The Women Men Don't See

I have a deep love for really good science fiction. The kind that makes you look at our world in a new perspective and say, "huh." (As opposed to "huh?") I have a deep love for the spirit of Star Trek because of this (which is now a mere shade of what it once was).

I read Slashdot fairly regularly. One story posted quite a while ago was a question asking the Slashdot readers what would be appropriate and belong in a high school-level science fiction literature class. I can't seem to find the link now, but someone posted a link to a syllabus of a college-level course which included the James Tiptree short story "The Women Men Don't See". The title alone fascinated me and I was compelled to search it out. You can buy a James Tiptree anthology on B&N here or read the story online here. (If you get the anthology I recommend looking up "Houston, Houston, Do You Read?")

Go read it. It's not long. I could spoil the pivotal scene for you, as several bloggers have done, but you should have the joy and delight of reading it yourself.

I've asked several men if they would go on a one-way mission to colonize Mars, to be a part of history. Almost all of them have said no. The one exception that I can remember said that if the mission was something like Total Recall he would go. Why not? Men are happy here. Comfy. There's nothing to compel most men to find a new life.

And women? If I could go to Mars to start life on a new world why not? Why not try for something better than what we have today, and have a pivotal role in building it? Why not give the world a reason to remember my name (3:15 in this clip)?

Michael Crichton Dies

Michael Crichton, million-selling science fiction writer, dies at 66

I remember a time in high school, when I was inconsolably lonely, where I tried to read every single novel Crichton wrote. Some I cared more for than others (Sphere and Terminal Man stick out, don't read anything after Airframe), but I enjoyed them all for the most part.

The summer before I moved to LA I read Crichton's Travels. It was his account of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro that inspires me to go there someday myself.

While I did not always get on board with his writing, I can say that he wrote well and that he possessed a great imagination.

The world has lost a star. I hope his writing has inspired at least a few to write, to direct, to act, and to imagine.

Arthur C. Clarke Dies

Arthur C. Clarke, 90, Science Fiction Writer, Dies

I remember reading "2001: A Space Odyssey", as well as "2010" and part of "2060" (I think I stopped when Jupiter ended up being a huge diamond in the center of the gassy soup that makes up the atmosphere - at least that's where my recollection of his writing ends)

I think science fiction (especially good science fiction) is in some ways more important than other genres of literature/entertainment. It's a medium that allows us to explore what might be (especially technology, but also society in general), for better or for worse.

My Favorite Tolkien Quote

Page 156 of my paperback copy of Return of the King, at the bottom of the page. Aragorn, Gandalf, and Eomer are hanging out in the Houses of Healing, and Aragorn says this of Eowyn:

For she is a fair maiden, fairest lady in a house of queens. And yet I know not how I should speak of her. When I first looked on her and perceived her unhappiness, it seemed to me that I saw a white flower standing straight and proud, shapely as a lily, and yet knew that it was hard, as if wrought by elf-wrights out of steel. Or was it, maybe, a frost that had turned its sap to ice, and so it stood, bitter-sweet, still fair to see, but stricken, soon to fall and die?

Harry Potter Spoilers

The Twisted Economics of Harry Potter

Please don't take my comments the wrong way; I think Ms. Rowling has created an fascinating world and a great story. My main complaint with her is that she's unnecessarily verbose.

I predict that soon after the last Harry Potter movie is released that poor Harry and company will be dropped for the next new and enchanting book or film. Look at the Lord of the Rings trilogy: soon after the Return of the King Extended Edition was released to DVD people (meaning the general public) stopped talking about it.

But there are those that think, "Gee, this Harry Potter mania is going to last forever."

No, it's not. Nothing is permanent in this world but change. I highly doubt that Harry Potter will become a classic (we'll see in 50 years) as much as a novelty. As far as children's literature is concerned, there are better tomes out there.

Let the flaming begin.

Book Review - The Good German

When I went to The Fountain last week, they showed the trailer for The Good German (which I've seen before) and I noticed that it was based on a book. I usually like to read the book before watching a movie (which may or may not ruin the movie for me), so I found the book at Barnes & Noble after I went to the movie so I could read it before the movie releases Friday.

The short summary is that, in post WWII Berlin, a reporter (Jake Geismar) tries to unravel a murder of an American GI whose body is found in the Russian zone of the city. Throw into the mix his old girlfriend (Helene "Lena" Brandt), and her rocket scientist husband, Emil. Thematically, the book discusses the ideas of media spin to sensationalize or fabricate news, as well as ethical concerns on several levels (wartime occupation, survival and ethics, who is guilty of warcrimes if everyone let the Holocaust happen, etc).

