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What are you reading now.
Right now I'm reading "Dune, House Atreides" by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. It is a requel to "Dune" that's not bad. What are you reading now?
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We did a little antiquing today and instead of finding a new estate pipe I did come across another treasure of sorts. A book. Now you have to be at least 50 years old or better to be familiar with this author or the character he portrayed on TV . The author of the book is Cliff Arquette ... better known to the public as Charlie Weaver. Charlie Weaver was a constant fixture on TV during the 50s' and 60s' appearing on TV talk shows and game shows. His down home humor was a combination of Mark Twain mixed in with a handful of oddball characters you might find residing on Andy Griffith's Mayberry. He was a regular on the Jack Parr Show which is probably why Jack Parr wrote the introduction to the book. One of the highlights of a conversation with his character Charlie Weaver was when he'd read a letter from his Mamma living in Mount Idy. The stories would be populated with oddball characters with names like Birdie Rodd, Grandpa Ogg, Elsie Krack, Doctor Beemish, and Ludlow Bean the town's two-headed mayor. Corny homespun humor that had the audience rolling in their seats. Simpler times and cleaner humor ... something that probably wouldn't go over well with today's public.
I found this skinny little 61 page book (with drawings) sitting on the shelf and it immediately brought a smile to my face. The title "Charley Weaver's Letters From Mamma", and it's a collection of the many letters he read on the air over the years as well as some new one written specifically for the book. A very easy read that probably took about an hour at best ... and some of the corniest tales you might imagine. But I found myself smiling the entire time I was reading it. And keeping a smile on your face for a hour in this day and age is quite an accomplishment. Best $2.00 I ever spent.
Here is an example of one of the letters:
Dear Hula Hoop:(Mamma always said I had a way of getting around people) Things are fine in Mount Idy (she goes on - and on - and on). Well, its election time here and everybody is running for some kind of office. Byron Ogg ran for mayor last year, and when he quit running he was in Mexico. Ludlow Bean is the most promising candidate. He'll promise you anything. He's also the most honest man in the race. He's the most honest that for the past seven years he's run the public baths at Snider's Swamp, and he's never taken one - at least not in public. Your father and I are going to vote for Ludlow Bean for mayor. Your father says two heads are better than one. Not ours - Ludlow's. He has several advantages over the other candidates. He can kiss twice as many babies, smokes twice as many cigars, and can talk out of both sides of both mouths at the same time. Of course if he becomes mayor he'll have to give up his job at the Bide-a-Wee Book Store, where he is now employed as book ends. He's the only man in Mount Idy who can check his own cavities. Grandma Off threw a big party last night. She was on her home from a meeting of the girls of 'Let's Give Alf Landon Another Whirl At It Club', when this big party stuck a gun in her back. As I said before, last night Grandma threw a big party. They say he may live. Well son, I must close now and go help your father. He found an old Civil War cannon ball and he took it and a hammer out in the back yard to see if it was still any good - it was. I'm going to tell him a thing or two when he comes down. Love, Mamma
by Tom C. Mckenney
About a neutral man in TN during the civil war until his sons were wrongfully executed by the union army, he then became a lone sniper for the Confederacy.