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Linda Haas Ayer upholds family business in a male-dominated industry
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This certainly wasn’t a position Linda Haas Ayer ever envisioned herself holding, that of owner and CEO of an electrical contracting company.
Sure, while growing up she had watched her father, William Haas, and his business partner Donald Connors, build Connors-Haas, Inc. into a respected firm on the Rochester contracting landscape.
But upon completion of her business degree from LeMoyne College, she opted to pursue a master’s degree in psychology and relocated to Boston for work.
Linda Haas Ayer
“I was interested in the psychology of people and of organizations, so I have worked in that field,” Haas Ayer said.
Life sometimes alters plans, however. Her brother, Brian, died in 2019 after a battle with multiple myeloma. He had succeeded their father as owner of the company in 2002.
To fill the void and maintain family ownership of a firm founded in 1966, Haas Ayer and her husband, David, returned to Rochester so she could take the reins in April of 2021.
“It’s interesting how things do come full circle and you gain experience and insight in different ways,” she said. “Everybody’s path is different. What I’ve learned is that it’s never too late to follow your dreams or be open to a new one.”
In taking on this new venture, she has gone back to her roots while carrying on the legacy of her father and brother.
“I grew up in the business and my dad had me doing color coding blueprints from a young age, and I worked there during summers in high school and college,” she said. “So it’s wonderful because I now work alongside the people that helped build the company but at the same time am adding my own value, insight and team members to what was already there.”
Haas Ayer said she places an emphasis on company culture, believing the 75 or so employees all play an important role in growth. Connors-Haas, headquartered in the town of Ontario, ranks seventh on the Rochester Business Journal’s 2025 Book of Lists.
The late Brian Haas with Linda. (Photo provided by Connors-Haas)
“My brother put his whole life into the company and I think people were really dedicated and loyal and felt taken care of, and that’s what I’m trying to continue,” she said. “We put a lot into soliciting employee feedback and into their own personal growth.”
At the same time, she was transitioning into her new role. For the first 53 years, Connors-Haas was run by men that were IBEW Local 86 electricians. While Haas Ayer had very strong knowledge of the business — it was founded the year she was born — she had never been working on the jobsite.
Brian poses with their father, William Haas, co-founder when the firm launched in 1966. (Photo provided by Connors-Haas)
“I stepped into this role in a non-traditional way,” she said. “I had to really work hard to prove myself as a female leader and worthy of being the CEO.
“There has been a big learning curve and I thank my team for support, and for giving me valuable ideas and insights.”
She immersed herself in the business, both in the office and in the field. She took estimating and foreman’s classes and sat in on union training courses, “all to just help me understand better what my people are doing, what it’s like for them to work here, and to have a better understanding of their goals and their piece of fitting into the company.”
She doesn’t pretend to know it all, either. She takes part in a CEO consulting group on a monthly basis and works with a consultant on strategy and business development. She knows she’s not like most CEOs in the commercial electrical contracting industry.
“Because it’s a male-dominated industry and a lot of relationships are traditionally solidified by golf and hunting and fishing, I’ve had to focus on my connections through business meetings and seminars and networking,” she said. “I don’t think you need to be an electrician per se, and there are male CEOs that are not electricians.”
Some of the Connors-Haas fleet. (Photo provided by Connors Haas)
Still, she said that has been an obstacle with New York State. Haas Ayer said she has had difficulty gaining MWBE certification, even though the firm is clearly woman-owned and has federal and county certification.
Certification is important because many state projects include women-hiring requirements. Clients and general contractors need to adhere to those workforce percentages when issuing project contracts.
“The state system has been an obstacle for people like me and women in the field trying to get their state certification,” she said. “Instead of promoting women to be in male-dominated industries, it’s become an obstacle.
“I came in non-traditionally and I have not proved being an electrician, even though that’s allowed for men it doesn’t seem to be the same for women. That’s been the biggest hurdle.”
