Category Archives: Books

Martha Wells’ All Systems Red

All Systems Red is the first book in Martha Wells’ series “The Murderbot Diaries.” It’s a highly entertaining series of novellas set in a distant semi-dystopian future in which bots and borgs and other kinds of artificially intelligent constructs do … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged | Comments Off on Martha Wells’ All Systems Red

What’s New for the 21st of April: Joni Mitchell sings of Coyote, Corridos from the Arizona-Sonora Borderlands, Tex-Mex Celtic music (!), live music from Calexico, R. Carlos Nakai, a bevy of novels set in the desert Southwest USA and other things for your consideration…

What draws a Green Man into the desert? Melodies, bones, and ghosts, I’d say. We go on these pilgrimages from time to time, searching for our heart’s home, and often it’s the border country of the American West that calls. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commentary, Music, Stories | Comments Off on What’s New for the 21st of April: Joni Mitchell sings of Coyote, Corridos from the Arizona-Sonora Borderlands, Tex-Mex Celtic music (!), live music from Calexico, R. Carlos Nakai, a bevy of novels set in the desert Southwest USA and other things for your consideration…

What’s New for the 7th of April: live Irish music from De Dannan, John Brunner does future shock, artisan chocolate, Big Band music, Valente tells a story, chamber folk-pop, a history of caviar, Ottoman culture and a bevy of other things!

I decided to return to the library and see what I  could learn there. Besides, I like libraries. It  makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around  me. I always feel better when … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commentary, Food and Drink, Music, Stories | Comments Off on What’s New for the 7th of April: live Irish music from De Dannan, John Brunner does future shock, artisan chocolate, Big Band music, Valente tells a story, chamber folk-pop, a history of caviar, Ottoman culture and a bevy of other things!

What’s New for the 31st of March: Nietzsche, Stephen King considered, chocolate of course and other matters

The advantage of a bad memory is that one can enjoy the same good things for the first time several times. — Friedrich Nietzsche Yes, that’s lox and cream cheese on a toasted bagel I’m having along with Komodo Dragon coffee. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Commentary, Film, Food and Drink, Music, Uncategorized, What Nots | Comments Off on What’s New for the 31st of March: Nietzsche, Stephen King considered, chocolate of course and other matters

What’s New for the 3rd of March: Danish String Quartet’s Last Leaf, Lindt dark chocolate, music from Planxty, some very different approaches to “traditional” music, and Neverwhere in various forms

Is it more foolish and childish to assume there is a conspiracy, or that there is not? — China Mieville’s The City & The City Come I’m. I was discussing with Bjorn, our brewmaster, what he had cellared for barley wines and … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Film, Uncategorized | Comments Off on What’s New for the 3rd of March: Danish String Quartet’s Last Leaf, Lindt dark chocolate, music from Planxty, some very different approaches to “traditional” music, and Neverwhere in various forms

Kevin Hearne’s A Plague of Giants

The author of the best-selling urban fantasy series The Iron Druid Chronicles has begun a new series that promises to be, well, huge. Kevin Hearne’s new The Seven Kennings series begins with A Plague of Giants. It’s a hefty tome … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on Kevin Hearne’s A Plague of Giants

Mark Doty’s Sweet Machine

I don’t know if it’s possible for anyone not to be taken by Mark Doty’s poetry. Reading one or two (which I try to do with poetry, so as not to become too glib about it) is like eating one … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged | Comments Off on Mark Doty’s Sweet Machine

William E. Deal’s Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan

If the title sounds daunting, don’t be worried. William E. Diehl’s Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan is a well-organized and eminently usable reference to the history, arts, and customs of Japan from 1185, the beginning of … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on William E. Deal’s Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan

Roger Zelazny and Jane Lindskold’s Donnerjack

I believe that someone has just begun a game,’ Death said as he headed across Deep Fields through a meadow of blackest grass, black poppies swaying at the passage of his cloak, ‘and, next to music, they have invoked a … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Comments Off on Roger Zelazny and Jane Lindskold’s Donnerjack

Recent Reading Wrap-up: Mutinies, Black Dogs, and Dreams on a Distant Ice Planet

I’ve been letting some of the books to be reviewed pile up, so this is the first of two “armload reviews,” this one focusing on indie and small press books. Camouflage by Kyell Gold is something I hadn’t really hit … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Recent Reading Wrap-up: Mutinies, Black Dogs, and Dreams on a Distant Ice Planet