Category Archives: Book and film reviews

Geoff Ryman’s Was (a novel) is something that I saw mentioned or eventually linked to from a tweet by Susan Stinson.  From the blurb I knew this was my kind of novel, and it did not disappoint.  A complex overlapping … Continue reading →

Leslie grabbed Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke by chance at the university library’s pop reading shelves.  I remember seeing it and thinking, “Far too long.”  Leslie got several hundred pages into it and then stopped.  Idly, because … Continue reading →

On the flight to and back from Korea I saw some excellent films that I highly recommend.  Airplane film choices are now so excellent (for people like me who like obscure movies) that I am starting to look forward to … Continue reading →

I’ve taken a break from reading serious fiction, and have enjoyed reading light stuff over the summer so far. Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen is very light.  She is a Bay Area resident, apparently.  The novelty in the … Continue reading →

The humans use Arecibo to look for extraterrestrial intelligence. Their desire to make a connection is so strong that they’ve created an ear capable of hearing across the universe. But I and my fellow parrots are right here. Why aren’t … Continue reading →

I read “Please Look After Mom” and had intended to blog a few words about it.  For me it was hard to know how the novel would read in Korean, but the English translation made it come across as quite … Continue reading →

Recently on Twitter: In fairness to Jonathan Franzen, has there ever really been a good sex scene? — Michael Schaub (@michaelschaub) May 13, 2015 Michael Cunningham reads “Dumbness Is Everything” by Harold Brodkey suggests the answer may be yes, and … Continue reading →

He is such a good writer, his omissions can be forgiven, maybe?  I loved reading the book. It is short, sentences are well-crafted, anecdotes from his experiences told with gusto.  He experienced awful stuff.  But the omissions… I loved this … Continue reading →

One of my favorite authors.  And now he proves he could be writing for Harpers… a science fiction story in the style of an extended essay.  And you learn more about how to think about the technology of writing than … Continue reading →

Got The Real Cool Killers by Chester Himes from the library after reading a Burkinabè author cite him as an influence. I was like, “Who is this guy?” Fascinating and sad story. The fiction is exactly as advertised: lurid hardboiled … Continue reading →

The Six Dollar Fifty Man  Sukie and I had watched it several times some years ago. We just watched it again.  Wow, great job, Directors – Mark Albiston & Louis Sutherland, Writer – Louis Sutherland, Producer – Wendy Cuthbert

I had recently read a short story and then Nekropolis by McHugh, so I ordered China Mountain Zhang.  Great novel.  But not what you think it will be.  As numerous commentators point out, it is an ambitious sci-fi novel about … Continue reading →

Funny you ask, yes I can.  I love going on a long run and listening to someone read and short story and then discuss.  This week I heard three. Richard Ford reading Raymond Carver’s “The Student’s Wife”.  Pretty sad. OK … Continue reading →

Found this in the university library.  Realized I had never read Dick.  All books, or just this one, use abbreviated sentences?  Makes for interesting style. Noted.  Light rain falling in San Jose. Just south of setting of novel. San Francisco … Continue reading →

BECAUSE I LIVE IN MONTANA and because I have always heard Montanans talk about Thomas McGuane, I set myself the task of reading all of his work: 10 novels, several books of essays, and three collections of short stories, including … Continue reading →

I was skeptical before starting China Miéville’s The City and the City.  I had read and enjoyed Embassytown, but he did go on and on towards the end and I found myself skimming a lot.  The City and the City … Continue reading →

I checked this collection by Gardner Dozois out from the library (yes I still do that).  Science fiction generally holds its own: 20 years later most of the stories in the collection read like they could have been written now.  … Continue reading →

I was out for a long run yesterday on San Jose’s wonderful Guadalupe Park… well maybe not so wonderful but a nice place to run very convenient to our house. Half of the run is alongside the airport, and you … Continue reading →

I’ve always thought Chocolat by Claire Denis to be a wonderfully complex film (even if the Norwegian pastor is cringe-worthy).  Since then it has been all downhill for her unfortunately (Except for Beau Travail which is, well, at least interesting), … Continue reading →

I was running and listening to Joseph O’Neill reading Muriel Spark’s “The Ormolu Clock” in a The New Yorker fiction podcast and halfway into the story my battery died and suddenly there was silence. But why do we care about … Continue reading →