That said, Haas Ayer said the company has maintained strong relationships with long-time clients, such as the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology, L3Harris, the city of Rochester, The Dolomite Group and Genesee Brewery. She said Connors-Haas also frequently does subcontracting work for LeChase Construction Services and DGA Builders.
“My dad used to drive me around the city and show me where Connors-Haas did the lighting and I love seeing where we’ve made a difference,” she said.
Their work also is on display nightly in Syracuse. Connors-Haas recently completed an extensive electrical project on the National Grid building, working 12-hour days, six days a week for more than three months to install an intricate exterior lighting system.
The National Grid building in Syracuse, N.Y. (Photo provided by National Grid)
The lighting color schemes can be synchronized for events — such as Independence Day or the Christmas holiday season — or for institutions such as Syracuse University and LeMoyne.
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“Our downtown Syracuse building is more than an office,” Alberto Bianchetti, regional director of customer and external affairs, said in a National Grid news release. “It’s a point of civic pride for people in this community, and part of our region’s history and character, as one of our nation’s finest representations of art deco design.”
Connors-Haas completed the project on time and it’s an example of the quality work the firm produces for clients.
“We’re not the biggest,” Haas Ayer said, “but we’re about quality and having our customers be very satisfied. That’s what’s worked for us.”
She intends to carry that M.O. well into the future.
“I am committed to keeping the essence of the company what it has always been,” Haas Ayer said. “We have an excellent workforce that believes in quality and relationships with our customers. My goal has always been to keep it sustainable and profitable, which we are doing, and that’s the long-term goal as well.”
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Two men accused of importing drugs into Ireland served with books of evidence
Books of evidence were served on Wednesday on two of the 10 men accused of conspiring to import drugs into Ireland arising out of a major international investigation.Detective Garda David Barrett served the book of evidence on Pedro Padio Ojeda Ortega, 35, of Cadiz, Spain, who was represented by defence solicitor Eddie Burke.On the application of Sergeant Dave Delea at Cork District Court, Judge Mary Dorgan sent the case forward for trial at the Special Criminal Court on a date to be fixed by that court.Free legal aid was extended for a senior counsel, junior counsel and documentary junior counsel and for translation of the book of evidence into Spanish.Detective Garda Robert Kennedy confirmed service of a book of evidence on Anuar Rahui of Calle Jaen, Marbella, Malaga, Spain, who was represented in court by Frank Buttimer. Similar orders were made in his case in terms of free legal aid.Each of the accused — and eight other men also before the courts — is accused of conspiring with nine others to import drugs. The charge in each case states: “That you [defendant’s name] on dates between February 27 and March 14, both dates inclusive, within the State, did conspire with one or more persons, namely (nine other names) to do an act in the State that constitutes a serious offence, namely the importation of controlled drugs in excess of €13,000, an offence contrary of Section 15B (1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as amended and contrary to Section 71 (1) (a) (4) of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 as amended by Section 4 (b) of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions ) Act 2023.” A slightly amended version of this charge was served on each of the accused as the older charge was withdrawn before the books of evidence were served.
Winter tourism bounces back in the U.P.
