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

This week's MT VOID contents :

The Late Flowering of Reference Books... (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF EVERYTHING by Nick Mamatas (book review by Joe Karpierz)
FARADAY, MAXWELL AND THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD by Nancy Forbes and Basil Mahon (book review by Gregory Frederick)
This Week's Reading (ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL 
     and THE PROBLEM PLAYS OF SHAKESPEARE) (book comments 
     by Evelyn C. Leeper)
Quote of the Week

Featured articles, trip logs, and convention reports:

• Philcon 2013 (38K)
• Annotations and Thoughts on Moby Dick (FINALLY FINISHED!) (543K)
• Road Trip to Utah (October 2017) (56K)
• NorthAmeriCon '17 (NASFIC 2017) Convention Report (July 2017) (98)
• NorthAmeriCon '17 (NASFIC 2017) Photos (July 2017)
• 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 was for twenty years 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

• 08/10/18, Vol. 37, No. 6: Comments on reference books; book reviews of The People's Republic of Everything and Faraday, Maxwell and the Electromagnetic Field; and comments on books (All's Well That Ends Well and The Problem Plays of Shakespeare).
• 08/03/18, Vol. 37, No. 5: Announcement of Sidewise Award finalists; film retrospective of Kronos (1957); comments on museums; film review of Curvature; letters of comment on Paradise Lost, on the heat wave, on Philcon 2013, on War of the Satellites, and on Mystery in the Wax Museum; and comments on books (Fire Watch).
• 07/27/18, Vol. 37, No. 4: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups and availability of Philcon 13 convention report; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in August, film retrospective of The War of the Satellites (1958); and comments on books (Paradise Lost).
• 07/20/18, Vol. 37, No. 3: Comments on water shortages and on The Fly (1958); film retrospectives of The General (1926) and 3:10 to Yuma (1957); letters of comment on Lifeforce, on History's Worst Decisions, on The Martian War and Martian invasions, on The Fly (1958), and on The Apartment; and comments on books (Making Movies).
• 07/13/18, Vol. 37, No. 2: Comments on The Fly (1958); film review of Lifeforce (1985); letters of comment on electronic menus, on confusion, on The Fly (1958), and on The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian; and comments on books (History's Worst Decisions and The Martian War).
• 07/06/18, Vol. 37, No. 1: Comments on The Fly (1958) and on confusion; film review of A.I. Tales; and comments on books (Dazzled and Deceived, Defining Moments in Books, and The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian).
• 06/29/18, Vol. 36, No. 52: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in July; book reviews of Provenance and Apocalypse Nix; letters of comment on quidditch, on Tim Merrigan, on Retro-Hugos, on fanart, on word usage, on Robert A. Heinlein, and on giant higweed; and comments on books (The Brothers Karamazov and In the Devil's Garden).
• 06/22/18, Vol. 36, No. 51: Comments on giant hogweed and triffids, on created languages, and on Wonder Woman; film review of Mabel, Mabel, Tiger Trainer; letters of comment on the Lambeth Walk, British television, Hamlet, and Klingon; and comments on books (the "Harry Potter" series and quidditch).
• 06/15/18, Vol. 36, No. 50: Comments on the Batmobile and on the Lambeth Walk; letters of comment on Wonder Woman and on eadio drama; and comments on books (The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis, The Martian,amd Friends of the Library book sales).
• 06/08/18, Vol. 36, No. 49: Comments on issue numbers and on three days' grace and Night of the Demon; letters of comment on The Devil's Envoys, on Holiday Inn, on Jungle Book, on radio drama, and on television memories; and comments on movies (Blade Runner 2049, Get Out, The Shape of Water, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Thor: Ragnarok, and Wonder Woman).
• 06/01/18, Vol. 36, No. 48: Comments on television memories; letters of comment on turning on lighhts, on issue numbers, on Get Out, on The Shape of Water, and on Turner Classic Movies; and comments on movies (Bambi, Cat People, The Ghost of Frankenstein, I Married a Witch, Invisible Agent, and Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book).
