In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination
By Margaret Atwood
Barnes & Noble link
(Fun fact: the main reason I joined Twitter was because Margaret Atwood had one and enjoyed using it.)
When you want to learn about a genre, you normally go towards the genre's representative books. In this case, we are talking about science fiction. Go for the popular, we have Robert A. Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, and Philip K. Dick. Wanna get esoteric? Walter M. Miller, C.S. Lewis, and J.G. Ballard. How about the ladies? Margaret Atwood, Octavia E. Butler, and Ursula K. Le Guin. You have a lot to choose from.
In this case, let's go with Margaret Atwood. She has written the chilling The Handmaid's Tale, the apocalyptic tale of Oryx and Crake and its sequel The Year of the Flood. But she ain't through. She has more to say about science fiction than her novels could contain. With In Other Worlds, Atwood puts together all she learned about sci-fi and schools you good.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Book Review 16 of 24 (Surrealistic Lady Writers Unite!)
Fantastic Women: 18 Tales of the Surreal and the Sublime from Tin House
Edited by Rob Spillman
Barnes & Noble link
(I'm breaking with tradition: I normally don't review things after reading another review, in fear of plagiarizing... but it's time to subvert!)
If it weren't for the wonderful magazine Bitch, this book's existence would've never been made unto me. Already hurting to read more works by female writers, this collection not only appealed to that but also for the draw of big names. I've read Rikki Ducornet's The Fountains of Neptune (a recommendation from a creative writing professor) and am currently reading Karen Russell's excellent Swamplandia! and the collected stories of Lydia Davis. Thanks to this book, I now have a list of fantastic writers to check out.
Edited by Rob Spillman
Barnes & Noble link
(I'm breaking with tradition: I normally don't review things after reading another review, in fear of plagiarizing... but it's time to subvert!)
If it weren't for the wonderful magazine Bitch, this book's existence would've never been made unto me. Already hurting to read more works by female writers, this collection not only appealed to that but also for the draw of big names. I've read Rikki Ducornet's The Fountains of Neptune (a recommendation from a creative writing professor) and am currently reading Karen Russell's excellent Swamplandia! and the collected stories of Lydia Davis. Thanks to this book, I now have a list of fantastic writers to check out.
Monday, September 19, 2011
When Out of the Cradle and Under the Skin Collide...
Seeds We Sow
By Lindsey Buckingham
Barnes & Noble link
It used to be epic news to hear that Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham was releasing a solo album. Go Insane and Out of the Cradle was a soul-rending eight years of waiting and wondering. For the last five years, he has spoiled fans by releasing three albums in a-year-and-some-odd time span. If each album ended up being as great as the last, then why did he take so damn long earlier? Well, it's not best to dwell on the past. We have to listen to Buckingham's latest offering! 'Cause, you never know... he could release another album soon.
By Lindsey Buckingham
Barnes & Noble link
It used to be epic news to hear that Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham was releasing a solo album. Go Insane and Out of the Cradle was a soul-rending eight years of waiting and wondering. For the last five years, he has spoiled fans by releasing three albums in a-year-and-some-odd time span. If each album ended up being as great as the last, then why did he take so damn long earlier? Well, it's not best to dwell on the past. We have to listen to Buckingham's latest offering! 'Cause, you never know... he could release another album soon.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Book Review 15 of 24 (Ladies and the Records They Love)
Record Collecting for Girls: Unleashing Your Inner Music Nerd, One Album at a Time
by Courtney E. Smith
Barnes & Noble link
There are not too many women writing and publishing books on music criticism, or even about the life and times of being a record collector. Well, there are but not enough to balance out what has been a longtime man's game. Music has been mostly about guys and showing off their collections and their knowledge. Us ladies have been treated as ones only casually interested (and stereotypically as only interested in "girly" music) and never being knowledgeable. But, this couldn't be further from the truth. Us ladies can be just as knowledgeable (and maybe even more) and we're into more than "girly" music. We can listen to Sarah McLachlan and have our Creedence Clearwater Revival too. Just don't count Courtney E. Smith as our representative (we're torn between Ann Powers and the late Ellen Willis at the moment).
by Courtney E. Smith
Barnes & Noble link
There are not too many women writing and publishing books on music criticism, or even about the life and times of being a record collector. Well, there are but not enough to balance out what has been a longtime man's game. Music has been mostly about guys and showing off their collections and their knowledge. Us ladies have been treated as ones only casually interested (and stereotypically as only interested in "girly" music) and never being knowledgeable. But, this couldn't be further from the truth. Us ladies can be just as knowledgeable (and maybe even more) and we're into more than "girly" music. We can listen to Sarah McLachlan and have our Creedence Clearwater Revival too. Just don't count Courtney E. Smith as our representative (we're torn between Ann Powers and the late Ellen Willis at the moment).
Monday, August 22, 2011
Further Thoughts on Retromania
The book spurred so much thinking that a separate post is needed. I didn’t want to clutter the review with my own load of “cool story, sis”, so here you go!
Book Review 14 of 24 (In Which We Learn the Internet is A DeLorean)
Retromania: Pop Culture’s Addiction to Its Own Past
By Simon Reynolds
Barnes & Noble link
(I dedicate the Doctor Who references in the beginning paragraph to my Amy Pond-cosplaying, Dalek-hugging little sister. Keep on shining with your Sonic Screwdriver.)
I shall never doubt the contents of the introduction ever again. When I cracked open Reynolds’ latest offering in music criticism/history, the introduction led me to believe that all the arguments were going to be a big load of “cool story, bro” and at worst, pathetic. By the fourth chapter, I was thunderstruck. Yep, seems like society jumped into a TARDIS and went back without warning the rest of us. And we left the Good Doctor behind.
By Simon Reynolds
Barnes & Noble link
(I dedicate the Doctor Who references in the beginning paragraph to my Amy Pond-cosplaying, Dalek-hugging little sister. Keep on shining with your Sonic Screwdriver.)
I shall never doubt the contents of the introduction ever again. When I cracked open Reynolds’ latest offering in music criticism/history, the introduction led me to believe that all the arguments were going to be a big load of “cool story, bro” and at worst, pathetic. By the fourth chapter, I was thunderstruck. Yep, seems like society jumped into a TARDIS and went back without warning the rest of us. And we left the Good Doctor behind.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge 2011: Book Review 2 of 5
after the quake
By Haruki Murakami
Barnes & Noble link
*Note: this is the second of five reviews for the Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge*
Short stories are a strange animal. You are telling the story of people, places, and things; and yet you only have a limited amount of time. All there is time for is the important stuff, the "greatest hits" of it, if you would. It takes a different set of skills to reach shortened-literary perfection. Even novelists are daunted by them. Haruki Murakami remained, as usual, undaunted by a challenge. While he's done it before, he achieved his finest hour in after the quake.
By Haruki Murakami
Barnes & Noble link
*Note: this is the second of five reviews for the Haruki Murakami Reading Challenge*
Short stories are a strange animal. You are telling the story of people, places, and things; and yet you only have a limited amount of time. All there is time for is the important stuff, the "greatest hits" of it, if you would. It takes a different set of skills to reach shortened-literary perfection. Even novelists are daunted by them. Haruki Murakami remained, as usual, undaunted by a challenge. While he's done it before, he achieved his finest hour in after the quake.
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