This book appears to be the last of the graphic novel tie-ins to the Serenity-verse, and it is one about which I have very mixed feelings. I admit, my...moreThis book appears to be the last of the graphic novel tie-ins to the Serenity-verse, and it is one about which I have very mixed feelings. I admit, my feelings were mixed even as I picked it up. Did I want the mystery of the Shepherd's origins revealed? Could the "real story" be as good as the mystery? Now that I've read it, I don't know that it is.
This story is told as flashback after flashback. Starting with the attack on Haven and Book's fatal wound -- tracing choices back through his life, each illuminating paths followed later, ending with his leaving home as a teenager. My feelings are mixed because this is a good story. A good story, but...
Any fan of the series couldn't help but cheer many of the Shepherd's life choices, nor fail to sympathize with many of his circumstances. However, without getting too spoilery, this story does not explain at all to my mind, the central mystery of Shepherd's story: why, when the Firefly crew were about to be turned away by the Alliance, would checking Book's ident card lead them to an about face -- bringing him in for treatment before sending them on their merry way? The story in this book could explain some other mysteries, but to me, it makes the treatment described above even less likely.
So, frustrating. But perhaps worth it for a few scenes of Shepherd practicing his faith. And maybe Jayne calling River a jelly brain, who is not offended while she's doing a single hand-stand. Still. Very mixed. (less)
Every once in a while, I fall in love with a particular publisher. The first time I remember it happening was with Soft Skull Press. Then, the New Yor...moreEvery once in a while, I fall in love with a particular publisher. The first time I remember it happening was with Soft Skull Press. Then, the New York Review Books. There have been other, more fleeting crushes, of course, but when I'm fully in love with a publisher, I haunt their website, constructing long wishlists of titles. I consider how many books I'd have to buy at once to get the wholesale discount. In bookstores, I look for a certain spine dimension, color scheme, logo. Right now, I am in love with Melville House Publishing -- specifically, the Neversink collection. So when I was at the library, but NOT to check out books, as I already had one overdue and was in the middle of three more, and I turned around to see the familiar graphics of a Neversink cover design on the New Titles shelf, I knew I was doomed.
Of course I took it home with me.
I did not give myself permission to start reading it until I finished at least one of the books I was reading. Still, it was like a ticking time bomb sitting on my shelf. I have let too many library books go overdue lately. I finished 400 Years of the Telescope, and immediately replaced it (in its place in my purse) with The President. Still, chances to read it kept slipping by for one reason or another until a Friday, I finally got to dip into it during a short lunch at Zoup!
I read the rest of the book on Saturday.
I don't even know when was the last time that I got to sit down and read a whole book in one day, but it's something I've been missing. Especially over the holidays, as that was exactly the sort of thing I would do when I was young and had no kids. It was hard, at times, due to my lack of practice, to fully devote myself to the book. Through no fault of The President, which I loved, I would read a few pages and my mind would wander. One page -- "Wait, should I go check the laundry?" Three pages -- "I wonder if there are any new pins on Pinterest?" Two pages -- "Oh! Now I need to make a new cup of tea!" And so on.
I did get better at shutting out these wandering thoughts as the day wore on and this book moved closer to its conclusion. I was supremely satisfied when I reached the end, yet I find I am struggling to articulate the reasons why. Every attempt at summary seems a gross over-simplification to my mind. Though I do feel compelled to list some of the themes it touches on -- retirement, death, power, ambition, reckoning...
Suffice it to say, it is a tragedy that this book was out of print for 40 years, and I cheer Neversink for bringing it back. This book is wonderful. I plan to read it again, perhaps many times, later in life. (less)
Okay, well, first of all, let's be totally honest about how I ended up with this book. One day I was getting ready to go out to lunch solo and realize...moreOkay, well, first of all, let's be totally honest about how I ended up with this book. One day I was getting ready to go out to lunch solo and realized there was no book in my purse. So I went upstairs to check the Science Store for reading material. Well, 98% of the books are aimed at kids, and of the "grown-up" choices, there was a small stack of these (as opposed to just one or two of the others), so I decided to even out the inventory and bought this.
