Evelyn C. Leeper's Home Page: Books, Travel, and More

This week's MT VOID contents :

The Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE
SF on TV (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
Science Fiction (and Other) Discussion Groups, Films, Lectures, etc. (NJ)
My Picks for Turner Classic Movies for August (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
AFTERMATH (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY FINE by Daryl Gregory (book review by Joe Karpierz)
WHAT IS RELATIVITY? by Jeffrey Bennett (book review by Gregory Frederick)
Hugo for Best Dramatic Presentations (letter of comment by Dan Kimmel)
"Men into Space" (letter of comment by Neil Ostrove)
21 Jokes (letter of comment by Peter Rubinstein)
This Week's Reading (FEARING THE DARK, THE INNOCENTS ABROAD, 
     and CONFEDERATES IN THE ATTIC) (book comments 
     by Evelyn C. Leeper)
Quote of the Week

Featured articles, trip logs, and convention reports:

• Chicon 7 (August-September 2012) (102K) (finally completed! [12/15/13])
• Blog about Evelyn's Broken Hip (March-May 2013) (168K)
• Renovation (August 2011) (139K)
• Costa Rica (January 2013) (53K)
• Annotations and Thoughts on Moby Dick (IN PROGRESS) (84K)
• Southern Africa (January-February 2012) (167K)
• Philcon 2011 (November 2011) (8K) (no panel descriptions yet)
• Wit and Humor in Moby Dick
• The International Legacy of Jorge Luis Borges (my class notes on a Comparative Literature course given at Penn State in 2007) (104K)
• Science Fiction Museum (Seattle) (April 2007) (35K)
• Ten Tips on Travel to Japan (updated for use by Nippon 2007 Worldcon attendees)
• What Is a Western?
• Time Travel on Television: The BBC/PBS "House" Shows
• Museum of Jurassic Technology (July 2005)
• Photo of restroom signs at L.A.con IV (trust me, you'll like it!)
• List of books read by the Old Bridge (NJ) Public Library's "Original" Book Group
• List of books read by the Old Bridge (NJ) Public Library's Science Fiction Book Group

Mark and I were Fan Guests of Honor for Windycon XXIX, November 8-10, 2002. Here are:

• My convention report
• A brief co-biography written for the Program Book by friend and seven-time Hugo nominee Bob Devney
• Further information on Windycon

What I do:

• I am currently one of the judges for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History.
  • Click here for "AH 101," a quick introduction to alternate history.
  • Click here for a list of Jewish-themed alternate histories.
• I read books and write book reviews.
• I travel and write travelogues and science fiction convention reports.
• I maintain various lists and pages:
  • Lists of bookstores throughout the world
  • A Magical Realism page of discussion and links
  • A Harry Potter page: differences between the British and American editions of the first book (work in progress)
  • A Sherlock Holmes booklist
  • The rec.arts.books FAQ
  • The rec.arts.sf.written FAQ
  • The rec.arts.movies FAQ
  • The rec.arts.sf.movies FAQ
  • Recommended DVD commentaries

If you want to get some idea of my philosophy, check out my .sig quotes.

I have been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer twelve times, most recently in 2001.

The MT VOID is a publication of the Mt. Holz science fiction club.

To subscribe, send mail to mtvoid-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mtvoid/.

