Category Archives: Commentary

What’s New for the 7th of July: Two Batman graphic novels, Terri Windling on hedgehogs, fiction from Hannu Rajaniemi, fantastic Victoriana, 10,000 Maniacs live, Balinese gamelan, and some other things as well…

Posted on 7th July 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

My grandmother didn’t teach me Appalachian ballads on our back porch and I had no banjo-strummin’ pappy to sing to me in the cradle. I didn’t attend tent revivals. I never saw or heard a chain gang, or worked in … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 9th of June: Byrds live, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, Conan the Barbarian, Indonesian Pop, Elizabeth Bear reads us a story, a history of ice cream and other tasty matters…

Posted on 9th June 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

Some stories are literally true; some of them are figuratively true; some of them are wrong. That’s the nature of stories, isn’t it? They show us all the highlights of the world, but they never leave us certain we can … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 5th of May: family friendly rootsy music, a look at queer comics, offbeat Columbian music, Peanut butter cups, Folkmanis’ Narwhal puppet, ‘City Of New Orleans’ and other stories

Posted on 5th May 2019 by Diverse Voices

If I told you the whole story, your head would burst. There is no one story, there are branches, rooms… corridors, dead ends. — John Hurt as The Storyteller in Jim Henson’s The Storyteller All stories including our reviews are never the … Continue reading →

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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…

Posted on 21st April 2019 by Reynard

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!

Posted on 7th April 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

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

Posted on 31st March 2019 by Diverse Voices

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 →

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What’s New for the 17 of March: The Cultured Cook, Frouds, Joseph Campbell, Complaint Choirs, Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, Vivaldi’s ‘Spring’ from The Four Seasons and other matters

Posted on 17th March 2019 by Reynard

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. — Margaret Atwood Yes the doors into the Green Man Pub from the stone patio outside Kinrowan Hall have been open since mid morning as it’s both … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 17th of February: chicha music, not so great chocolate, Toll House cookies, North Carolina music, Hungarian and Japanese folklore in fiction, music from the Taraf De Haïdouks and much more!

Posted on 17th February 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

I overheard Cat and Robert debating in our Pub over who was the best stylist when writing fantasy currently. Cat choose Brokedown Palace as reviewed by Robert to bolster his contention that Steven Brust was the best, but Robert added a number of … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 3rd of February: Denise’s favourite reading space, a science-fiction classic, the real Dracula, music from the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, more gamelan, Patrick’s breakfast and other matters

Posted on 3rd February 2019 by Iain Nicholas Mackenzie

In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, Long ago. — Christina Rossetti Ahhh there you are. Have … Continue reading →

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What’s New for the 20th of January: Mary Gauthier’s Rifles & Rosary Beads, Elizabeth Bear on chocolate truffles, some Roger Zelazny reviews, Music from Sufjan Stevens, Bruce Campbell’s Jack of All Trades series and other matters

Posted on 20th January 2019 by Diverse Voices

Endings are rubbish. They’re only the place where you choose to stop talking. — The Narrator in Catherynne Valente’s The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home Come in, we’re almost ready for you to read this edition, but first have … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Comments Off on What’s New for the 20th of January: Mary Gauthier’s Rifles & Rosary Beads, Elizabeth Bear on chocolate truffles, some Roger Zelazny reviews, Music from Sufjan Stevens, Bruce Campbell’s Jack of All Trades series and other matters