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And it gave me a sense of peace that I had not had before about being African-American. It helped me to come up with the most empowering responses to not only suttle racism from Euro-Americans, but also suttle responses to African-Americans who seem to be bound by expecting to just get by (who also believe that empowered African-Americans somehow owe them endless worthiness).
To me, even though this book is titled "Queen," it has many stories: politics; narcissism; racism; boys growing into manhood; belonging; the price of not having someone to verbalize your pains to; and, how whites turned their outrage over their motherland into what drove them to do the same to blacks, in this country.
During the entire time that I was reading these 2 books, as I conducted my day to day responsibilities, I felt like I had a secret weapon against being held back. And I saw things that I might not have seen before in what I could do to turn suttle racism into my opportunity to expect mutual respect between myself and my interlocutor.
I recommend this book, and "Roots" to any who is looking for a means to grow beyond your wildest expectations. You will cry with these stories, laugh, and feel every possible emotion, knowing that you are breathing new life into your life. vjudo@rmi.net. www.femcourage.com
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The book is written as a series of lengthy commentaries by Cronenberg himself, and is accompanied with brief remarks and observations by editor Chris Rodley. David Cronenberg comes across as being an intellectual individual, and is very knowledgeable about all aspects of his films. Many times, he will go into detail about what his intentions were on a particular scene and how successful he felt it was. There are also passages where Cronenberg talks about his experiences with censorship. However, the book is most entertaining when David Cronenberg goes into these long and amusing anecdotes about his many experiences with actors (a particularly funny encounter involves an actress in the film SHIVERS who couldn't make herself cry on screen). In one of the book's most interesting moments, David Cronenberg explains how many of his ambitious ideas for the film VIDEODROME never materialized and how special-effects wizard Rick Baker (who had been attracted to the project after having read the first extreme draft of the film) had to settle for working on a toned-down second draft with Cronenberg's more surreal moments removed from the script.
The book follows the director from his early exploitation films, like SHIVERS and RABID, to his more ambitious studio work, like DEAD RINGERS and NAKED LUNCH. Fans will probably be intrigued to find out that the book also contains much information about David Cronenberg's early student films like STERIO and CRIMES OF THE FUTURE. The book also focuses on many of the themes and concerns that have become apparent in all of the director's films. Throughout the text, there are numerous photographs and footnotes and the book also offers a definite Filmography that includes a brief synopsis about each of his films.
CRONENBERG ON CRONENBERG is a fascinating portrait into the mind of one of the genre's greatest directors and comes highly recommended. This new edition comes with an excellent interview with David Cronenberg concerning his controversial 1996 film CRASH.
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This book was not around when I was a youngster living in Kenya but thumbing through it as an adult has brought back some fond memories of days out in the bush in Amboseli and Masai Mara or at lakes Nakura, Naivasha, and Victoria. Kenya is a birders paradise whatever your interest. There are fairly familiar Eurasian visiting seabirds and shorebirds and unique and beautiful East African sunbirds, weavers, rollers and bee-eaters. There are multitude birds of prey including the unmistakable tiny-tailed Bateleur Eagle and the most impressive hunting bird i've ever seen - the African Crowned Eagle. I can recall like it was yesterday watching one pluck a male colobus monkey right out of the tree tops. All of the birds are here in splendid color with the most appropriate profile presented to assist in making identification easy. You'll find the underside views of the birds of prey very useful.
While you probably won't see a Crowned Eagle on a casual birding visit to Kenya, any guided trip into the game parks will guarantee you at least 100 different species - probably in a single day! In the right locations, prepare to have your head on a swivel as the variety of birdlife you will behold has to be seen to be believed. You will find yourself regularly flipping through the pages of this book. This book is absolutely essential for your Kenyan trip.
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Not only are the stories EXCELLENT, but I imensely enjoyed the author's commentary before and after each one.
And he makes his points, plots and story lines, with little vulgarity, which is becoming much too common in the latest Stephen King works.
Kudos and I will be hearing more.
While this collection does not contain all of Morrell's short fiction, it does contain all that I had read in other anthologies, most notably the powerhouse novella "Orance is for Anguish, Blue for Insanity," one of my all-time pieces of fiction, short or otherwise. I am a fan of author notes in collections, and Morrell doesn't disappoint. While he doesn't expound the way that, say, Harlan Ellison does, there are short notes before each store in addition to a Foreword and Afterword, and these add a texture to the book that I think makes your first read more enjoyable and increases the re-readability. Plus if you've already read a couple of these in anthologies it is nice to see the author's perspective instead of the anthology editor's perspective before the stories.
I read this during a particularly hot summer week and found it to be perfect for this setting...the stories are engrossing enough that I forgot about the heat, and a few times I caught a genuine bit of a chill! Anyone who enjoys dark stories or speculative fiction should give this great book a read.
An added bonus to this book is the foreward at the beginning of each story. Morrell discusses his development as a writer and shares with the reader his personal tales of triumph and tragedy: from his meeting with his idol, writer Stirling Silliphant, to the death of his teenage son to bone cancer. Each story seems to be weaved around an event that touched Morrell's life. This authenticity makes for a more eerie read. For example, "But at My Back I always Hear," is about a professor who is stalked by a female student infatuated with him. Morrell himself faced this dilemma while teaching at the University of Iowa. Other scary topics covered include an art historian who follows his subjects' break with reality and ultimate demise; an amateur writer who becomes a best-selling novelist with the help of a ghostly typewriter; and a high school football team that is victorious because the coach is dabbling in witchcraft and produces an evil good luck mascot.
