Monthly Archives: October 2011
Masks and Robop
Instead of ghouls, ghosts, gorgons or gargoyles, one of the scariest things to think about on October 31st is the potential awfulness of other human beings. In Fritz Leiber’s 1950 short story, “Coming Attraction,” even after World War III, reckless … Continue reading
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Cartoons are good.
Were you as disappointed as I was when the major networks stopped showing cartoons on Saturday mornings? Did you know that the library can help fill that void in your life? We also have many fine … Continue reading
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Coyotes….Really?
I was one of the last of the free range children born in America. In the late 70’s and most of the 80’s, my brother and I could be found every weekend in the woods, either with the Boy Scouts … Continue reading
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heredity, history, crime and love
Louise Erdrich’s gorgeous prose and fascination with storytelling achieve a spellbinding hold on the reader from the very first sentence of The Plague of Doves: “The gun jammed on the last shot and the baby stood holding the crib, eyes wide, bawling.” … Continue reading
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It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere…
Do you remember your first alcoholic drink? Not only what you drank, but where you were and who you were with? Do specific places and activities have drinks that you associate just with them? Are there certain situations that scream … Continue reading
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EIGHT MORE DAYS TILL HALLOWEEN SILVER SHAMROCK
Well, since it’s October, the month of all the things frightening that also go bump in the night, I will start off with a scary story from my youth. One that illustrates my parents’ poor choices in movies that they … Continue reading
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Woman Cannot Live on Fiction Alone
I never liked school. It was hard for me, a shy, quiet, bookish girl who just wanted to read and write all day long, preferably outside in the fresh air. School was too restrictive (and it was inside for crying … Continue reading
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Scar(r)ed for Life
There are few modern horror movies that I find truly frightening—sure, a few have made me jump now and then, but most don’t stick with me once I’ve left the theater. Rather than rehash a list of spooky movies for … Continue reading
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China Miéville’s Embassytown: Novel of the Year
Like many of my colleagues at Eleventh Stack, I’ve found myself enmeshed in George R. R. Martin’s mammoth fantasy series, Song of Ice and Fire, and basically ignoring all else (except poetry). One item, however, which I’ve read recently, while … Continue reading
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Well-Preserved
Do you have your mother’s wedding dress stored in your attic but don’t know how to keep it fresh? What about a family bible handed down for generations? Are your old photographs strewn about in some old shoebox? Are you worried about the … Continue reading
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