CHANCE
Published by Penguin Putnam Inc.
1996
From the Hard-cover Dustjacket:
The search for a Mafia princess's errant spouse lands Spenser--"one of
detective fiction's best hard-boiled gumshoes" (People)--on the firing
line in a gangland turf war.
Once again, Robert B. Parker makes
artfulness look easy, with Chance, his sensational new thriller. This
time Spenser--the tough-but-tender sleuth whose passion for justice
repeatedly plunges him into a sea of trouble--hires out on a marital
matter whose attached strings entangle him with the Mob.
When
big-time Boston hoodlum Julius Ventura approaches Spenser and his
redoubtable sidekick, Hawk, about locating his only daughter's missing
husband, it's clear he's not telling them the whole truth about the
blushing bride and the ardent groom. In fact, he may be lying. But
something about these missing links appeals to Spenser, and he agrees to
take the case.
So begins an odyssey into the netherworld of
disorganized crime: from the throne rooms of crime lords to the Vegas
strip; from two-bit wiseguys with a genius for dangerous liaisons to
gangsters' molls in jeopardy; from larceny to homicide. And that's just
for openers. All too soon, it becomes clear that what's at stake is not
young love, but control of gangland Boston. Spenser and Hawk find
themselves dead-center in a circus of violence whose shadowy ringmaster
is all too familiar to a private eye with a past.
Set against
the bright lights and seamy side streets of Las Vegas, Parker's latest
novel proves hat "he can still create characters who live and dialogue
that talks" (The New York Times Book Review).
Robert B. Parker
is the author of more than twenty-seven books, including the recent
Spenser bestsellers Thin Air and Walking Shadow. He lives in Boston.
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SPENSARIUM'S APHORISMS AND ALLUSIONS
"Never knew somebody knew more stuff that didn't matter."
Hawk to Spenser in Chapter 29 of Taming a Seahose
Dedication:
"Joan: Every town is Paris; every month is May"
Song: When Joanna Loved Me
Pefformed by Tony Bennett
Written by Robert Wells and Jack Segal
Peaked at # 94 in 1964
Today is just another day, tomorrow is a guess
But yesterday, oh,
what I'd give for yesterday
To relive one yesterday and its
happiness
When Joanna loved me
Every town was Paris
Every day was Sunday
Every month was May
When Joanna loved
me
Every sound was music
Music made of laughter
Laughter
that was bright and gay
But when Joanna left me
May became
December
But, even in December, I remember
Her touch, her smile,
and for a little while
She loves me
And once again it's
Paris
Paris on a Sunday
And the month is May
Chapter 1:
"As if she were going to whistle Evelina..."
Song: Evelina (From the 1944 Broadway show Bloomer Girl)
Evelina is the youngest of Cicero Falls hoop-skirt manufacturer Horatio
Applegate¹s four daughters. It is the spring of 1861 and she is
unmarried. In addition, she doesn¹t think she¹ll be very interested in
Jefferson Lightfoot Calhoun, the new salesman her father has hired to
cover southern territories. Good-hearted scoundrel that he is, Calhoun
wins her over, and their romance is only temporarily troubled when it
looks as if he¹s going to send Pompey, a slave he¹s given to Evelina,
back home to Kentucky. Jeff is also somewhat taken aback at Evelina¹s
allying herself with Dolly Bloomer, her father¹s crusading sister. But,
of course, he gets over that once the Civil War breaks out and more
significant troubles than hoop-skirt hoopla prevail. American Civil War,
"Bloomer Girl" addressed such contemporary themes as the women's reform
movement and the struggle for civil rights. The musical made a star out
of actress Celeste Holm and featured a memorable performance by Dooley
Wilson ("Sam" in the film classic Casablanca). The beautiful score by
Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg (The Wizard of Oz) feaures such memorable
songs as "Right as the Rain," "Evelina" and "The Eagle and Me."
