Thursday, March 05, 2009

February Books Read (in progress)



Killshot (1989) - Elmore Leonard

February was definitely YA month, thanks to preparations for the Great Books conference at the end of March. (Four of these books are part of that reading list.) But before any of that started, I decided it was time to read some Elmore Leonard, always a treat. Killshot was no exception. Maybe not Leonard's best, but a fast-moving tale with plenty of unsavory characters. The film version (which I did not know about when I started the book) should be out now.



Logged On and Tuned Out: A Non-Techie's Guide to Parenting a Tech-Savvy Generation (NF 2007) - Vicki Courtney

A lady from my church suggested this book to me. I talked about it on my blog having to do with cultural matters of interest to Christians here. If you don't care to visit the link, I do recommend the book, mainly for parents who have little to no clue as to computer/cell phone technology, but I don't feel the book goes far enough. Neither does it address the state of a parent's current relationship to her children enough.



The Final Solution (2004) - Michael Chabon

Chabon is always worth your time and this slim volume, while not his best work, is fun.



Looking for Alaska (YA 2005) - John Green

Thus begins the great YA adventure, although this one isn't part of the Great Books conference. (Think of it as the pre-game show, okay?) 16-year-old Miles Halter decides his life doesn't have enough...well, life, so he leaves his bland Florida existence (How could a 16-year-old have a bland existence in Florida?) and enrolls in an Alabama boarding school, where he discovers, among other people and things, Alaska. (Alaska is a girl. A hot girl.) Far more deep and significant than I'm making it sound.



Deadville (YA 2008) - Ron Koertge

So far my favorite of the Great Books list. For some reason, this quiet little novel really connected with me. Ryan is a high school kid that's basically sleepwalking through life two years after his little sister died of cancer. When a senior girl named Charlotte (who doesn't even know Ryan's alive) has an accident and falls into a coma, Ryan is there by her side everyday. He spends less and less time around his slacker friend Andy (No comparisons, now....) and begins his own awakening. Better than I'm making it sound.



The Hunger Games (YA 2008) - Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games has its faults, but still I couldn't put it down. Children from the 12 districts are chosen by lottery to participate in a fight to the death, a real "Survivor" scenario. Very compelling, although sometimes you must suspend disbelief. If child-on-child violence bothers you, stay away.



The 39 Clues, Book 1: The Maze of Bones (J-Fic 2008) - Rick Riordan

I read this one for a library program that I went to observe. Certainly not great children's literature, but it has a good chance of getting kids interested in reading with its fast-paced, race-against-the-clock plot, cloak-and-dagger danger as a group of kids seek untold treasures and wealth. Again, kids will probably go for it. First in a series of ten planned books.



Bog Child (YA 2008) - Siobhan Dowd

Eighteen-year-old Fergus McCann finds a dead body buried in the mountains of Ireland, a body that may be hundreds of years old. This novel did not go at all where I expected it to, but Dowd's story is hard to put down, touching on friendship, family, responsibility and love. Highly recommended.



Little Brother (YA 2008) - Cory Doctorow

I loved about the first third of the story of Marcus, a high school kid who survives the aftermath of a terrorist attack on San Francisco, only to be suspected of terrorism himself by the powers that be. A little too much tech wore me down, but I still enjoyed it.

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Decoy (1946)


Decoy is one of ten films in the Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 4 and so far, is the weakest entry in that set. The film starts interestingly enough with a zombie-like man in a suit silently headed for some unknown but crucial meeting. It goes downhill from there as a wicked blonde (Jean Gillie) confesses her life of crime and wickedness to a detective (woodenly acted by Sheldon Leonard). I don't know if Monogram Pictures made much of a business out of ultra-low budget flicks (I'd never heard of them before this), but this one is pretty bottom-of-the-barrel as far as production values go. There are a few interesting scenes, but unfortunately they're overshadowed by clumsy direction and bad pacing. To be avoided unless you are a noir fanatic.

Monday, March 02, 2009

February Books Bought

Ah, the snow.... Ah, the shoveling.... Ah, let's take a break and see what was purchased last month.

FEBRUARY BOOKS BOUGHT


It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God (NF 2007) - Ned Bustard, ed.

Okay, this was a book purchased with birthday money, so technically it's not a book bought, but I thought I'd include it anyway. I met Ned Bustard, the book's editor a few weeks ago and was very impressed with him and his ideas about Christianity and art. The book includes some absolutely gorgeous color prints of some really spectacular art. I've just started the book, but so far I highly recommend it.