I suppose that it was interesting enough, as I finished it, but it was frightfully dry in places, would have benefited immeasurably by including a few illustrations, and I remain at a loss to understand the logic behind the placement of all (or any) of the sidebars. I do understand that this was "only" the companion book to a PBS program. Perhaps the author believed only those who had seen/were seeing the program would read the book? But as someone who took an optics class fourteen years ago, I was constantly yearning for ray diagrams to show how all the different lenses and lens arrangements actually worked. Not to mention in the more complicated reflector telescopes with compound mirrors and active optics systems... They could have ditched all those stupid sidebars and replaced them with a dozen illustrations and my enjoyment of this book would have doubled.
I did find it interested to learn about all the different types of telescopes and what they are all studying. Then again, I have a degree in physics and friends actively working in astronomy. (And I've visited at least two of the telescopes in this book!) So I would hesitate before recommending this book to anyone else, unless they had a similar level of interest. I hate to say it, but I don't see us selling out of this book anytime soon.(less)
I have had this book for ages, since college, probably, though I don't remember at all how I acquired it. I do know it has sat on my shelves for many ...moreI have had this book for ages, since college, probably, though I don't remember at all how I acquired it. I do know it has sat on my shelves for many a year. I'm sure I felt there was no urgency to read another AIDS book after I've read Paul Monette and And the Band Played On. And once I'd gotten to this point, well, why now? Now that the crisis has passed its hottest point of urgency. Not that an unreasonable number of people aren't still being infected, not that prevention still remains shrouded in secrecy and superstition in much of the world, by those who don't want anyone talking about "dirty" things like sex or drugs, and not like most of the world isn't content to wring their hands briefly and then look away, especially when it's mostly people of color doing the dying. But now, now that we're gaining a better understanding of how the virus works. Now that AIDS fundraising and advocacy groups are generally afforded the same level of respectability as cancer and heart disease organizations. Now that a diagnosis no longer has to mean that you die of AIDS. Not if you can afford the meds.
Maybe it is this exact sense of blandness that has accumulated around the AIDS crisis that made this book, once I'd picked it up on a random impulse, so gripping and hard to put down. To be reminded that it was life and death once, to everyone who had it, is to be reminded that it is still so, for so many, now. Then it was Reagan, a slow drug approval process, and the public's general apathy in the face of what was seen as a gay man's disease. (I'm reminded suddenly of Eddie Izzard's line on foreign dictators -- "We've been trying to kill you for ages! So kill your own people, right on there.") Now it's international patent law, squeamish conservative restrictions placed on international aid, and the public's general apathy in the face of what is seen as an African disease.
But this changing face of AIDS is not what this book is about. Queer and Loathing is a collection of extremely personal essays by one gay man grappling with his HIV status in New York City in the late eighties, early nineties. For the most part the essays were written as stand-alone pieces, freelance articles for magazines and speeches for protests and demonstrations. But arranged chronologically, they form a solid narrative, a compelling portrait of the author, and a glimpse into the activist community during the heyday of ACT-UP demonstrations.
The stories of the demonstrations offer an interesting comparison between how cops and other law enforcement reacted to the persistent, recurring demonstrations of AIDS activists then, and Occupy protesters now. Even when the police overreacted then (and they most certainly did, on occasion), there were no mentions of tear gas or pepper spray. No telling people it was okay to cross a certain line, then cordoning off and arresting all who did. But I suppose that's another conversation for another time. (less)
It should go without saying that everything I wrote in my review of the previous volume about Tezuka's writing and artwork should also be true here. T...moreIt should go without saying that everything I wrote in my review of the previous volume about Tezuka's writing and artwork should also be true here. That is, they are fantastic. And indeed, the storytelling is even better in this volume. The plot is gathering steam and reaching the more familiar ground of Buddha's enlightenment. There are fewer asides and introduction of new characters, and the one significant exception to this rule is already tied into the main storyline by this volume's end.