• 05/25/18, Vol. 36, No. 47: List of Nebula Award winners; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in June; book review of Six Wakes; and comments on books ("Etaoin Shrdlu", Mimic", "Proof", "Runaround", "The Sunken Land", and "The Twonky").
• 05/18/18, Vol. 36, No. 46: Comments on India, and on migrating our desktop; film reviews of Wonder Woman and The Greatest Showman; book review of The Nine; and comments on books ("Bridle and Saddle", "Foundation", "Goldfish Bowl", "The Star Mouse", "There Shall Be Darkness", and "The Weapon Shop").
• 05/11/18, Vol. 36, No. 45: Comments on The Man from Earth trailer, on India, and on migrating our desktop; book reviews of The Prefect and A Skinful of Shadows; and comments on books ("Asylum", "The Compleat Werewolf", "Hell is Forever", "Nerves", "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag", and "Waldo").
• 05/04/18, Vol. 36, No. 44: Comments on Flowers for Algernon TV adaptation, and on India; film comments on Downsizing; book reviews of In Other Lands and Stuff Matters; letters of comment on Tarzan, Beyond This Horizon, Islandia, tablets, and Retro Hugo Award finalists; and comments on books (Darkness and the Light).
• 04/27/18, Vol. 36, No. 43: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in May, on palmtops and tablets, and on interplanetary travel; letter of comment on India, on The Left Hand of Darkness, and on libraries; and comments on books (Beyond This Horizon, Donovan's Brain, Islandia, Second Stage Lensman, and The Uninvited).
• 04/20/18, Vol. 36, No. 42: Comments on India, and on Lewis and Clark and the paradox of induction; letter of comment on The Left Hand of Darkness; and comments on books (Ex Libris).
• 04/13/18, Vol. 36, No. 41: Links to Retro Hugo finalists on-line and in print, and to a new podcast; comments on eyes and on 2001: A Space Odyssey; film review of Baja; letters of comment on Year 2018!, Star Wars, Moby Dick and Starbucks, Edgar Allan Poe, and Frankenstein; and comments on books (The Left Hand of Darkness).
• 04/06/18, Vol. 36, No. 40: Announcement of Hugo Award finalists; link to blog on SpaceX 2018 goals; comments on obvious languages and on diseases; book review of Autonomous; and comments on books (comments on the Hugo Award finalists).
• 03/30/18, Vol. 36, No. 39: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in April; book reviews of The Freeze Frame Revolution and 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed; letters of comment on squid, and on rules for film reviewing; and comments on books (What Unites Us and Norton Critical Editions).
• 03/23/18, Vol. 36, No. 38: Comments on the Locus recommended reading list, on extreme characters on films, and on Mark's rules as a film reviewer; book review of Binti: Home; film review of The Forgiven; letters of comment on Stephen Hawking, on shotgun marriages, on city names, on Kate Wilhelm, on Black Panther, on squid, on Frankenstein, and on gender pay gaps; and comments on books (Drowned Worlds).
• 03/16/18, Vol. 36, No. 37: Obituaries for Kate Wilhelm and Stephen Hawking; comments on a space force, on Florida marriage laws, and on squid; film reviews of Black Panther, Prodigy, and Madame; book review of Binti; letters of comment on Annihilation, on Ian Stewart, and on Frankenstein; and comments on books (Drowned Worlds).
• 03/09/18, Vol. 36, No. 36: Comments on squirrel sports and on gender pay gaps; book reviews of Frankenstein and Calculating the Cosmos; film review of Actors of Sound; film score review of Annihilation; letters of comment on sporting animals and Annihilation; and comments on books (The Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin).
• 03/02/18, Vol. 36, No. 35: Comments on AARP's movies for grownups and on squirrels; film review of Annihilation; letters of comment on Moby Dick; and comments on books (Essays and Reviews by Edgar Allan Poe and The Dispatcher).
• 02/23/18, Vol. 36, No. 34: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in March; list of Nebula Award nominees; film reviews of The Sect and The Millionaires' Unit; letter of comment on issue #2000, on mashed potatoes, on computer fonts, on The Berlin Project, on "By the Red Giant's Light", on My Journey to the Stars, and on Endurance; and comments on books (synchronicity, A Numerate Life and The Historical Film: History and Memory in Media).