I ended up reading the book quite fast (it's around 400 pages, plus it's a little difficult to read), so I know I didn't pick up everything. My initial feeling is that Joesph Kanon (the author) builds up this great thriller, only to have this over-sensationalized denounment in the final chapters. Maybe that has something to do with his theme on media sensationalism, but I was really disappointed. By the time Geismar solves the murder, I felt, "Come On! This is getting ridiculous!". Other than that, I really enjoyed the book. While the reading is difficult, the pacing is quick.

I'm not very confidant that the movie will be as enjoyable as the book. Most of the reviews I've read have derided Lena's acts of prostitution in the movie. I haven't seen the movie yet, but from reading A Woman In Berlin (my review here) I can say that women in Berlin at that time were not engaging in prostitution because they wanted to. When you have no idea where your next meal is coming from, it's easier (and smarter) to pick a "wolf from the pack". If you're going to get raped anyway, why not just sleep with one man and get a little food from the deal than be raped by multiple men and get no food? Then again, I haven't seen the movie, and can't say how warped the story became when it was translated to film. I can say (from the previews) that they warped some main story points already. I can understand the difficulties in translating a book to the screen, but I would prefer screenwriters to omit rather than alter characters and plotlines. I've never seen a movie improve a plotline or character from a book (see Faramir in the Lord of the Rings adaptations for an example).

Artistically, I'm still interested to see how the old-school techniques they used to film the movie turned out. I also must say I can't wait to hear Cate Blanchett's German accent either. She was amazing in The Aviator, and while I have to admit I didn't like the movie, she definitely deserved her Oscar win.

Book Review: Casino Royale

Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming, was a quick read. The plot was much simpler than most of the James Bond movies I've seen, and much less flashy. Fleming is sparing with words and is, dare I say, a typical male storyteller. Details are only mentioned when they matter, although Fleming is extremely articulate when it comes to Bond's car, dress, drinks, and food. He's much less articulate in describing Vesper Lynd, who is a believable character only when you view her as Fleming/Bond view her. Moneypenny is more believable and more interesting in her brief appearance in the novel.

I haven't read Fleming's later works, but one can tell that Casino Royale was written by an undeveloped author with lots of potential. It will be interesting to read something Fleming wrote later, say You Only Live Twice, to see how much he developed.

There are definite hints to Bond's chauvinistic tendencies, and considering the time the book was written, some of those tendencies are understandable.

I would say go read the book before you watch the movie, if only to notice how much Hollywood polluted the story. I still think Craig is a good choice for Bond, and I like how the Bond girls in the new movie are all brunettes.

Book Review - The Handmaid's Tale

Being stuck at home with a cold sure gives you a chance to catch up on your reading.

My pick was Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, which was interesting and disturbing. So of course I enjoyed it immensely.

You can find plot summaries everywhere on the internet, so I'll just stick to my impressions.

This was my first exposure to Atwood's writing, and I really liked the word play in the book (Scrabble is very important in the book). Yes, of course, the humor is dark. That's why shredded fruits of the Date Palm turn into "date rape", or rather vice versa. I think because of this there is a lot of inherent symbolism to wade through. Which isn't bad; it gives the book re-read value.

The book, in quite obvious ways, forces the reader to think about gender roles, as well as why feminism is so tightly tied to the bra-burning antics of the 1970s.

Strangely enough, the idea of right-wing nuts assassinating Congress and blaming it on Islamic fundamentalists seems almost plausible in this day and age. Which is creepy because I definitely don't want to live in a dystopic society.

If they were to make a better movie (I heard the movie made in the 1980's really sucked), here are my casting choices:
Natalie Portman as Offred
William Hurt as The Commander (but on the other hand Neal McDonough or Ed Harris would be absolutely chilling - I guess age shouldn't matter if you really wanted this to be a thriller)
Nicole Kidman as Serena Joy
Jude Law, Eric Bana and Clive Owen would be good choices for Nick (unfortunately probably too old if you used Neal McDonough), but so would Christian Bale - I envision that character as having a dark, smouldering vulnerability that is really attractive to Offred. Jesse Bradford is too immature.
Angelina Jolie as Moira
Mena Suvari as Ofwarren
Scarlett Johansson as Ofglen
Ashley Judd as one of the Aunts (Aunt Elizabeth, maybe)

Any other casting ideas?

Book Review - A Woman In Berlin

They say that history is written by the conquerors. In "A Woman In Berlin", one of the conquered reveals that she too, has a voice in history.