Also, in this book, the mirroring and contrast of the monks' self-imposed torments in the forest versus the horrible injustices committed in the name of the caste system contribute to a sense of moral urgency, a greater need for a relief from all this suffering, or at least some perspective on it. And that relief is provided within this volume as well. Yet so many volumes remain! Clearly, there is no choice but to continue the story...(less)
Okay, so I went to the library to pick up a few dvds for a few days I had scheduled off work, and I just had to pick up new installments of Serenity a...moreOkay, so I went to the library to pick up a few dvds for a few days I had scheduled off work, and I just had to pick up new installments of Serenity and Buddha while I was there. As far as I could tell, this was the next Serenity graphic novel, so I picked it up. Started reading it on the bus and finished it before they called my name in the doctor's waiting room.
This story starts in the middle of action, and it was confusing to try to figure out just when this story was. The back of the book establishes that it was written after Those Left Behind, but it clearly takes place before it. Later, after I'd finished reading, I looked up a timeline on the internet and found that indeed, it took place after the TV series, but before Left Behind. Ok. Glad that's clear.
Although the credits claim the same artist illustrated Better Days as Those Left Behind, I had a totally different experience with the artwork this time. Maybe I got used to his style, maybe he hit his stride, I don't know. This time faces were the familiar faces that I loved, this time pages were sumptuous when they needed to be, gory when they needed to be, many individual expressions were so spot-on perfect that I had to stop and stare at them awhile to fully appreciate them. There was one action sequence where I'm still a little murky on what exactly happened and how, but I'm willing to let that slide.
As for the writing -- well, I defy any lover of these characters (and really, who else would be reading these?) not to delight in the crew's fantasies of what they would do if they were dirty filthy rich. The crew interactions in this scene capture much of what was best about the series.
Anyway. I'm not going to go on and on. I thoroughly enjoyed this.(less)
Really, it is embarrassing to admit how much time went by between reading Volume 2 and 3. Even given that my old library didn't appear to have any gra...moreReally, it is embarrassing to admit how much time went by between reading Volume 2 and 3. Even given that my old library didn't appear to have any graphic novels (at least not for grown-ups), and instead I had to buy all mind on the rare trips to Grand Rapids that I could convince Andrew to take me to the comic book store. I should have bought one of these volumes every time.
Okay, so now you know how strongly I feel about Tezuka's writing. But why? It's his sense of balance. He writes about such a reverent subject -- the life of Buddha -- with such bold streaks of absolute irreverence. The artwork, too, is simple and beautiful in one frame, hideous/profane a few pages later, then total kawaii a few pages after that. He constantly has you spinning from hope to despair, admiration to disguts. It is both a departure from our everyday world and a descent into the worst of the human condition.
In this volume, Siddharta continues to seek enlightenment, gaining admirers as he goes, denying Tatta's requests of him to return to his throne, and finally giving in and accepting responsibility for Assaji, the boy who has been following them. Some of the plot in this volume seems incremental, and the asides to catch us up on other characters feel not yet justified, but I'm sure we will all end up somewhere worthwhile in the end.(less)
So, I had some library fines. A book that I checked out for Jefferson was left lying on the living room floor. Solomon picked it up, and with seemingl...moreSo, I had some library fines. A book that I checked out for Jefferson was left lying on the living room floor. Solomon picked it up, and with seemingly no effort at all, popped one of the sections right out of the binding. I inquired at the library, and there was no repair option. Basically, I had to pay $20 to replace the book. I spent a lot of time grousing and contemplating options and avoiding the library entirely until one night my husband asked if I would be willing to donate $20 to the library. "Of course!" I answered. So he suggested I take a twenty to the library for the fine and tell them to keep the change as a donation. Somehow that changed it entirely, and off to the library I went.
