because of the quality of his research and writing. he has a 
wonderful eye for detail and is able to illustrate his subject in a 
way that adds a dimension, life, to facts about matters big and small.

In "Rose", he very clearly sets out the forces underlying empire -- 
and the level of hypocrisy, exploitation, and corruption at every 
level involved. And he illustrates something I realized a long time 
ago, it wasn't "the English" or even "the British" who dreadfully 
exploited dominion populations, it was the tiny percentage at the top 
who exploited everyone both at home and abroad in the same way.

The same thing is occurring today with giant corporations and 
corporate leaders (in most cases) rather than aristocratic 
individuals and families involved, gobbling up resources at an 
ever-accelerating pace. I'm seeing it close up in Papua New Guinea, 
Timor-Leste, and Australia.

Cheers, geoff