"on the literary street corner"

[eldritchhobbit]

Happy birthday wishes to magicwondershow, groovekittie, and eveningblue, and happy early birthday to peadarog. May all of you enjoy a wonderful day and a fantastic year to come!

I have some links to share:

* From io9: "Four Authors We Wish Would Return to Science Fiction." One of the four is a favorite author of mine, Mary Doria Russell. As someone who balances both professional and personal love of history and science fiction, I appreciate her insights on how science fiction and historical fiction make similar demands on a writer (and perhaps reader, I would add), as well as her comments about how her background as an anthropologist informs all of her work.

* From SFX: "15 SF Acronyms." U.N.C.L.E.! T.A.R.D.I.S.! And the oft-forgotten V.I.N.C.E.N.T!

* Sarah Zettel on Book View Cafe lists her "Top Ten Arthurian Films." There are some interesting choices, but no Excalibur?!?

* from Topless Robot: "The Nine Greatest Fan Films Ever Made." It's a great list, but I want to give the clever "Troops" extra props. It works on so many levels. I've used this film in my lectures on several occasions. In case you haven't seen it, enjoy. If you have seen it, well, watch it again anyway.

"I have turned out to be kind of a genre slut. I will stand on the literary street corner and get into any genre that drives by and offers to take me to a good par-tay. And sometimes I don't go home with the one who brung me to the dance."
- Mary Doria Russell, from "Four Authors We Wish Would Return to Science Fiction"

Comments

[peadarog.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks for the early birthday :) Liked Troops too. Never seen it before.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You bet! And I'm so glad Troops was new to you, and you enjoyed it!

[cookiefleck.livejournal.com]

Awww, they should have included HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic Computer).

Speaking of sci-fi, the day after I get back from my trip to DC (20th) I am going to an all-night marathon of the original Battlestar Galactica films. Insane, but should be fun if I can stay awake. Dirk! (Saw him last year in person and he's still hunky.)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You're right: they forgot HAL! *slaps forehead*

The all-night marathon sounds like so much fun. Please enjoy it for me, too! The original will always have a special place in my heart.

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

That COPS parody is hilarious! And to think, all these years, we thought the storm troopers were the bad guys! ;) Irate!Beru! LOL!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

LOL! So glad you enjoyed it. :)

Was Tristan a historical figure?

[vyrdolak.livejournal.com]

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/679

Beside the road leading to Fowey in Cornwall stands an ancient, weathered stone measuring some 7 feet in height and set in a millstone base. It was once much closer to Castle Dore and may have been the origin of the association of this site with the story of the tragic love of Tristan and Iseult.

There is a Latin inscription on the stone, now much worn, which can be restored with only a little judicial guesswork to read:

Drustans hic iacet Cunomori filius

This means, "Drustanus lies here, the son of Cunomorus".

It has been suggested, plausibly, that the characters referred to are Tristan, the nephew of Mark - Drustan being a recognized variant of the hero's name and Cunomorus being a Latinization of Cynvawr.

Re: Was Tristan a historical figure?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh wow - fascinating stuff! Thanks so much for this great link.

[magicwondershow.livejournal.com]

thank you for the wishes, and happy birthdays to my birthday twins! *hugs all around*

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

*hugs back to you*