Table of Contents

• 07/25/14, Vol. 33, No. 4: Listing of discussion dgroups; comments on the XPRIZE, on science fiction on television, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in August; film review of Aftermath; book reviews of We Are All Completely Fine and What Is Relativity?; letters of comment on Hugo nominations, on "Men into Space", and on 21 jokes; and comments on books (Fearing the Dark, The Innoccents Abroad, and Confederates in the Attic).
• 07/18/14, Vol. 33, No. 3: Comments on Readercon, on clever jokes, on the V-2, and on the Hugo nominations for Dramatic presentation; film reviews of Particle Fever, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and GreasePaint; book reviews of Ancillary Justice, Warbound, and Hard Magic; television review of Destination Space; and comments on books (The Smartest Kids in the World and You Are Not Special and Other Encouragements).
• 07/11/14, Vol. 33, No. 2: Comments on ice cream and on the tenth man; book review of Dreams and Shadows; letters of comment on Lawrence in Arabia, on Lowell Thomas, on Winston Churchill, on Arrowsmith, and on Doctor Who; and comments on books (Blindness, Time Traveler, and The Exploding Whale).
• 07/04/14, Vol. 33, No. 1: Comments on 31 science fiction terms, on GAME OF THRONES, and on Paris; book reviews of "The Wheel of Time" and Warbound; film reviews of The Edge of Tomorrow, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Redwood Highway, and Driven; letters of comment on Ancillary Justice and on vampires; and comments on books (Daughter of Time, John O'Hara's Hollywood, At the Molehills of Madness, and Life and Liszt).
• 06/27/14, Vol. 32, No. 52: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in October, on NASA FTL travel, and on nuclear fusion; book reviews of Ancillary Justice and Our Mathematical Universe; letters of comment on "Parasitology", on logic and fantasy, and on Anthem; and comments on books (The Guns of August, Blueprint for Armageddon, and "A History of the 20th Century, with Illustrations").
• 06/20/14, Vol. 32, No. 51: Comments on space crews, on space policy, on Godzilla, on the nature of science, and on logic and fantasy; book reviews of Parasite and The Moon's Shadow; film review of Rigor Mortis; letters of comment on Athem, and on Costco; and comments on books (Retro Hugos: "Dead Knowledge", "Hollywood on the Moon", "Pigeons from Hell", "Rule 18", "Werewoman", "The Faithful","Helen O'Loy", "Hollerbochen's Dilemma", "How We Went to Mars", "Hyperpilosity").
• 06/13/14, Vol. 32, No. 50: Comments on old-time movies, and on Costco; film reviews of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Lullaby, and Ride Report; letter of comment on library skills; and comments on books (Retro Hugos:Anthem, "A Matter of Form", "Sleepers of Mars", "The Time Trap", and "Who Goes There?").
• 06/06/14, Vol. 32, No. 49: Comments on library skills, and on boycotts; SpaceX factory tour report; letters of comment on women's suffrage; and comments on books (Retro Hugos: The Legion of Time, Out of the Silent Planet, and The Sword in the Stone).
• 05/30/14, Vol. 32, No. 48: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in June; film review of Kids' Rights; letters of comment on science fiction versus science fact, and on the effect of Star Wars; and comments on books (Retro Hugos: Carson of Venus and Galactic Patrol).
• 05/23/14, Vol. 32, No. 47: Links for science fiction to science fact, how Star Wars ruined SF, the Pope and Martians, Hugo nominees, and Nebula winners; comments on corals; film review of Godzilla (2014); book review of Three Parts Dead; letters of comment on summer trailers, and on kids these days; and comments on books (Celebration, U.S.A.).
• 05/16/14, Vol. 32, No. 46: Comments on context, and on movie trailers; book review of The Lies of Locke Lemora; film review of As High as the Sky; letters of comment on genealogy and DNA, on meat, on the Hugo nominations, and on freebie books; and comments on books (Imagined Communities, The Art of the Moving Picture, and Hugo Award news).
• 05/09/14, Vol. 32, No. 45: Comments on drones, on evolution, on back pain and refrigerators, and on flying; film reviews of Bears and Living Things; letters of comment on the Hugo nominations, and on genealogy and DNA; and comments on books (Life at the Speed of Light and "Written in Blood").
• 05/02/14, Vol. 32, No. 44: Free SF Classics, the appeal of science fiction; comments on a new book and on eating spiders and insects; film review of The Quiet Ones; comments on free-space settlements in film (Elysium) and television (The 100); book review of The Madonna and the Starship; letters of comment on the Hugo nominations; and comments on books (book sales and The Possessed).
• 04/25/14, Vol. 32, No. 43: Hugo nominations; comments on organ donations, on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in May, and on the Seder; film review of Transcendence; book reviews of Sphrerical Harmony and Beyond the Rift; and comments on books (thoughts on the Hugo and Retro Hugo nominees).
