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scribby's rating:
Added Apr 06, 2023
scribby's rating:
Added Aug 30, 2022
Comment:
In a way, this is one of Spinelli’s best-known books (“Stargirl”) revisited. Here, though, there’s a twist: the protagonist learns his lesson before it’s too late, and the manic-pixie-dreamgirl is a visitor from Beyond. A ghost story, then; a rare break from Spinelli’s “realistic” fiction and an excursion into “magical realism”—but this is a ghost story that in itself has a twist. It’s never frightening; most of it is comical (and comically awkward in the way teenagers sometimes are) but, by the end, it’s heartwarming. If you’ve read other Spinelli books, you’re aware of his technique of name-dropping (minor characters are cousins or friends or at least know characters in other books); there’s one or two in this book too. As always with Spinelli, the prose is gorgeous but easy enough for middle-grade readers.In a way, this is one of Spinelli’s best-known books (“Stargirl”) revisited. Here, though, there’s a twist: the protagonist learns his lesson before it’s too late, and the manic-pixie-dreamgirl is a visitor from Beyond. A ghost story, then; a rare…
scribby's rating:
Added Aug 30, 2022
Comment:
The real horror of this story is not the deformed hunchback, but the society in which he lives. The depths of brutality, prejudice, and misogyny (to which not even the narrator is immune) are shocking to the modern reader, but is our society any different? In the end (this is not a spoiler, we all know the plot) it all crumbles to dust, leaving only the cathedral to watch successive generations.The real horror of this story is not the deformed hunchback, but the society in which he lives. The depths of brutality, prejudice, and misogyny (to which not even the narrator is immune) are shocking to the modern reader, but is our society any…
scribby's rating:
Added Aug 30, 2022
Comment:
Is this political satire or a comedy of wordplay? Answer: yes. Either way, it’s hilarious. I especially enjoyed how the answer to the conundrum appears (out of part of a sub-plot) several chapters before the characters realize it (watch for it when you read this book, though don’t be surprised if you miss it like I did.)Is this political satire or a comedy of wordplay? Answer: yes. Either way, it’s hilarious. I especially enjoyed how the answer to the conundrum appears (out of part of a sub-plot) several chapters before the characters realize it (watch for it when…
scribby's rating:
Added Aug 30, 2022
Comment:
Gritty hard sci-fi. The monstrously-grafted echinoderm is a metaphor for both the altered “rifters” and the possible result if one of them returns to the surface. There are shades of “2001: A Space Odyssey” with the artificial intelligence deciding what is better for humans, and “Alien” with the encounter of something very strange and dangerous — though of course this book takes place in the unknown underwater, not the unknown of space (perhaps the Cthulhu stories are closer comparison: here there be monsters.) An entertaining read, well-written, and with a slow burn that becomes truly terrifying by the end.Gritty hard sci-fi. The monstrously-grafted echinoderm is a metaphor for both the altered “rifters” and the possible result if one of them returns to the surface. There are shades of “2001: A Space Odyssey” with the artificial intelligence deciding…
Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister BrainEmperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain, Book
by Martinez, A. LeeBook - 2012Book, 2012
scribby's rating:
Added Jun 07, 2022
Comment:
A hilarious novel in the language of a comic book. The world-building is somewhat lacking, though strange "facts" are thrown in about Venusian culture or the "real" story behind Ancient Egypt. I laughed out loud several times. A friend of mine also commented that the title would make a good band name. Like the blurb says, it's not bad for a guy without a spine.A hilarious novel in the language of a comic book. The world-building is somewhat lacking, though strange "facts" are thrown in about Venusian culture or the "real" story behind Ancient Egypt. I laughed out loud several times. A friend of mine also…
Animals Strike Curious PosesAnimals Strike Curious Poses, BookEssays
by Passarello, ElenaBook - 2017Book, 2017
scribby's rating:
Added Jun 07, 2022
Comment:
By turns hilarious, poignant, or bizarre, this collection of "essays" (some are more like stories or poems) about famous animals will entertain and enlighten.
scribby's rating:
Added Jun 07, 2022
Comment:
A nice overview of a major trend in 20th and 21st century art (or several major trends that can collectively be called "abstract"). It was nice to see art from places besides Europe and North America as well.