Trade Paperback; Price = $0



The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment (NF 2007) - Tim Challies

This book was recommended to me by a couple of people as well as by a couple of websites. I'm about 65 pages in and it's excellent.

Trade Paperback; Price = $11.55


Flannery O'Connor and the Christ-Haunted South (NF 2005) - Ralph C. Wood

Regular readers of this blog (That would be you, John.) know that I'm goo-goo over all things Flannery O'Connor, so ordering this book was a no-brainer. So what if I haven't even finished Mystery and Manners? I needed something to push me over into the Free Shipping category on my recent Amazon order, so there you have it.

Trade Paperback; Price = $10.88


The Ultimate Teen Book Guide (NF 2007)

For sale on Amazon at half-price a couple of weeks ago, this book is even cheaper now. I looked over a copy before I bought it, but after a brief glance, I knew it would be a great resource for YA and J-Fiction Readers Advisory. If you're into YA literature, I highly recommend it. (Get it now, while it's cheap and Amazon still has copies left.)

Trade Paperback; Price = $7.95 (but you can get it now for $5.99)


Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences (NF 2006) - Kitty Burns Florey

I used to love diagramming sentences as a kid. (I'm weird that way, I know.) I saw this one at Daedalus Books, the place where my habit manifests itself most.

Hardcover; Price = $5.95


Baseball Field Guide: An In-Depth Illustrated Guide to the Complete Rules of Baseball (NF 2006) - Dan Formosa and Paul Hamburger

I've only gotten into baseball the past few years and haven't seen nearly all the books on the sport, but if there's a better book on explaining the rules clearly, I'd like to see it. I don't see how you could top this one (although there is a newer 2008 edition out).

Trade Paperback; Price = $5.98


Chambers Film Factfinder (NF 2006)

I was standing in the middle of Daedalus Books, reading almost the entire first section on actors when I decided to just buy the blasted thing.

Trade Paperback; Price = $4.95

How do you like that? Not one work of fiction! Hmmmm.... Might have to dwell on that awhile.

Total Book Expenditures for February = $47.26

Next time: The books I actually read.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Essential Doctor Strange



I read tons of Marvel comics as a kid, but never really connected with Dr. Strange. I think by that time, artists other than Steve Ditko had come on board and I just wasn't too jazzed about the artwork. (It was always the artwork with me back then. Of course it could be that the first time I picked up one of my brother's comics I hadn't yet learned to read.)

Anyway, a couple of months ago I read Blake Bell's excellent Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko and really got into his work on Dr. Strange. Shortly after, I found The Essential Doctor Strange on sale at an outlet mall and bought it.

This large (over 600 pages) volume includes all of the Dr. Strange stories from Strange Tales from issues 110, 111 and 114-168. (Albeit in black and white)



If you only know Ditko through his work on The Amazing Spider-Man, you haven't seen his best stuff. Ditko's Dr. Strange is so wacked out (even for the 1960s) you can't even describe it. There's so much weird stuff floating around, dimensions within dimensions, worlds within worlds, out-of-body experiences....you name it. Ditko drew Dr. Strange in Strange Tales through issue #146. After that, the stories were bounced around to a variety of other artists, none of whom had anything close to Ditko's vision.



The stories themselves are nothing to write home about. Strange throws a few spells at his arch-enemy Baron Mordo, then tricks him with some spell Mordo forgot about, etc. Pretty thin stuff, but the artwork is amazing. I haven't come close to reading all of the Dr. Strange stories beyond this volume, but I can't imagine that any other artist has come close to matching Ditko's standard. If you're into Silver Age artwork, pick up this one.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Oscars 2009


Qualifiers:

1. I watch the Oscars just about every year. I usually stay up for the entire thing, even if I have to work the next day.

2. I could care less who's wearing what or who's seen with whom.

3. I yell at the TV the same way I do when I'm watching football or baseball.

4. I read a book during the boring parts.

With that in mind, I thought Hugh Jackman did a great job, especially at the show's clever, entertaining, recession-conscious opening. Best of all, he didn't get in the way.

Other random thoughts:

At first I really liked the previous actor/actress winners speaking brief tributes to the nominees, but it really got old when we got to the Best Actress nominations. But it was better than seeing the same old clips of the nominees we've been seeing for the past several weeks.

I also liked not hearing, "This is Joe Blow's seventeenth nomination and first win." You want to know that stuff, look it up.

Aside from Heath Ledger's universally acknowledged Oscar-deserving performance, the comic book guys mostly got snubbed. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button really had better effects than The Dark Knight or Iron Man? Really?

Just my opinion: Ben Stiller is not funny. Never has been. I won't say he never will be. There's always hope.