Music: Harold Arlen
Lyrics: Yip Harburg
Evelina, won't ya ever take a shine to that moon?
Evelina, ain't ya bothered by the bobolink's tune?
Tell me, tell me how long
Ya gonna keep delayin' the day.
Don't ya reckon it's wrong
Trifflin' with April this way?
Evelina, won't ya pay a little mind to me soon?
Wake up! wake up!
The earth is fair, the fruit is fine
But what's the use o' smellin' winter water melon
Clingin' to another fella's vine?
Evelina, won't ya roll off that vine an' be mine?
CLICK HERE to listen to Evelina (Requires real Audio)
Chapter 2:
"Death before dishonor"
The motto, "death before dishonor," was at the heart of the courtly
ideals which many Renaissance humanists derived from classical sources.
Both Donne and Montaigne defend suicide (under certain circumstances) in
their writings. It is also seen as the unofficial motto of the US Marine
Corps. When Marines get tattoos, they do it to express their solidarity,
and choose bull dogs, 'death before dishonor,' and USMC. It is sometimes attributed to
Horace in this Odes:
Book IV : Ode ix : Line 45:
It is not the rich man you should properly call happy, but him who knows
how to use with wisdom the blessings of the gods, toendure hard poverty,
and who fears dishonor worse than death, and is not afraid to die for
cherished friends or fatherland.
Chapter 2:
"Frailty, thy name is woman."
Play: Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
Act 1: Scene 2
Though saddened by his father's death, the larger cause of Prince
Hamlet's misery is Queen Gertrude's disloyal marriage to Claudius.
Within one month of losing her beloved husband, Queen Gertrude hastily
married Claudius, King Hamlet's own brother. Galled by Gertrude's
hypocrisy and unfaithfulness, Hamlet scorns his mother, saying,
"'frailty, thy name is woman!' "
Chapter 3:
"the bag wanted to jump around and say 'Beep, Beep.' "
The Road Runner cartoons from Looney Tune fame.
See also: Crimson Joy
Chapter 5:
"...past HH Richardson's other church"
Henry Hobson Richardson is regarded as one of the great American
architects and as a leader of the revivial of the Romanesque style. He
was born in Louisana in 1838, and at a young age showed exceptional
talent in drawing and in mathematics. After graduating from Harvard
College, he went to Europe to further his architectural studies. While
in Paris, he expanded his appreciation for harmony and style. After
completing his studies, H.H. Richardson returned to America to begin his
professional life as an architect. One of his earliest significant
designs was the Church of the Unity in Springfield, MA. His reputation
for excellence spread, and he was commissioned to design the Trinity
Church in Boston (1873). He also designed Boston's Brattle Square
Church (1867).
Chapter 5:
"......you'll be bouncing around like one of the Nicholas brothers."
Fayard and Harold Nicholas whose careers span over six decades, make up
one of the most beloved dance teams in the history of dance-The Nicholas
Brothers. Legends in their own time, they are best known for their
unforgettable appearances in more than 30 Hollywood musicals in the
1930s and '40s, Stormy Weather being their favorite. Their artistry,
choreographic brilliance, and unique style, a smooth mix of tap, jazz,
ballet and acrobatic moves, have excited and astonished vaudeville,
theatre, film and television audiences all over the world.
Chapter 6:
"...obedient, cheerful, thrifty," he muttered more to himself than me,
"brave, clean and reverent."
The Boy Scout Law:
A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind,
Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent
Chapter 7:
"The bartender didn't know what Krug was."
Champagne is a region in France, and only wines which come from this
region can properly be called "Champagne". Similar drinks from
California, Germany, Australia and the rest of the world should be
called "sparkling wines". Sparkling wines may be described as mousséux
or crément in French, espumoso in Spanish, spumante in Italian and sekt
in German. The word Champagne (shaom-payn) was derived from the Latin
term campania, originally used to describe the countryside just north of
Rome. In the early Middle Ages it became applied to a province in north
east France. Champagne, with its two champagne towns Rheims and Èpernay,
was the first region to make sparkling wine in any formal quantity.