The holidays may be over, but businesses in communities across the Upper Peninsula are still singing “Let it Snow. Let it Snow. Let it Snow.”Snow, a crucial part of the winter economy, means a slew of outdoor recreational activities are available from Houghton to Sault Ste. Marie. Whether ice fishing, skiing or snowshoeing, there are plenty of outdoor activities to reset life for a while, recharging in the white snow of a pure and natural landscape. But the winter economy is about more than skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Many other businesses – serving up a warm meal or a rest for the night – are part of that all-important economy and rely on snow-focused visitors. Hotels, restaurants, equipment rentals and gas stations across the U.P. are prepared and eager to welcome locals and tourists alike. “We are excited to see a strong start to winter,” said Cori Cearley, executive director of the Munising Visitors Bureau. “This will be the heaviest snowfall we have had in the early season in several years.”Michigan Ice Fest/Mike WilkinsonMunising is home to the annual Michigan Ice Fest, held in February.After drought and warm weather created disastrous conditions for tourism the last two seasons, the snow this season is staying on the ground long enough to build up the base needed for winter activities. That doesn’t just mean more fun, but the winter weather provides a much-needed economic boost.“Winter tourism accounts for about ten percent of our overall tourism in a bad year but can be up to 20 to 30 percent in a normal year,” Cearley said. “Between the conditions and pent-up demand for outdoor winter recreation, all signs point to this being a very busy winter season this upcoming year.”Employees and volunteers involved in the winter tourism season are in full swing. With enough snow on the ground, the Tahquamenon Country Sled Dog Race near Newberry will return after cancelling the past two years. Not having to worry about the weather, organizers of the Trenary Outhouse Races are focusing on additional vendors, food options and events for a landmark 30th year. Registration is open for the Labatt Blue UP Pond Hockey Tournament on Lake Huron outside downtown St. Ignace. Legendary dog sled races like the UP 200, The Midnight Run and Jack Pine 30 are still on the calendar, after cancelling those events the past two winters.With plenty of snowfall and ideal snowmaking conditions, Mount Bohemia opened earlier than usual this year, creating buzz on social media. “The Keweenaw’s winter tourism season got off to a stronger start compared to December 2024. We had good snow in early December which helped get our trails and attractions like Mount Bohemia open before the new year,” said Brad Barnett, who is executive director of Visit Keweenaw, the peninsula’s tourism authority.”We’ve had some strong visitation to our cross-country ski trails at places like Swedetown Recreation Area in Calumet,” he added. “A warmup over the holidays took some of the wind out of our sails, but we’re optimistic that January’s cooler temps will usher in more snow.” Additionally, groomers are hitting the trails. Necessary for both ski and snowmobile trails, organizations like Noquemanon Trail Network, Grand Marais Snow Trails and the Sault Ste. Marie Snowmobile Association are maintaining hundreds of miles of trails for safe and effective riding. Facebook/Michigan Sled AddictsIn a now viral photo, snowmobilers wait for gas outside Bayshore Market in Grand Marais.A picture of snowmobiles lined up 25 deep for gas outside Grand Marais’s Bayshore Market during the first Saturday of the new year was shared more than 150 times on Facebook in various trail report groups and tourism pages. According to Craig Wilson, president of the Forsyth Snowmobile and ATV Club — which manages the summer and winter trail network for southern Marquette and Western Alger County — strong trails essentially pave the way for a strong winter economy.“The early snow followed by some deep cold temperatures has helped the trail. The snow belts are doing well and will continue,” Wilson said. “Tourism should be up this year, as we are already at a better start than last year.”But while the Eastern and Central U.P. are rejoicing in the return of snow, the western part of the peninsula is anxiously waiting for the seasonal boost. Iron Mountain has had less than 30 inches of snow this season, which is approximately half of their annual average. Houghton and the Keweenaw are doing a little better with 70 to 80 inches of powder but are still below the usual amount.Brice Burge Snowmobiles line up outside the Bear Trap restaurant in Van Meer,Some of the biggest boost from the seasonal economy comes from snowmobiling in the Western U.P., but they are also facing another problem: Wisconsin. The Iron County on the other side of the border still has not opened its trails, with some Wisconsin routes crucial to connecting communities in Michigan with traveling on snowmobiles. According to Gogebic County Commissioner Dan Wood, the warm weather is a trend for a poor economy, including the cancellation of Ironwood’s Sisu Ski Fest. “Last winter was very bad for tourism and snowmobiling. Now, so far, the winter of 2024-25 is hurting the economy tremendously with the lack of snow,” Wood said. “A lot of staff will be getting laid off at various businesses across Gogebic and Iron (Wisc.) counties because of no snow. But for those that are getting the snow, workers and community leaders are thankful.“We are blessed and thankful to have that snow. Not every community has that at this time, and we are very lucky and appreciative to have all our businesses open and functioning after the previous winter,” Cearley said.Brice Burge is a regular contributor to UPword.