The films I most want to see are in the Foreign Language category.

Anne Hathaway is gorgeous.

I am very happy for Slumdog Millionaire. It deserved everything it won.

Sean Penn is a gifted actor. I just don't want to listen to him (or anyone) stand up there and talk politics. Accept the award, be gracious, thank the people you need to thank, sit down and then make another movie. I haven't seen The Wrestler, so I don't know if Mickey Rourke got robbed. (But if he did, I wouldn't want to be Sean Penn in a dark alley alone with Rourke.)

I saw Kate Winslet in The Reader and was underwhelmed. (Again, sorry, Dr. Phil.) I think the main problem perhaps wasn't so much with her, but that I thought the film was ordinary at best. Which brings me to Meryl Streep:

Let me say this as clearly as I can. Meryl Streep is not of this world. Her talent is immeasurable. She could (and perhaps should) win the Oscar every time she steps in front of a camera. She has won the Oscar before, a Supporting Actress Oscar for Kramer vs. Kramer and a Best Actress for Sophie's Choice, twenty-seven years ago. The fact that she's still competing twenty-seven years after her last Oscar is tremendous.

The Best Actress category is often the toughest place to be on Oscar night. A brief look at who Streep has been up against:

In 1981, Streep's performance in The French Lieutenant's Woman blew Katherine Hepburn (On Golden Pond) out of the water, but for sentimental reasons (including the ill health of Hepburn's co-star Henry Fonda), Hepburn won.

Streep (Silkwood) lost to Shirley MacLaine (Terms of Endearment), a very good performance by both ladies. In 1985, Streep (Out of Africa) lost to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful. I loved Bountiful, much more than I enjoyed Africa, but you could make a case for either actress that year.

1987 - Streep (Ironweed) loses to Cher (Moonstruck)

1988 - A Cry in the Dark, loses to Jodie Foster (in the mostly forgettable The Accussed)

1990 - Postcards from the Edge, loses to Kathy Bates (Misery)

1995 - The Bridges of Madison County, loses to Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking)

1998 - One True Thing, loses to Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love)

1999 - Music of the Heart, loses to Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry)

2006 - The Devil Wears Prada, to Helen Mirren (The Queen)

(Streep was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1978 for The Deer Hunter and in 2002 for Adaptation.)

The thing is, for most of the last several years, Streep has been nominated for films that just weren't that good. Most of the roles she takes are not commensurate with her talent. She elevates each of her roles, even in the bad films, but how much can you do when you're in The Bridges of Madison County?

Streep will win again, I'm convinced of it. I haven't yet seen Doubt, so I can't say with any degree of assurance that she should have won this year. But I have my suspicions.

I felt bad that Charlton Heston got so little applause when his name and pictures appeared in the "In Memoriam" portion of the show. Again, forget the man's politics and give him his credit for starring in some great films.

All in all, not a bad show. I think I'll have that extra cup of coffee now.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Geeking Every Minute of It



Okay, I'm a geek. I love the World Almanac. This past Thursday, each graduate of LATI (Library Associate Training Institute) received a copy of the almanac, which made me as happy as a greyhound chasing a slobber-soaked tennis ball. I mean I am in complete nerd mode.

Where else can you find great stuff like this?:

Americans paid an average of 24.5% of their total income in Social Security and income tax payments in 2007; Germans paid 42.8%.

Mozart beat out Beethoven as the most performed composer in 2006-2007, 425 to 391.

The population of New Orleans in 2000 was 484,674. In 2007? 239,124.

The best-selling magazine for 2007? Take a guess. Go ahead.
Answer: AARP The Magazine with a paid circulation of 24,444,293
(Second place - AARP Bulletin - 23,815,128. Oprah lagged woefully behind at a mere 2,405,177.)

Good stuff, man. Geek out!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Finished....at least for now.

The third draft of my YA novel Fortress is finished. I'd like to say this is going to be the final draft, but I know it won't be. I'm going to have at least one librarian and a few teenagers read it and get their feedback, then take it from there.

So, you ask, "What was the road to the novel?" It started as an expansion of a short story I wrote to get into Clarion in 2004. I left the story alone for two years, going over the instructor feedback and finally deciding it was a bigger story than a few thousand words. I wrote the first draft (about 60,000 words), then revised it a few months later.

In 2007 I sent it to a contest with the Maryland Writers' Association and won second place in the sf/speculative category.

I pretty much sat on it for a year, then decided to revise it again. I actually finished it on Monday and tonight printed it out. It came out -

24 chapters

370 pages

75,000 words

Many Diet Cokes

Even more coffee

So now, how's about some short stories, huh?

