Wednesday 24 April 2013

Wordplay

We are both really enjoying Endeavour on Sunday evenings

Endeavour&Thursday

It is an extremely clever ‘prequel’ to Morse. The sets are brilliant and strike us both as accurate to the period [being of a certain age, we both remember the 1960s!] I loved the fact that Abigail Thaw [John’s daughter] was in the last episode [playing the Editor of the Oxford Mail] It has been made with the co-operation of Morse’s creator, Colin Dexter.

The young Endeavour has so many of the traits we were familiar with in the later incarnation – a love of classical music and crosswords have featured very highly in the episodes so far [there are two more to come] I was surprised it took him so long to spot the “Bodleian Library” anagram though. Especially when it was presented in two different ways. I was yelling the answer at the screen. “It’s television, Ang, they have to leave time, so he will spot it at the ‘right’ moment” said Bob. Morse’s love of words is one of the things that have always endeared me to the character archers[Dexter is also a fan of “The Archers” – another point in his favour] Barrington Pheloung’s background music is excellent too, with the repetitive ‘Morse’ ostinato.

Years ago I was collecting the girls from Primary School when a teacher took me aside and said “I love having your daughter in my class – she is teaching me so many new words.” [Mum grins proudly*]

rebusApparently they had been doing word puzzles like this, and my girl had piped up "Miss, this is a rebus

rebus 1. a puzzle consisting of pictures representing syllables and words; in such a puzzle the word hear might be represented by H followed by a picture of an ear

2. [Heraldry] a heraldic emblem or device that is a pictorial representation of or pun on the name of the bearer [from French rébus, from the Latin rēbus by things]

Here’s a couple more for you to try…

rebus3redherring

…one of my other favourite crime writers, Ian Rankin, chose ‘Rebus’ as the surname of his detective. Wordplay features in these plots too.  I have the whole set on my bookshelf, and happily re-read them from time to time. It is 6 years since “Exit Music” – the final case before Rebus retired.

Standing-in-Another-Mans-grave

Rankin is a man of integrity, and didn’t write any more, once the man had retired. Then the law regarding police retirement changed. He brought him back, working on “Cold Cases” Liz gave me the book for my birthday.

I just read it –and found it excellent, I ignored housework to find out whoddunnit! [what’s new?]

 

rebus and siobhanWell written, Rankin puts us right back into the world of the scruffy, drink fuelled detective, with his complex relationship with Siobhan, Fox and the others. I am not sure how well this one would translate to the TV screen – but if you liked the earlier ones I think you will enjoy this.*****

[LIke Thaw/Morse, and Suchet/Poirot, Ken Stott is my Rebus. ]

*I ought to say that I wasn’t quite so sure about the fact that a few weeks later, my 10 year old also explained to her teacher who Lysistrata was!

6 comments:

  1. And that's also one of the (many) reasons I love reading your blog, you manage to educate me in an oh so gentle but stimulating way. You must be such a brilliant teacher Angela! Love Penny xx

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  2. Well, I'd just paused to check (Google) that ostinato meant what I felt it ought to when I went on to your next paragraph. You are still doing it - broadening our vocab - well done Ang & keep it up please.
    We are also loving Endeavour, so well constructed with nods to Morse in the future. Ken Stott just embodies Rebus on TV & I love all the books. Will have to reread some now, thanks for the nudge in that direction. Have a good day, x

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  3. That's the trouble with whodunits, when I read the third and fourth Ruth Galloway books I was up until 3am finishing them. When I get my hands on book 5 I intend to start reading it over breakfast!

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  4. Am also loving Endeavour. I thought it was very tense this weeek, especially as I thought with the build up about Thursday's family, that something horrible was going to happen to him. I NEVER get the anagrams so it is always a pleasant surprise for me.

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  5. I just found the 'Endeavour' pilot on youtube. Bookmarked for a Saturday evening!
    Jane x

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  6. Another series to look forward to, IF we can get it.... I think we saw the pilot, and enjoyed it very much. (We're still waiting for the latest Lewis series too.)

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