young adult

Singularity by William Sleator

Bad Monkeys

I was hesitant at first, to put such a long video on here. But after watching it last week, I decided it was definitely relevant, and it was very interesting. Here's some info:

AtGoogleTalks — June 18, 2008 — Author Matt Ruff visits Google's headquarters in Mountain View, CA, to discuss his book "Bad Monkeys". This event took place on September 19, 2007, as a part of the Authors@Google series. For more information about Matt Ruff please visit http://www.bymattruff.com

Longshot

shopping spree

Yesterday was my day off and I bought a half dozen books at the used book store. Here they are:

1. Wonder Boys - Michael Chabon. Recently read Maps and Legends by this author. Tried to find the one that he won the Hugo and Nebula for, but they didn't have that one.
2. Ender in Exile - Orson Scott Card. I read Ender's Game and War of Gifts last year. Now I have Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon as well as this one. They're all thick-ass books.
3. Losing Joe's Place - Gordon Korman. This guy was one of my favorite YA authors growing up. I used to have a bunch of his books, now I'm trying to collect them all again. I'd never even heard of this one before.
4. Singularity - William Sleator. Another favorite from my youth. I still have 3 of his books sitting on my shelf: Fingers, Into the Dream and The Green Futures of Tycho.
5. Doctor Who & the Talons of Weng Chiang - Terrance Dicks. Did I mention that I love Dr. Who? Nerd Alert! This was a 6 part story starring Tom Baker (my favorite Doctor) and Leela (my favorite companion).
6. Doctor Who and the Android Invasion - Terrance Dicks. Another book based on a Tom Baker story, but one which I don't have on DVD yet. I vaguely remember seeing the episode on PBS back in the mid 70s. I seem to recall Sara Jane's face falling off to reveal fake eyes and computer circuits inside. Probably traumatized thousands of Brittish boys and girls for life.
7. Anthrax - Return of the Killer A's. Not a book. Gardner's also sells music, videos and toys. I was a little disappointed to learn that the version of I'm the Man on this CD was the censored version.

unfinished business

Sewer, Gas & Electric

by Matt Ruff

I first started reading this book in '01 or '02. I remember I was working at the cafeteria in the TU dormitories at the time. I actually had a locker at work and kept this book in there a couple of times. I think I stopped reading after about 200 pages because I started a second job at The Hardwood bar and grill across the street. I think I went about 3 or four months straight without a day off. Plus it's a pretty long book, 560 pages! I must have gotten tired of it and gave up. My bookmark tells me I left off at page 195. That leaves 365 pages to go.

Legend

Douglas Adams, author of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," plays with Pink Floyd in celebration of his 42nd birthday. The songs are "Brain Damage" and "Eclipse" and Douglas is playing rhythm guitar. No video was taken of this event, but there is a nice picture of Douglas on stage with David Gilmour that I've included. Hope you enjoy it! - mhspiper

And Another Thing...

6 of 3

And Another Thing... by Eoin Colfer

Found this hardcover on sale for $5 @ B&N!

Red Gem and the Ancient Food Plan

Ruby and the Stone Age Diet
by Martin Millar

my favorite super hero

Longshot
Mid eighties, I was in my mid teens, early summer. My dad was coordinator for a cross state bicycle tour called FreeWheel. I brought my bike, but mostly rode in the van ahead of the tour, to the next campground in the next rural town.

After setting up camp, I would often set out on my own to wander the streets of the small town we'd arrived in, checking out parks and arcades, convenience and book stores, pawn shops and groceries. I earlier blogged about discovering The Secret Life of Algernon Pendleton in one of these towns. I discovered Longshot the same way.
I probably got it in some nameless quick stop or piggly wiggly. By the end of FreeWheel I had found the first 2 issues and was addicted. Interesting note: Being a Brian Bosworth fan at the time, I thought Longshot's blonde mullet was cool. And check out the leg warmers on She-Hulk. Sexee.
So I got home to Tulsa and stalked the various comic book stores around town until I had the whole series. Still have them, encased in mylar bags, filed away inside a cardboard box, inside another cardboard box, on a shelf in my front hall closet. They're all there next to other comic books I'll eventually get around to blogging about here someday.

Maps and Legends

farewell february

It has been a slow month here at uym. I've been busy at both my jobs, which is good, but it has also provided enough distraction that I'm barely halfway through my current read, Rainbows End. Also not helping is my current addiction to collecting and watching old Dr. Who episodes on DVD. I've also been stocking up on books as well, visiting B&N and Gardner's Used Books frequently.
Here's some of the stuff I bought that I might be reading later on this year:
The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson
Ender's Shadow and Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card
Ruby and the Stone Age Diet by Martin Millar
M*A*S*H Goes to Maine by Richard Hooker
M*A*S*H Goes to Miami/ New Orleans/ Paris by Richard Hooker and William E. Butterworth
And Another Thing... Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy part 6 of 3 by Eoin Colfer
This list will continue to grow, providing a small glimpse into the future...

that book I was talking about

Cyberpunk Handbook by St. Jude, R.U. Sirius and Bart Nagel,

I mentioned this book previously.

don't have yet

This one's on the cyberpunk required reading list, but I haven't been able to find a copy at Gardners. The list is from the Cyberpunk Handbook by St. Jude, R.U. Sirius and Bart Nagel. Here it is:

Neuromancer by William Gibson (read it), Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling (have it), Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (read it), True Names by Vernor Vinge (don't have it), Software and Wetware by Rudy Rucker (read them both), Eclipse Trilogy by John Shirley (have them) and Shockwave Rider by John Brunner (have it).

options winner

Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge

Congratulations on your first Super Bowl Championship,

New Orleans Saints!