An ‘oddball’ centaur is galloping around the solar system, according to scientists
Centaurs have properties similar to those of asteroids but act like comets at times (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s an asteroid-comet hybrid called a ‘centaur’ that might not even be that.
Asteroids are metallic rocks that form close to the sun, while comets are dirty snowballs thrown from the fringes of our star system.
Then there’s whatever the heck 2006 Chiron is.
Chiron is a class of comet-ish asteroids/asteroid-ish comets called centaurs – named after the half-human, half-horse hybrid – found bouncing between Jupiter and Neptune.
But Chiron is an ‘oddball when compared to the majority of other centaurs,’ said physicist Charles Schambeau of the University of Central Florida.
‘It has periods where it behaves like a comet, it has rings of material around it and potentially a debris field of small dust or rocky material orbiting around it.
What scientists believe Chiron looks like (Picture: William Gonzalez Sierra)
‘So, many questions arise about Chiron’s properties that allow these unique behaviours.’
Centaurs are the dinosaur bones of the solar system, made up of the same dust and gas that formed the solar system 4.5 billion years ago.
‘All the small bodies in the solar system talk to us about how it was back in time, which is a period of time we can’t really observe anymore,’ said UCF scientist Noemí Pinilla-Alonso.
‘But active centaurs tell us much more. They are undergoing transformation driven by solar heating and they provide a unique opportunity to learn about the surface and subsurface layers.’
Chiron, in other words, is like finding a T-Rex fossil that has a pair of wings and could help explain how our star system came to be. But because it’s so far away, it’s made learning about it hard.
So UCF researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to work out what it’s made from for the first time since its discovery in 1977.
New Elvis movies announced for 2027 to mark 50th of King’s death ‘Fans will be amazed’
The official birthday proclamation for Elvis Presley’s 90th birthday occurred today outside Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.A number of speeches took place before the giant birthday cake was cut in front of a crowd of fans.Among them was one made by Joel Weinshanker, Managing Partner Graceland Holdings LLC, who always likes to tease what’s coming up next in the Elvis world.Most recently he’s been in London producing Elvis Evolution, the new immersive experience set to open in May, which he says is “going to be something no one’s ever seen before”.In fact, if you enter the code “90th” at checkout before midnight on Sunday, you can purchase two tickets for £90 total here.And if that wasn’t enough, Joel had more exciting news on the feature film front.Joel shared: “Obviously, this is Elvis’ 90th. My job for the next 24 months is the march to 50.” What the Graceland boss meant by this is that 2027 marks 50 years since the King’s death, which is the next big milestone anniversary after what would have been his 90th birthday today.He continued: “You’re going to see more… as you know I get into trouble every year because I tell you things I’m not supposed to tell you yet. But you’re going to be amazed at what you’re going to see as we walk into 50.” He then revealed that new films are in the works for 2027.Joel added: “[There’s] the new movie projects, documentaries… Elvis was a first adapter, so technology where you’re really going to be able to see things that we were all too young to have ever seen before. [The King’s granddaughter] Riley [Keough] actually really wanted to be here today but she couldn’t. But you will be seeing Riley here in 2025 at Graceland. She’s heavily involved in a couple of the projects that we’re working on. The best is yet to come.”
Scientists Find Strange Fish Can Have Sex Up to 27 Times Per Day
In a weird and wacky finding, scientists have discovered the limit to how many times a strange fish can have sex in a single day.These fish, named medaka or Oryzias latipes, were found to be able to mate 19 times per day on average, with some males managing up to 27 matings, according to a paper in the online journal Royal Society Open Science.Mating more would be expected to increase a male’s reproductive success—allowing him to have more offspring. But producing and releasing more sperm takes a lot of energy. The new study reveals that medaka males release less and less sperm with each successive mating, eventually hitting a daily limit.