Monday, February 16, 2009

Deadville (YA 2008) - Ron Koertge


Ron Koertge’s Deadville is one of those quiet little novels that could easily slip off the radar into oblivion. It certainly doesn’t deserve such a fate. What the novel lacks in action and adventure, it more than makes up for in humanity and self-discovery.

Since his sister died of cancer two years earlier, Ryan has been pretty much sleepwalking through high school and life, listening to his iPod and/or getting stoned most of his waking hours. When Charlotte, the most popular girl in school, has an accident and falls into a coma, Ryan feels compelled to visit her hospital room every day. He hardly knows her and she’s way out of his league, but he shows up like clockwork anyway.

Just when you think the novel is coming dangerously close to displaying the typical YA stereotypes (the distanced parents, the school bullies, the unapproachable girl, etc.), Koertge does something wonderful and/or beautiful. This is one of those rare novels that contains plenty of teenage humor without sacrificing humanity. Ryan does go through a personal transformation, but it’s not one of startling revelations coming on the heels of dangerous confrontations. His transformation happens so slowly that less careful readers may not even be aware of what’s happened. But something has happened. It’s not often that I read any YA novel and tell myself, “I’d like to read that again,” but it sure happened with Deadville.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

I'm All Over This



I'm in the habit of checking the Amazon Top 100 bestselling books at least a couple of times a week and saw that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!, not even slated to be published until May 13, 2009, was already at #93. (It has since, alas, slipped to #126.)

According to this video, the book's publication date may be moved up to April. April, May...heck, sign me up!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Clarion 2009


Hard to believe it's been almost five years since I went to Clarion. I can't tell you how much I gained from those six weeks. It's something you just have to experience. But I can tell you that if you're serious about writing sf, fantasy (or really anything, although you really should write mainly sf and f while you're there), you should apply.

Know that there are sacrifices involved. Big ones. Yes, it's costly and times are tough. Yes, it's six weeks out of your life. But it's worth it.

Ah, but you may say, "Well I could learn how to be a better writer without spending $3,000 and six weeks of my life."

Maybe. But I doubt you could do so in an atmosphere that focuses on making you a better writer right now with top-notch instructors, surrounded by other people like you who have a passion for writing. I should clarify: You won't immediately become a better writer at Clarion, but it sure speeds things up. You'll discover things that would've taken you months, maybe years to discover on your own. It gives you the tools you need, the support you need, and that kick in the butt you need when you haven't turned in a story all week.

I wouldn't trade my Clarion experience for anything. Many of the folks I attended with are friends I still keep in touch with regularly. And if you're serious about your writing and are open-minded and willing to grow, I can't think of a better place to spend six weeks.

(You can read my famously incomplete Clarion journal to get an idea of what it's like. Or Google someone else's Clarion journal. There's tons of 'em out there.)

Instructors for 2009:

Holly Black
Larissa Lai
Robert Crais
Kim Stanley Robinson
Elizabeth Hand
Paul Park


The application period ends March 1. Check it out. Don't put it off until next year. Do it now.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Great Books 2009


I'm really looking forward to the Great Books Celebration in Baltimore in a few weeks. It'll be my first time attending. Great Books is a celebration and discussion of the best books for youth published in 2008. Participants can choose to read from three areas: PIcture Books, Books for Kids and Teen Reads.

Participants sign up for three groupings of books to read and discuss. (You're expected to read all the books in each group before the event.) You can mix and match: the three groups can be one from all three areas if you want. I'm staying in the Teen area. Specifically, I'm reading: (Titles in bold I've already finished.)

DEAD?
Hooper, Mary - Newes from the Dead
Koertge, Ron - Deadville
Valentine, Jenny - Me, the Missing and the Dead
Waters, Dan - Generation Dead

FREEDOM?
Doctorow, Cory - Little Brother
Dowd, Siobhan - Bog Child
Li, Moying - Snow Falling in Spring: Coming of Age in China During the
Cultural Revolution (NF)
Myers, Walter Dean - Sunrise over Fallujah

SURVIVAL?
Collins, Suzanne - The Hunger Games
Kuklin, Susan - No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on
Death Row (NF)
Pearson, Mary - Adoration of Jenna Fox
Scott, Elizabeth - Living Dead Girl

So for the next few weeks, my reading is gonna be heavy on the YA side. But so far it's been pretty good.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Classical Dylan?



This morning I was poking around to see who won Grammy awards last night. (I always watch the Oscars, but never the Grammys.) I didn't really care about much of what I saw until I ran across the Grammy for Classical Contemporary Composition: Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan, - John Corigliano

What? You gotta be kidding me. Hadn't heard about this.

