Marginalia
Favourable review of Mary Doria Russell's new novel, A Thread of Grace. "Russell's magnificent novel is a testament on behalf of persecuted people, which observes its pledge to testify in a spirit of sympathy and gratitude." *taps foot, impatiently waiting for his review copy*
'Bring on the digital Hugos' says James Patrick Kelly. This seems wrongheaded to me; if the traditional Hugo categories aren't adequately dealing with online content then change them so that they are, don't introduce unnecessary new categories. I'm not convinced, for example, that online fiction sites need a category all their own. That said, it is clear that something needs to be done; the current 'best website' is a stopgap.
Genetically modified Mozart: for the first contemporary Russian Opera at the Bolshoi in a quarter of a century, "They came up with the idea for a story of five cloned composers living in Soviet and post-Soviet time. "The subject of cloning is very close to me," says Sorokin. "I'm sure human beings should not be cloned. However, from an artistic point of view, the idea of cloning is rich with possibilities and implications, allowing us to travel in time and meet long-dead classics." This season, science-aware artists will write about cloning as a demonstration of their engagement with the modern world. Apparently.
Cool tube map, with station names replaced by the titles of films shot at those locations.
Jonathan Franzen on growing up with Peanuts. It must be time for another volume of the collected strips soon, I reckon.
I haven't bought a computer game for about a year, and I've barely played one--except at parties--for about as long. But this might just break my will. I'm not even a car fan, particularly, but the previous Gran Turismo installments were a defining gaming experience (in much the same way that I think Goldeneye was defining for a decent chunk of my friendslist). And the cars are so pretty.
Around LJ: Dan reviews Air, and I argue with him; and oursin has a couple of posts about the assumptions underling Swallows and Amazons (I love those books).
And finally: Lou Anders has a new blog, and a fun post on Arthur Fonzarelli as the archetypical shaman. No, really.
'Bring on the digital Hugos' says James Patrick Kelly. This seems wrongheaded to me; if the traditional Hugo categories aren't adequately dealing with online content then change them so that they are, don't introduce unnecessary new categories. I'm not convinced, for example, that online fiction sites need a category all their own. That said, it is clear that something needs to be done; the current 'best website' is a stopgap.
Genetically modified Mozart: for the first contemporary Russian Opera at the Bolshoi in a quarter of a century, "They came up with the idea for a story of five cloned composers living in Soviet and post-Soviet time. "The subject of cloning is very close to me," says Sorokin. "I'm sure human beings should not be cloned. However, from an artistic point of view, the idea of cloning is rich with possibilities and implications, allowing us to travel in time and meet long-dead classics." This season, science-aware artists will write about cloning as a demonstration of their engagement with the modern world. Apparently.
Cool tube map, with station names replaced by the titles of films shot at those locations.
Jonathan Franzen on growing up with Peanuts. It must be time for another volume of the collected strips soon, I reckon.
I haven't bought a computer game for about a year, and I've barely played one--except at parties--for about as long. But this might just break my will. I'm not even a car fan, particularly, but the previous Gran Turismo installments were a defining gaming experience (in much the same way that I think Goldeneye was defining for a decent chunk of my friendslist). And the cars are so pretty.
Around LJ: Dan reviews Air, and I argue with him; and oursin has a couple of posts about the assumptions underling Swallows and Amazons (I love those books).
And finally: Lou Anders has a new blog, and a fun post on Arthur Fonzarelli as the archetypical shaman. No, really.