scribby's rating:
Added Mar 23, 2022
Comment:
A great collection of essays about music. The author not only talks about the when and where of music (including interviews with living artists), but goes deep into its analysis and aesthetics. The book helped me reconnect with some of my old favorites (Schubert, Cecil Taylor, Radiohead, John Luther Adams) as well as appreciate some that I haven't particularly liked before (Brahms, Verdi, Björk, Bob Dylan). It was also interesting to read his analysis of the reoccurrence of a particular motif throughout musical history, discussion of modern Chinese music, debunking of the Mozart myth, and the fact that "classical music is dying!" has been a trope for 700 years. Fascinating!A great collection of essays about music. The author not only talks about the when and where of music (including interviews with living artists), but goes deep into its analysis and aesthetics. The book helped me reconnect with some of my old…
scribby's rating:
Added Feb 12, 2022
Comment:
The first two or three chapters: Ghostbusters. Horrible things are happening and it's hilarious, as told by the jaded and sarcastic narration (which reminds me a little of Tayon in my own "Tond" fantasy series).
Later on: hyperactive, and too full of gory zombie tropes. I lost interest about halfway through and stopped reading.The first two or three chapters: Ghostbusters. Horrible things are happening and it's hilarious, as told by the jaded and sarcastic narration (which reminds me a little of Tayon in my own "Tond" fantasy series).
Later on: hyperactive, and too full…
Rock, Paper, Scissors and Other StoriesRock, Paper, Scissors and Other Stories, Book
by Osipov, MaksimBook - 2019Book, 2019
scribby's rating:
Added Feb 04, 2022
scribby's rating:
Added Jan 31, 2022
Comment:
New cyberpunk in the classic manner, told almost entirely from conversations. At first the reader is lost among the new technology and virtual words, but, just as everything starts to get clear, the author unleashes a mind-boggling concept that turns everything to confusion again. It takes several chapters of trying to sort things out, and then, just as everything starts to get clear again, he hits you with another brain-bending idea and it all goes chaotic again. This happens several times and it's a lot of fun. I won't give out any spoilers except that it involves surveillance, a sentient AI, time travel, and some of those worlds in other times may be virtual constructs. There's a lot to take in, so take your time reading. It's worth it.New cyberpunk in the classic manner, told almost entirely from conversations. At first the reader is lost among the new technology and virtual words, but, just as everything starts to get clear, the author unleashes a mind-boggling concept that…
Thousand Mile SongThousand Mile Song, BookWhale Music in A Sea of Sound
by Rothenberg, DavidBook - 2008 +Book, 2008 +
scribby's rating:
Added Jan 31, 2022
Comment:
I first heard recorded whale songs when Hovhaness' "And God Created Great Whales" came on the radio when I was 12 or so. At the time I thought it was electronic sounds, and I found it somewhat frightening. Several years later I found out what I'd heard; by that time my musical experience had broadened to include George Crumb's "Vox Balaenae" and I understood the beauty of these underwater sounds. (I had only heard one of the pop examples that Mr. Rothenberg mentions, and somehow I didn't make the mental connection.) Anyway, understanding the beauty of something is different from knowing what it means; the author takes several chapters to explore and explain the research into the possible meanings of the "language" of several species of whales, as well as their similarities/differences with music made by humans. The sonogram charts are fascinating. (Spoiler: there is little consensus among humans on what whale sounds mean to other whales.)
The last third of the book is a chronicle of an experimental interspecies music project: Mr. Rothenberg teams up with musicians and recordists to set up situations where whales might interact with his clarinet (and other instruments); in many cases this did in fact result in two-species improvisations, though of course what the whales thought of the process is a mystery. Some of the resulting tracks are presented on a CD that comes with the book. It's interesting and sometimes beautiful stuff.
