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

This week's MT VOID contents :

Correction on Anniversaries (letter of comment 
     by Paul Dormer)
The Howard, George, and Gardner Show
Science Fiction (and Other) Discussion Groups, Filmes, 
     Lectures, etc. (NJ)
The Bill Clinton Diet (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
My Picks for Turner Classic Movies for December (comments 
     by Mark R. Leeper)
Notes and Comparisons of THE HAUNTING and THE LEGEND OF 
     HELL HOUSE (comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
VAMPIRE JOURNALS (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
IRON MAN 3 (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
THIS AMERICAN JOURNEY (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
ENERGY FOR FUTURE PRESIDENTS by Richard A. Muller 
     (book review by Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
UNDILUTED HOCUS POCUS: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MARTIN GARDNER 
     (book review by Dale L. Skran, Jr.)
A PLANET OF VIRUSES by Carl Zimmer (book review 
     by Greg Frederick)
Jewish Food (letters of comments by Fred Lerner and Wendy)
Game of the States Puzzle (letters of comment by Steve Milton, 
     Keith F. Lynch, and Jim Susky)
This Week's Reading (THINKING IN NUMBERS) (book comments 
     by Evelyn C. Leeper)
Quote of the Week

Featured articles, trip logs, and convention reports:

• Blog about Evelyn's Broken Hip (March-May 2013) (168K)
• Renovation (August 2011) (139K) (finally completed! [04/21/13])
• 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)
• Anticipation (August 2009) (160K) (with panel descriptions)
• Italy (October-November 2010) (124K)
• Civil War Films Being Shown on TCM in April 2011
• 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

