The one hundred and twenty-sixth book: #95 Lost Illusions - Honore De Balzac
It's rare I get this frustrated with one of the protagonists of a book, but Lost Illusions was frustrating to read - even if it stayed compelling enough to keep going. Between the two protagonists, David - printer and inventory - is too trustful, getting swindled and taken advantage of by several people. It's the more compelling story, helped by real details that set the tone a lot better. The most painful abuse of his good nature is that of his friend Lucien, an unsuccessful poet who we see move between patrons. Seeing the starry-eyed belief that he can make it without any real effort put in is tricky enough, but the middle part of the book that focuses on him feels vacuous enough. When he makes things worse for David, we see him run away (eventually making up for it in a slightly odd sequel hook), but it's only once he's gone that the story can resolve for David and work. It's a troubling book to read, but I think I got enough out of it in the end to keep going. Just be ready.
The one hundred and twenty-seventh book: #1022 The Purloined Letter - Edgar Allen Poe
As one of the two short stories by Poe I'll be covering in the next few days, this holds interest as what it presages. Our unnamed narrator is the companion of a brilliant detective, making leaps of logic that solve the case and make sense to a point. It's a short version of the Sherlock Holmes narrative and an interesting early version of the detective mysteries that works well, taking its time with some humour as well. It's a story that does what it wants to do well, and you can see how well the formula later stories build on work.
The one hundred and twenty-eighth book: #96 The Pit and the Pendulum - Edgar Allen Poe
The other short story is more unique, an exercise in writing style and creating an oppressive atmosphere. The story of a man tortured by the inquisition, with several death traps in his cell, is short, as unclear about its surroundings as the narrator is in the cell, and the more optimistic ending that I suppose happens feels unnecessary in context, but is such a footnote that it barely matters. The setting of the scene, the tone, it all just works brilliantly to arrive at its endings.
The six hundred and twenty eighth album: #628 k.d. lang - Shadowland
The country stylings of k.d. lang are uncomplicated, often feeling quite classically arranged while her strong voice adds a gentleness to the tracks. They're emotional and feel true, which makes for a great country album - the type of country and blues I feel drawn to.