Week beginning 14th April

Book Reviews: this week several novels by women writers are reviewed. Some I rate poorly but decided that they are worth including as a source. I begin with a novel I have given a positive rating.

C.L. Taylor, Her Last Holiday, AVON HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2021

C.L. Taylor brings together memorable characters; a satisfying plot; while inspiring twists and turns are included, the intrigue does not rely on them; and experiences that resonate with current concerns.  Includes a wonderful character in Fran Fitzgerald. A 4* rating.

Ros Carne, The Stepmother, Canelo, United Kingdom, 2021.

The short prologue is gripping: two women bury a body, not in anger, but with love. However, this is the highlight. The characters’ unpleasantness made this novel difficult to enjoy. A grudging 3* rating.

Pamela Crane, The Sister-in-Law, Avon A Division of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd, London, 2021.

Everyone in The Sister-in-Law has created a tangled web of truths, half-truths, lies, prejudices, positive and negative qualities, and excuses for seeing their own desires and demands as paramount. Another grudging 3* novel.

See the full reviews at robrjo6.com/books-reviews/

Television Comments: Yet another Agatha Christie novel is to be televised. This time, it is one of her stand alone works, so we do not have to suffer the interpretations of Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple on screen. Why Didn’t They Ask Evans is an amusing detective story, with a fairly good plot, a cast of characters including a daughter of the castle and son of the rectory, whose liaison raises class issues resolved by the couple’s departure to South America (!), and some satisfying villains. For the story see Television: Comments.

America’s reaction to Covid 19 has progressed from the memorial on the eve of the inaugurations of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Below are the current figures for vaccinations administered since then, so that 22.3% of Americans have been vaccinated.

Australian vaccination roll out has been fraught so that we now have figures that are well below America, the UK – many other countries other than Botswana. Australia has done so well in relation to cases of Covid 19, community transmission, hospitalisation and deaths. But vaccination? Complacency? Bad policy decisions? Bungling? Prime Minister Scott Morrison is now taking the issue to the National Cabinet to deal with.

Matt Coughlan  MSN News 14/4 /2021 (edited retain key points on the vaccination rollout and to omit photographs)

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PM signals shift to mass vaccination hubs

Australia is set to shift to mass coronavirus vaccination clinics in a bid to roll out more jabs under the troubled immunisation program.

Scott Morrison on Wednesday abandoned his opposition to major vaccine hubs, which Labor and doctors have pushed for…

The prime minister made the shift after announcing he would meet with state and territory leaders twice a week to get the derailed rollout back on track…

Mr Morrison said offering all Australians at least one shot of a vaccine by the end of this year remained a possibility…

Mr Morrison attributed the delays to three million doses failing to arrive from Europe and medical advice for people under 50 to avoid the AstraZeneca jab.

The government is attempting to complete vaccinations for the most vulnerable people by the middle of the year…

The next national cabinet meeting has been brought forward to Monday and after that will meet twice a week.

Mr Morrison said the more regular meetings would continue “until we solve the problems and get the program back on track”…

Personal experience of the rollout in Australia

My experience with the first shot was poor, with my first appointment being changed – as the vaccine had not arrived. Let’s see what happens next time!

The following is useful information about the pause taking place regarding the Johnson & Johnson vaccination. Dr Fauci suggests that a pause is not uncommon in dealing with new vaccination.

Dr. Anthony Fauci explains what the U.S. pause on J&J’s Covid vaccine means

PUBLISHED TUE, APR 13 20212:32 PM EDTUPDATED TUE, APR 13 20215:04 PM EDTBerkeley Lovelace Jr.@BERKELEYJR

KEY POINTS

• White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said the FDA’s recommended pause will give U.S. health regulators the time they need to thoroughly investigate how six women developed a rare blood clotting disorder that left one dead.
• Fauci said officials at the FDA and the CDC want to see if there are “any clues” and “find some common denominators among the women who were involved.”

Jen Psaki White House Press Secretary

If you want to watch something uplifting, find Jen Psaki as she briefs the White House press. She is terrific.