{"id":12695,"date":"2020-04-02T20:34:06","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T00:34:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=12695"},"modified":"2024-01-29T20:09:00","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T01:09:00","slug":"small-vices-audio-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12695","title":{"rendered":"Small Vices, Audio Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Small Vices<\/a><\/em>, Audio Edition (1997) Robert B. Parker<\/a> narrated by Burt Reynolds<\/p>\n

\"Small<\/a>It’s been more than two decades, so this review is going to be completely full of spoilers, because I want to talk about the many reasons why I love this book so very much. So if you haven’t read it, well, you’re missing out. Because this really is one of my favorite books–and I also adore the narration.<\/p>\n

First off, I’ve always loved Spenser’s self-awareness.<\/p>\n

It was a given that if I had a club sandwich, I would get some of it on my shirt. What was under consideration was whether I cared or not, which was related to how I felt about Marcy. Which I hadn\u2019t decided.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The other thing I love is his inherent respect for women.<\/p>\n

We sat and looked at each other. I liked her. There was a calmness in her, a quality of settled self-confidence in the way she leaned back in her chair, the simplicity of her attire, the understatement of her makeup. She knew herself and was happy with what she knew. It made her formidable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Even Patricia Utley, the New York madame, gets respect. Although Robert B Parker does poke a little bit of fun at her, in a scene I adore.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Rosie the small dog) likes it if you say rub rub rub, while you\u2019re doing it.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t do that,\u201d I said. \u201cYou\u2019d tell.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cRub, rub, rub,\u201d Patricia Utley said for me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And there is the way he plays with words, like in ANOTHER favorite passage of mine.<\/p>\n

Since my name was anathema at Pemberton, I had to employ guile. I called the alumni office and said my name was Anathema and I was with the IRS. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an income tax refund for Ms. Glenda Baker, which has been returned by the postal service. Would you have a more recent address for her?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you say your name was?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAnathema,\u201d I said. \u201cPervis Anathema, refund enactment agent.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’ve mentioned also how I also love Burt Reynold’s narration of Small Vices<\/em>, in part from this single passage, where Hawk is speaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d Hawk said, \u201cAlves borrows or steals a car one night, an inconspicuous old pink Caddy. He drives out to Pemberton in his inconspicuous car, where there ain\u2019t no black folks, and the cops pay attention to any that they see. He cruises around in his inconspicuous car until he spots a white girl on a busy street, drags her into his inconspicuous car in front of witnesses, drives her somewhere, takes off her clothes and strangles her, though he maybe doesn\u2019t rape her, dumps her body in the middle of the Pemberton Campus, and rides on back home with her clothes and the aforesaid ligature in his inconspicuous car, so in case the cops stop him he can incriminate himself.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hawk’s voice is a little rougher than Spenser’s and he generally speaks with a fair amount of the street. But in this paragraph they way he carefully pronounces “inconspicuous” emphasized the ridiculousness of what was taken as a given during the trial.<\/p>\n

Another thing I adore is how he manages the passage of time. Chapter 36 is leaving the hospital and the drive to California. As they are leaving Boston, there is the following exchange.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere we going,\u201d I said. <\/p>\n

\u201cSanta Barbara,\u201d Susan said. <\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re driving.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYes. It\u2019s safer.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYou mind if I sing \u2018California Here I Come\u2019 as we roll along?\u201d I said. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re in a weakened condition,\u201d Susan said. \u201cIt\u2019s better if you rest.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just thinking of you,\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s a long ride.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cRemember I got a gun,\u201d Hawk said. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d shoot me if I sing? Your brother?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cShoot myself,\u201d Hawk said, \u201cyou sing a lot.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The rest of the chapter is the briefest of descriptions of the trip, interspersed with lyrics to Route 66 (which Spenser also threatened to sing). As I said, it’s a short chapter, but it gives you the sense of travel and time.<\/p>\n

And then time all but stops when they first get to California, as Spenser begins the hard work of rehabilitation. And that’s yet another thing I love about this story. Spenser was shot three times and nearly died. He’s in a coma for about three weeks, and he can’t even walk unaided when he leaves the hospital. He has a LOT of rehab to do, and Robert B Parker does an amazing job showing us precisely how much work this is. Chapter 38 is six pages long and it is entirely Spenser’s struggle to walk up a hill. I realize that sounds ridiculous, but it’s truly amazing.<\/p>\n