The album also won a Grammy for Classical Vocal Performance: Hila Plitmann, soprano.

Here's the story from composer John Corigliano:

A colleague suggested that I look into the poetry of the songs of Bob Dylan. Having not yet listened to the songs, I decided to send away for the texts only … and found many of them to be every bit as beautiful and as immediate as I had heard – and surprisingly well-suited to my own musical language … these would be in no way arrangements, or variations, or in any way derivations of the music of the original songs, which I decided to not hear before the cycle was complete … I intended to treat the Dylan lyrics as the poems I found them to be. Nor would their settings make any attempt at pop or rock writing. I wanted to take poetry I knew to be strongly associated with popular art and readdress it in terms of concert art – crossover in the opposite direction, one might say. Dylan granted his permission, and I set to work.

I'm listening to it now for the first time. (The album is on the Naxos label, which is great since our library allows us streaming music access to almost all of the Naxos titles for free. Maybe your library does also. Check and see.) It's just my first listen, but it's pretty amazing how Corigliano has tapped into the intensity and power of Dylan's lyrics without ever having heard the music. If you're not a classical/art music fan, this may not be your thing. Then again, it could introduce you into a whole new universe of music.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Loot.



Cindy and I decided to venture out to The Book Thing yesterday, mainly because Cindy needed some books to take on tour, books she could pass on to someone else when she's through with them or just leave them in the hotel room (if they're really lousy).

I also managed to find a few books (Imagine that....) pictured here. Many of these I already own and will probably give away to people whom I think might enjoy them. For my own reading, I thought The Devil of Nanking looked interesting. Elmore Leonard's The Big Bounce? Hey, it's Elmore Leonard. And it's free. Same with James Crumley's Bordersnakes. Crumley + free = no brainer.

The books on film? I've been wanting to do some reading/study on film lately, so here we go. Sure the books are somewhat dated, but so what? THEY'RE FREE!

Same with the Time Almanac. It'll do until I can find the preferable World Almanac 2009.

Best of all, since I didn't pay anything for them, they can't really go into the Books Bought category!

Love that Book Thing.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Stephen King on Stephenie Meyer





Care to hear what Stephen King thinks of the Twilight series? Read this.

January Books Read

Not a bad way to start off 2009 - eleven books. Here we go with a minimum of commentary...

Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America (NF 2008) - Thomas L. Friedman
Interesting, thought-provoking, but a little long and a bit repetitive.

Last Evenings on Earth: Stories (2006 translation) - Roberto Bolano
Excellent short story collection by the late Chilean writer.

Mansfield Park (1814) - Jane Austen
You really should read Jane. Really.

The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death (2009) - Charlie Huston
Funny. Violent. Loaded with f-bombs. Good read.

The Hour I First Believed (2008) - Wally Lamb
Yes, it's a fictionalized account of the Columbine massacre, but it's much, much more. In fact, it was too much more, at least for me. I really wanted to love this novel... Maybe if it had been 200 pages less.

Ernest Hemingway on Writing (NF 1984) - Larry W. Phillips, ed.
Interesting, sometimes fascinating look at Hemingway's thoughts on writing. A slim volume you can read in one sitting.

The Truth About Celia (2003) - Kevin Brockmeier
My favorite read from last month. Talked about it a little bit in an earlier post.

Indemnity Only (1982) - Sara Paretsky
The first in the V.I. Warshawski series. Pretty good, but I thought it would be grittier.

Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (1964) - Philip K. Dick
The one novel from this month that I'd most like to read again soon. A wild ride with lots to think about. Read the Amazon description. It's far too much to go into here.

What I Saw and How I Lied (YA 2008) - Judy Blundell
It's entirely possible that this novel could singlehandedly change teens' minds about reading historical fiction. Winner of the National Book Award, which I didn't discover until after I'd finished the book.

The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (YA 2007) - Sherman Alexie
Not a perfect novel, but one that really connected with me. Some find parts of it inappropriate for teens, but I loved it.

That's it for January. Now go and read something.

Monday, February 02, 2009

January Books Bought

Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

My library co-worker T. convinced me that I should read some Thomas Hardy. T. started this conversation by asking me if I'd seen Tess of the d'Urbervilles. I said, "The one with Nastassja Kinski?" and T. said "Who?" I had to explain who Nastassja Kinski was/is and that the only reason I watched it then was because I thought Kinski was so hot.

"Well, you have to read Thomas Hardy," T. said.

"I don't know," I said. "Other than Kinski, Tess seemed pretty boring."