Initial wines from these regions did not sparkle: they were light,
pinkish still wines made from the Pinot Noir grape. In the last half of
the 17th century there was a tendency to stop fermentatin in the cold
winters and then to start refermenting in the spring. This was
considered something of a nuisance, as the resulting release of carbon
dioxide was often strong enough to break the flimsy bottles. The
effervescence of the wine was however enjoyed by wine dinkers at that
time and the original French "methode champenoise" of making wine that
sparkles was developed by the Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon at
Hautviller When purchasing Champagne the first thing to keep in mind is
that those which come from any of the great houses is all good, whether
from a vintage year or not. The popular top quality Champagne producers
include Bollinger, Charles Heidsiek, Krug, Lanson, Laurent Perrier,
Louis Roederer, Mercier, Moët & Chandon, Mumm, Perrier-Jouet, Piper
Heidsiek, Pol Roger, Pommery et Greno, Taittinger and Veuve
Cliquot-Ponsardin. To say that one is better than another is not so much
a reflection of quality as it is merely to show a preference for the
style and character of one or another.
CLICK HERE for a brief history of champagne.
Chapter 9:
"I feel like Chester the Molester"
Dwayne Tinsley, created the cartoon "Chester the Molester" for the adult magazine
Hustler. 'Chester' depicted pre-teen girls of all races being molested. Tinsley
was convicted in 1990 of sexually abusing his daughter.
Chapter 9:
"...baseball cap with the words 'Community Servings'..."
CLICK HERE to visist the Community Servings organization on the web.
Chapter 10:
"My name is Dixie Walker."
"Your father a Brooklyn Dodgers fan?"
Brooklyn Dodgers Right Fielder who led a petition against Jackie
Robinson saying that if he played they wanted to be traded to a
non-integrated team.
Chapter 10:
"...as if I had asked her about pigs whistling."
Webster's Third New International Dictionary defines marmot as 1) a
stout-bodied short legged rodent of the genus Marmota that has coarse
fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears, lives in burrows, and
hibernates in winter 2) a prairie dog or one of the larger ground
squirrels. The marmot's vocal displayis a shrill whistle.
Chapter 11:
"The thrill of defeat."
A turn of phrase on the ABC Wide World of Sports slogan. the show was so popular n the 1960s and '70's,
that it made "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" one of the most recognizable
phrases in sports.
Chapter 15:
"a blonde in a ponytail was belting 'Hey Look Me Over'..."
"Hey Look Me Over" is a song from a from a somewhat obscure 1960 Lucille Ball musical called Wildcat.
CLICK HERE to listen to 'Hey Look Me Over'
Chapter 15:
"...a look at the white tigers"
Siegfried and Roy, Las vegas' super star magicians, maintain a breeding
program for white tigers at the Mirage where they have been appearing
for almost two decades.
Chapter 16
...the rude bridge that arched the artificial flood...
Poem: The Concord Hymn (1837)
Ralph Waldo Emerson
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their
flag to April's breeze unfurled;
Here once the embattled farmers
stood;
And fired the shot heard round the
world.
The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps,
And Time the
ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream that
seaward creeps.
On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We place with joy a votive stone,
That memory may
their deeds redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons
are gone.
O Thou who made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free, ‹
Bid Time
and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raised to them
and Thee.
In 1837, this hymn was sung to the tune "Old Hundredth" during the 4th
of July celebration of the town of Concord, Massachusetts, for the
dedication of the Obelisk, a battle monument commemorating the battle of
Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, erected near the North Bridge
where the initial battle took place. By 1837 the bridge had been lost to
a flood. The first stanza is inscribed on the base of Daniel Chester
French's Minute Man Statue.
See also: Pastime
Chapter 18:
"So many shops," she said. So little time."
A turn of phrase on the infamous Mae West (1892-1980) quote:
"So many men...so little time."