Two of the stories in Black Evening won Best Novella, Horror Writers of America Award. One story was a nominee for this same award and one other story was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award. Morrell stated that the first piece of advice he received as a young writer was to write about what he feared most. Obviously he took that advice to heart and left us with some chilling entertainment.
Page after page, I was numbed by what I was reading, the sense of disbelief almost palpable. David Mack takes this Starfleet crew in a bold new direction that tests their courage and endurance to their limits and beyond. As a reader, you're taken along for the ride and you find yourself in the middle of the chaos, struggling with them as they face their impossible challenges.
"Wildfire" is one of the most powerful stories I've ever read, and I highly recommend it to anyone, whether they're readers of TREK fiction or not.
Wildfire brings all of that to a fevered pitch, and then some.
After reading this story, a powerful and satisfying tale even for the casual reader or someone just joining the series, those who have followed the S.C.E. crew from the beginning will find themselves emotionally drained and irrevocably changed. It is not typical Star Trek "reset button" storytelling. Newcomers to the series need not worry about being unable to follow the resolution of several character arcs that have been threaded through many of the previous stories. David Mack does a first-rate job of making sure the reader has all the necessary information as he brings those events to a head, while at the same time laying the groundwork for future tales. You'll want to take a moment or two afterward to reflect on what Wildfire has done before ramping up for the next installment.
Not as just an S.C.E. book and not even as just a Trek book, Wildfire is a winner.
This is a story about friendship, love, loyalty and sacrafice. It just happens to be set in the Star Trek universe. But you could set this story anywhere at any time and it would still resonate with the reader(unless you are made of stone).
"Wildfire" will definately make you think. And it will probably make you cry. As I was reading the story, awed by the incredible acts of valor that were unfolding before my eyes I found myself thinking of the hero's who gave their lives on September 11th. But these characters could be anyone, anywhere, anytime. It's not who they are but what they do that's so incredibly powerful and moving.
I couldn't stop thinking about this book even days after I finished reading it. Get both parts at once because once you start reading, you won't be able to stop.
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Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher tells the similar story of a teenage boy named Dillon who also loses his older brother to suicide. Dillon escapes his pain through triathalons, an extreme contrast to Judy's music writing and playing. Crutcher tends to write novels centered around sports because more young people can relate to sports analagies than they can to introspecitve song lyrics. For me, it was nice to read a young adult novel with a storyline that I could relate to rather than merely understand.
"You can give her all your money, till you're totally broke./ You can christen her with diamonds, You can sprinkle her with coke./ But you'll never have her and you'll never know her/ 'cause she's the girl, she's the girl inside the girl."(Pg. 36) Judy "wrote" this song,"The Girl Inside the Girl". Many other full song lyrics are included throughout the book so that one can truly hear the sounds of a Wedding Night concert as well as visualize it. One even begins to understand the rock and roll lifestlye through a teenager's eyes. Once seen from behind closed doors, a rock star's life loses it's luster and glamourous image. Yet, the passion never dies for the music, not for Judy Valentine.
This book was written for "young adults", so it might be a little below an older teen's reading level. However, the storyline is just so unique, I would still recommend it to any music lover.
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But, if you DO love the film and would like to read the screenplay, then this is just the thing for you. Written by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi, "Goodfellas" is an amazing script that sucks you in right away.
Henry Hill has always wanted to be gangster, as he states in the very beginning of the film. This is his story of how he became one and everything he had witnessed and experienced. It's a tragic story of how good things always have to come to an end. It's also about how power and money can grab hold of your life until it's too late to turn back. A tale full of crime, murder, paranoia, and greed, "Goodfellas" is a trip down Mafia Lane that you will never forget. This is Mr. Hill's story.
The script is based on Nicholas Pileggi's novel, "Wise Guys," which is also based on a true story. The dialogue is sharp and very realistic and gives us a window into the lives of people in the Mafia. It is a very quick read, only about 130 pages. That's pretty short, considering that the movie was at least 2 and a half hours long. But, it's just dialogue, which is why it is very easy to read it quickly. I finished it in less than a day.
If you love the film "Goodfellas," and are interested in reading screenplays, then this is the perfect book for you. Here's your chance to relive some of your favorite moments, this time in writing. A very fine screenplay, it is.
Ray Liotta is excellent as Henry, but the movie's real showcases are the performances of Joe Pesci and Robert DiNiro as his partners in crime. Pesci in particular gives a tour de force performance that is downright frightening. Other first rate performances come from Lorraine Bracco as Henry's Jewish wife and Paul Sorvino, whose performance as a real life Godfather could not be more different than Marlon Brando's.
This film is a must see for anyone who enjoys gangster movies. It also has to rank as THE best American movie of the 1990s.
As the man creeps through to his kitchen door, it's a huge party. Pigs eating, (of course). Pigs in the cupboard, pigs on the floor... Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore! All different colored pigs were found in his house that night. Pigs on stilts, pigs ordering pizza, and pigs on skateboards. As anyone would, he orders the pigs to leave. Saddened by this, the piggies beg to stay. He says ok, but only if they scrub the floors, and clean the walls.
Humorous and lighthearted, this book will give you the giggles. I would recommend it to anyone with younger children that find humor in messy situations! The pictures are great also.