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

Last updated 23 Oct 2020

This week's MT VOID contents :


FROM HELL IT CAME (1957) (film retrospective by Mark R. Leeper)
THE LAST EMPEROX by John Scalzi (audio book review by Joe Karpierz)
GALILEO AND THE SCIENCE DENIERS by Mario Livio (book review by Gregory Frederick)
SEVEN OF INFINITIES (letter of comment by Arthur Kaletzky)
Musical Accompaniment to Silent Films (letters of comment by Paul Dormer 
     and Gary McGath)
This Week's Reading (comfort reading) (book comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
Quote of the Week

More issues here

Featured articles, trip logs, and convention reports:

Older articles may be found here.

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:
- NJ Bookstores
- Western Massachusetts Bookstores
- Magical Realism page of discussion and links
- Recommended DVD commentaries
I have stopped updating and posting all the other bookstore lists because:
- They were increasingly hard to keep up-to-date.
- There are many other resources (e.g., Yelp) that are more up-to-date.
- In particular, COVID-19 has caused so much churn in the new and used book-selling business as to make any information I have useless for the near future, and questionable in the long run.
I have been doing these lists since the 1980s, and after about thirty-five years, it's time to call it quits.

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

[rocket]
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/.

10/23/20, Vol. 39, No. 17: Film retrospective of From Hell It Came; book reviews of The Last Emperox and Galileo and the Science Deniers; letters of comment on Seven of Infinities, and on musical accompaniment to silent films; and comments on books (comfort reading).
10/16/20, Vol. 39, No. 16: Comments on corn mazes, and on lobsters; book review of Seven of Inifnities; letters of comment on Nosferatu, on plastic-eating bugs, on cruel and unusual punishment, on deep time and radioactivity, on translation, and on the Erie Canal; and comments on books (Last and First Men).
10/09/20, Vol. 39, No. 15: Comments on cruel and unusual punishment; television review of Biohackers; book review of The Men Who United the States; letters of comment on plastic-eating bugs, on translation, on "The Speckled Band", and on Nosferatu; and comments on books (Deep Time).
10/02/20, Vol. 39, No. 14: Comments on "The Speckled Band"; letters of comment on Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), on the MT VOID, and on translation; and comments on books (The Invisible Life of Addie Larue).
09/25/20, Vol. 39, No. 13: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in October, and a gender-reveal update; book review of Machine; letters of comment on "Tarzan" movies, on Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), on Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête) (1946), and on translations; and comments on books (The Haunting of H. G. Wells, Sherlock Holmes: The Spirit Box).
09/18/20, Vol. 39, No. 12: Correction; retrospective of Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954); comments on Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête) (1946); letters of comment on infomercials, and on A Canterbury Tale; and comments on books (A Study in Brimstone, The Hell-Hound of the Baskervilles, and My Grave Ritual).
09/11/20, Vol. 39, No. 11: Apology and reminder; comments on thirty-minute commercials, and on The African Queen; con report of NASFiC 2020; letters of comment on NASFiC 2020 and virtual conventions; and comments on books and film (The Decameron and The Canterbury Tales).
09/04/20, Vol. 39, No. 10: Comments on eighty miles, and on the virtual NASFiC; book review of Birdmen; letters of comment on absentee voting, on Classics Illustrated comics, and on The Three Musketeers (1974); and comments on books (A Murder Is Announced and The House of Silk).
08/28/20, Vol. 39, No. 9: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on SF story classification, on absentee voting, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in September; letters of comment on Classics Illustrated comics, and on loos; and comments on books (Lost Horizon).
08/21/20, Vol. 39, No. 8: Comments on hazards, first on the moon; film review of All Hail the Popcorn King; letters of comment on restrooms, on Americans and guns, and on hot food; and comments on books (Classics Illustrated comics).
08/14/20, Vol. 39, No. 7: Comments on NASFiC 2020 Columbus, and on kosher food; letters of comment on opera and on unisex restrooms; and comments on books (Shakespeare's Lives and Clipper of the Clouds).
08/07/20, Vol. 39, No. 6: Comments on fear and loathing; book review of Dispersion; television review of Dark; letters of comment on dog expressions and on opera; and comments on books (Hugo and Retro Hugo Award winners).
07/31/20, Vol. 39, No. 5: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on dog talk, and on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in August; book reviews of The City in the Middle of the Night and Brief Answers to the Big Questions; television comparison of Bitten, Wolfblood, Hannah, and Daredevil; and comments on books (Up in the Old Hotel).