My brother-in-law came along to pick out some dvds, and as I made my selection immediately, I got bored waiting for him and started to wander. And finally found the adult graphic novel section! (Not "adult" as in "naughty," of course, but "adult," as in not children's or young adult.) I circled the stacks and was delighted to find a copy of Buddha, Vol. 3, the next in the series that I hadn't read. Inspired by this success, I tromped over to the young adult graphic novel section and checked out the Whedon selection, as I had yet to read any of his comics and was curious. Of course, I ended up picking up this copy of Serenity.
It's strange, switching to a comics format after a much-beloved TV series. Both genres are of course so visual, and it took a little bit of time to get used to the artist's renderings of such familiar characters. In particular, there was one character who was not a regular, but had only previously appeared in a single episode. He was referred to by name once, and it seemed familiar, but I was left examining his face for pages, hunting for clues that I had identified him correctly. What finally nailed it for me was the dialog. As soon as the character got a change to make a speech, I could hear his voice ringing in my ears.
I do sympathize with the task of drawing for this kind of comic. Instead of getting to invent the look of your characters afresh -- to be bound to representing those characters as they were portrayed by actors. Certainly it's a skill I'm lacking. Some of the drawings were wonderful. But I can't keep from mentioning that in nearly every frame containing Simon my brain was screaming, "Who in the 'verse are you trying to draw here?"
Anyway, it was interesting to get a glimpse of how the story moved from Point A (the end of the series) to Point B (the beginning of the movie). I know, sometimes such things are better left a mystery, but I can't look away. I'll have to go pick up the next in the series...(less)
I was quite happy when this book popped up on my paperbackswap wish list. I started reading it fairly soon after receiving it in the mail, stealing a ...moreI was quite happy when this book popped up on my paperbackswap wish list. I started reading it fairly soon after receiving it in the mail, stealing a few minutes here and there to read, often on the walk to work. Then, the train trip to Kalamazoo (for our fall OMA meeting) afforded me the chance to plunge through the rest of the book, fighting back tears in the Kalamazoo train station as I waited for Debbie to pick me up, as I read about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and finished the book.
As always, I found Tim Wise's writing to be insightful and incredibly informative. I had really been yearning for Wise's analysis of the racial issues surrounding Obama's election, and it was wonderful to have Wise not just validate all my uncomfortableness with some of the stupid crap people kept saying by laying those same issues out, but to have him really dig deep into exactly what made them so awful and wrong.
At times it felt like I was bookmarking every other page, and many quotes theories and anecdotes made their way into my conversations in the following weeks. I could go on and on about why I find the writings of this white anti-racism activist refreshing, but instead I filled my reading journal with a list of page references to quotes and arguments that I wanted to be able to refer back to. Normally, I just write the entire quotes. But with this book? There were too many and too long and it would have taken an age. Though I do want to record this one quote, which is a lovely statement on the book as a whole:
... I have come to realize something: namely, even with Barack Obama as the forty-fourth president of the United States, we will still need a back-up plan. For Obama cannot be relied upon, any more so than any other president or national leader, to shepherd our nation out of the wilderness of racism and inequality. The job is too great, and the single solitary man too small for such an effort. Which is to say that if we want the job done right, we're going to have to do it ourselves, all of us.
Andrew bought me this book (along with some others) from my wishlist for m birthday. This book was released in 2007 and has been on my wishlist that e...moreAndrew bought me this book (along with some others) from my wishlist for m birthday. This book was released in 2007 and has been on my wishlist that entire time, so I was quite delighted to finally get my hands on it! Of course, the lag also meant that some portions were no longer as topical, but it was much less a problem than I thought it might be.
