Links galore

[eldritchhobbit]

Happy Winter Solstice!

I am grateful to all of you who have sent me wonderful cards this season. It's been great fun receiving them from all over the world! Many thanks to you, and best wishes for a fabulous holiday.

Here are a couple of links of possible interest:
* Ursula Le Guin challenges the idea that fantasy literature is just for children in her article "Imaginary Friends" in this week's New Statesman.
* Julia Ward posted "The Five: Reasons I won't be watching The Prisoner TV remake" yesterday at tvsquad. (Thanks to jasonbsizemore for the link.)

And a few study/research sites to recommend, while they are on my mind:
* Arthur Complete: Arthuriana Study and Pedagogy
* An Academic Guide to the Literature of Science Fiction
* King Arthur Forever: An Online Guide to Studying and Teaching the Arthurian Tradition
* The Gothic: Materials for Study
* The Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction
* Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Database

The Harry Potter phenomenon, a fantasy aimed at sub-teenagers becoming a great best-seller among adults, confirmed that fantasy builds a two-way bridge across the generation gaps. Adults trying to explain their enthusiasm told me: "I haven't read anything like that since I was ten!" And I think this was simply true. Discouraged by critical prejudice, rigid segregation of books by age and genre, and unconscious maturismo, many people literally hadn't read any imaginative literature since childhood. Rapid, immense success made this book respectable, indeed obligatory, reading. So they read it, and rediscovered the pleasure of reading fantasy - which may be inferior only to the pleasure of rereading it.
- Ursula Le Guin, "Imaginary Friends"

Comments

[vaklam.livejournal.com]

The New Statesman article is very good. Thanks for the tip.

I have several reasons to dread the Prisoner remake but none of them match the ones Ms. Ward has. I will watch it in the hopes that it will be cool. I'm not looking for a return to the original series. I can still watch the original for that. I see a 21st-century Prisoner as being more like the La Femme Nikita series which was dark, ambiguous, sexy and thrilling.

We'll see.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

*fingers crossed about The Prisoner*

I love Le Guin's article, and especially the idea of "maturismo" - that's perfect!

[melissagay.livejournal.com]

And thank you for your card of your awesome doggie Virginia!

By the way, I hope I didn 't offend Larry-- I couldn't for the life of me remember his name when I sent the card, hence "A.S. and family." Of course your card came the day after I mailed it, so if I had just waited... oh well!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw, you're most welcome! Thank you for your wonderful card, as well! It's gorgeous. And of course you didn't offend Larry! He is "family," after all, as is Virginia. ;) Thanks for the sweet message.

By the way, I owe you one for the recommendation of BPAL's "Jack" scent. I just got it last week and I'm in love.

[ithiliana.livejournal.com]

They're remaking The Prisoner???? *insert total horror*

OMG, Patrick McGoohan and that show were a big pervy part of my fantasy life back in the day (so much so I've never even tried to rewatch it because I figure the glory would be gone) (and McGoohan, perving first as Scarecrow of Romney Marsh!) -- but NO!

No way in hell will I watch that.

(Um, skimming and no time to read the actual link--which I will later if I can!)--but, just NO!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

The Prisoner is my very favorite series of all time. Bar none. We're definitely on the same page with that one.

I do respect Christopher Eccleston's abilities a great deal (in fact, he's become my very favorite incarnation of Dr. Who), but that doesn't sace the project in my eyes. *sad sigh*

It would be one thing if McGoohan had just been lead actor - although he still would've made it his own - but how do you replace the lead actor, writer, director, producer, etc.? That was McGoohan's concept, his vision, through and through.

[estellye.livejournal.com]

I know, hasn't it been so fun getting all these wonderful cards from everywhere? I feel so loved. :D Virginia looks smashing on my mantel, btw.

I like that last bit of the LeGuin quote particularly: "... - which may be inferior only to the pleasure of rereading it." LeGuin's work is certainly not age restrictive in it'a appeal. I recently re-read Earthsea and was enchanted again. There are a lot of layers to the tale that a child may not have the sophistication yet to appreciate!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Exactly! You've put your finger on why her work is a perfect example of what she's describing.

I love your icon. :) *hugs*

[sally_maria]

Thank you very much for the Snippet - that was an excellent article in the New Statesman.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it, too!

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

I love Ursula LeGuin. Most of the time I just gesture in her direction and say, "yeah, what she said."

[sittingduck1313.livejournal.com]

Just read the Prisoner article and to be quite frank, this Julia Ward comes across as having a closed mind. I enjoy Doctor Who, both Original Recipe and Extra Crispy. And the current Battlestar Galactica is probably the best thing on the air (admittedly not a difficult feat). Of course there are bad TV remakes. A prime example is Night Stalker, which made me really glad that Stuart Townsend turned down the chance to be Aragorn. Good thing Supernatural came around about the same time to give us a show with a genuine Kolchak feel to it. The thing is, she can't truly judge if it's a stinker or not if she refuses to watch it. It's like those people who state that only Llorne Greene can do Commander Adama. Clearly these people have not seen Edward James Olmos in action. :P