Soccer and Books

Right now, Brazil and Portugal are facing off in a soccer match. I’m not much of a sports enthusiast, but this is actually mildly interesting. My cousin is on his up from RI, and he asked me to keep an eye on the game while he is in transit. The day itself has been pretty intellectually unproductive. I stopped by Hannaford to pick up the paycheck, deposited it, and got the oil changed one of my parent’s vehicles. I sent a different short story out to Instigatorzine, and I believe it has a better chance of being run then the Bear Cather piece did.

I’m reading through a Harlan Ellison anthology as well as William Gibson’s Spook Country. Both a very strong reads and incorporate mild aspects of science fiction. I’ve read most of these Ellison stories in his Alone Against Tomorrow anthology, but revisiting them is great. I want to recommend two specifically: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, and Repent Harlequin, said the Ticktockman. The first is a very interesting take on the end of the human race. I won’t spoil the plot, but if you’re into cyberpunk or just appreciate science fiction in general, this is one of the first stories I would recommend. Harlequin is a short four page dystopia. If you’re a writer, a lot of this story you can take as an outline, and when he’s not using subtext, Ellison isn’t afraid to say, “This is why this happens. This is why that happens.” It’s an interesting style. Also, he makes some pretty neat Orwell references. Spook Country is the second book in the ‘Bigend’ series. Zero History, being the third, is scheduled for print this fall. In this contemporary setting, Gibson is exploring the means of art and advertisements in our culture. Though, I’m only 1/3 through the book.

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Book Hunting

When my professor told me she had been searching used book shops for Ellison for almost ten years, I didn’t consider that he might still be this hard to find.  The internet is wonderful with locating books, but I’m trying to find a cheap paperback that won’t run me like $10 in shipping. “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream” is probably my favorite short story, and I am determined to find an anthology with it. Since I’m on a cyberpunk/sci-fi binge, I’ve also been looking for Neuromancer, but my book hunting hasn’t been too successful.

Even if you’re not finding pearls in the sand, used book shopping is incredibly therapeutic. At our Salvation Army today, I picked up Kurt Vonnegut’s Welcome to the Monkey House, Manette Ansay’s Midnight Champagne, and a book about the craft of fiction writing by Percy Lubbock.

I’ve also started reading George Martin’s A Game of Thrones. When I talk to people about the fantasy genre, this is typically a book they recommend. I’m only 100 pages in, but it’s been a pretty good read. There’s a quote in the beginning I really liked by Bran’s (One of the main characters) father. He said, “A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.” Not trying to throw controversy around, but I think this idea is timeless.

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