"Okay," T. said, "then you've got to read Jude the Obscure. It was Hardy's last novel and it was scandalous! He could never write anything after it."

Okay. What the heck.

Mass Market Paperback; Price = $.25

Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain

Okay, I'll admit I've never read a syllable of Proust, but when I saw this book advertised on Amazon a couple of years ago, I knew I'd want to at least give it a glance. Author Maryanne Wolf, a professor of child development, examines how we visually and intellectually convert all those little lines and squiggles into actual ideas and how we comprehend them.

I'm concerned that Washington Post writer Michael Dirda experienced frustrations with the book, but found it interesting. If Dirda has trouble with it, it'll probably look like Sanskrit to me. But for the price, I figured it was worth a shot.

Hardcover; Price = $1.99

Deep Justice in a Broken World: Helping Your Kids Serve Others and Right the Wrongs around Them - Chap Clark and Kara Powell

Clark's Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers was such an incredible book, it didn't take much convincing for me to pick up this one.

Trade Paperback; Price = $5.99





An Abundance of Katherines - John Green

I recently attended a seminar on YA literature that mentioned this book. I'd seen Green's Looking for Alaska and had heard good things about it, but this one stirred my interest: a guy who has been dumped by nineteen different girls, all named Katherine. I think I was dumped by a few girls named Susan, but not nineteen of them. At least I don't think so....

Hardcover; Price = $3.99



Total Book Expenditures for January = $12.22

Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Times They are A-Changin'








I really try hard to keep up with what's current in fiction and film, but haven't done such a great job of keeping up with music. I'm kind of trapped in the 70s. Looking over what I normally play while I'm writing, I see a lot of Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Steely Dan and the like. I do listen to some stuff that's more current, but those acts sometimes seem like throwbacks to the 70s: White Stripes, Wolfmother, Winterpills, Bright Eyes, etc. I need to branch out.

So I got this iTunes gift card for my birthday (Thanks Jan & Pete!) and don't have any idea what to buy with it. I see the stuff on Amazon's Top 100 and usually know enough to know I'm not interested in most of what's there. So I did a Google search on "Best Albums You've Never Heard Of" and found some pretty cool stuff. One site even contained headings like "If you like these bands, you'll like ________________." The problem was I'd never even heard of any of "these bands." And most of the stuff that I thought looked cool, iTunes had never heard of either. Amazon had heard of them, but didn't have any clips to sample. (It seems most of those "Best Albums You've Never Heard Of" sites are based in the UK and are hard to find/expensive.)

But I did go to Amazon's Editors' Picks for 2008 and found some of the above albums that sounded interesting.

Suggestions?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Hard Times

These are tough times. I just read an article stating that the magazine Realms of Fantasy will be closing after its April 2009 issue. The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction will be going to bi-monthly status starting with the April/May 2009 issue. There will also be no Year's Best Fantasy and Horror for 2009.

I also heard a rumor (which I hope isn't true) that The Washington Post is considering doing away with its Sunday supplement Book World, one of my favorite ways to pass the time.

All of this is, obviously, bad news for both readers and writers. I truly believe that good writing will survive, in both the short and long forms. But these trends are discouraging.

If you read, keep reading. Tell people about the good stories and novels you've read. Spread the word. As much as you're able, support good writing in all formats.

If you write, keep writing. Good writing will eventually find a home. Hang in there.

Gaiman wins Newbery

Gaiman wins the Newbery Award for The Graveyard Book. Read about it here. (Then read the book!)

Monday, January 26, 2009

Status Report

In the first four weeks of 2009 I've managed to send out as many stories as I did in all of 2008. (Yeah, 2008 was not a great year for writing, although I did get one story published, "Your Picture With Satan" in Ballista.)

I'm working on the third draft of my YA novel, currently revising Chapter 21 of 25. It probably needs another draft, but right now I think it needs to be read by somebody besides me. I've got a few people that have offered to read it (thereby giving me a break from it), so we'll see what they say before going any further. I'd love to just start shopping it around, but it probably has too many things that need to be addressed. But I really need a break from it, if only to work on a few short stories that have been brewing for awhile.

I also need a haircut. Badly. That's where I'm off to now.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Here They Are....