A stock image shows a medaka, with an inset image of sperm (inset). Males of this fish species can mate over 20 times in a single day but release less and less sperm with each…
A stock image shows a medaka, with an inset image of sperm (inset). Males of this fish species can mate over 20 times in a single day but release less and less sperm with each round.
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ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
“Medaka are among the fish that spawn, where fertilization occurs after the eggs and sperm are released in water. As these gametes are difficult to collect, the number of sperm released and the fertilization rate during successive matings had remained a mystery,” said study co-author Yuki Kondo, a researcher at Japan’s Osaka Metropolitan University, in a statement.”Our research group previously developed an accurate method for measuring the sperm count of medaka, which is why we were able to successfully conduct this experiment,” Kondo said.The researchers found that the medaka males mated an average of 19 times per day, with some only achieving four and others up to 27 times. They released their sperm into the water, where they can fertilize the eggs of the female, also released into the water but only once a day.After the first few matings, the amount of sperm released dropped significantly, declining to 50 percent of the original content after the first three matings and then to only 0.5 to 6.3 percent by the final mating of the day. As a result, the rates of egg fertilization also dropped after the first 10 matings.Additionally, the effort males put into courtship and the duration of the mating also declined with the number of times they had already mated that day.Therefore, if the females mate with a male that has mated several times previously that day, she “wastes” her single opportunity to release eggs because the fertilization rate will be much lower.”Despite the reduced sperm availability, females did not adjust their clutch size as a counterstrategy,” the researchers wrote in the paper. “These findings imply that sperm is a limited resource for both sexes, potentially leading to sexual conflicts.”Sexual conflict occurs when the reproductive interests of males and females within a species diverge. This is because strategies that maximize reproductive success for one sex may reduce the fitness or reproductive success of the other, leading to evolutionary “arms races” between the sexes.One strange example of this is traumatic insemination in bedbugs, where males bypass the female’s reproductive tract and inject sperm directly into her abdomen. This benefits the male because it ensures fertilization, but it can harm the female, reduce her lifespan and lower her future reproductive output.Previous studies have found that males of other species also have a limited number of times they can mate. The mite Tetranychus urticae mates an average of 13 times a day, and the moth Ephestia kuehniella mates five times in its lifetime.Additionally, further research also found that males of other species released less and less sperm with subsequent matings.”This is the first study to quantitatively show the clear daily mating capacity of male medaka, as well as the volume of sperm released during each mating, fertilization rate, and the behavior of males and females during this process,” said study co-author Satoshi Awata, a biology professor at Osaka Metropolitan University, in the statement.”Our research provides important insights into the relationship between the cost of gamete production and sexual selection,” Awata said.ReferenceYuki, K., Masanori, K., and Satoshi, A. (2025). Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion R. Soc. Open Sci.12241668. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241668Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about sex? Let us know via [email protected].
James Mangold’s Star Wars movie won’t be ‘handcuffed’ to lore
Director James Mangold has shared new details on his upcoming movie, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, and it sounds unlike anything we’ve seen in the Star Wars universe before.Mangold, who is currently promoting Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, is also actively developing his take on Star Wars. It’s an origin story, set the farthest back a live-action Star Wars film has dared to go so far.According to the director, he’s more interested in telling a compelling story than pleasing everybody. “The Star Wars movie would be taking place 25,000 years before any known Star Wars movies takes place,” Mangold tells MovieWeb.
Rey and Kylo Ren clash in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Mangold’s movie is set 25,000 years before this fight takes place.
Rey and Kylo Ren clash in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Mangold’s movie is set 25,000 years before this fight takes place.