And then the next chapter spans several months, and eventually Spenser works up to running up the hill. It does such an amazing job of showing you just how much hard work Spenser had to do, and just how long it took him to recover. It’s really one of my favorite sections in almost any book.<\/p>\n

But what really makes the book for me is summed up in the final chapter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had everything, money, position, each other. The girl was lovely and successful, wasn\u2019t she?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cSo they tell me.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThe boy was handsome and accomplished.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he didn\u2019t mean to kill her,\u201d I said. \u201cJust a little exotic sex.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it destroys his whole family, the father, the son\u2014 the mother must be devastated . . .\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cTo save a career criminal who\u2019ll be back in jail in no time,\u201d I said. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a professional killer goes free to accomplish it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the end, Spenser does what he was hired to do, even though Ellis Alves was clearly going to end up back in jail, the Gray Man clearly was not going to stop being a hired killer, and a young man with a promising career is destroyed.<\/p>\n

The whole thing is all but perfect, and as I said one of my all-time favorite stories.<\/p>\n

Producer: Phoenix Audio
\nRating: 10\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Small Vices, Audio Edition (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds It’s been more than two decades, so this review is going to be completely full of spoilers, because I want to talk about the many reasons why I love this book so very much. So if you haven’t read it, well, you’re missing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10,37,668,8,742,43,41],"tags":[484,617,106,107],"class_list":["post-12695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-10-10","category-audio-book","category-comfort-read","category-mystery","category-physical-health","category-private-eye","category-reread","tag-burt-reynolds","tag-injury","tag-robert-b-parker","tag-spenser"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-3iL","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":89,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/89","url_meta":{"origin":12695,"position":0},"title":"Small Vices","author":"Michelle","date":"July 2, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Small Vices (1997) Robert B. Parker Okay, so I didn't totally resist, but I've limited myself to just Small Vices, which is one of my favorite Spenser books. Small Vices was my introduction to Spenser. It is also the reason I have some small affection for Burt Reynolds. Back when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comfort Read"","block_context":{"text":"Comfort Read","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/reread\/comfort-read"},"img":{"alt_text":"small vices.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.klishis.com\/Books\/images\/small%20vices.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3909,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3909","url_meta":{"origin":12695,"position":1},"title":"Small Vices (Audio)","author":"Michelle","date":"July 15, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Small Vices (2002) written Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds This audio book was my first exposure to Robert B. Parker. I was doing mind-numbingly dull lab work, and audio books kept me from losing my mind, so I was willing to try almost anything. I fell in love\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comfort Read"","block_context":{"text":"Comfort Read","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/reread\/comfort-read"},"img":{"alt_text":"Small Vices","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/small-vices-200x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":325,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/325","url_meta":{"origin":12695,"position":2},"title":"Small Vices","author":"Michelle","date":"November 13, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Small Vices (1997) Robert B Parker On the trip to get my grandmother, as I was driving alone I wanted a book to listen to, to help me stay awake and coherent. I grabbed Small Vices, read by Burt Reynolds to keep me company on the trip. I really do\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "10\/10"","block_context":{"text":"10\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/10-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"small_vices","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/small_vices.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":22125,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/22125","url_meta":{"origin":12695,"position":3},"title":"Small Vices, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"July 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Small Vices, Audio Book (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds (Spenser) Since my name was anathema at Pemberton, I had to employ guile. I called the alumni office and said my name was Anathema and I was with the IRS. \u201cWe have an income tax refund for Ms.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "10\/10"","block_context":{"text":"10\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/10-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Small Vices","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/small-vices.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9554,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/9554","url_meta":{"origin":12695,"position":4},"title":"Small Vices, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"January 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Small Vices, Audible Version (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds This is, hands down, one of my favorite Spenser books. It's a story that puts Spenser's complexity right up front, as the client he is hired to clear is an unlikable career criminal. \u201cJust don\u2019t get romantic on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "9\/10"","block_context":{"text":"9\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/9-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Small Vices","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/small-vices.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9665,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/9665","url_meta":{"origin":12695,"position":5},"title":"Hugger Mugger, Audio Edition","author":"Michelle","date":"February 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Hugger Mugger (2000) Robert B Parker narrated by Joe Mantegna Walter Clive has hired Spenser to come down to Georgia to see who has been shooting his horses. What Spenser finds makes no sense: there is no rhyme or reason to the shootings, and the in-house security has seen nothing.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio Book"","block_context":{"text":"Audio Book","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/audio-book"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Spenser-Hugger-Mugger.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12695\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}