Shooflypie

I have watched the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens several times now. I realize that it shows a fraction of the footage that will be in a film that doesn't come out for over a year. I also realize that the prequels were not my favorite thing and this is not something for which I should get my hopes up. And yet... I like that there are new faces. I like that ball droid thing. I like that it sounds like Star Wars. I recognize that some people have a problem with that new lightsaber hilt but I think it looks cool. I like seeing X-Wing Fighters. I love, yes, love when the John Williams score swells at the exact moment the Millennium Falcon appears and engages some Tie Fighters. Did I mention how I love that last part? It thrills the part of me that Star Wars imprinted when I was 6 years old as well as the 43 year-old version of me typing these words right now. You know what? The trailer does what a trailer should do - get you excited to see a movie. That...

DECEMBER WORLDS The second book I read this year was In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood, a collection of essays about SF and more. I've never read any of Atwood's famous novels; I always intended to but after reading this collection, I think I need to try and get to one this year. In these essays she makes the case for a breadth of reading - highbrow, middlebrow, and lowbrow - and the joys that can be found in all sorts of books. Sure, it may be preaching to the choir in my case but she makes some lovely points. Even more, she made me interested in some of the books she repeatedly mentioned, such as H. Rider Haggard's She (I read this book for Bookrageous's book club and they were intrigued by She too, so much so that it's their next book club pick). A smart collection by a smart writer that I will become better acquainted with. The fourth book I read (we'll get to #3 in a moment) was the new story collection by George Saunders, Tenth of December . I'v...