So. Much. Wrong.

[mariness]

I interrupt a much happier post about Tarpon Springs, Florida, and some work on two upcoming novellas, to alert you to yes, still more wrong from the New York Times, in a review of A Wrinkle in Time.

I hardly know where to begin. Let's see:

1. It's Mrs. Whatsit, not Mrs. Whastis. Right there on the blurb, even. (This might have been a typo but

Comments

[dewline]

...yeah. This is just...steadfast ignorance of the reality of the science fiction business, market and fandom all at once.

As much as NYT gets right...this, though? Facepalm time.

[mariness]

Somebody on Twitter suggested that I just ignore the whole Arts/Style section of the New York Times, since it's always wrong, but it's still out there, forcing itself into our discourse, and I feel the need to shout back, even if my platform is so much tinier.

[roseaponi]

:D glad I'm not the only one with fond memories of both Runaway Robot and Bobbsey Twins :) Had you ever read The Forgotten Door?

[mariness]

Alexander Key is tentatively pencilled in for an upcoming partial reread. The slight issues are that someplace or other I lost my copy of Return to Witch Mountain (my memory is that the book did not live up to my expectations anyway) and the library doesn't have that or several other of his books -- including The Incredible Tide, which is the book that was made into an anime series. So I have to check with interlibrary loan before I commit to doing a series which is missing two of his best known books.

[roseaponi]

The first page of Google search for The Incredible Tide pulls up a PDF of the book... Is that legal?

[mariness]

:: blinks ::

It never occurred to me to check Google....no, this is not legal, although the person who scanned them in seems like a nice enough person. Alexander Key's works are all under copyright.

I have no idea how to reach his estate to let them know, but I guess I can make an attempt through SFWA; someone might know.

Thanks for the alert, although if I do a reread, I need to stick with library copies or used bookstore copies, especially with anything I write for Macmillan/Tor.com.

[mariness]

I just hate stereotypes.

Which in the context of the very stereotypical Bobbsey Twins series is kinda saying something.

[roseaponi]

Stereotypes have their place, though. (in the far distant past... ;). )

[anaisis]

It's funny that they keep saying girls don't read science fiction/fantasy because most of the people I know that I discuss those books with are girls! I met a stranger one day whose dog was named "Vanyel" and she was a girl (not the dog, the owner)! I actually really liked Return from Witch Mountain, but I think it was because Tia could talk with the goat and I thought that was awesome. I never read the Bobbsey Twins. I read Trixie Belden.

[roseaponi]

I read Trixie too! :)

[finnyb]

Someone else who read Trixie Belden! I still read those books; I'm trying to get as many of the older-style hardcovers as I can, since they're what I grew up finding at the used bookstores.

[roseaponi]

I may have some doubles of those, actually... Message me if you're interested :)