Chapter 19:
"We the only ones watching until Panama Hattie showed up."
Movie Musical : Panama Hattie (1942) by Cole Porter
Cast: Hattie Maloney, Ann Sothern; Dick Bulliet, Dan Dailey; Red, Red
Skelton; Leila Tree, Marsha Hunt; Flo Foster, Virginia O'Brien; Rags,
Rags Ragland; Jay Jerkins, Alan Mowbray; Rowdy, Ben Blue; Geraldine
Bulliet, Jackie Horner; Lucas Kefler, Carl Esmond; Admiral Tree, Pierre
Watkin; Colonel John Briggs, Stanley Andrews; Lena Horne and The Berry
Brothers.
Synopsis: "Hattie Maloney (Ann Sothern) is a guady, good-hearted
nightclub singer who tends to love above her station. This time, it's
pedigreed officer Dick Bulliet (Dan Dailey, Jr.), and it's for real. But
there's one little problem: he's got a small daughter so ladylike she
makes Emily Post look like Tugboat Annie - and she's not impressed with
Hattie's bangles and bows, or her 'dems' and 'dose.' And Hattie's got a
trio of protectors, three goofball gobs who think that maybe Hattie's
too good for Dick."
Television: Broadcast by CBS-TV on November 10, 1954 on The Best of
Broadway series starring Ethel Merman, Ray Middleton, Art Carney, Jack
E. Leonard, and Karin Wolfe
Originally a play that premiered on Broadway on October 31, 1940.
Chapter 19:
"launch a thousand ships and burn the topless towers of Ilium"
Play: The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus (Act V: Scene 1)
by Christopher Marlowe
See also: Double Deuce, Walking Shadow, Chance, Hush Money
Chapter 23:
"Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And--what is more--you'll be a Man, my son!"
Rewards and Fairies (Sanza IV)
by Rudyard Kipling
Chapter 24:
"I was in my room reading Simon Schama's new book about landscapes..."
Landscape and memory
by Simon Schama
What Schama reveals in this intricately structured, finely detailed, and
wonderfully engaging analysis is the endurance of our veneration for
nature, a perspective we still hold dear in spite of our environmental
difficulties. Schama believes that a deeper understanding of our "core
myths" may help us see our way through the present crisis. Schama
focuses on three types of landscapes: forests, rivers, and mountains. As
he describes each setting--from the tragedy-filled forests of Poland to
California's astounding redwoods, to the heavily navigated Thames and
Mississippi, the otherworldly Swiss Alps and even crass Mount
Rushmore--Schama interprets the myths, literature, art, and polemics
that have infused each place with metaphorical, spiritual, or political
significance.
CLICK HERE for more on this book
Chapter 31:
"I wonder who's Gino's decorator."
"Molly Pritcher," Hawk said.
An Artillery wife, Mary Hays McCauly (better known as Molly Pritcher/Pitcher)
shared the rigors of Valley Forge with her husband, William Hays. Her
actions during the battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778 became legendary.
That day at Monmouth was as hot as Valley Forge was cold. Someone had to
cool the hot guns and bathe parched throats with water. Across that
bullet-swept ground, a striped skirt fluttered. Mary Hays McCauly was
earning her nickname "Molly Pitcher" by bringing pitcher after pitcher
of cool spring water to the exhausted and thirsty men. She also tended
to the wounded and once, heaving a crippled Continental soldier up on
her strong young back, carried him out of reach of hard-charging
Britishers. On her next trip with water, she found her artilleryman
husband back with the guns again, replacing a casualty. While she
watched, Hays fell wounded. The piece, its crew too depleted to serve
it, was about to be withdrawn. Without hesitation, Molly stepped forward
and took the rammer staff from her fallen husband¹s hands. For the
second time on an American battlefield, a woman manned a gun. (The first
was Margaret Corbin during the defense of Fort Washington in 1776.)
