The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

Alistair Cooke and Russell Baker… Masterpiece Theatre’s Masterful Hosts…

A comment from a Cozy Mystery site reader started me thinking about two of the hosts I can remember from the PBS Masterpiece Theatre shows. Let me see….

Years ago, Alistair Cooke was the host of this show. He was highly informative. Cooke’s job seemed to be to “fill us in” on the pertinent facts of the actual book/story on which that night’s episode was going to be based. He would tell us about the author of the highlighted story/book, and he would often describe the time era in which the particular show would take place. He was a fountain of background information. Perhaps this was because he actually had a degree in English Literature, or perhaps it was because he was a newspaper journalist. He did an exemplary job at setting the mood for the particular shows he introduced.

Enter Russell Baker! He was yet another terrific host of the Masterpiece Theatre shows. Baker also had a degree in English Literature, and also was a correspondent/newspaper journalist. He provided us with the sort of information that many of us wanted… information about the author of the book/story and many times he would tell us about the period of time that the piece took place. I truly enjoyed this Pulitzer-winning host’s introductions of Masterpiece Theatre. He truly was a phenomenal host of the Masterpiece Theatre shows.

They were master hosts of Masterpiece Theatre!

PS>>> I pre-wrote this entry back in November of 2010 and decided to wait and post it another time. Today I found out that my local PBS station is going to be showing “Masterpiece: Unseen Alistair Cooke” next Sunday night (Feb. 6, 2011) so I decided to post this today.

Cozy Mystery Books I've Been Reading: Ngaio Marsh, Ellis Peters, and Cyril Hare

I am taking all of our Christmas decorations down and getting them ready for storage, which means that I am once again, attached to my audible book. I know I have written about doing mindless chores in the house… and how I always listen to my audible books when those times arise.

I feel like I am starting the New Year off with a bang! I am re-visiting some of my very favorite authors… I just finished listening to my latest audio by Ngaio Marsh. I always enjoy seeing what Inspector Roderick Alleyn and Troy (not to mention his sergeant, Fox) are up to. It is always a treat.

Since I finished my Marsh audible mystery, I started a new mystery… which is by Ellis Peters. LOVE her! And, LOVE Brother Cadfael! I have to admit that sometimes it takes my brain a little while to adjust to the 12th century setting, but once I’m there, I’m really there!

As for my “hard copy mystery”… Having loved An English Murder so much, I am now starting on Cyril Hare‘s Inspector Mallet mystery series. It took me a while to gather up all of the books in the series, as they are no longer in print. But, now that I have all of them, I am ready to see if Hare’s mystery series is on par with his Christmas mystery. So far, very good!

Man! These three authors really bring to life that saying: “It doesn’t get any better than this!” for me. Authors like Marsh, Peters, and Hare make doing mindless chores a whole lot less tedious for me.

Now that I have told you all what I am reading, would any of you mind telling us what you are currently reading?

Happy Birthday!

Today is my daughter’s birthday, and she spent it traveling back to school! Happy Birthday!!! I am so very happy that you are in my life!

This morning started rather early for all of us (4:00 AM), as we had to get our daughter to the airport for an early morning flight. Her Christmas vacation was absolutely, without a doubt, TOO SHORT!

The five of us (son, daughter, husband, me… and Sprite) had a great holiday, but it’s time to get back to work! My husband and son continued working during the past two weeks, taking a few days off here and there, and of course, my daughter took advantage of being home from school. As for me, I spent a very nice two weeks enjoying having our family all together again. But it’s now time for all of us to get back on our regular schedules. (Actually, Sprite really didn’t deviate from her regular routine: sleep, eat, and then sleep some more!)

My husband and I always enjoy hearing from our daughter, but whenever she (finally!) calls us from her own place at school… after changing planes, taking the “T” (bus/train), and then walking from the “T” stop while carrying her two carry-ons, we are always VERY relieved.

But, to be doing all of this on your birthday, well… I am guessing that she didn’t wish for this sort of day while she blew out the candles on her “pretend” birthday a few days ago, but I know I have always wished that she be happy and safe… So, at least one of our wishes came true!

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