I’m doing a little better with Jeff Ford’s current recommended reading list than I did with the last one–this time I’ve actually read some of the books (four of them, to be precise). Given that the theme this time seems to be “detective fiction at the boundaries of, or crossing into, other modes” it’s perhaps no surprise–I enjoy a little genre stretching and deconstruction. Of course the net result is five more books to put on the wishlist.
Tag: Jeff Ford
More Book-y Bits
Did you get a chance to experience the cognitive dissonance that comes from VanderMeerian words read in a high-toned children’s literature type voice? Speaking of VanderMeerian weirdness, there was a nice little slice of it over at Tor.com. Sometime soon (yes, Real Soon Now) I will write another golden book post, and this one will focus on a Pat Cadigan… Read more →
Aside
Did you see the page of spirit photography that Jeff Ford linked to the other day? That stuff is pretty cool, especially in the historical context. I admit, though, that it makes me want to see if I could use my meagre Photoshop skills to cook up something similar from some digital photographs.
Aside
I’ve been holding this link, brought to my attention by Jeff Ford, to a story on the Dancing Plague (and some other odd afflictions). I find the theorizing quite interesting, although I suspect the truth, when it is discovered, will end up being something to do with parasitism.
What’s the -philia for books?
…because man I love books. I love the good stories, and I love the well-crafted physical objects as well. Love ’em. So let’s talk about a whole bunch of book-related topics, to give me a book fix. First I’d like to do a little bit of a rant about books as commercial objects. Actually, as I’m intelligent enough to understand… Read more →
A Sunday Miscellany
Well, I’ve had a very busy weekend here in Melbourne–which I may get around to writing up at some point later tonight–and now I’ve made it back to my hotel/apartment, and it seems like a good time for me to do a little bit of value-added linkblogging. So, no theme, just lots of things that I found interesting: First up,… Read more →
City Of Words
I guess it’s fair to say I was a bit of weird teenager. There probably weren’t many other people my age who would rush home most nights in order to catch Ideas on the radio. But I did. I loved that show (I still enjoy it more often than not when I catch it now, and I have a ton… Read more →
A pick me up
I’m back in Boston for week three of “Don’t-see-my-family-April”, and today work got me incredibly down. However, as it is (or, as midnight just clicked over, was) International Pixel-Stained Peasant Day, I have lots of free fun stuff to read and cheer me tonight. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you need to first see this, then read… Read more →
Jeff Ford, Look What You’ve Done.
You know, things are so easy in this Internet age that it sometimes only takes a tiny impetus to start things rolling down the hill. For example, brilliant author Jeff Ford might make a slightly nostalgic post about the terrible 1975 movie The Devil’s Rain. One of the unintentionally funniest flicks ever. If I’m not mistaken, the last scene is… Read more →
Some bookery
Yes, I am being a lazy poster during the intra-holiday week. You can’t complain about the cost, though, can you? M. John Harrison, one of the authors I hold in particularly high esteem, has a lovely piece up at his site about his writing process. Here’s a little taste: I don’t have any writing pattern. I hate being professional. I… Read more →
Mission Accomplished
I have been avoiding writing this post for a couple of days. I haven’t been this depressed since the last U.S. Presidential election, and I had to get away for a few days and not think about it. I’m still too angry and upset to write about this clearly, but I can quote a whole bunch of other people whose… Read more →
SF Authors (and editors) saying more smart things…
We’ll grab a couple of them today: Will Shetterly talking about Mormon underwear: Here’s one way to tell a faith from a racket: If it makes you think you’re better than everyone else, it’s a racket, not a faith. I kind of love that. It’s the answer to all the “One True Religion” and “Chose People of X” things that… Read more →
A good week for books…
It’s been a good week for books here at the Ranch. I’ve had lovely new books from Subterranean Press arrive Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (plus a copy of the new issue of Subterranean’s magazine today). I had a SHOCKING SURPRISE arrival from another source (more below) early in the week. Read more →
I promise to use this power only for good
It’s not quite exactly what I demanded of the universe, but the news that Golden Gryphon will be doing a lovely matched edition of Jeff Ford‘s three Well-Built City books is certainly welcome. New intros, etc. Also this will make it easier to assemble sets for gift-giving purposes. Now, if only the universe would pay closer attention when I specified… Read more →
A bookish Sunday Miscellany
I’m not sure why, but for some reason book reviews written by authors whose work I like tend to carry more weight with me than reviews by almost anyone else. This is why I pay special attention to things like Paul Witcover‘s reviews at Realms of Fantasy and Sci Fi Weekly, or Norman Spinrad‘s review/essays in Asimov’s, etc. I was… Read more →