There is definitely a difference between reading Colbert and watching Colbert. A few times during early chapters on family and sexuality, I had to close the book and put it aside for a while -- because without being able to see that little twinkle in his eyes -- some of the words too closely resembled rhetoric I might hear surrounding the human sexuality paper discussion that the Church of the Brethren was enmeshed in at the time I was reading. I was probably a little over-sensitive given how mired I was already feeling in the issue, so I would hesitate to say it was an actual problem with the book.
For the most part I would say that anyone who enjoys the Colbert Report would enjoy this book. It was thoroughly diverting, with many "Wait! I have to read this to you!" passages. (less)
How to review this book? The idea is certainly true -- or at least deeply resonant with me at the moment. We as a culture have become addicted to illu...moreHow to review this book? The idea is certainly true -- or at least deeply resonant with me at the moment. We as a culture have become addicted to illusion and spectacle. Prominent examples from the book include professional wrestling, porn, and our obsession with celebrities. We are surrounded by distraction -- TVs everywhere blaring a 24-hour fluff news cycle and somehow no programs of substance, twitters and Facebook statuses on constant rolling feeds, all in 140 characters or less, all of us chained to this stream of entertainment and pseudo-news, and who has time to read a book? Who has time to think deeply about any one particular issue? How easily those with a different script are dismissed as doomsdayers, naysayers, future-fearing Luddites, so they can be erased from view and replaced with someone who will move more product.
Corporations are running the world. All so subtly it's like we didn't even know it was happening. It's not a monopoly if it's five companies controlling every thing we read, hear, watch, and surf, right? Never mind they all have the exact same interests at heart -- profit, advertising, the commodification of the audience: us. It's still a democracy if we have so many choices, right? But now strange all those voices sound the same on the issues important to the deep pockets required to make those voices loud enough for us to hear in the first place.
This is a bleak world view. As it goes on it gets clearer and clearer just why that shiny world of glitz is so much more attractive than reality. But then just when I was ready to give way to despair, Hedges won me back with one very simple promise: love wins. I emerged from the other side of this book even more deeply convicted of the importance of manifesting my crazy liberal theology. We'll see how that goes.(less)
It really irritates me that I can't remember why I sought out this book. I have made a concerted effort recently to find SF written by women, but stil...moreIt really irritates me that I can't remember why I sought out this book. I have made a concerted effort recently to find SF written by women, but still, some one or some article must have recommended this book in particular, and I don't remember what that was. It was a like a mosquito buzzing around my head the entire time I read this book.
But onto the book itself! Like Dune, the planet of our particular interest (in this case, Tiamat), is the only source of an amazing substance with powerful effects. Like in Dune, the rules of the known universe conspire to keep this planet subjugated in order to enjoy continued supply of said substance. And like in Dune, there is one character who seems uniquely predestined to rule this planet and lead it out of its subjugation. (Also, like in Dune, this doesn't really rely on exploiting the substance, but rather halting its production altogether.)
The Snow Queen is a highly ambitious book. Unfortunately, I didn't find Moon nearly as relatable as Paul. (Paul? Relatable? It seems strange to say such a thing, even in comparison.) Moon is foreign from top to bottom -- starting out as a Lady-worshiping, cousin-loving island girl, transformed into a sibyl for the Lady herself, then as she discovers what a sibyl truly is and finally learns that she is a clone of the Snow Queen, ruler of Tiamat, created in an attempt to retain power past the Change...
It was the minor characters and the fate of the planet itself that finally drew me in, until I was reading voraciously, turning each page with both increasing hunger and certainty that the ultimate fate I yearned to learn wouldn't be revealed until a later book. (Indeed! There are at least three more books in the series.) I fell in love with the mers, with Fate, with PalaThion, Miroe, BZ, Tor and her faithful Pollux. Some readers criticized that Snow Queen was too long, and maybe during the long, slow buildup I would have agreed. But by the end I wanted more, more more. Chapters, entire books devoted to these fascinating support characters! And more about Moon's plotting for Summer! I guess this all means I'm on the hook for at least the next book in the series...(less)
I'd known about Seligmman's work for quite some time. I first started taking questionnaires at his website back in 2008. The fact that three years lat...moreI'd known about Seligmman's work for quite some time. I first started taking questionnaires at his website back in 2008. The fact that three years later, I still haven't taken them all, should be a pretty good indicator that I've never been converted to a true believer. But I do keep coming back, so there are aspects of his work that I find interesting.