07/24/20, Vol. 39, No. 4: Comments on understanding; book review of The Accursed Tower; letters of comment on La Traviata and other operas, on the Fanac Fan History project, on Quatermass and the Pit, and on The Decameron; and comments on books (The Decameron, Bright Ideas, and What to Think About Machines That Think).
07/17/20, Vol. 39, No. 3: Comments on "Lan's Lantern", on an apology, and on LA TRAVIATA; letters of comment on The Decameron, on AI sentencing, and on BBC series and serials; and comments on books (The Decameron [Day 3]).
07/10/20, Vol. 39, No. 2: Comments on computerized sentencing; letters of comment on Quatermass and the Pit, on entanglement, on art show tours, on the Hugo voters packet, on sagacity, on alcohol, and on "messeems"; and comments on books (Author in Chief).
07/03/20, Vol. 39, No. 1: Comments on volume numbers, on Bell Works drive-in movies, on Locus Award winners, on 1960s films of the fantastic, and on Ben-Hur (1925); letters of comment on hot food, and on The Martian and books into movies; and comments on books (The Nose and Other Stories).
06/26/20, Vol. 38, No. 52: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in July; book review of A Memory Called Empire; letters of comment on hot food, and on At The Mountains of Madness; and comments on books and films (The Martian, Beyond Thirty, and William Morris).
06/19/20, Vol. 38, No. 51: Comments on Ray Harryhausen's 100th birthday anniversary, on Jalapeño peppers, and on the end of the world; television review of Stargirl; book review of Receptor; letters of comment on trucks, on The Wizard of Oz, and on Beowulf; and comments on books (The Decameron [Day 2]).
06/12/20, Vol. 38, No. 50: Comments on trucks and on The Wizard of Oz; letters of comment on books, on "The Changeling", and on "Trog"; and comments on books (Are We Rome, The Storm Before the Storm, and Alaric the Goth).
06/05/20, Vol. 38, No. 49: List of Nebula Award winners; comments on books; letters of comment on Marco Polo, on bats, on the Retro-Hugo Awards, and on scary movies; and comments on books (A Journal of the Plague Year).
05/29/20, Vol. 38, No. 48: Pointers to lists of good adventure and SF books; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in June, and on Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker; letters of comment on alcohol, and on the Uncertainty Principle; and comments on books (Retro Hugo Award novella and series finalists).
05/22/20, Vol. 38, No. 47: Comments on alcohol; book review of The Light Brigade; letters of comment on scary movies and on cattle; and comments on books (Retro Hugo Award short story and novelette finalists).
05/15/20, Vol. 38, No. 46: Comments on cows and bull, and on Retro Hugo finalists in various categories; letters of comment on scary movies and television shows, and on polenta and eggs; and comments on movies (Retro Hugo Award dramatic presentation finalists).
05/08/20, Vol. 38, No. 45: Comments on eggs and on animals; and comments on books (Retro Hugo Award novel finalists).
05/01/20, Vol. 38, No. 44: Comments on signs of our times, and on the horror film; letters of comment on recent reviews; and comments on books (Hugo Award short story finalists).
04/24/20, Vol. 38, No. 43: Correction on COVID-19; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in May; book review of Driftwood; letters of comment on non-fantasy "Twilight Zone" episodes, on The Wind on the Moon, on the "Prix Hugo" speech, on social distancing, on the zombie apocalypse, on Outbreak, on Moby-Dick, and on great American novels; and comments on books (The Decameron [Introduction and Day 1]).
04/17/20, Vol. 38, No. 42: Comments on The Twilight Zone, on feel-good highs, and on animals; film review of Contagion; book review of The Player of Games; letters of comment on hippos, on Foundation and Earth amd on COVID-19; and comments on books (Hugo and Retro Hugo nominees).
04/10/20, Vol. 38, No. 41: List of Hugo, Retro Hugo, Lodestar, and Astounding Awards Finalists; comments on interpreting science; book review of At the Mountains of Madness; letters of comment on dogs and cats, the Day of the Animals, and the current apocalypse; and comments on books (The Decameron, What Does It All Mean?, Foundation's Triumph, Europe in Autumn, and True History).
04/03/20, Vol. 38, No. 40: Comments on the "Day of the Animals"; letters of comment on Corflu, Harriet, dogs and cats, and the current apocalypse; and comments on books (Foundation and Earth and The Daughter of Time).
03/27/20, Vol. 38, No. 39: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in April and Gmail clipping; book review of Salvation Lost; letters of comment on the Retro Hugo Awards; and comments on books (The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis and The Last Battle).
03/20/20, Vol. 38, No. 38: Film reviews of Mary Queen of Scots, Harriet, and Queen and Slim; a science fiction picture game; letters of comment on dogs and cats; and comments on books (book sales and the effects of the current shutdown).
03/13/20, Vol. 38, No. 37: Information on submission to the MT VOID; film reviews of The Spy Behind Home Plate and Little Joe; letters of comment on Foundation's Edge, While Nero Fiddled, the MT VOID, Frankenstein, The Lady from the Black Lagoon, Auggie, Riverdale, Peri A[piston, the Retrospective Hugo Awards, sonnets, a possible Gmail glitch, and Steve Stiles; and comments on books (The Handmaid's Tale, and Little Women and Sense and Sensibility).
