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

This week's MT VOID contents :

Free Satellite Imagery E-Book from NASA
Crackpots and Crabwalks (comments by Mark R. Leeper)
THE LAST MOVIE STAR (film comments by Mark R. Leeper)
FUNNY STORY (film review by Mark R. Leeper)
"Clash by Night", "The Silly Season", and the MT VOID 
     (letter of comment by Gary Labowitz)
"Attitude" (letter of comment by Charles S. Harris)
This Week's Reading (Retro Hugo novelettes: "Citadel of Lost Ships", 
     "The Halfling", "Mimsy Were the Borogoves", "The Proud Robot", 
     "Symbiotica", "Thieves' House") (book comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
Quote of the Week

Featured articles, trip logs, and convention reports:

• Philcon 2017 (November 2017) (33K)
• Annotations and Thoughts on Moby Dick (FINALLY FINISHED!) (543K)
• Road Trip to Utah (October 2017) (56K)
• 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

• 05/24/19, Vol. 37, No. 47: Comments on free NASA e-book, and on crackpots and crabwalks; film reviews of The Last Movie Star and Funny Story; letters of comment on "Clash by Night", on "The Silly Season", and on "Attitude"; and comments on books ("Citadel of Lost Ships", "The Halfling", "Mimsy Were the Borogoves", "The Proud Robot", "Symbiotica", and "Thieves' House").
• 05/17/19, Vol. 37, No. 46: Comments on Klingon refrigerator magnets, and on alcohol and tobacco; film review of Room for Rent; letter of comment on Wah Change, and on Retro Hugo finalists; and comments on books ("Attitude", "Clash by Night", "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath", The Little Prince, and The Magic Bed-Knob, and "We Print the Truth").
• 05/10/19, Vol. 37, No. 45: Comments on Harrison Bergeron, and on Wah Chang; book review of Record of a Spaceborn Few; letters of comment on Classics Illustrated comics; and comments on books (Earth's Last Citadel and Perelandra).
• 05/03/19, Vol. 37, No. 44: Comments on Classics Illustrated Comics, and on animal communication; film review of Sobibor; letters of comment on Munchhausen, on Agatha Christie, on art, and on On the Steel Breeze; and comments on books (Conjure Wife, Gather, Darkness!, Das Glasperlenspiel [The Glass Bead Game], The Weapon Makers).
• 04/26/19, Vol. 37, No. 43: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in May; and comments on books (An Informal History of the Hugos).
• 04/19/19, Vol. 37, No. 42: Pointers to Retro Hugo finalists; comments on what art is; book review of On the Steel Breeze; and comments on books (Heart of the World and Broken Stars and Retro Hugo finalists).
• 04/12/19, Vol. 37, No. 41: Pointers to Retro Hugo finalists; comments on "three times nearer"; film review of Wild Nights with Emily; and comments on books (Hugo and Retro Hugo finalists).
• 04/05/19, Vol. 37, No. 40: Announcements of Hugo and Retro Hugo finalists; comments on pig cereal; film reviews of Book of Monsters and The Public; letters of comment on Things to Come; and comments on books (book sales).
• 03/29/19, Vol. 37, No. 39: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in April; film review of Lost & Found; letters of comment on measles; and comments on books (Uncle Tom's Cabin).
• 03/22/19, Vol. 37, No. 38: Comments on a free SF anthology, and on measles; book review of The Fate of Rome; letters of comment on what is good-looking and on Dilbert; and comments on books (book sales).
• 03/15/19, Vol. 37, No. 37: Comments on Dilbert and science fiction and on Ian Fleming's James Bond; letter of comment on The Favourite; and comments on books (Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan).
• 03/08/19, Vol. 37, No. 36: Comments on The Black Scorpion; letters of comment on Space Opera and pop bands; and comments on books (Historians' Fallacies).
• 03/01/19, Vol. 37, No. 35: Comments on Betty Ballantine, on Smaug, and on The Black Scorpion; list of Nebula finalists; film review of Tangent Room; television review of The Umbrella Academy; book review of Space Opera; letters of comment on buffalo soldiers and on science fiction, the future, and art; and comments on books (Jungle of Stone).
• 02/22/19, Vol. 37, No. 34: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in March; film review of Bullitt County; letters of comment on science fiction and possible futures, and on the Future Research Center; and comments on books (Agents of Dreamland, Buffalo Soldier, Golden State, and City of Truth).