Resolutely, she stayed at her post in the face of heavy enemy fire, ably
acting as a matross (gunner). For her heroic role, General Washington
himself issued her a warrant as a noncommissioned officer.
Thereafter, she was widely hailed as "Sergeant Molly." A flagstaff and
cannon stand at her gravesite at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. A sculpture on
the battle monument commemorates her courageous deed.
Chapter 32:
"Just 'cause he talks like f---ing William F. Buckley..."
William F. Buckley Jr., is considered by many to be "the authentic,
authoritative journalistic voice of conservatism." He is also among the
most widely syndicated and intensively read of all columnists appearing
in over 300 newspapers. Founder of National Review, the lively and
respected journal of conservative thought and opinion. Star of "Firing
Line," the weekly television debate program which airs on the Public
Broadcasting Service. Author of many best-selling books, including God
and Man at Yale, Saving the Queen, Stained Glass and Overdrive.
Contributor of articles to most American publications, among them:
Architectural Digest, Art & Antiques, The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire,
Foreign Affairs, Harper's, Life, The New Republic, The New Yorker, The
New York Times, Playboy, Reader's Digest, The Saturday Evening Post,
Saturday Review, and TV Guide. Buckley's career has taken him from Yale
to the United Nations and into politics and journalism, where he has
become something of an institution as a successful debater, political
analyst and critic.
Chapter 32:
"No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks"
An old Children's rhyme that has since been recorded on numerous
occasions, primarily by heavy metal bands.
Chapter 33:
"...and a red do-rag on his head. First Deion, now the world."
Athlete Deion "Prime Time" Sanders re-popularized the "do rag" during his rise to
stardom in the 90's. It became somewhat controversial during his tenure
with the Dallas Cowboys and the san Francisco 49'ers.
Chapter 44:
"...he was sitting in it reading 'Remembering Denny,' by Calvin Trillian."
Everybody idolized Denny Hansen. He was a varsity swimmer and a Rhodes
Scholar whose "million-dollar smile" and bright future made him the
subject of a feature in Life magazine. A clean-cut college hero filled
with limitless promise, Denny symbolized everything thought of as good
in 1950s America. But life worked out differently for Denny. By middle
age he was alone and unfulfilled: he committed suicide at fifty-five. In
'Remembering Denny,' essayist and poet Calvin Trillin investigates the
death of a Yale classmate. In so doing, he also reflects upon the
American fifties, offering a provocative look at the way we were -
rather than the way we thought we were - and its consequences.
CLICK HERE for more info on Remembering Denny
Chapter 44:
"I was sitting at my desk trying to learn how to say 'you'll never get
me, you dirty rat.' "
Though commonly attributed as a line used by James Cagney in the movie
"Public Enemy," in 1974,received the Life Achievement Award of the
American Film Institute, he took the opportunity to tell the world that
he had never once uttered the words for which he became famous.
Chapter 51:
"Tomorrow, the world"
Book: Mein Kampf
by Adolf Hitler
"Today, Germany is ours, and tomorrow the world."
Chapter 52:
"Who was it who said there are no second acts in American life?"
Book: The Last Tycoon
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The lastTycoon is Fitzgerald's unfinished novel. This quote appears in the "Notes" section.
Spenser's Libations
New Amsterdam Black and Tan (CH 4)
Sustenance
Chapter 2: (Dinner at Spenser's with Susan)
Beluga caviar with Bremner Wafers and lemon wedges (CH 2)
Grilled Lemon and Rosemary boneless chicken thighs
Brown Rice with pignolas
Assorted steamed fresh vegetables dressed with Spenser's "honey mustard splash"
Blue Corn Bread
Chapter 4: Coffee and Corn Muffins (Dunkin?) with Quirk in Spenser's office.
Chapter 5: Spenser-Cajun Fried Squid Hawk-Scallops Marcus-Red Snapper
(Lunch at Legal Seafood with Hawk and Tony Marcus)
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