Rand Versus Tolkien


There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Ringsand Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs. 

– John Rogers

Tuesday Staff Meeting – It’s A Psychotronic World, My Friend, We’re Just Living In It


For me, it was the monster movies and black & white sci fi that played on Saturdays at noon on channel 33 (pre-cable days) in Norfolk, Virginia.

Another paean to the demise of the public intellectual (not to be confused with vapid public pundit) in America.

Liberals take to the barricades via the printing press.

Where does Slavoj Zizek live?

Monday Morning Staff Meeting – Doggone It


What are the most well-read cities in America? Come visit me and I’ll show them to you.

We also buy a lot of freaking books.

A variation on the question of the value of MFA programs.

Downtown LA has gone to the dogs.

Dinosaurs Vs Aliens


This proposed Barry Sonnenfeld movie will undoubtedly suck, but I’ll undoubtedly see it because, come on… dinosaurs versus aliens.

Still waiting for that Devil Dinosaur movie, though.

The Daleks Are The Masters Of Earth


No. The Weeping Angels are not the scariest nor the best Doctor Who villain. All these people are wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EX-TER-MI-NATE!!!!!!!

Prayer


Those aren’t books. A book has got to smell. You have to hold it in your hand and pray to it. – Ray Bradbury

 

Happy Bloomsday!


Warlord Of Mars


Warlord of Mars is the third of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ martian novels. For completists, pulpy goodies like Thuvia, Maid of Mars and Chessmen of Mars await.

Warlord is, frankly, weaker than the other two. Burroughs, at his heart, is a frustrated travel writer. His plots have a sort linear propulsion, but his real love is describing the fauna and culture of his fictional Mars (or Barsoom, as the martians call it). Warlord lacks the wonder-eyed newness of A Princess of Mars and theological/cultural fun of Gods of Mars.

Yes, there are some jungle dwelling barsoomians and the long lost, glacial dwelling Yellow Men of Mars (which, by the way is less racist than it sounds; they are described as being literally lemon yellow and seem to be inspired more by Russian kossacks than sinophobic fears of the Chinese). But overall, he didn’t seem to find anything to really capture his curiosity. At least it starts pretty quickly, beginning in media res and rarely halting.

Weekend Reading – No Water? No Problem!


How gay authors changed America.

How to build a waterfront park without a waterfront.

Leo Strauss was very, very wrong.

You’re just asking of trouble.

L’homme En Revolte