One complaint: early in the book, after listing many compositions and songs that have incorporated whale-sounds, the author goes on to lament that such sounds have become a new-age cliche. I agree that this is often, sadly, the case. However, he then goes on to the same kind of quasi-spiritual rhapsodizing that characterizes new-age music. Yawn. (He also states that the George Crumb piece is "too quiet" for today's world; but that's exactly the reason that I like it.) At any rate, the science (not the new-age pseudoscience) is fascinating, and the CD will bring delight to listeners of many tastes.I first heard recorded whale songs when Hovhaness' "And God Created Great Whales" came on the radio when I was 12 or so. At the time I thought it was electronic sounds, and I found it somewhat frightening. Several years later I found out what I'd…
scribby's rating:
Added Jul 20, 2021
Comment:
A rarity: a dystopian novel that is often as delightful and hilarious as it is disturbing (though it does have a horrifying final act). It's also a sports novel, and a lot of fun with literary, pop culture, and sports references (there are minor characters with names like Beetle Samsa and Ichiro Mariner); but it's definitely not a future I would want to live in. Also, it's very well written and narrated in an informal, conversational manner by an (important!) "side kick" of the main protagonists. I might want to read more by this author.A rarity: a dystopian novel that is often as delightful and hilarious as it is disturbing (though it does have a horrifying final act). It's also a sports novel, and a lot of fun with literary, pop culture, and sports references (there are minor…
Parasite = 기생충Parasite = 기생충, DVDParasiteParasiteKisaengch'ung
DVD - 2020 | KoreanDVD, 2020. Language: Korean
scribby's rating:
Added Jul 07, 2021
Comment:
Interesting movie; social commentary: the poor become parasites on the rich who in turn are parasites on the poor. At first comical, but then at the exact halfway point (with that fateful doorbell ring) takes a turn into a much darker (and finally horrific) tale. Well written, well acted and a great piece of atmospheric filmmaking; I'll be discussing this for years to come.Interesting movie; social commentary: the poor become parasites on the rich who in turn are parasites on the poor. At first comical, but then at the exact halfway point (with that fateful doorbell ring) takes a turn into a much darker (and finally…
The City in the Middle of the NightThe City in the Middle of the Night, Book
by Anders, Charlie JaneBook - 2019Book, 2019
scribby's rating:
Added Jun 16, 2021
Comment:
A triumph of world-building; the human and alien cultures seem real and are well thought-out (even the languages, which aren't constructed as conlangs but described in detail), and the characters fit into their world perfectly. At first I thought the plot would be familiar from Dune, and to a lesser extend, Hamlet and the Lion King (the protagonist is sent into exile but comes back with an army) but after a few chapters I realized that that's not where the story is going to go at all. Near the end there's an eerie Lovecraftian twist, and then the end seems hopeful but is unresolved; so there will probably be sequels. I will be waiting.A triumph of world-building; the human and alien cultures seem real and are well thought-out (even the languages, which aren't constructed as conlangs but described in detail), and the characters fit into their world perfectly. At first I thought…
scribby's rating:
Added May 07, 2021
Comment:
Beginning with a hilarious send-up of an insulting trope, this is a fantastic (and fantastical) collection of sci-fi, fantasy, and "magical realist" stories (and one horror story). Nigeria, where the author was born and grew up, becomes something new: not a country that one may find on a map or travel to, but a sort-of mythic otherworld: Narnia in Africa, and almost a recurring character in its own right. Some of the stories are better than others, and three of them are different versions of the same story (though the repetition is more interesting than redundant), but altogether they form a good introduction to the author of the Binti series.Beginning with a hilarious send-up of an insulting trope, this is a fantastic (and fantastical) collection of sci-fi, fantasy, and "magical realist" stories (and one horror story). Nigeria, where the author was born and grew up, becomes something…
Posthumous Memoirs of Brás CubasPosthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas, BookA Novel
by Machado de AssisBook - 2020Book, 2020
scribby's rating:
Added May 07, 2021
Comment:
Of the same general meandering, digressionary genre as Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy", but lacking in Sterne's humor (or maybe, if there are jokes, they do not translate well). The eponymous character is so mean-spirited that reading this put me in a foul mood, and in the end I didn't finish it. Too bad; it's considered great literature and I'll have to give it another try sometime.Of the same general meandering, digressionary genre as Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy", but lacking in Sterne's humor (or maybe, if there are jokes, they do not translate well). The eponymous character is so mean-spirited that reading this put…
ArchyologyArchyology, BookThe Long Lost Tales of Archy and Mehitabel