• 02/15/19, Vol. 37, No. 33: Comments on a free e-book, and n Parkinson's Disease; book review of Terran Tomorrow; film review of Patrick; letters of comment on golf, on California, and on Theodore Roosevelt; and comments on books (Passing Strange and The Jewel and Her Lapidary).
• 02/08/19, Vol. 37, No. 32: Comments on tortellini, and on California; letter of comment on circumnavigating the earth; and comments on books (The Bully Pulpit).
• 02/01/19, Vol. 37, No. 31: Comments on Mark's top ten films of 2018; film reviews of The Golem (2018) and In Like Flynn; letters of comment on elevations; and comments on books (The Black God's Drums, The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe, and Proof of Concept).
• 01/25/19, Vol. 37, No. 30: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in February; book review of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived; letters of comment on Jules Verne's geography and politics, on hot food, on circumnavigating the globe, and on Mary Poppins Returns; and comments on books (Time Was, Unlocked, and Alice Payne Arrives).
• 01/18/19, Vol. 37, No. 29: Comments on hot food; film review of Mary Poppins Returns; book review of The Consuming Fire; letter of comment on circumnavigating the globe; and comments on books ("The Foundation Trilogy" and Around the World in 80 Days).
• 01/11/19, Vol. 37, No. 28: Question about circumnavigating the glove; comments on hot food; book review of The Very Best of Caitlin R. Kiernan; letters of comment on Rotten Tomatoes, Mortal Engines, and Aquaman and comments on books (Walden, Edgar Allan Poe, The Scarlet Letter, and "Benito Cereno").
• 01/04/19, Vol. 37, No. 27: Announcement of OFCS film awards; comments on Oscar Wilde; film reviews of Men and Monsters, Mowgli, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Aquaman, and Mortal Engines; letters of comment on The Advocates and median income, on super powers, on Spartacus, and on Red Moon; and comments on books (Book Girl).
• 12/28/18, Vol. 37, No. 26: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in January; book review of Red Moon; film review of The Advocates; letters of comment on super powers; and comments on books (Inside the Third Reich).
• 12/21/18, Vol. 37, No. 25: Comments on Harry Potter, Tor.com short fiction, and the Elf on the Shelf; short film reviews of Darkest Hour, Eating Animals, and Tito and the Birds; film reviews of 20th Annual Animation Show of Shows, Green Book, and Cannibals and Carpet Fitters; letters of comment on super powers, and on comic books; and comments on books (Inside the Third Reich).
• 12/14/18, Vol. 37, No. 24: Comments on magic swords and zombie dogs; film reviews of Suspiria (2018) and The Hate U Give; letters of comment on super powers; and comments on books (Inside the Third Reich).
• 12/07/18, Vol. 37, No. 23: Comments on maps of imaginary worlds, on the 1910 Frankenstein, and on super powers; book review of Salvation; letters of comment on Astounding, and on penguin quotes and quotes in general; and comments on books (The Idea of Progress).
• 11/30/18, Vol. 37, No. 22: Correction; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in December, film review of Mac and Me; letters of comment on the metric system, on the Penguin quote, on Thanksgiving, on square dancing, on Isle of Dogs, on origami, on quotes, on James Bond, and on The Song of Sway Lake and comments on books (Ready Player One, Space Opera, and 100 Greatest Film Scores).
• 11/23/18, Vol. 37, No. 21: Comments on the square dance conspiracy; book review of Astounding; letters of comment on Isle of Dogs, on Penguin Books, and on the metric system; and comments on books (The Annotated Emerson).
• 11/16/18, Vol. 37, No. 20: Comments on the square dance conspiracy; film review of Isle of Dogs; letters of comment on the metric system, on gender pronouns, on George Orwell, and on the square dance conspiracy; and comments on books (The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon).
• 11/09/18, Vol. 37, No. 19: Comments on the square dance conspiracy; book review of If Tomorrow Comes; letters of comment on the metric system, gender pronouns, and the square dance conspiracy; and comments on books (The Penguin Essays of George Orwell and Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography).