• 02/16/18, Vol. 36, No. 33: Comments on restaurant ratings, and on arsonist birds; book reviews of Persepolis Rising and Raven Stratagem; film reviews of 7 Guardians of the Tomb and The Music of Silence; letters of comment on issue #2000, on Exapno Mapcase, on scientists and applications, and on mashed potatoes; and comments on books (Artemis and The Martian).
• 02/09/18, Vol. 36, No. 32: Comments on John W. Campbell's map and Fitbit; film review of Entanglement; letters of comment on immortal naked mole rats, on issue #2000, and on mashed potatoes; and comments on books (The Great Detective and The House of Unexpected Sisters).
• 02/02/18, Vol. 36, No. 31: Comments on MT VOID issue #2000, on the history of illustration in THE MT VOID, and on mashed potatoes; television review of The Blackist (Season 5); film review of Casanova Variations; letters of comment on ionic moments, and on Ulysses S. Grant; and comments on books (A Doll House).
• 01/26/18, Vol. 36, No. 30: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Ursula K. Le Guin, on "Game of Thrones" and Lucky Logan, on science fiction for beginners, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in February; film review of Hostiles; book review of Life in a Medieval City; letters of comment on Philip K. Dick television series, on Too Like the Lightning, on Navajo code talkers, on writing from 2312, on Sherlock Holmes, and on fonts; and comments on books and television (American Experience: Into the Amazon, Colonel Roosevelt, and Into the Brazilian Wilderness).
• 01/19/18, Vol. 36, No. 29: Correction; comments on Russian Sherlock Holmes series, and on hand-written computer fonts; film review of Opera; book review of Too Like the Lightning; letters of comment on the traveling money, on Edmund Wilson and J. R. R. Tolkien, on emoticons and Morse Code, and on writing from 2312; and comments on books (The First World War).
• 01/12/18, Vol. 36, No. 28: Comments on emoticons; film reviews of Abe and Phil's Last Poker Game, Crazy Famous; The Dinner, Victoria & Abdul, and Darkest Hour; book review of New York 2140; television review of The Gifted; letters of comment on the traveling money, on the NFA, on Mark's "Top Ten Films of 2017", and on Orphan Black; and comments on books (Letters on Literature and Politics: 1912-1972).
• 01/05/18, Vol. 36, No. 27: Comments on the NFA; Mark's "Top Ten Films" of 2017; answers to the puzzles from last week; film review of The Pirates of Somalia; television review of Orphan Black (Season 5); letters of comment on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and The Flight of the Phoenix; and comments on books and films (The Third Man).
• 12/29/17, Vol. 36, No. 26: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on bread magic and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in January, book review of It Devours; letter of comment on the MT VOID, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and The Left Hand of Darkness; and comments on books (Alice's Puzzles in Wonderland).
• 12/22/17, Vol. 36, No. 25: Correction; comments on Jupiter, and on the motorcycle gangs; film reviews of Molly's Game, In the Fade, Free State of Jones, The Infiltrator, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Ingrid Goes West, and UnAmerican Struggle; book reviews of The Left Hand of Darkness and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry; letters of comment on Testament of Youth; and comments on books (Finders Keepers).
• 12/15/17, Vol. 36, No. 24: Comments on a free science fiction anthology, on a Pjilcon 2014 convention report, on advertising, and on King Kong, Godzilla, and monsters in general; film review of 19th Animation Show of Shows and The Post; book review of The Stone Sky; letters of comment on the ME-163 and Hannah Reitsch, on sine wave length, on The Shape of Water, on Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and on The Wheel of Time; and comments on books (Testament of Youth).
• 12/08/17, Vol. 36, No. 23: Illustration; comments on Kirk and Spock, and on the ME-163; film reviews of The Shape of Water and The Post; letters of comment on Thus Spoke Zarathustra and "All You Zombies", on sine wave length, and on The Wheel of Time and "Reader's Digest Condensed Books"; and comments on books (Burning Paradise and From Holmes to Sherlock).
