books

Excellent writing

mir — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:25:48 -0400

I am reading Light by M. John Harrison Lyrical SF it is, or maybe literature accidentally catagorized as SF. I am too much of a purist for that, if there are space-halos and brains who live in tanks and pilot ships it's SF.

Not the point, the point is how incredibly nice some of Harrison's prose is. These are my favorites so far:

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Narrowly misses her favorite author by about a year

mir — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:12:32 -0400

So Geoff Ryman one of my favorite SF authors *ever* gave a keynote address here, in Montreal on April 29th 2007. Yep, one day after my birthday last year, my favorite author was in this city, talking about Mundane Science Fiction.

Not that I am like bitter or anything, hells no, blurgh.

On James Thurber and E.B White and sex

mir — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:48:58 -0400

I have been reading this book called the "Fireside Book of Dog Stories" (more on that in a separate post later) that was compiled in 1942 or 52, it must have been 52 no-one was compiling fireside books during the war.

Anyways, two or three of the stories in that book are by James Thurber and E.B White.

Anglophone young'uns will recognize the second author. He wrote Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little and the Trumpet of the Swan, among other classic stories. Thurber is known for his cartooning and humour writing in the New Yorker.

I have such a profound admiration for these two writers. They are witty and critical, and what's surprising to a reader of contemporary satire, they are not profoundly negative.

So today, as a reward for buying a piece of clothing that causes me to sing Otto Titsling under my breath involuntarily, I treated myself to some books at the Westmount Library book sale. At the book sale, (and this is why book sales are fun, because you find the weirdest stuff) I found a little book called "Is Sex Necessary" written by none other then my two men of the hour J Thurber and E.B White, in 1929 no less.

Books cults the Congo and wasps (again?)

mir — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:03:24 -0400

There is a big fat wasp flying around my study again. Every year there are wasps in my study in the summer. Last year I squished one in my hair, and stepped on one that was sitting on the floor. Both accidents were fatal to the wasp and left me with bites. Why are there wasps in my apartment??

I am about 90% finished school and work stuff, that once finished will leave me with a full week of not too much to do, of course, I am going to complete that last 10% with the worst cold I have had all year. It doesn't so much seem fair as it seems inevitable. I have what amounts to about 8 hours of work left to do and it's going to take me 4 days.

Anyways, the Telegraph published a list of 50 best cult books. They define cult as "books often found in the pockets of murderers; books that you take very seriously when you are 17; books whose readers can be identified to all with the formula " whacko"; books our children just won’t get…"

I own (or have owned) approximately 4 titles because I actually got(stole from the bookshelves of)them from my parents when I was about 17. Those titles are: The prophet by Kahil Gibran, The Rubiyat of Omar Kiyam, The story of O (which I actually threw out because I was so incredibly digusted by it)Siddartha (in Dutch), and The Teachings of Don Juan. Most of those titles have conveniently disappeared.

Have not Have

mir — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:41:23 -0400

I just finished this short sci-fi story by Geoff Ryman, I really liked it. Anything by this writer is usually very much above average.

Air or Have Not Have

"Mae lived in the last village in the world to go on line.

After that, everyone else went on Air.

Mae was the village's fashion expert. She advised on makeup, sold cosmetics, and provided good dresses. Every farmer's wife needed at least one good dress.

Mae would sketch what was being worn in the capital. She would always add a special touch: a lime green scarf with sequins; or a lacy ruffle with colourful embroidery. A good dress was for display. "We are a happier people and we can wear these gay colours," Mae would advise."

People who cut down trees unnecessarily

mir — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:54:03 -0400

Why the man who cuts down such a tree except when it is really necessary should be hanged as high as Haman on a gallows made from the wood av it"

- Father Cassidy to Emily in Emily of New Moon.

I am so in love with this book, I think it might have knocked Jane Eyre out of top place.

What would Jane Eyre do?

mir — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:57:37 -0500

I lent my copy of Jane Eyre to my next door neighbour, and he came over last night sat down on the sofa and explained that he couldn't give me my book back yet. Because as soon as he had finished it he started all over again.

I confessed I had done the same thing when I read the book and he asked me. "Are you obsessed with Jane Eyre too???"

I said yes, and that my new moral system involved approaching each complex life situation by asking "What Would Jane Eyre Do?" and then conducting myself accordingly.

Why is Jane Eyre so cool? and dudes she is, totally awesome. So awesome in fact that the spirit of Jane Eyre just prompted me to edit out an exclamatory cussword, I know she wouldn't like her good name associated with my filthy language.