"No walls"

[eldritchhobbit]

Greetings all!

I realize that I have been quiet lately. I have just completed several weeks of intense writing, and one scholarly article on Native American economics and federal policy, one long magazine book review, and several sections of The J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia later, I have met all due dates and put several pending projects to bed. Now in the near future my writing will focus on completing my novel manuscript and my The Trail of Tears and Indian Removal book.

Tonight I begin teaching my weekly "Native American Identity in the U.S. Context" summer course at Belmont University, though we will have a break next week in order for me to teach at The "Foundations of Liberty" Seminar at Princeton University for the Institute for Humane Studies. While I am gone, my email and 'Net access may be irregular, so if you don't hear from me, please know I will catch up when I am back home.

I will be returning to take part in Hypericon, which promises to be an excellent event. I hope to see some of you there!





And now, a few items to share:

1. Henry Jenkins, influential popular culture scholar and author of Textual Poachers, among other things, recently had some interesting comments regarding "Star Wars and the Fracas Over Fan Films." Shortly after this article appeared, TheForce.Net responded. Jenkins then answered here.

In particular, I would underscore this quote by Jenkins from his answer to TheForce.Net:

...I am not opposed to copyright altogether. I simply see the Constitutional provision on copyright as setting up a balance between protecting the rights of artists to protect what they create and the rights of the public to build upon culturally significant ideas. One side of that leads to copyright, the other to fair use. Like many legal authorities, I think that the relations between Copyright and Fair Use has become unbalanced over the 20th century and that studios often assert much broader rights to police the use of their materials than would be supported by the law.

(For more information on Jenkins's position on copyright issues, I would recommend his article "Digital Land Grab.")


2. Now moving to one of Jenkins's favorite topics, fan fiction, I have a quick but heartfelt suggestion: if you have any interest in Star Wars (or Harry Potter or Batman or Buffy, for that matter), go read the stories of randomalia here. Her work-in-progress "Apogee" series is remarkable, and every piece she has regarding Obi-Wan Kenobi is elegant, stark, and wrenchingly in character. I cannot recommend her work more highly.


3. I have already mentioned my interest in the TNT miniseries Into the West, which my class will analyze as it unfolds. Just a reminder: it begins this Friday and continues for six weeks.


4. I must give a quick shout-out to the opening season episode of The 4400 last Sunday, which not only had the great taste to guest star Jeffrey Combs and Summer Glau, but also managed to reference two separate H.P. Lovecraft works by name, At the Mountains of Madness and "The Shadow Out of Time." Word.



As a reward to you for reaching the end of this overlong post, I will end with a brilliant quote from my very favorite song of all. (Incidentally, I am very happy to hear that Robbie Robertson is involved with the music for Into the West)...

I am lost. Has anybody seen me? I am lost.
Nothing is forgotten,
Only left behind.
Wherever I am,
She leads me down,
Unbound.
No borders, No fences, No walls.

from "Unbound," Robbie Robertson

Comments

[euclase.livejournal.com]

1. word.
2. WORD.
3. I wish I'd had you as a professor; my mom and I are already planning to watch this, whether Dad likes it or not! (I hope you keep us updated on the class progress; it sounds so cool)
4. *faints*

...and I love that song

:-D

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Word! LOL. Thanks so much for your lovely words. I look forward to comparing notes about Into the West!

Isn't is a brilliant song? *sigh* I would say I'm in a Robbie Robertson mood, but I don't ever seem to be out of one...

[sunnysky.livejournal.com]

wow. her stuff is amazing! thanks so much for that author rec. she's so on my flist. ^^

how i wish i had time/money to go to conventions!! i'm ever-so-sad that i'll not be able to attend the CS Lewis one you're doing - but alas, its in the middle of football season, and i'll be at band, i'm sure.

good luck with the class!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the good wishes - they are always appreciated! :)

I'm so glad you checked on randomalia's writing - I love her work! She also has some great essays and a songvid that are very much worth checking out, as well.

We will east some Turkish Delight in your honor at the C.S. Lewis conference and know you're with us in spirit! :)

[sunnysky.livejournal.com]

oh, yay! but don't eat too much, or you'll never have enough!!

[frahulettaes.livejournal.com]

firstly, it's lovely to see you on my flist. Always has been, always will be. Secondly, thank you for a very pleasant morning of reading. First the Jenkins interviews tho I'm not sure I agree with the rebutle. But interesting none the less. And then Randomalia....where have I been???? She's wonderful. Got any other SW authors in your pocket?
And I didn't read everything you linked by a long shot.
Most pleasing!!!
thank you.
fra

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You are so wonderful. I hope you know the feeling's absolutely mutual! I'm so pleased you found the links of interest. Isn't randomalia great? I need to do another rec post. The only other SW fiction I've suggested thus far is here, and I'm still a big fan of all of those writers.

Thank you for your lovely reply. *hugs*

[febobe.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Insanely idiotic Hyperiquestion. . .should I e-mail you, or. . . ? (Yes, I'm too shy to ask random anyone.)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Please do drop me an email! I'll be checking my inbox regularly through tomorrow evening, then over the follow week I will be checking only sporadically...

[melissagay.livejournal.com]

I'm really interested in your upcoming books, both fic and non! Please keep me posted! :) :) :)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much! :):):) Will do!

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

you and the energizer bunny share genes, right? :) well done on the stream of publications!

and I'm so looking forward to The 4400 series. I really liked the original mini-series and have been on the lookout ever since. being in Oz, though...sigh.

oh, and if only I could go to Hypericon! *stares at the big pond*

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

*blush* Thank you so much! Yesterday there was a panel on Cult TV, and as I was talking I thought of you - I know you were there in spirit! ;)

[randomalia.livejournal.com]

I really can't thank you enough for this. Really. I saw this earlier but had to dash off for a meeting, and I was thinking about it as I was walking around campus, smiling to myself. I must have looked slightly mad. :D
I really value your perspective, so it's especially lovely. Thank you!

I'm very excited to hear about the novel!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Believe me, it's my pleasure. (And have you checked out the other comments on my post? I'm not surprised others love your writing as I do!) Thank you for your lovely words!

[maidoforange.livejournal.com]

You always give us so much to chew on, EH. Yeah, copyright is a complicated issue that I was glad there wasn't a question on in the Comps exam but I do agree whoheartedly with the Jenkins quote. Copyright is becoming very burdensome and overbalancing fair use. :)

Oh, yeah. Check out Frodo and Harry return to innocence (http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/frodoharry/).


A song for Obi, Ani, and Qui (http://www.livejournal.com/users/nida_yubari/4440.html).

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you SO much for these songvid recs! They are both fantastic! I owe you one - no, wait, two! ;)