This short memoir documents 8 weeks in 1945 during and after the fall of Berlin to Allied forces. The author, Anonymous, documents in detail the conditions of Berlin's populace, the mass looting, and mass rape that occured. Even if we did not know Anonymous was an educated, well-traveled journalist, one can tell from her writing alone that she was intelligent as well as observant. While she insisted on staying anonymous for the publication of her book, her voice has become the voice of thousands of women. She is a survivor in every way, and remains hopeful to the end of her memoir. Even when her sweetheart rejects her diary and leaves her to join others who might be more sympathetic to him, she still remarks, "perhaps in the future we might be brought together again."

Recommended for history buffs and women everywhere.

Can Anyone Identify This Photo?

I'm a big fan of photography, and have been wanting to start a collection of prints for some time. Not in any particular genre, just stuff that I like.

Anyway, I thought a particular photo of a Marine running along the beach on D-Day would be a nice companion piece to the Flag-Raising at Mt. Suribachi. Except I don't know who took the photograph, or even if it has a title.

Here is a link to a poster from the National WWII Museum. And here it is on the cover of Norman Mailer's "The Naked & The Dead". (which is a good, if not great book, btw)

Since my googling hasn't come up with anything, I thought maybe someone else might know. I tried looking on the back of my copy of the Mailer book, but no luck.

The Long Goodbye

I've been spending a lot of my summer reading books (when I should just devote it all to looking for a job, but I digress), and spending too much money at Barnes & Noble. I've been reading books like it's going out of style. I think I've easily read 2000 pages in the last month or so, not including stuff I read on the internet and in magazines.

While I don't read mystery fiction too often, I have a weakness for detective novels. I really enjoyed some of Earl Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason books. I love the b&w series, too, but that just shows you how quirky and odd I am.

Right now I'm hooked on Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe books. The style and tone of his books are now cliche, but the originals don't seem to have suffered for that. At least the writing is fresh to me. I've read "The Long Goodbye" and "The Big Sleep", his last and first books, respectively. I enjoyed "The Long Goodbye" more than "The Big Sleep", and am working on "Farewell, My Lovely" right now.

I guess "The Maltese Falcon" will have to wait a few more weeks. I'd like to read Forester's Horatio Hornblower series, too, but 11 books is such a big commitment when I'm not sure I can get through them all. I did give up on the Dune series, but that was for more reasons than one. Herbert's Dune is one of my favorite books of all time, but I can't extend the love to the entire series.

As If I Didn't Have Enough Books Already

My "Literature of the Fantastic" professor wrote a book in 2002 entitled, "Beauty Raises the Dead: Literature and Loss in the Fin de Siècle". Turns out a lot of what's in the book was covered in my "Literature of the Decadence" course I took from him last semester.

Anyway, I thought it would be a nice memento to track down a copy of the book. After all, F had Mark Bowden sign a copy of "Black Hawk Down" after taking one of Bowden's courses at Loyola.

My quest to find a copy of the tome was momentarily sidetracked for the simple fact that it's out of print. It's so out of print that I have yet to locate a copy in the United States. (My professor is obviously not making millions off the royalties)

To my great shock and delighted surprise, I found a copy in Germany (Of all places! Most Decadent literature is French).

For those searching for their own copies of out-of-print tomes, I recommend the following websites:

AddAll - this is where I found my copy of "Beauty Raises the Dead"
AbeBooks - the #1 result from a Google search of "used books"

And for those who share my insatiable bizarre curiosity, Heritage Book Shop & Heritage Bindery not only have an inventory of rare/used books for sale, but restore books as well. So when you need a dozen copies of a "certain yellow book" (reference from "The Picture of Dorian Gray"; if you know anything about Decadent literature you know the tome I refer to) in various bindings and covers, you know who to call.

Hopefully it will make its trans-Atlantic journey without too much hassle.

The Rumors of My Disappearance Are Greatly Exaggerated

Turns out I had a very busy weekend.

Dinner at the Handley's Chinese New Year Party was very, very delicious.

Wine tasting was fun, but I don't think that I would really want to repeat the experience in Butte. I did learn, however, that both F and myself get a little goofy after slightly too much wine consumption.

I completely botched the Psalm Response at Mass (I was cantoring at Immaculate Conception this weekend) Sunday morning. I only hope that no one besides the accompianist (Madeline) noticed. Of course, I've felt that my voice has been "off" all January, so maybe I won't butcher music quite so badly the next time I cantor.

The internet was down (yet again!) at my apartment Sunday afternoon, so no surfing the net for me!

Oh, and if you're up to reading a very sweet short story, try Vera, by Villiers de l'Isle-Adam.