recommended reading by NewOldBrownCoat

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recommended reading

POSTED BY: NEWOLDBROWNCOAT
UPDATED: Friday, November 17, 2006 04:17
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VIEWED: 961
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Sunday, November 12, 2006 6:49 PM

I just re-read Spider Robinson's The Crazy Years, and want to recommmend it .

The Spider is a sci-fi and humor author, a dual citizen of the USA and Canada. He was born in NYC and went to Catholic schools. Crazy Years is a series of 80-some non fiction commentary columns he wrote for Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper, average length about 3 pagres.

He's a slightly left of center writer who personally admired the great right-winger and libertarian Robert Heinlein. He brings calm, logic, scientific method, and a middle of the road point of view to a great many issues.

Among the things he writes aprovingly of are science fiction, space travel, the US military, and jazz music.

He opposes, among other things and people, terrorists, demagogery, anti-smoking and anti-marijuana warriors, Microsoft and the PC.

Some people he approves of : Heinlein, Theodore Sturgeon, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon, George Carlin and Donald Westlake.

I was gonnna be even handed and list some people he's against, but the only two that comes to mind, as individuals, are Dan Quayle, and Senator William Proxmire, and he'll explain why.

300 pages in trade paperback, price about $14.95.

I haven't seen anything he's said or written about Firefly, and I don't wanta put words into his mouth, but I think he'd approve of Joss's philosophy and art, and he'd like our show.

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Monday, November 13, 2006 12:41 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I've read quite of bit of Spider's work over the years, but not The Crazy Years yet. I'll keep an eye out for it. I have exchanged a few emails with him so I might ask him about Firefly soon.

The last thing of his that I read was Variable Star, which he wrote based on an outline and notes left by Robert Heinlein. It was almost like reading the Master once again.

I also reviewed it - http://templetongate.net/variable-star.htm

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Monday, November 13, 2006 1:00 PM

STINKINGROSE

Cowboy Feng's Space Bar and Grill? I think that's the name of the series. A bar that doesn't stay put much.
I laughed. A lot.

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Monday, November 13, 2006 1:54 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I've heard of that series, but haven't read any of it, but I'm pretty sure that is not by Spider. His series based in a bar is of Callahan's Crosstime Saloon.

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Monday, November 13, 2006 2:04 PM

STINKINGROSE

confusticating my readerlies.

I WAS thinking of Callahan's.
I *named* one by Brust.
Oh, for shame! I will hide now.

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Monday, November 13, 2006 7:38 PM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:

The last thing of his that I read was Variable Star, which he wrote based on an outline and notes left by Robert Heinlein. It was almost like reading the Master once again.

I've heard about Variable Star, but haven't seen or read it yet. Wasn't it just released? Like September?

I've wanted to ask him about Firefly-- I respect his ara and opinion, but I saw his essay about how much productive time he has to waste on e-mail, so I don't wanta bother him.
I did write him about that movie, Chapter 27, Man Whose Name Must Never Be Mentioned, the guy who shot John Lennon, reccommending that he hot link his column about the subject, and he replied and did.

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Tuesday, November 14, 2006 5:04 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Both times that I have emailed him to ask for links to my reviews (Variable Star and The Free Lunch) he responded very quickly. I emailed him yesterday about Firefly and will let you know if I hear back from him.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Friday, November 17, 2006 3:32 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Spider responded to my email. Here's what he says about Firefly:

Quote:
I love it unreservedly, the show and the film, and hope someday Whedon will be given an opportunity to FINISH THE SONOFABITCHING STORY! There are still questions unanswered...

--Spider

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Friday, November 17, 2006 4:17 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by ecgordon:
Spider responded to my email. Here's what he says about Firefly:

Quote:
I love it unreservedly, the show and the film, and hope someday Whedon will be given an opportunity to FINISH THE SONOFABITCHING STORY! There are still questions unanswered...

--Spider

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

Glad to hear. Sometimes we get so close to the trees, we don't see the forest.

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