by Marquis, DonBook - 2009Book, 2009
scribby's rating:
Added Apr 20, 2021
Comment:
Charming humor from about 100 years ago. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but subtle wit that brings on a smile and a chuckle long after reading. I would have liked an explanation of how the cockroach learned how to type, but there are hundreds of these little story-poems and so I'm assuming that that's covered in another anthology.Charming humor from about 100 years ago. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but subtle wit that brings on a smile and a chuckle long after reading. I would have liked an explanation of how the cockroach learned how to type, but there are hundreds of these…
scribby's rating:
Added Mar 17, 2021
Comment:
The recording is beautiful and the performances are top-notch, as is to be expected from the line-up of this band. However, there isn't much variety in the "sound" of the band. The harmony singing is overused and sometimes a little insistent, reminding me at times of those 1970's rock records where every member of the band played during every second of every song (I'm looking at you, Boston). That said, there's quite a lot of variety between the songs themselves; instrumentation changes subtly, there are unexpected chord progressions ("See You Around" cycles between three keys, all in major but giving the effect of minor; "Ryland" is almost chromatic). Though obviously bluegrass, hints of other genres occasionally surface: more than once I'm reminded of vintage jazz/swing and the Andrews Sisters. The lyrics are deep expressions of the human experience, related metaphorically from everyday occurrences and little "slices of life", though few of them are particularly memorable. Supergroup, yes, but I think I prefer the individual members as solo artists: this is certainly not bad, but at the same time it could be better.The recording is beautiful and the performances are top-notch, as is to be expected from the line-up of this band. However, there isn't much variety in the "sound" of the band. The harmony singing is overused and sometimes a little insistent,…
The Ground Beneath Our FeetThe Ground Beneath Our Feet, Music CD
by Knights (Musical group : New York, N.Y.)Music CD - 2015Music CD, 2015
scribby's rating:
Added Mar 15, 2021
Comment:
This is one of those "new school" classical records that takes a clue from the pop world and the musicians form a "band" that produces "albums". This is a live recording that makes a beautiful and eclectic sonic experience, though there is a little trouble with volume consistency.
There are two pieces that are familiar from the classical repertoire, from the 18th and 20th centuries respectively (Bach and Stravinsky), and three new pieces. The Bach C-minor Concerto (for oboe, violin and ensemble) sounds a little lackluster, though the Stravinsky "Dumbarton Oaks" concerto, which is made of jazzy syncopated riffs off of a style that would otherwise be close to Bach, is performed with such enthusiasm that I found myself dancing. The two new pieces frame these familiar works: Reich's "Duet" is a dreamy introduction, while the Concerto for Santur, Violin and Orchestra (co-composed by Siamak Aghaei and The Knights' Collin Jacobsen) is a larger work that sometimes uses unexpected sounds (such as what appears to be strumming, guitar-style, on the santur -- a kind of hammered dulcimer). The last track is something completely unexpected: the song "Fade Away" is treated to a tour of worldwide musical styles. This will either be a plus or a minus depending on the listener. At any rate this CD deserves to be heard, though each listener will probably bring away something different from hearing it.This is one of those "new school" classical records that takes a clue from the pop world and the musicians form a "band" that produces "albums". This is a live recording that makes a beautiful and eclectic sonic experience, though there is a little…
scribby's rating:
Added Mar 15, 2021
Comment:
This was suggested on a list by the other reviewer here. I'll say that it's everything that he writes on his review, and I'll add that I've been listening to this for a couple of days now and it's going to be very hard to listen to anything else.
The Master and His EmissaryThe Master and His Emissary, BookThe Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World
by McGilchrist, IainBook - 2019Book, 2019
scribby's rating:
Added Mar 09, 2021
Comment:
Not so much a book of psychology as a treatise on the relationship of brain science to philosophy and art, this magnum opus makes a claim about the differing nature of the brain's hemispheres and then backs it up with fascinating clinical examples (some subtle, some barely believable!) and writings from various time periods. The conclusion is not the expected "logic vs. emotions" of pop psychology, but something more elusive. The right hemisphere is apparently the "master" and perceives the world from a holistic, top-down approach; the left is its "servant" but breaks down what it receives from the right into small fragments and then builds them back up in a nick-picky bottom-up procedure. The author then shows examples of the same type of laterality elsewhere in the animal kingdom, and outlines cases of what happens to humans when one of the hemispheres is damaged (resulting in the other taking over). Fascinating stuff.