• 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).
• 07/26/13, Vol. 32, No. 4: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on H. P. Lovecraft Square, on MOOCs, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in August; book review of Eaarth; film reviews of When Comedy Went to School and Rushlights; letters of comment on golems, on Elementary, on Google Translate, and on slavery; and comments on books (The Cassandra Project and In the Wake of the Plague).
• 07/19/13, Vol. 32, No. 3: Comments on the unification of physical experiences, on golems, and on translations; film review of Pacific Rim; letters of comment on Elementary, on A People's Contest and slavery, and on "Classics Illustrated"; and comments on books (Alif the Unseen and Some Remarks).
• 07/12/13, Vol. 32, No. 2: Comments on the truth about Harry Potter, on eating lobster, and on Classics Illustrated comic books; letter of comment on A People's Contest; and comments on books (Robinson Crusoe and First on Mars).
• 07/05/13, Vol. 32, No. 1: Comments on the MT VOID volume number, on a math riddle, on the size of the planets, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in July; film reviews of World War Z, Superman, Man of Steel, and American Courtesans; letters of comment on the Chevy Volt; on the passing of Ray Harryhausen, Jack Vance, and Richard Matheson; and on Cold City; and comments on books (A People's Contest and Ken Burns's Civil War: The Historians Respond).
• 06/28/13, Vol. 31, No. 52: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on the announcement of Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in July, and on Richard Matheson; book review of Civilization: The West and the Rest; automotive review of the Chevy Volt; film review of The Happy Poet; and comments on books (Hugo-nominated novellas, novelettes, and short stories).
• 06/21/13, Vol. 31, No. 51: Comments on new science fiction and fantasy on TV, on Frankenstein (1931), and on MOOCs; book reviews of The Signal and the Noise and Throne of the Crescent Moon; film review of Nicky's Family; letters of comment on "Star Trek" and our future in space, and on Mud; and comments on books (Hugo-nominated novels and dramatic presentations). Quote of the Week
• 06/14/13, Vol. 31, No. 50: Comments on personalities, on Frankenstein (1931), and on "Star Trek" and our future in space; film reviews of She Devil, Mud, and The Stroller Strategy; book review of Designer Genes; letter of comment on Jack Vance; and comments on books (The Civil War Bookshelf and The Perils of Sherlock Holmes).
• 06/07/13, Vol. 31, No. 49: Comments on changing your email address, on puzzles, and on ellipses; the science fiction future, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in June; film reviews of Star Trek Into Darkness, Frances Ha, and 1-900-TONIGHT; television reviews of the season's end; letters of comment on Hugo vs. Hugo and on writing styles; and comments on books (Foundation's Edge and Alive!). More on Changing Your Email Address (comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
• 05/31/13, Vol. 31, No. 48: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on changing your email address, science fiction for economists, the science fiction future, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in June; film review of Save the Farm; letters of comment on Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan and Notre-Dame de Paris; and comments on books (My Bookstore).
• 05/24/13, Vol. 31, No. 47: Comments on translating Klingon, on tinyurl.com, on ellipses, and on space news for May; film reviews of Star Trek into Darkness and Notre-Dame de Paris; and comments on books (Pompeii, The United States of Arugula, and At Lake Scugog).
• 05/17/13, Vol. 31, No. 46: Comments on book titles, on cicadas and prime numbers, on medical costs, and on Ray Harryhausen; book reviews of Blackout, Frankenstein's Cat, and Where's My Jetpack?; film review of Deceptive Practice; and comments on books (The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein, Murder on the Leviathan, book sales, and the Cranbury Bookworm).
• 05/10/13, Vol. 31, No. 45: Comments on two Spocks, on a dilemma, and on cicadas; film review of Iron Man 3; book review of The Particle at the End of the Universe; letters of comment on a large bill in a small town and on Cold City; and comments on books (The Penguin Guide to the United States Constitution).
• 05/03/13, Vol. 31, No. 44: Comments on forces and on time travel; book reviews of The Human Division and Amped; letters of comment on required science fiction; and comments on books (Fancies and Goodnights and The Golem and the Jinni).
• 04/26/13, Vol. 31, No. 43: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups and of Renovation convention report; comments on Hugo nominations, on Game of Thrones, on science fiction in schools, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in May; film reviews of Oblivion and Desperate Acts of Magic; book review of The Radiant Seas; letters of comment on movie titles and on the MT VOID; and comments on books (A History of Warfare and Selections from the Essays of T. H. Huxley).
• 04/19/13, Vol. 31, No. 42: Comments on triathlons, and on Albert Robida; letters of comment on The Life of Pi, the poetry of writing, and The Divine Comedy; and comments on books (Simple Library Cataloguing).
• 04/12/13, Vol. 31, No. 41: Comments on wolfmen, on Polish film posters, on "Popular Science", on giant robots, and on Argentine ants; letters of comment on Iphigenia, on Star Trek into Darkness, and on The Vampire Diaries; and comments on books (The Aeneid, "The Gospel of John", The Divine Comedy, and Moby Dick).
• 04/05/13, Vol. 31, No. 40: Correction; announcement (with comments) of the Hugo nominations; comments on Star Trek into Darkness, on Frank R. Paul, on alternate history, and on 1960s spy shows; television/book review of The Vampire Diaries and The Hydrogen Sonata; letters of comment on puzzle answers, and on guns; and comments on books ("Oresteia").