Disney
“It’s an area and a playground that I’ve always [wanted to explore] and that I was inspired by as a teenager. I’m not that interested in being handcuffed by so much lore at this point that it’s almost immovable, and you can’t please anybody.”For a director who’s helmed multiple box office successes, including Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix and Girl, Interrupted with Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi is undoubtedly his biggest project yet.It’s a collaboration with showrunner Beau Willimon, who co-wrote the critically acclaimed Star Wars series Andor on Disney+, as well as gripping political dramas including House of Cards and The Ides of March.It goes without saying there’s little relation to the last theatrical release, 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, given this one happens multiple millennia before. That, for Mangold, is the most liberating appeal.”To me, the really important aspects are the freedom to make something new. Beau and I, in relation to Star Wars, have been working on a script, and we’ll see what happens […] Do we find a way on the page to say something original?”Will there be a sequel to The Rise of Skywalker?In The Rise of Skywalker, the rebels manage to amass an army and take the fight to the evil Emperor Palpatine, who threatened to take over the galaxy with the biggest military force ever seen. The story wrapped up nicely, but that’s not to say The Rise of Skywalker is the conclusion of Rey’s saga.An untitled Star Wars film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is currently in development. Set 15 years out from Rise of Skywalker, it features Jedi Master Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley) as she builds a new Jedi Order after the events of the sequel trilogy.
Carry-On breaks massive milestone as one of Netflix’s biggest ever films
Airport thriller Carry-On has cleared customs and checked in as one of Netflix’s most-watched original films of all time.Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by T. J. Fixman, the film stars Taron Egerton as a TSA officer threatened into permitting a chemical weapon on board a packed airplane.During the week of release on December 13, 2024, it earned more views than any other film on Netflix that year. According to the streamer, Carry-On garnered 149.5 million views since its release a month ago. It also stayed at number one for four consecutive weeks on the English-language film list, with 17.4 million views recorded last week.
Taron Egerton has been linked with Marvel’s Wolverine role. In Carry-On he has his hands full attempting to thwart a terrorist plot.
Taron Egerton has been linked with Marvel’s Wolverine role. In Carry-On he has his hands full attempting to thwart a terrorist plot.
Netflix
Netflix’s top film ever is Red Notice, followed by Don’t Look Up, The Adam Project, and Bird Box, with Carry-On ranked at five. It bumps Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story from the top five.Carry-On viewing figures”More than the numbers, it’s seeing people’s reactions to the movie,” Collet-Serra tells Variety. “I started getting a lot of calls and texts from friends and people who didn’t know I directed it. They didn’t know until they saw the credits and they were sending me texts that they loved it. I think at that moment I knew the movie was finding an audience and connecting to it.”With Carry-On’s impressive numbers, especially against a reported production budget of $47 million, you’d think a sequel is all but guaranteed. However, Collet-Serra says sequel talks have yet to happen.”We don’t have any plans for a sequel,” he continues. “But if audiences wanted a sequel, families wanted a sequel and if we had an idea that would spark and live up to the original maybe we would do something. But right now, there are no plans.”Korean drama Squid Game season 2 is currently dominating the Netflix charts, staying firm at the top of the non-English TV list with 58.2 million views for the week and ranking number one in 91 countries. “In only 11 days,” reports Netflix, “season 2 of the global phenomenon has amassed 126.2 million views — a Netflix TV record. Audiences also continued to catch up with Squid Game season 1, with 13.6 million views and a No. 2 placement on this week’s non-English TV charts.”Top Netflix original films of all timeRed Notice (2021)Don’t Look Up (2021)The Adam Project (2022)Bird Box (2018)Carry-On (2024)
From Rochelle Gurstein to Philippa Found: new books reviewed in short
Written in Water: The Ephemeral Life of the Classic in Art by Rochelle Gurstein
There is, says Rochelle Gurstein in her thought-provoking book about the fickleness of artistic taste, “a great deal at stake in being able to feel the continuous, living presence of classic works of art”. A sense of permanence and continuity of experience, of immortality even: the greatest art from the past can save us from being “trapped in the shallows of the here and now”. However, the reputations of even the most copper-bottomed paintings, sculptures and artists have ebbed and flowed alarmingly: the Mona Lisa and Michelangelo’s David were largely ignored for centuries, the names of Giotto and Piero della Francesca wallowed in oblivion, while the Venus de’ Medici, once hailed as the greatest sculpture of all, is now little visited in the Uffizi.