This book and the test center at his website are really tie-ins to each other. It was because my results kept saying "for more information, see the book," that I finally read the book. And while the book includes at least basic versions of all the tests, the book constantly refers you to the website to take the tests there. The website is nice in that it keeps track of all your results for you and records when you took each test.
I should back up. The intention of this book is to be a sort of handbook to the relatively new science of positive psychology. Of course, as you may have gathered from my review so far, it comes across as more of a guidebook to the current tests and surveys of the positive psychology movement. Which is, I suppose, a good place to start from, but I found myself wishing Seligman went a little further with it. Instead, each section introduced the concept behind some test, talked about why it was important, gave the test, discussed why certain answers were indicators of important behaviors/attitudes, and discussed the results. A few tips were given for "improvement" in that category, and then on to the next test!
Okay, so really, that only comprises the first half of the book. In the second half, Seligman deals with the concept of "signature strengths," which I am very interested in and was the tipping point for me to seek out the book in the first place. A group of researchers examined many of the cultures and religions of the world and came up with a list of 24 virtues or strengths that had near-universal appreciation. Their theory is, rather than dwelling on the virtues we are weakest in, true gratification and fulfillment comes from arranging our lives in such a way that we are using our signature strengths as much as possible.
This idea really appeals to me, and the last section of the book had some lovely suggestions on recognizing and supporting the strengths of our spouse and our children. There was some lip service given to using your strengths at work, but the "how" to do this seemed to be left a little vague.
The very last section on meaning and purpose was utterly fascinating as it referenced Asimov's "The Last Question," and fed directly into the future-focused theology I seem to be building into. Seligman and I have some philosophical differences that I found mildly irritating during a few points of the book, but this theory as a conclusion for the book was a very validating moment that greatly upped the chances that I'll pick up another work by Seligman in the future. (less)
While I didn't realize it at the time I ordered this book, The Children Star is yet another book occurring in the Door Into Ocean universe. Happily, i...moreWhile I didn't realize it at the time I ordered this book, The Children Star is yet another book occurring in the Door Into Ocean universe. Happily, it seems to be the book immediately following Daughter of Elysium, however, it has also been some time since I've read Daughter, so it took me a while to remember what I'd learned from Daughter about the characters, races, and planets that were also mentioned in The Children Star. Then again, this isn't exactly a sequel, so perfect memory of such was not a requirement.
The basic set-up is this: the needs and demands of the Fold are ever increasing. The L'liites continue to overpopulate every planet they gain a foothold on and are looking for new territory. Valedon continues to demand gemstones. The eternal Elysians need rare earth metals to build their servos and gadgets. Prokaryon has all these. It also has its own fascinating (and highly toxic to both humans and unaltered sentient machines) ecology, in such rigid order as to strongly suggest the presence of some managing intelligence. An intelligence which cannot be found.
As I've come to expect from Slonczewski, there are a lot of fascinating (and horrifying) ideas to be mulled in this book. The way we discount the intelligence of others when it doesn't look like ours. The way our strongest principles can be quickly cast aside in the face of economic "necessity." How financing the destructive whims of one very rich man seems to always take precedence over the suffering and death of millions of the poor. There are also some interesting thoughts about various obsessions over purity within religious orders.
I really enjoyed this book. Not quite as spot-on perfect as Door Into Ocean, but more tightly edited than Daughter of Elysium. Its slowly gathering momentum made it very difficult to put down in the second half! Highly recommended. (less)
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