The 81st Annual Academy Award nominees were announced today. You can read the full list here, but for now, here are the major categories:




BEST PICTURE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR

Richard Jenkins for The Visitor
Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn for Milk
Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie for Changeling
Melissa Leo for Frozen River
Meryl Streep for Doubt
Kate Winslet for The Reader

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin for Milk
Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams for Doubt
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis for Doubt
Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry for The Reader
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant for Milk

Although I plan to see all the films nominated for Best Picture, as yet I've only seen Slumdog Millionaire, so I can't intelligently comment on the nominations, but I will anyway. : )

I haven't heard from anyone who really thought Benjamin Button was great, but several who thought that Doubt was stellar. Of course, it's not nominated. I've heard very mixed reviews of The Reader.

I don't see how in this or any other universe that Mickey Rourke and Heath Ledger can fail to win, but stranger things have happened. Even though I haven't seen it, I hope Meryl Streep wins for Doubt. It's been far too long since she's won, but then again, she gets few roles that are worthy of her.

Okay, let's go see some movies! Let the speculations begin!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Truth About Celia (2003) - Kevin Brockmeier

If you asked me to give you just one word on what I thought of this novel it might be "sad" or "beautiful" or maybe just "Wow." Or maybe I'd just point to the book, then point to you, then point to the book again. Sometimes word descriptions just don't work. Maybe I'd just hand you the book.

The Truth About Celia is a book of interconnected short stories told from various points of view. Celia is a seven-year-old girl playing in her backyard one early spring morning while her father Christopher shows their historic house to a couple of visitors. Janet, Celia's mother, has gone to rehearse with a community orchestra. And at some point during the day, Celia simply disappears without a trace.

Christopher, a writer, tries to deal with Celia's disappearance by creating stories that might explain what happened to his daughter. Sometimes they're stories of pure fantasy as in "The Green Children," a story of two children who are transported to a parallel world where their green color fades with time. Another, "Appearance, Disappearance, Levitation, Transformation, and the Divided Woman," is a tale from the point of view of Stephanie, a divorcee whose ten-year-old son Micah wants desperately to become a magician. Sometimes the connecting elements of these stories are clear, sometimes nebulous as Brockmeier bends the rules of narration to wonderful effect.

Other stories are told from Christopher's point of view, Janet's, and even Celia's. Maybe the most effective story, "The Telephone," is about Christopher receiving calls from Celia over the toy phone still in her room four years after her disappearance. Yet Christopher is torn between keeping the news of the calls to himself or sharing them with Janet while their marriage begins to slowly disintegrate.

Sad. Beautiful. Wow. I've only read seven books in 2009, but this is by far both my favorite and the one I'll think about most. Get your hands on it and read it.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Birthday Loot


I got so many books as birthday presents, I called my niece Sarah to come over and help me unwrap a few. (She's a big reader also.) It was a great birthday, even though the Ravens didn't win.








All in all, I got six books for my birthday, which will come in handy sooner than expected, since Cindy will have to spend about the next 28 hours in D.C. for the inauguration. Have already started the Schaeffer biography and am salivating over the others.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Another One Already?

It's hard to believe another birthday has come around again so soon. Harder still to realize that it's my 47th. (Is it? That can't be right! Gotta be something about the math, which I was never too good at anyway.)

But I've been blessed in so many ways. I've got a wonderful wife, great friends, a great church and a job I absolutely love. I'm in better physical shape at 47 than I was at 27. As far as writing goes, I've already sent out as many stories in the last few weeks as I did in all of 2008 and am almost finished revising my YA novel.

47 isn't bad. I still think something's going on with the math, though.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Octavia E. Butler

The other day I was sent an email invitation from Nnedi Okorafor (author of one of my favorite reads from 2007, The Shadow Speaker) for a program called "The Work and Life of Octavia E. Butler." The program is being held at The National Black Writers Conference Symposium on March 28, 2009 at Medgar Evers College, CUNY in Brooklyn, NY. The program features readings & panels on the world renowned author and her contribution to literary writing. Participating writers include L.A. Banks, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, and Nnedi Okorafor. The cost for this event is $10 general admission; $5, Senior, Student, Faculty. Visit the Web site for more information.
www.mec.cuny.edu/blacklitcenter

I really wish I could attend this. I met Octavia Butler about a year before I went to Clarion in 2004. She was one of the first writers to ever show a genuine concern in this young (okay, somewhat young), inexperienced (clueless) writer. I'll never forget her wisdom and kindness and will certainly never forget the outstanding work she produced during her short life. I hope we see more programs like this, celebrating the life and work of Butler, a writer that far too many people still haven't read.

Monday, January 12, 2009

The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death (2009) - Charlie Huston


Ever wonder what happens at those messy crime scenes when the police are finished and everything’s been wrapped up? Ever wonder what kind of person comes in to remove all that nasty residue, scrub the blood off the walls, scoop up all the dislodged pieces of--- Well, I’ll just leave it at that.