• 04/18/14, Vol. 32, No. 42: Comments on Hugo nominations announcement, on pearl, and on worlds with mystical creatures; television reviews of Bitten, Helix, and Intelligence; book review of Abaddon's Gate; film review of Speideh; letter of comment on Robinson Crusoe on Mars; and comments on books (The Martian).
• 04/11/14, Vol. 32, No. 41: Comments on a folk song, on the science in Robinson Crusoe on Mars, and on "The Five Orange Pips"; film review of Hide Your Smiling Faces; and comments on books (Lawrence in Arabia).
• 04/04/14, Vol. 32, No. 40: Comments on Robinson Crusoe on Mars; film reviews of The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) and Too Sane for This World; letters of comment on the numbers of things, and on Ealing comedies; and comments on books (Dimension of Miracles).
• 03/28/14, Vol. 32, No. 39: Solution to puzzle; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Retro Hugo nominations, on a German 1938 SF film, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in April; letters of comment on passwords and on the numbers of things; and comments on books (Wild Ones).
• 03/21/14, Vol. 32, No. 38: Puzzle; comments on Bruce Sterling at SXSW, on futurist terms, on another you, on the digital comic museum, on passwords, on The Postman's moral ambiguity, and on counting countries; film reviews of Mars, Veronica Mars, and uwantme2killhim?; letters of comment on the numbers of things, on All Is Lost, and on Daylight Saving Time; and comments on books (Longbourn and The Riddle of the Labyrinth).
• 03/14/14, Vol. 32, No. 37: Comments on exchange students, and on the number of things in Horatio's philosophy; book review of The Quantum Rose; film commentary on All Is Lost; letters of comment on Little Big Man, on Daylight Saving Time, on mathematics, on Cosmos, and on James Gunn; and comments on books (Osama: A Novel and The Children of Men).
• 03/07/14, Vol. 32, No. 36: Comments on Mr. Hublot, on Starlog magazine, on power, on the "Science in the Capital" series, and on provincial numbers; book review of Transcendental; letter of comment on TCM recommendations; and comments on books (The Apes of Wrath and Little Big Man).
• 02/28/14, Vol. 32, No. 35: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on ghosts and logic, on Mark's picks for TCM in March, and on travelers, tourists, and food; film review of Odd Thomas; letters of comment on special effects in The War of the Worlds, on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance;, on Year's Best SF, and on Luddites; and comments on books (Tell Borges If You See Him).
• 02/21/14, Vol. 32, No. 34: Comments on prayer rings, on the Singularity, on snow, on seeing films again, and on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance; film reviews of The Lego Movie and Hairbrained 6; book review of Year's Best SF 18; letters of comment on the Golden Age of SF/F television and on Luddites; and comments on books (Fourteen Byzantine Ruler).
• 02/14/14, Vol. 32, No. 33: Comments on specialization, on travel, and on repairs; film reviews of Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Cabin in the Woods, Nebraska, Philomena, and Fast & Furious 6; letters of comment on The Rapture of the Nerds, on 2013 science fiction, on Sir Thomas More, and on puns; and comments on books (Phnom Penh: A Cultural History, Angkor, Ancient Angkor, Angkor: Heart of an Asian Empire, and The King's Last Song).
• 02/07/14, Vol. 32, No. 32: Comments on a Campbellian anthology, on a PRI show about science fiction, on "The Fourth Man", and on the children of protagonists; film reviews of Blue Caprice, The Broken Circle Breakdown, The Purge, Monster University, The Wind Rises, The Tower, and The Outsider; book review of On the Steel Breeze; letters of comment on mainstream science fiction, and on Luddites; and comments on books (The Rapture of the Nerds).
• 01/31/14, Vol. 32, No. 31: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on a senior moment, on Mark's picks for TCM in February, on reasons to be a Luddite, and on useful space colonization; film reviews of Vaastu Shastra and Forward 13; letters of comment on rules for film critics, on separated at birth, on 1809, on Worldcons, on SF TV, on Rogue Moon, and on race; and comments on books (Misceánea: Prologue, with a Prologue of Prologues).
• 01/24/14, Vol. 32, No. 30: Correction; comments on Mark's interveiew, on film descripitons, on Mark's southeast US trip, and on Mark's rules as a film reviewer; television reviews; book review of The Last Dark; letters of comment on race and DNA, and on the center; and comments on books (Rogue Moon).
• 01/17/14, Vol. 32, No. 29: Comments on Asimov's predictions for 2014, on the center, on the Libertarian Hall of Fame, on Poe, on how Mark reviews a film, and on AD ASTRA; film review of Her; book review of Proxima; letters of comment on Mary Poppins and Disney films, on Before the Dawn, and on 56 Up; and comments on books (Los hombres lobo en el cine).