The second half of the book falters, in my opinion, when the author speculates that the two hemispheres have been alternately in ascendency throughout history and are the causes of various artistic and philosophical movements. I have no doubt that ideas relating to one or the other can be "in vogue" during certain times, and the pendulum swings from one extreme to the other. However, Mcgilchrist's theory has a certain anthropomorphism of the hemispheres themselves, almost as if each (collectively the right or left hemispheres of all the human brains of the world) has a conscious agenda of its own, unrelated to the "owner" of each particular brain. It's a fascinating idea, but he doesn't give any explanation as how such a collective plan could come to be or what could sustain it.
The author also has a not-so-hidden agenda of his own: denouncing "modernism" as a left-brain takeover, leading to a shocking fragmentation of the world along with all its attendant problems of pollution, climate change, totalitarian regimes and/or runaway capitalism. He compares the "modernist" view of the world to that of autism or schizophrenia. But that’s not what we experience. Concerning the arts: it’s true that Picasso, Stravinsky, James Joyce, and even Elvis were shocking in their time, but so was Romanticism, and now they (as well as their more recent artistic descendants such as Rothko and John Cage) are merely part of our received culture (some are quite beautiful in retrospect!) and the shock has moved on to things that are newer (i.e. drone music and popular idioms such as graffiti art, rap, and metal). Concerning the political and environmental problems: these are probably the result of humans not knowing the long-term results of having created an entire artificial system and not foreseeing the results of doing so. It’s not one of our collective brain hemispheres running amok, but our entire species going mad.
Anyway, I gave the book five stars because, though I disagree with some of its conclusions, I couldn’t put it down. It’s an endless tome, to be sure, but the writing is clear and lucid and the examples are fascinating. Each long chapter is divided into smaller sections for easy reading and digesting. I had fun with it.Not so much a book of psychology as a treatise on the relationship of brain science to philosophy and art, this magnum opus makes a claim about the differing nature of the brain's hemispheres and then backs it up with fascinating clinical examples…
The Great Animal OrchestraThe Great Animal Orchestra, BookFinding the Origins of Music in the World's Wild Places
by Krause, BernieBook - 2012Book, 2012
scribby's rating:
Added Mar 02, 2021
Comment:
The first couple of chapters are fascinating. The author introduces the concept of "biophony": the total sound environment of a natural area, including sounds produced by both animal and non-living things. He shows (with computer-generated sound spectra images) how animal sounds interact as parts in a complex symphony, and suggests origins of human music as relating to this biophony of particular regions. Then the book falters. There are no more details in how these sound relationships work, and no examples of how music might be derived from specific animal communications (except for a vague description of the music of a certain isolated tribe, and the use of animal sounds recorded or notated and used in specific musical compositions). The bulk of the book is a call for conservation of natural areas: a noble aim, certainly, but it leaves me thinking that the book is a "bait and switch" -- The title and first chapters suggest something completely new (a scientific and musicological description and analysis of the relationships of human music to animal and other natural sounds) but instead turns out to be much less than that. That said, it does give some specific examples of how to preserve the biophony, and it ends on a tentatively positive note; maybe that's all it needs to do.The first couple of chapters are fascinating. The author introduces the concept of "biophony": the total sound environment of a natural area, including sounds produced by both animal and non-living things. He shows (with computer-generated sound…
scribby's rating:
Added Feb 27, 2021
Comment:
VAGUE SPOILER. An interesting and unusual book, told from the perspective of the world of elephants. Heartbreaking in the end, particularly about elephants' encounters with humans. I rated it less than maybe I should have because I found the fantastical elements unconvincing; the book otherwise tries to explore the possible psychology and culture of another species in an "anthropological" (elephalogical?) manner but it seems a bit forced when the thought projections (for example) turn out to be "real". Otherwise I enjoyed it. The characterizations and setting are well-drawn, and the story line is engaging.VAGUE SPOILER. An interesting and unusual book, told from the perspective of the world of elephants. Heartbreaking in the end, particularly about elephants' encounters with humans. I rated it less than maybe I should have because I found the…
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