Interesting and not completely uncritical review essay on The Guradian‘s web site on Anne Applebaum’s latest book, called The Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1956. Heard a recent radio interview with Applebaum regarding the book, which focuses a great deal on popular culture as well as government, and the creation of dissent. Applebaum’s book on the Gulag was vast and illuminating, and I look forward to reading this book.
Author: Anders Monsen (Page 36 of 83)
Subterranean Press is one of the best modern small press publishers, with gorgeous covers, a wide range of authors, and a steady stream of new and classic books of fantasy, mystery, science fiction and horror. Their latest Jack Vance re-issue, Desperate Days, collects three Vance mysteries. Two of these are set in an imaginary county in northern California, and the third about a young woman on a steamship bound for Europe. Each of the books are virtually impossible to locate today; the first two might show up in a used mystery store or online, and the third appeared in two fairly limited publication runs. Kudos to Subterranean Press for re-issuing these books, and for their on-going effort to publish some of the earlier and harder to find Vance stories.
Tattered Cover Book Store’s author podcast series recently posted one with brilliant writer Jasper Fforde, author of a dozen novels, including The Eyre Affair, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Last Dragonslayer, and others. Hearing Fforde talk is as amusing and fresh as reading his fiction.
Radio station KUSP’s Rick Kleffel hosts an Audio Column interview with James P. Blaylock (and others). As a bonus you hear Blaylock read a portion of his latest novel, Zeuglodon, published by Subterranean Press. This young adult book deserves a great deal more attention, such as a trade paperback aimed at the young adult market.
News via io9 that Lois Lowry’s award-winner novel finally might be made into a movie.
Playing catch-up with Ken MacLeod’s latest novel, Intrusion, which appears only available inside the UK/Canada sphere. Strange that MacLeod, who’s books started off available only in the UK, then gained attention in the US, now again see his books in the US behind UK publication dates. At least Pyr books is bringing out his novels, after Tor dropped the ball a few years ago. But that’s the publishing world, I guess.
I am considering riding the Bergen-Voss 100 mile (160km) bike ride one year, possibly 2013 or 2014 if I can work out the expense and logistics. I’ve cycled that far once in my life, and though I’m currently in the middle of marathon training for a January endurance event of 39.3 miles in one weekend, I hope to resume bike training thereafter and maybe get on track for a long ride up three mountains in western Norway. My family is originally from the Bergen area, and I’ve lived in Bergen and visited Voss. I’ve driven the route in a car many times, or at least large portions of it, and it’s a daunting route. My brother cycled it this year, so if everything works out I’ll ride it with him one year.
Weird that someone can hold the idea that raising taxes unifies people. Still, sadly true, since while cutting spending to balance a budget for a household makes fiscal sense, the idea that a government should do the same causes only strife and division. At some point, there no longer will be any money left to steal, and then what will Jerry Brown do?
Recent ballot initiatives in a couple of states appear to signal an end in sight on the costly war on drugs. More a war on liberty, this four-decade old effort has sent thousands of non-violent individuals to jail, stolen reams of money from citizens, and served as a colossal waste of time and resources. Yet, as realists will argue, entrenched values in the federal community (DEA, Dept of Justice, etc) this war is by no means over.
A long review over at The American Spectator of Thomas Monteleone’s short story collection, Rough Beasts and Other Mutations. I’ve never thought of Monteleone in terms of a “conservo-libertarian”, but the article includes a detailed background of his world view, along with a nod to Ayn Rand.