• 12/01/17, Vol. 36, No. 22: Correction; comments on The Wheel of Time, and on unwinding DNA; film reviews of Breathe and Gifted; letters of comment on The Wheel of Time, on "How Great Science Fiction Works", and on Hertz Van Rental; and comments on books (Unquiet Spirits).
• 11/24/17, Vol. 36, No. 21: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in December, book review of The Wheel of Time; course review of "How Great Science Fiction Works"; film reviews of Jane and First They Killed My Father; letters of comment on inhabitable planets, on convention reports, on Thor: Ragnarok, on Undeniable, and on Wonder Woman and comments on books (Beowulf on the Beach and Thus Spoke Zarathustra).
• 11/17/17, Vol. 36, No. 20: Pointer to a trip log for our trip to the Southwest; comments on the new Wonder Woman; film review of Thor: Ragnarok; book review of Undeniable; and comments on books (The Forever War and book sales).
• 11/10/17, Vol. 36, No. 19: Correction; pointer to Philcon convention reports and to a report on space developments; comments on the Bell Labs Science Fiction Club in Holmdel and on I Was a Teenage Werewolf; film reviews of Daguerreotype and Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992; letters of comment on motives, on Blade Runner 2049, on 1987, on The Ghost in the Shell, and on ethnicity in anime; and comments on books (Micro).
• 11/03/17, Vol. 36, No. 18: Comments on chain mail on on motives; film reviews of Blade Runner 2049 and The Ghost in the Shell; letter of comment on Benoit B. Mandelbrot; and comments on books (Moby Dick annotations).
• 10/27/17, Vol. 36, No. 17: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in November, book review of Tomorrow's Kin; letters of comment on 221B drabbles, on the World Leadership Correspondence School, Transformation, and Chiller; and comments on books (Star Beast and The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Civil War).
• 10/20/17, Vol. 36, No. 16: Correction; comments on leadership; a 221B drabble; book review of Transformation: A Novel; letters of comment on alternate realities, on Starlings, on Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows, and on Ulysses S. Grant; and comments on books (Readings).
• 10/13/17, Vol. 36, No. 15: Comments on personal realities; book review of Starlings; letters of comment on ReaLive and on The Medusa Chronicles; and comments on books (Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows and Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future).
• 10/06/17, Vol. 36, No. 14: Announcement of Nobel Prize for Kazuo Ishiguro; comments on Hertz Van Rental, on The Thing from Another World, and nine movies everyone should see; film review of ReaLive; book review of The Medusa Chronicles; letter of comment on alternate worlds; and comments on books (Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs).
• 09/29/17, Vol. 36, No. 13: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on NASA flight directors, on alternate universes, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in November; film review of The 13th Friday; letters of comment on mathematics and taxes, on Artemis, and on infinity; and comments on books (Queen Victoria's Book of Spells and My Friend Mr Campion).
• 09/22/17, Vol. 36, No. 12: Comments on Wilmington and Brandywine River art museums, on Cassini, on King Arthur, and on infinity; book review of Artemis; and comments on books (Partners in Command).
• 09/15/17, Vol. 36, No. 11: Comments on lifespans, and on books; film reviews of The Lifehouse Golem and Cold Moon; book review of The Disappearing Spoon; and comments on books (The Shepherd's Life).
• 09/08/17, Vol. 36, No. 10: Comments on slow adopters and on the best films of the last decade; book review of Infinity Wars; and comments on books (Hollywood Enlists!, Counterfeit Worlds, The Best American Science and Fantasy 2015, The Best American Essays 2012, and Talking Back, Talking Black).
• 09/01/17, Vol. 36, No. 9: Announcement of trip and convention reports; comments on Aldi, and on kangaroos and self-driving cars; film reviews of Anti-Matter and Never Let Go; book review of The Collapsing Empire; letter of comment on 1977, on TAFF, on Worldcon, on television shows, on Harold and Lillian, and on The Martian; and comments on books (The Mysterious Island).

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
• Uchronia Alternate History List, Overview
• Steven Silver's Jewish Science Fiction Bibliography