• 01/10/14, Vol. 32, No. 28: Film trivia answer; comments on Animal World, Pacific Rim, Mark's Top Ten Films of 2013, and a recap of science in 2013; film reviews of Banshee Chapter and Lone Survivor; television review of Dark Angel (Season One); book review of e=mc^2; and comments on books (The Eerie Silence, The New Ambidextrous Universe, and Where Is Everybody?).
• 01/03/14, Vol. 32, No. 27: Film trivia quiz; comments on science fact/fiction, on space, and on cataloging books; film review of The Wolf of Wall Street; book review of Before the Dawn; letters of comment on historic dates, on artwork, on Charly, and on Man of Steel; and comments on books and movies (The Bells of St. Mary's and Death on a Pale Horse).
• 12/27/13, Vol. 32, No. 26: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on layout, on Chicon 7, on the computer virus, on novellas, on telemarketing robors, on science images, on science fiction postage stamps, on comments about SF in the mainstream media, on historic dates, and on Mark's picks for TCM for January; book review of Ascendant Sun; film reviews of Nebraska and Man of Steel; letters of comment on Jewish food, on superheroes, and on Hans Christian Andersen; and comments on books (Burning Paradise and The Boleyn King).
• 12/20/13, Vol. 32, No. 25: Announcement of the OFCS film awards; comments on letters of comment, dollar coins, on superheroes, and on documentaries; book review of Caliban's War; film reviews of Go for Sisters and Saving Mr. Banks; letters of comment on Shakespeare and English, on Frozen, and on Jewish food; and comments on books (The International Bank of Bob and Selected Shorts and Other Methods of Time Travel).
• 12/13/13, Vol. 32, No. 24: Announcement of free short story collection; comments on "Star Trek" holiday song, on Congress and astrobiology, on the name "MT VOID", and on last week's mathematics puzzle; film reviews of Frozen, Enough Said, Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, To Wonder, Good Ol' Freda, and A Teacher; book review of Salt Sugar Fat; letters of comment on Jewish food, on the Green Hornet, on the sons and daughters puzzle, on the elements challenge, and on going to convention; and comments on books (Beowulf).
• 12/06/13, Vol. 32, No. 23: Announcement of old SF TV on VHS; comments on skyjammers, on another mathematics puzzle, on Google and Heinlein, and on (not) going to conventions; film reviews of 12 Years a Slave, All Is Lost, In a World ..., and Blackfish; letters of comment on Bill Clinton's diet, on Jewish food, on The Haunting and The Legend of Hell House, on "The Howard, George, and Gardner Show", on Murder by Death and The Cheap Detective, on the JFK assassination, and on Energy for Future Presidents; and comments on books (Richard II, Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2), Henry V, Shadow of the Torturer, and The Languages of Pao).
• 11/29/13, Vol. 32, No. 22: Correction on anniversaries; comments on Capclave programming, on diets, on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in December, and on The Haunting and The Legend of Hell House; film reviews of Vampire Journals, Iron Man 3, and This American Journey; book reviews of Energy for Future Preseidents, Undiluted Hocus Pocus, and Planet of Viruses; letters of comment on Jewish food, and on the "Game of the States" puzzle; and comments on books (Thinking in Numbers).
• 11/22/13, Vol. 32, No. 21: Comments on Doris Lessing, on modern forensics, on anniversaries, and on the mystery of Jewish food; solution to the "Game of the States" puzzle; television reviews of the mid-fall season; film reviews of Dallas Buyers Club, The Hunt (Jagten), Beautiful Creatures, Hancock, Kick-Ass, and The Colony; letters of comment on Nobel-prize-winng science fiction authors; on the Shadow; on resignation; and on states, Presidents, and elements; and comments on books (Encyclopedia of Fictional & Fantastic Languages Sphere, and Encounters of Sherlock Holmes).
• 11/15/13, Vol. 32, No. 20: Puzzle on states; comments on the 1938 Retro-Hugo possibilities and on science fiction in the mainstream; additional comments on "30 Great SFF Films You Almost Certainly Haven't Seen" panel; film reviews of Ender's Game, Thor: The Dark World, Kiss of the Damned, and No Place on Earth; and comments on books (The Language Instinct and The Islanders).
• 11/08/13, Vol. 32, No. 19: Comments on states and on non-fiction; additional comments on "30 Great SFF Films You Almost Certainly Haven't Seen" panel; film reviews of The Act of Killing and Short Term 12; letters of comment on science and science fiction, on The Land That Time Forgot and names, on The Land That Time Forgot and evolution and deep time, on Captain Phillips, on Miracle for Sale, on Eerie Tales, on the "War of the Worlds" tour, and on Turner Classic Movies; and comments on books (Galactic Pot-Healer and Jorge Luis Borges: The Last Interview and Other Conversations).
• 11/01/13, Vol. 32, No. 18: Comments on Bell Labs Holmdel, on resignation, and on the "War of the Worlds" tour of New Jersey; additional comments on "30 Great SFF Films You Almost Certainly Haven't Seen" panel; film reviews of Eerie Tales, Stories We Tell, Captain Phillips, Deathmaster, A Hijacking, and Miracles for Sale; letters of comment on sports names; and comments on books (Rebecca and The Craft of the Screenwriter).
