Worldcon schedule, Slate rebuttals, and TV

[eldritchhobbit]

I have my preliminary schedule for Loncon 3/the 72nd Worldcon. I'm really excited!

Friday, 15 August
11am-12 noon
Solo presentation: “Sherlock Holmes and Science Fiction”


Saturday, 16 August
12 noon-1:30pm
Panel: “Commercializing Fans”

3pm-4:30pm
Panel: “Young Adult SF on the Big Screen”

6pm-7pm
Panel: “Young Adult and Middle-Grade SF”

8pm-9pm
I’ll be officiating at the Prometheus Awards ceremony.


Sunday, 17 August
1:30pm-3pm
Solo presentation: “Millennials and Worlds Gone Wrong: These Aren’t Your Parents’ YA Dystopias”



Following up on my recent post about Ruth Graham's article in Slate, here are a few more "must read" responses.
- From my friend and former graduate student, Curtis Weyant: "Unliterary Criticism"
- From Julie Beck: "The Adult Lessons of YA Fiction" (Thanks to Leslie!)
- From Maggie Stiefvater: "Here is a lie we've all been told: books will make you smart." (Thanks to estellye!)
- From Heather Hogan: "Geek Out: No, Adults Should NOT be Embarrassed to Read Young Adult Books" (Thanks to brighteyed_jill!)
- And, in fiction form (You want to see this!), from Kathleen Hale: "A Young Adult Author’s Fantastic Crusade to Defend Literature’s Most Maligned Genre" (Thanks to estellye!)

And regarding current television...
- How amazing was Fargo? So good.
- The new season of Longmire is off to a terrific start. Check this out: "The Top Five Reasons You Should Be Watching Longmire."
- I don't want this season of Orphan Black to be over.

Comments

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

I'm very pleased that your schedule has worked out to let you participate in the Prometheus Awards ceremony.

We've seen the first episode of Orphan Black, and it's on our list to watch more of, when we have the video time. First, though, we want to finish the second season of Sherlock. It's kind of strange to have more well made television to watch than we can fit into our schedule!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I'm so delighted that I'll get to be a part of the ceremony. I'm breathing a big sigh of relief that everything worked out.

Orphan Black just keeps getting better. (You are going to watch the third season of Sherlock once you finish the second season, aren't you? It's well worth watching!)

It's kind of strange to have more well made television to watch than we can fit into our schedule!

YES! My husband and I were just talking about this recently. It seems we're in a mini Golden Age of quality genre programming.

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

And more than one genre! Sherlock is mystery, The Wire is a mix of crime and police procedural, Nip Tuck was part professional drama and part soap opera, and I'm not sure if there's a name for the genre of Dexter.

We bounce back and forth between different shows, watching a season of each, rather than watching the entire run of a show. And right now we're making our way through the X-men films. It was rather startling to see how X-men really had only one character with any depth, Logan (Charles and Erik had moments, but really only when they were bouncing off each other); a lot of the character depth evolved in the later films, I think, and especially in X2.

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

We are going to have to check out Longmire. We are interested in watching Fargo once we can access it. We are really enjoying Orphan Black. Are you watching Hannibal?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Longmire is fantastic, especially if you like Westerns and/or character-driven series. Fargo's conclusion was so satisfying; I love (mini)series with a carefully crafted beginning, middle, and ending.

I'm afraid I haven't watched Hannibal. I've heard good things about it, though. I somehow never got into the source material (the films or books), so I didn't know if this would work for me. Would you recommend it to a "newbie"?

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

I would indeed and don't feel the books are required at all. Nor the movies really. This is its own take on the world. It is gross at times but the dance of characters and wit - I love that.

[ankh-hpl.livejournal.com]

Yay Prometheus Awards! Congrats to you!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :D I'm excited!

And speaking of congrats, I've been catching up on a few backlogged episodes of "The Lovecraft Geek," and I cheer every time Robert M. Price praises you - which is often! :D

[i-llbedammned.livejournal.com]

The article about adults not being ashamed to read YA books is enlightening. I never really got why people suddenly felt the need to "grow up" and stop liking the things they once did.

The long article about books not making you smarter articulates very clearly what I have been trying to say for years. One medium can be used just like another to tell a good story.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I never really got why people suddenly felt the need to "grow up" and stop liking the things they once did.

I'm with you 100%!

The long article about books not making you smarter articulates very clearly what I have been trying to say for years. One medium can be used just like another to tell a good story.

I agree. I think people cheat themselves out of meaningful and sometimes even life-changing stories by limiting what they allow themselves to read.

[peadarog.livejournal.com]

What a great schedule :)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

And I have you to thank for most of it! :D THANK YOU!!!