• 11/02/18, Vol. 37, No. 18: Comments on the square dance conspiracy; film review of Bonehill Road; letters of comment on the metric system, and on profanity; and comments on books (the "Foundation" trilogy").
• 10/26/18, Vol. 37, No. 17: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in December; film reviews of Solis and Murders in the Zoo; letters of comment on profanity, and on gender pronouns; and comments on books (Pride and Prometheus).
• 10/19/18, Vol. 37, No. 16: Comments on word choice; film review of First Man; letters of comment on harbingers, on gender imbalance, and on envisioning the future; and comments on books (the "Murderbot" series).
• 10/12/18, Vol. 37, No. 15: Comments on harbingers in nature; film review of Strange Nature; book reviews of Head On and The Rubicon; letters of comment on gender imbalance; and comments on books (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Death of a Salesman).
• 10/05/18, Vol. 37, No. 14: Comments on cloning; letters of comment on The Rain, on The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky, on The Odd Couple, on 7 December 1941, and on spoilers; and comments on books (Six Months, Three Days, Five Others).
• 09/28/18, Vol. 37, No. 13: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in October; television review The Rain; letters of comment on Paradise Lost, on Making Movies, on "carpe diem", on cliches, on Ethelred the Unready, on spoilers, on the Beloit Mindset List, and on the dubious wisdom of Mark Leeper; and comments on books and movies (The Odd Couple, Severance, The Calculating Stars, and The Fated Sky).
• 09/21/18, Vol. 37, No. 12: Comments on Ethan Hunt and James Bond, and on a possible Chengdu Worldcon; book reviews of Blue Remembered Earth and Unholy Land; television review of Peppermint; letters of comment on Matt Helm and other spy films; and comments on books (Journey to Portugal, Where the Time Goes, American Notes, and The Black Cat).
• 09/14/18, Vol. 37, No. 11: Announcement of Philcon 2017 convention report; comments on Matt Helm and on going to see Mission: Impossible--Fallout; book review of Phoresis; film reviews of BlacKKKlansman and A Song for Sway Lake; letters of comment on the Beloit College mindset list, on the wisdom of Mark Leeper, on origami, on convention panels, and on temporal parochialism; and comments on books (The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson, Crazy Sh*t Presidents Said, and Hungry Stones and Other Stories).
• 09/07/18, Vol. 37, No. 10: Comments on the Beloit Mindset List, and on the wisdom of Mark Leeper; book review of Infinity's End; film reviews of Rodents of Unusual Size and A Night in Old Mexico; letters of comment on Andre Norton, and on misunderstandings; and comments on books (John W. Campbell, Jr., Award winners).
• 08/31/18, Vol. 37, No. 9: Comments on monster movie memories; Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in September, film review of Three Identical Strangers; letters of comment on Paying the Price for Peace, on the Hugo Awards, on monster movies, and on The People's Republic of Everything; and comments on books (Catseye).
• 08/24/18, Vol. 37, No. 8: Comments on monster movie memories; list of Hugo and Retro Hugo Award winners; film reviews of The Monster That Challenged the World and Paying the Price for Peace; and comments on books (Hugo and Retro Hugo Awards winners and Uncharted: Lewis and Clark in Arcane America).
• 08/17/18, Vol. 37, No. 7: Comments on Dead Poets Society and teachers, and on grammar; television review of El ministerio del tiempo; film review of The Hypnotic Eye; letters of comment on The Merchant of Venice; and comments on books ( The New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft).
• 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).

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

  
  
  
  "Enveloped in a common mist, we seem to walk in clearness ourselves, and behold only the mist that enshrouds others." --George Eliot, "Leaves from a Note-Book"
  
  
  
  

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  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

  Evelyn C. Leeper

  (eleeper@optonline.net)