• 10/25/13, Vol. 32, No. 17: Correction; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on headline seen, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in November; additional comments on "30 Great SFF Films You Almost Certainly Haven't Seen" panel; film review of Europa Report; book reviews of Voodoo Science and The Idea Factory; letters of comment on Life Tracker, on Gravity, and on the Ross-Little Infinity Paradox; and comments on books (The Land That Time Forgot, Cain, and Borges y la ciencia ficcíon).
• 10/18/13, Vol. 32, No. 16: Comments on short horror films, on merging, and on infinity; film reviews of Life Tracker, Gravity, and The Prime Ministers; book reviews of Time Enough for Love and Here's Looking at Euclid; letters of comment on World War II and on team names; and comments on books (The World That Jones Made and The Astronaut Wives Club).
• 10/11/13, Vol. 32, No. 15: Comments on the MT VOID, on the new remake of CARRIE, on the "30 Great SFF Films You Almost Certainly Haven't Seen" panel at Worldcon, and on the fall of the Roman Republic; film reviews of Gravity and The Castle Project; letters of comment on World War II and on team names; and comments on books (They Still Call Me Junior and The Office of Mercy).
• 10/04/13, Vol. 32, No. 14: Comments on "War of the Worlds" broadcast anniversary, on sports names, on The Uninvited, and on the "30 Great SFF Films You Almost Certainly Haven't Seen" panel at Worldcon; film reviews of Red Reign, Prisoners, and Lucky Express; letters of comment on Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong, on TCM movies in October, and on World War II; and comments on books (Salamander, A Gathering of Saints, Victims, and The Poet and the Murderer).
• 09/27/13, Vol. 32, No. 13: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on "not from here", on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in October, and on a science ficion invention timeline; film reviews of Frankenstein's Monster and Barbarian Days; book review of Neptune's Brood; letters of comment on purses and trash, and on the Beloit College Mindset List; and comments on books (A Rumpole Christmas, Six Months in the Sandwich Islands, and Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong).
• 09/20/13, Vol. 32, No. 12: Pointers to articles on heat rays and on gears in biology; comments on the frequency of sex, on the National World War II Museum, and on the Hugos for Dramatic presentation; film review of Lee Daniels' The Butler; letters of comment on dubbing versus subtitling;, and on math and comments on books (The Past and the Punishments).
• 09/13/13, Vol. 32, No. 11: Comments on knowing a little math; film review of Elysium; letter of comment on dubbing versus subtitling; and comments on books (book acquisitions).
• 09/06/13, Vol. 32, No. 10: Correction; comments on dubbing versus subtitling, and on Frederik Pohl; book reviews of Red Planet Blues and Eternity: Our Next Billion Years; letter of comment on "Dial F for Frankenstein"; and comments on books (The Big, Bad Book of Beasts, Worming the Harpy and Other Bitter Pills, and Ubik).
• 08/30/13, Vol. 32, No. 9: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in October and on the Beloit College Mindset List; television review of Orphan Black; letters of comment on podcasts, on the Klingon language, and on national epics; and comments on books (TRSF: The Best New Science Fiction).
• 08/23/13, Vol. 32, No. 8: Comments on the NSA, on wet-gating and fade-fighting, and on M; book review of The End of Discovery; film review of Evidence; letters of comment on color extraction, on "The Oath of a Freeman", and on Poodle Springs; and comments on books (Prophet of Bones and The Lusiads).
• 08/16/13, Vol. 32, No. 7: Apology; commments on unknown films and on radiation and ice cream sales; letters of comment on Poodle Springs, the Ender's Game boycott, and Forbidden Planet and The Invisible Boy; and comments on books (Hoax and Frankenstein: A Cultural History).
• 08/09/13, Vol. 32, No. 6: Comments on podcasts and on the Ender's Game boycott; film review of Jug Face; convention report of Monster Bash 2013; letter of comment on Uncle Hugo's Bookstore and SF art; and comments on books (Quintessence and Poodle Springs).
• 08/02/13, Vol. 32, No. 5: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on chunky dressing, and on podcasts; film reviews of The Wolverine and Robert Williams Mr. Bitchin'; book review of Napoleon's Buttons; letter of comment on Captain Hornblower; and comments on books (The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis and The Book of Chameleons).

Older back issues are available here and at fanac.org.

Here are some links to sites of interest:

• the incomparable Mark R. Leeper's Home Page
• The Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase
• SF-Lovers Archive
• Uchronia Alternate History List, Overview
• Steven Silver's Jewish Science Fiction Bibliography

Also available are: