Here’s “Beneath,” a nice, melodic song from classic shoegazers Ride:
Shoegazer Sunday: Ride’s “Beneath”
December 23rd, 2012Galadriel As You’ve Never Seen Her Him Before
December 19th, 2012
Earlier this year, science fiction writer and North Carolina State University professor John Kessel declared that “I know the world does not care, but nobody could pay me enough money to go see The Hobbit. Well, maybe someone could, but nobody is going to.”
The Internet knows how to respond to such statements.
Soon a fundraiser for the SFWA Emergency Medical fund was launched, with various levels of funding support:
$250 — Prof. Kessel goes to see The Hobbit (the upcoming Peter Jackson version, in a movie theater before the end of the year, no cop-out home screenings of the Bass-Rankin animated classic)
$750 — Prof. Kessel will either before or after the film eat Denny’s The Hobbit-themed Ring Burger
$1000 — Prof. Kessel will dress as Gandalf when watching the film
$2500 — Prof. Kessel will dress as Galadriel when watching the film
And the result?
Well, feast your eyes:
The last picture is with John’s “Hobbit escort” Kate Maddalena, who took these pictures.
Click any picture to embiggen and more fully display all of John Kessel as Galadriel’s, um, glory.
If you’re impressed by this outstanding display of selflessness (or else you have a fetish for really tall, butch trannies), you too can donate to the SFWA Medical Fund.
You might also pick up one of John’s swell books, like Good News From Outer Space, Corrupting Dr. Nice, or his short story collection The Pure Product.
(And thanks to John and Kate Maddalena for permission to use these photos.)
Howard Waldrop and I Review The Hobbit
December 17th, 2012I liked it more than Howard did.
Shoegazer Sunday: Echodrone’s “Cold Snap”
December 16th, 2012Busy week. Here’s more Echodrone, this time with “Cold Snap,” which is pleasantly haunting.
Their Bon Voyage is starting to sound like a good candidate for Shoegazer album of the year. Any others you can suggest?
First Pacific Rim Trailer Drops
December 13th, 2012The first trailer for Pacific Rim, Guillermo del Toro’s kaiju vs. giant mechs film, is out.
Oh yeah. I’m there.
Howard Waldrop and I have signed up to review this next year.
Finally! Gene Wolfe Named Grandmaster!
December 13th, 2012In a well-earned and long-overdue honor, SFWA has finally named Gene Wolfe a Nebula Grandmaster.
Congratulations to Gene for a lifetime of great work, and to SFWA for getting this one right.
(Hat tip: SF Signal.)
New Lame Excuse Books Catalog Out Soon
December 12th, 2012Drop me an email or comment if you’d like to receive a copy.
A Book Collector More Obsessive Than I
December 10th, 2012Poking around the Internet, I came across this description of the personal collection of American librarian Paula Peyraud, who assembled a vast and impressive collection of books, letters, and art for the Georgian period (1760–1820), including important work by Samuel Johnson, Jane Austen, and hundreds of less famous figures.
A more complete description of her collection can be found in this PDF, and if you’re interested in books and collecting it’s well worth a read. Though not my collecting vector, the collection Peyraud was amazing not only in quality (though she favored extensively hand-annotated works by contemporary figures over pristine copies), but also in the sheer vastness of her holdings. “By the time of Peyraud’s sad death in 2008, the complete collection ran to approximately half a million printed books.” Having assembled a bit over 1% of that number, the sheer size of her library (which she kept, meticulously cataloged, in a subterranean book gallery at the big family home she inherited) is stunning. I’m also tickled by the idea of an American librarian outbidding a Viscountess for a choice item.
Shoegazer Sunday: …And the Earth Swarmed With Them’s “Everyone Will Fade”
December 9th, 2012Here’s …And the Earth Swarmed With Them‘s atmospheric, goth-y “Everyone Will Fade,” off their album The Fading Voice Of The Old Era Speaks To Us, But Where Are The Ears Left To Hear It?, which does suggest a certain sensibility…
Slamball, ChessBoxing, or Hockey?
December 8th, 2012With the NHL lockout looking to drag on indefinitely, America finally has a chance to ditch hockey for another sport.
So below, find a poll on what should be America’s next great sport:
Let your voice be heard! Vote below!