In tracing these changes, Gurstein looks at the parts played by influential cultural theorists such as Johann Joachim Winckelmann and Joshua Reynolds, Roger Fry and Harold Rosenberg in the debates about Christian art vs classical antiquity, and modernity in opposition to the traditional. Accepting the longue durée is vital, she says, if we are to escape the “suffocating confines of our own subjectivity”.By Michael ProdgerYale University Press, 520pp, £30. Buy the book
It’s Complicated: Collected Confessions of Messy Modern Love by Philippa Found
In May 2020, a few months into global lockdown, the London-based artist and writer Philippa Found started a website, Lockdownlovestories.com, to which people could submit anonymous stories of how the pandemic – its isolation, its “bubbles”, its near absence of physical touch – was changing their relationships. More than 1,500 such stories were published, and in It’s Complicated, Found has compiled around 250 of her favourites.
I was relieved to find that only a handful are explicitly to do with the trials of lockdown; most of the stories here are universal ones – in both time and experience – about break-ups, hook-ups and situationships. Many are funny: I need to know why one woman’s dates are nicknamed “Hatfish”, “Danny Boy” and “The Knob”. Some are poetic – “Who would have thought it/But we’ve baked sourdough loaves/More than we’ve made love” – others less so: “I feel you like a rock in my shoe. It hurts me like you’ve hurt me too.” Ultimately, It’s Complicated is a book to dip in and out of, rather than to read cover to cover – some entries are only a sentence or two – but even in its less writerly moments, there is much to find amusing, sad and comfortingly familiar.By Pippa BaileyPavilion Books, 256pp, £12.99. Buy the book
Pub by Philip Howell
The late AA Gill once remarked that pubs and food go together like frogs and lawnmowers. But George Orwell listed cheap food among the necessary qualities of a decent public house. Pub by Philip Howell does not resolve the conflict: “The presence of food in pubs remains controversial,” he says, with banality.
Nevertheless, the pub is a worthy topic thanks precisely to the competing ideas of what makes a good one. But Howell’s study – part of Bloomsbury’s series Object Lessons (other titles include Fog and Password, Egg and Eye Chart) – is not a detailed social history nor an ontological investigation into Britain’s most beloved institution. Instead, it is a slightly limp-wristed 101 that makes you wonder, “Who on Earth is this for?”
“What do we mean by referring to pub as the ‘local’ and its patrons as ‘locals’,” one chapter begins. “Gaff”, Howell clarifies in another, is “slang for a person’s home”. Maybe the series aspires to read like Oxford University Press’s Very Short Introductions for the everyday object and not the abstract concept. But the level of enquiry seems calibrated for a curious alien, or perhaps a precocious child, rather than a real person.By Finn McRedmondBloomsbury, 160pp, £9.99
Runaway Horses by Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini
Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini were a pair of prolific Italian co-editors, anthologists and writers who, as “F & L”, were responsible for everything from science fiction collections to newspaper articles, and, from 1975, a series of mystery thrillers. The third of those novels, Runaway Horses, was first published in 1983 and has now been translated into English by Gregory Dowling.
A lawyer and his wife are visiting family in Tuscany on the eve of the Palio horse race in Siena when, during a storm, they take a wrong turn and end up at a villa inhabited by a curious assortment of characters – including a slick count, an ethereal young woman and a priapic and coarse jockey. What unfolds, around this ménage and the running of the race, is an equally curious tale involving the supernatural, Sienese history, uncertain emotional attachments and a hum of menace. As the horses hurtle around the Piazza del Campo, cacophonous reality and unnerving dreamworlds shift and engage. Although the tale is not fully successful as a mystery, as a diversion – chock-a-block with imagery and the origins of thePalio – it intrigues to the final bend.By Michael ProdgerBitter Lemon Press, 208pp, £9.99. Buy the book
[See also: Richard J Evans: Did the Tories create modern Britain?]
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