03/06/20, Vol. 38, No. 36: Film reviews of Abominable, American Factory, I Lost My Body, and The Invisible Man (2020); supplement to 1944 Retro Hugo Dramatic Presentations; novella reviews of "Exit Strategy" and "Come Tumbling Down"; book review of The Shock of the Old; and comments on books (Plato, and Foundation's Edge).
02/28/20, Vol. 38, No. 35: Correction on 1944 Retro Hugo Dramatic Presentations (Short Form, Part 2), announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in March; book review of Made to Order; and comments on books (The Chile Pepper in China).
02/21/20, Vol. 38, No. 34: Comments on the bishop of the moon, on 1944 Retro Hugo Dramatic Presentations (Short Form, Part 2), and on space settlement/colonization; book review of Agency; letters of comment on a temperature puzzle, and rude words and euphemisms; and comments on books and film (authors and series, and The Handmaid's Tale).
02/14/20, Vol. 38, No. 33: Comments on 1944 Retro Hugo Dramatic Presentations (Short Form, Part 1); book review of Becoming Superman; letters of comment on Isaac Asimov, 1944 Retro Hugo Dramatic Presentations (Long Form); a temperature puzzle; and comments on books and film (What to Think about Machines That Think).
02/07/20, Vol. 38, No. 32: Comments on 1944 Retro Hugo Dramatic Presentations (general comments and Long Form); novella reviews of "Auberon" and "In an Absent Dream"; book review of Underland; letters of comment on plurals and Seven Surrenders; and comments on books and film (The Great Courses and The Left Hand of Darkness, Mere Christrianity, and "Country Music").
01/31/20, Vol. 38, No. 31: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in February; film review of Color Out of Space; book review of Seven Surrenders; and comments on books (Men and Dinosaurs).
01/24/20, Vol. 38, No. 30: Comments on Mark's top ten films of 2019; book review of Poseidon's Wake; letters of comment on The Americans, Antarctica, a Calgary concvention, old-time radio, statistics, and Moby-Dick; and comments on books (Little Women).
01/17/20, Vol. 38, No. 29: Apology on "Star Wars" essay; comments on math as the safest science; film comments on "Star Wars"; letters of comment on Moby-Dick, King Kong, Frau im Mond, Die Nibelungen, The Aeronauts, Hotel Mumbai, John W. Campbell, The Americans, and Edward Gibbon; and comments on books (The Worst Journey in the World).
01/10/20, Vol. 38, No. 28: Announcement of the Online Film Critics Awards; film comments on King Kong (1933) and on "Star Wars"; letters of comment on memory and on Moby-Dick; and comments on books (Civil War Road Trip).
01/03/20, Vol. 38, No. 27: Comments on MT VOID delivery problems; film reviews of Buddy, The Serengeti Rules, and Brittany Runs a Marathon; letters of comment on Christmas movies and other entertainments; and comments on books (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire).
12/27/19, Vol. 38, No. 26: Comments on MT VOID delivery problems; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in January; and comments on books (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire).
12/20/19, Vol. 38, No. 25: Film reviews of The Report and Hotel Mumbai; television review of The Americans; letters of comment on capsaicinoids; and comments on books (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire).
12/13/19, Vol. 38, No. 24: Film reviews of In My Room, Depraved, ANYA, and Jojo Rabbit; television review of The Americans; letters of comment on cooking, on spicy food, and on Christmas stories; and comments on books (Hungry Hearts).
12/06/19, Vol. 38, No. 23: Comments on email distribution, and on spicy food; film review of The Aeronauts; letters of comment on Scrooge (A Christmas Carol [1951]) and Other Christmas Movies; and comments on books and films (The Haunting of Hill House and Gettysburg).
11/29/19, Vol. 38, No. 22: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in December, and on veggie burgers; letters of comment on A Russian Journal and Stalin, and Imhotep and Boris Karloff; and comments on books (Harold Bloom, The Western Canon, and Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human).
11/22/19, Vol. 38, No. 21: Comments on tana leaves and on the Astounding Award for Best New Writer; letters of comment on hair, on Moby Dick (1930), on Operation Crossbow, and on A Russian Journal; and comments on books (The Pioneers).
11/15/19, Vol. 38, No. 20: Comments on hair; letters of comment on Moby Dick (1930); and comments on books (Textos recobrados: "King Kong", "The Sign of the Cross", "Congo", and "Laws of the Detective Story").
11/08/19, Vol. 38, No. 19: Comments on memory; film comments on In My Room and The Quiet Earth; film review of Moby Dick (1930); letters of comment on spam email; and comments on books and film (Moby Dick and Moby Dick (1998)).
11/01/19, Vol. 38, No. 18: Comments on the Great Magdeburg Air Hoax and on the V-1 and V-2; film review of The Dead Don't Die; book review of The Fall; letter of comment on private rocketry; and comments on books (A Russian Journal, Diamonds in the Sky, The Department of Sensitive Crimes, and Waste Tide) (book comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
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"

Here are some links to sites of interest:
Evelyn C. Leeper
(eleeper@optonline.net)

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

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