Outsiders are calling on Amazon.com (which has a nice, new design) to make a category for alternative literature. You can see the categories on the side of their Literature & Fiction section now. What do you think? Do you care about Indie Lit? Have you read anything good there?
Post in haste, repent at leisure
I’m late, and this post will be short, assuming I get it posted at all.
I’ve been in Wireless Router Purgatory all evening, and Earthlink phone support is down due to “technical problems” (no doubt they’re on hold with their own phone support). Then, after a couple hours, my connection light came on again all on its own. And then off again. And now it’s on again. So I’m hoping I can get this posted before it falls off the wagon once more.
Blue Crab Boulevard provides this post about the world’s oldest clam–we’re talking a 400-year-old mollusk here. Found in one of my favorite places, no less. Iceland.
What the article doesn’t tell is whether it was found in a month with an “R” in it.
And Theodore Dalrymple (himself not a believer) makes some excellent arguments against recent atheist books in City Journal. (Hat tip to Freedom Dogs.)
Colbert On Being Normal
Speaking of Colbert and H.S. Key, the latter points out an interview with the former in Vanity Fair. “His getup,” says Seth Mnookin in the article, “combined with the swagger he affects onstage, made him seem like Clark Kent, if Clark Kent acted more like Superman in his everyday life.” As I suspected, Colbert appears to be a normal, admirable man. I’m going to have to read his book now.
Frowning on Colbert for President
I know the law is the law, but the FEC needs to lighten up on Stephen Colbert’s “presidential” run. He’s not really running for the White House. He can’t, because he is America. As can be seen on one of his websites (for the moment), 27% of supporters believe he should be his own running mate. So, I’m going to be disappointed if some lawyer or federal gook roughs him up over this. Now, if he gets his name on the general ballot, he has probably going to far, but until then–he is America, and I can too!
Coffee Quiz
Ok, Denise, how do you score on this coffee quiz? I got 10/10! Of course, I used the hints extensively, but I had a good idea before I clicked on most questions.
You’re No Fun Anymore
Harrison Scott Key complains that novels are boring and short stories are worse. He says, “My general claim is that fiction is in the dumps because fiction isn’t fun like it used to be. Somewhere after Cervantes, novelists forgot that it was okay to be funny.” Woody Allen on the other hand . . .
‘Not At All Cute’
Frank Wilson reviews Charles Williams’ All Hallows’ Eve, written in 1945. He says it focuses on real, cosmic evil in the streets of London. “In Williams’ vision of Halloween,” he says, “we are our own goblins – and not at all cute.”
Gaza’s Only Christian Bookstore Owner Killed
Earlier this month, Rami Khader Ayyad, 32, was abducted and murdered in Gaza City. He ran The Teacher’s Bookshop, the only Christian bookstore in Gaza and part of ministry of the Holy Bible Society. May the Lord deliver the Palestinian people from the hands of murderers.
Quotables from Books, Inq.
Frank Wilson has some good thoughts in these two posts on his blog, Books, Inq.
First, on being Catholic: “One of the benefits of having been raised and educated a Catholic – at least I regard it as a benefit – is the constant awareness of my eventual death that it bestowed upon me and that I have lived with all my life.”
Second, on certain writers: “Most writers and intellectuals hang with other writers and intellectuals and project their parochial outlook onto the rest of society. That explains why so much that is written is such a bummer.” Which means you can drop your New Yorker subscription and pick up some good, non-parochial writing like Relief Journal.
The usefulness of ghosts
After doing my TV review last night, an odd fact occurred to me. My three favorite TV shows just now are “House,” which stars Hugh Laurie (an Englishman doing an American accent), “Pushing Daisies,” which stars Anna Friel (an Englishwoman doing an American accent) and “Chuck,” starring Yvonne Strahovski (an Australian doing an American accent).
I see no significance whatever in this concatenation. But it seems odd.
Speaking of Halloween, I’ve been seeing web posts here and there about ghosts.
I don’t believe in ghosts, but that’s not a disbelief I hold to with the same fervor as I do to the great doctrines of the faith. The only appearance of a ghost in Scripture is in 1 Samuel 28 (the witch of Endor), which has been variously interpreted as a special dispensation from God or a demonic manifestation under God’s control. One way or the other, contacting the dead is unquestionably a forbidden activity.
But I’ve employed ghosts in stories several times. They’re just so darn useful as a plot device. They combine the elements of fear, grief and moral judgment. Shakespeare liked them too, and I’m not sure if he believed in them either.
Anyway, don’t take their use in my books as a statement of belief. I’ve never seen a ghost, or an ancient god, or an elf. I’ve only seen one physical miracle, in fact, and I can explain that one away if I want to. In general I believe in the supernatural in principle, but am skeptical of reported supernatural phenomena in particular cases.
Just for the record.