• 03/29/13, Vol. 31, No. 39: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on the MT VOID, on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in April, and on technology and its discontents; interview with Jordin Kare; film review of Family Weekend; letters of comment on puzzle answers, on Boskone, and on guns; and comments on books (UCB Philosophy 6 and The Odyssey).
• 03/22/13, Vol. 31, No. 38: A math solution; comments on alien life, on the Second Amendment, and on flying and luggage; convention report of Boskone 2013; letter of comment on smoking in space; and comments on books (Up the Line, The New Cthulhu, Jorge Luis Borges, and Cloud Atlas).
• 03/15/13, Vol. 31, No. 37: A math puzzle; comments on tardigrades, on being real, on supernatural folk tales of Costa Rica, and on Asimov's predictions for the 2014 World's Fair; book review of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance; film reviews of Hava Nagila, and May I Be Frank Hill; letters of comment on the Argo dilemma, on Fred and Ginger, on George R. R. Martin, on the style guide, and on LoneStarCon3; and comments on books and movies ("Waldo" and Gods and Generals and alternate history).
• 03/08/13, Vol. 31, No. 36: Correction for Costa Rica logs; comments on mottos, on the Argo dilemma, and on the MT VOID style guide; television review of Game of Thrones (Season II); film reviews of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Columbiana, and From Up on Poppy Hill; book reviews of The Illustrated Man and Scratch Monkey; letter of comment on Josh Billings; and comments on books (Eric and alternate history).
• 03/01/13, Vol. 31, No. 35: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups, of Nebula Award nominees, and of Costa Rica logs; comments on Worldcon prospects, on Rameses III, and on wrestling and the Olympics; film reviews of Quartet, Coin Toss, and Inescapable; letters of comment on futurism and nuclear disarmament, on Side Effects, and on Quartet; and comments on books (The Stranger and alternate history).
• 02/22/13, Vol. 31, No. 34: Comments on obscurity, on an asteroid collision simulator, on Mars, on newspapers, on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in March, and on streaming video; film reviews of Side Effects, Silver Linings Playbook, and Superpower; television review of Continuum; book reviews of Cold City and Blind Descent; letters of comment on the Verninator; and comments on books (Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America and Postville, U.S.A.: Surviving Diversity in Small-Town America).
• 02/15/13, Vol. 31, No. 33: Comments on shoes, on the Verbinator, on Carnival of Souls, and on Arya Stark; book review of Degrees Kelvin; letters of comment on "all the love", on predictions, and on elegant formulae; and comments on books (The Cranbury Bookworm).
• 02/08/13, Vol. 31, No. 32: Comments on eSlide and on film reviews and the Internet; film reviews of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Dirty Energy; book review of The Evolutionary Void; letters of comment on whether mathematics has a personality; and comments on books (This Craft of Verse).
• 02/01/13, Vol. 31, No. 31: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on semper fi, on the personality of mathematics, and on predicting the future; book review of 2312; and comments on books (The Mirage, Agatha Christie, and the "12 Byzantine Rulers" podcast).
• 01/25/13, Vol. 31, No. 30: Comments on green leaves, on early science fiction, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in February; film review of Koch; and comments on books (ebooks).
• 01/18/13, Vol. 31, No. 29: Comments on signs of the times, on a "Doctor Who" timeline, on Spirit, on "NASA Johnson Style", on "Jasper Morello", and on Godzilla; letters of comment on Wendy and on Life of Pi; and comments on books (Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, The Assassination of Lincoln: History and Myth, and 69 A.D.: The Year of Four Emperors).
• 01/11/13, Vol. 31, No. 28: Comments on the New World, on the OFCS film awards, on the Oscar nominations, and on Mark's top ten films of 2012; film review of Django Unchained; letter of comment on the eastern Roman Empire; and comments on books (Hope: A Tragedy, What We Talk about When We Talk about Anne Frank, and Borges' Travel, Hemingway's Garage: A Secret History).
• 01/04/13, Vol. 31, No. 27: Comments on the ISS, on robotic cars, on Congress, on Decay, on Things to Come, and on star travel and space colonization; film review of Uprising; book reviews of War Eagles; letters of comment on Les Misérables, on The Hobbit, on Turner Classic Movies, on science fiction talks, on space news, and on Death of a Salesman; and comments on books (Language: The Culture Tool and Ghosts of the Confederacy).
• 12/28/12, Vol. 31, No. 26: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Congress, on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in January, and on keeping up with space; film review of Les Misérables; letters of comment on The Weans, The Hobbit, and King Kong; and comments on books (Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, and The Hobbit).
• 12/21/12, Vol. 31, No. 25: Comments on a theme, on the weather forecast, and on King Kong; film reviews of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Impossible; book review of The Lights in the Tunnel; letter of comment on storms; and comments on books (Homer and American Presidents and British Prime Ministers as authors).
• 12/14/12, Vol. 31, No. 24: Comments on Paul Krugman and Asimov's "Foundation" and on Sandy; film reviews of Connected and Hitchcock; television reviews; book review of Primary Inversion; and comments on books (The Testament of Mary and Agatha Christie tropes).
• 12/07/12, Vol. 31, No. 23: Comments on the health crisis, on "A Christmas Carol", and on Sandy; film reviews of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn--Part 2 and Anna Karenina; book review of Redshirts; letters of comment on Sandy on on "ibid"; and comments on books (Getting into Guinness).

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: