Just finished reading Orson Scott Card's Shadow of the Hegemon. The 'Shadow' series, written from Bean's perspective, is an accompaniment to the 'Ender Saga'. Hegemon is book two in the series, with two more yet to be written (YES!). Card is a masterful writer. Character development is his stock in trade. I highly recommend the preceding as well as the 'Alvin Maker Series'. Word has it the next 'Alvin' book, Crystal City, is due out sometime soon (YES AGAIN!). He also wrote an alternate history on Christopher Columbus which I enjoyed.

I'm on the last few pages of Dan Simmons' Fall of Hyperion. I've not as yet tracked down used copies of the follow-ups - Endymion & Fall of Endymion. My local library does not have them, which is perhaps why I've been nursing this book's last hundred pages. Highly recommended.

Just began Simmons' Hollow Man last night. The lead is a man who has been inundated with the thoughts of others since age thirteen. He'd found a mate who had a similar curse. Together they were able to shield each other from the constant onslaught of 'neurobabble'. The book begins with her death and the loss of this protective mindshield.

I've made several cursory attempts at Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left-hand of Darkness the past few months, but another book always comes along and captures my attention. Ursula will have to be patient for awhile longer.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), May 21, 2001

Answers

Recently purchased a small stack of CDs – a rare occurrence. Heart's Greatest Hits has received continuous airplay for more than a week now. Posted a song from this collection on another thread. Powerful stuff.

Purchased a cassette by Patrick Bernhardt from the bargain bin at my local aerie-faerie shop, Solaris Universalis, a couple three weeks ago. My friends in Washington state recommended him ages ago. I had not come across any of his works – until now. Spectacular! A listen to side one of 'Solaris' brings with it a lifeforce energy shower, a beautiful cleansing.

Saturday saw me spring for a CD I've long coveted - The Book of Secrets, by Loreena McKennitt. Is there a more beautifully haunting voice than hers? An excerpt from the booklet enclosed with the CD:

"In the end, I wonder if one of the most important steps on our journey is the one in which we throw away the map. In jettisoning the grids and brambles of our own preconceptions, perhaps we are better able to find the real secrets of each place; to remember that we are all extensions of our collective history."

So spill it. Whatcha reading/listening to these days?

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), May 21, 2001.

Reading: Arthur C Clarke's "The Light of Other Days". (Don't waste your money.)

Listening to: David Gray's "White Ladder" CD. ["Babylon", "Please Forgive Me", etc.] Excellent!

-- CD (costavike@hotmail.com), May 21, 2001.

Reading:

As soon as it comes out -- probably next month: "From These Ashes: he Complete Short SF of Fredric Brown" Now: "Tuesdays With Morrie" (just finished; wonderful), plus miscellaneous non-fiction on the concept of race and the philosophy of multiculturalism (for the past few months).

Listening:

Steeleye Span; Silly Sisters (Maddy Prior and June Tabor); The Band (especially their second album); "Kind of Blue" (with Miles Davis, John Coltrane, etc.); Motown (don't have much right now, but whenever I can get it on the radio, I turn it WAY up) -- especially Aretha; James Taylor; much classical from the baroque era.

-- Eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), May 21, 2001.

Not a huge fan of Sir Arthur, CD. Did he write Cities in Flight? Or was it James Blish? I almost checked out the '2001' video this weekend, but didn't think I had the patience for it. I hear there's a director's cut of the film with commentary and key pieces which were left on the cutting room floor. Just a rumor?

I've heard nothing but good things about Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie. Have to check my library on that one.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), May 21, 2001.

Unk's Wild Wild West :)

-- Rather not (say @ this .time), May 21, 2001.

Beetle Bailey equivalents don't count. :)

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), May 21, 2001.

Finally got the courage to start reading Payne Stewart's story. The first several pages were tough.....

Always listen to something with a lil' bit of Southern sound although, the wife brought back the David Gray CD from her last trip to the UK.....definitely some good stuff!! Kinda sounds like what Bob Dylan would sound like on amphetamines....

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), May 21, 2001.

Reading:

Through Alien Eyes by Amy Thompson - a sequel to The Color of Distance. Science fiction where the aliens are rainforest frogs.

Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's War 1941-1945 by Leo Marks. The author was quite a character.

Listening:

The Best of Mark-Almond Frogwings: Croaking at Toad's Cheikh Lo: Bambay Gueej

-- dandelion (golden@pleurisy.plant), May 21, 2001.

oops-bad spacing on the music

Mark-Almond

Frogwings

Cheikh Lo

-- dandelion (golden@pleurisy.plant), May 21, 2001.

[David Gray] Kinda sounds like what Bob Dylan would sound like on amphetamines....

LOL Deano! Now that ya mention it, yeah, he does. I've been a David Gray fan for about a year. Interesting to see how the US has only just now "discovered" him. I've seen him performing on tv a lot lately... Saturday Night Live, Letterman, etc.

-- CD (costavike@hotmail.com), May 21, 2001.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), May 21, 2001.

Just finished Lifeline of the Confederacy. Most detailed account of blockade runners (and blockaders) I think you'll find.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), May 21, 2001.

Currently reading "How Dumbya Stole the Presidency and Burned My Burrito" from the Democrats.com Book of the Month Club.

Also listening to the fan on my computer.

-- Dumbya Stole Florida (dumbedy@dum.dum), May 21, 2001.

Try ‘Silent Joe’ by T. Jefferson Parker. You will not be able to put this book down until finished. Then, go for his other offerings, starting with his first novel ‘Laguna Heat’. Unk, I guarantee you will like this guy. Same for Carlos and Cin.

‘Dumbya Stole Florida’…….looks like the President also made off with what little was left of your mind….a double header!

-- So (cr@t.es), May 21, 2001.

Currently reading "The Two Towers" (second volume of the Lord of the Rings series by Tolkein). My son read "The Hobbit" for English class and that made me want to pick this story up again after many years. Prior that I had just finished "Hannibal" by Thomas Harris. Good book but I didn't see the movie so I can't compare.

Rich,

I read The Left Hand of Darkness many years ago and had difficulty in starting it up. About half way through it picks up though it never was one I wanted to read again. I don't know if is the story or Ursula's style. My taste in Science Fiction ran more toward Heinlein and Asimov.

Unk,

Which Burroughs'? Tarzan or John Carter of Mars?

-- Jack Booted Thug (governmentconspiracy@NWO.com), May 22, 2001.

JBT,

The last Tarzan book. It was an unpublished manuscript that was finished by another writer and then published. So far so good, but I keep getting interrupted from it.

So-crates,

I'll check it out, thanks. Have you read any James W. Hall? I enjoy his stuff, most of the books take place in the Fl Keys, and not the glitzy Keys that the tourists see either. His stuff catches the real underside of south Florida perfectly. If you find his stuff a bit too heavy, try Carl Hiaasen. His books are really out there, the guy has a sense of humor.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), May 22, 2001.

TekWar by William Shatner. If you haven't already, don't. If he gets paid for writing, we ALL could get paid for writing.

-- helen (o@my.eyes), May 22, 2001.

"To a God Unknown" and "In Dubious Battle", both by Steinbeck.

I've been listening to Candy Dulfer, a Danish jazz saxophonist.

-- Alice in Wonder Bra (alice@wonder.bra), May 22, 2001.

Yes Unk, I’ve read two of Hall’s books (Buzz Cut and Body Language) and Skin Tight by Hiaasen. Both of them live in Florida and give a mean twist to their stories. Buzz Cut was an especially good read…..’Bon Voyage’.

-- So (cr@t.es), May 22, 2001.

reading - The Unabridged Edgar Allan Poe

listening - Pink Floyd, Nine Inch Nails

-- (bygrace@thru.faith), May 22, 2001.

reading & amazed by[NotEye's Rest Stop] can get it on yahoo. major EYE opener,as to why=trying to understand BIBLE without HOLY SPIRIT'S help=leads to so many=false-doctrines!!! no wonder TBN & CBN are raking in the $$$$$$$$$$$

-- al-d. (dogs@zianet.com), May 22, 2001.