But you do wonder, don’t you?

Just ask Webster (Web) Fillmore Goodhue, former Los Angeles elementary school teacher, current slacker. A slacker, that is, until he stumbles upon some good, not-so-honest, not-so-clean work with a small but incredibly efficient company called Clean Team. Initially Web isn’t so jazzed about the job. After all, he’s still suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (From being an elementary school teacher? Are you kidding me? No, I’m not.), still has lousy relationships with just about everyone in his life, but discovers that he’s really good at cleaning up---uh, stuff. Then, unfortunately, some really nasty stuff starts happening: turf wars against a rival “cleaning” company, hijackings, smugglings, beatings, murders... For a former elementary school teacher, Web is in way over his head. Or is he?

You’ll probably enjoy The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death if you like:

Hard-boiled fiction
Dark humor
Fast-paced, dialogue-driven fiction
Pretty gory descriptions

But in the midst of all of the above, in between all the f-bombs and beatings, you might just find a story of genuine humanity. Recommended.

(The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death was an advance reader copy provided by Amazon's Vine program.)

Thursday, January 08, 2009

One Goal for 2009




One of my goals (I prefer that term to "resolutions.") for 2009 is to study more literature. For me that involves two strategies: taking my time reading specific works and reflecting more on them, including reading more literary criticism.

With that in mind, I bought Vladimir Nobokov's Lectures on Literature a few months back. In the book, Nabokov discusses seven works in detail:

Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Bleak House - Charles Dickens
Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Swann's Way - Marcel Proust
"The Metamorphosis" - Franz Kafka
Ulysses - James Joyce

My specific goal is to read each of the above works this year, then read and reflect on what Nabokov has to say about them. (That doesn't mean I'll stop with Nabokov, but he's a good starting point.) I just finished Mansfield Park a few days ago and am in the middle of Nabokov's essay on the novel which not only is enlightening, but also makes me want to read the novel again.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Last Evenings on Earth - Roberto Bolano


You've probably heard a lot of buzz about Chilean writer Roberto Bolano (1953-2003). Much of his writing has been translated into English in the past few years, but the works you've probably heard about the most are the novels The Savage Detectives and the massive 2666, Bolano's final novel.

I'd heard so many glowing reviews about 2666 that I knew I wanted to read it, but at 900 pages I thought I'd need at least an introduction to Bolano's work before tackling three pounds worth of book. I was delighted to see that our library system carries a copy of Bolano's collection Last Evenings on Earth (translated in 2006).

It's probably important to know that Bolano was born in Chile, but later lived in Mexico, Paris and Spain. It's probably also important to know something about Chilean history and politics (which I do not), but not entirely necessary. All of the fourteen stories in this collection are narrated by men, many of them by a character named "B," certainly a stand-in for the author. In all his incarnations, "B" is a character in exile, sometimes explained, sometimes not. He is nomadic, searching for something (or someone), usually in the world of writers and poets.

Many of these narrators latch onto minor, obscure writers and poets, searching for something either unattainable or so unremarkable that no one else seems very interested in their pursuit. Yet the narrators find a strange sort of consolation and solace in these writers. Maybe it has something to do with being a stranger in a foreign country, maybe it has something to do with political leanings and the yearning to discover a better way of life. The only things certain are Bolano's unpredictability and talent.

Each story carries elements of mystery and sadness. In "Gómez Palacio," a young writer is hired to teach a poetry workshop in a rundown Mexican town, which turns out to be a very depressing experience until he takes a drive through the Mexican desert with the overweight lady who runs the workshop. The workshop director plays the narrator a tape of a woman singing rancheras and bursts into tears. Moments later, she takes the narrator to a spot in the desert where UFOs may or may not converge from time to time (although this is certainly not sf). You can't predict this stuff, but the impact of it all is stunning.

The collection's longest story, "Anne Moore's Life," appears to be a rambling travelogue of a woman who travels from country to country and lover to lover over the span of thirty years. The narrator describes what appears to be random scenes from a free-wheeling, free-spirited life that drifts in and out of relationships with no ultimate purpose, but the distant narrator is a keen observer, able to leave the reader with a strange, yet complete sketch of a woman in search of fulfillment that's never going to happen.

Bolano is a fascinating writer. I wish he were still alive. He finished the manuscript for 2666 literally on his deathbed in 2003. His final wish was to have the five-sectioned novel published in five volumes with one volume released every year. Apparently the publishers ignored his wishes. You can read the complete novel in one hardcover edition (Thank you, Heather!) or in three paperback slipcased volumes. I can't wait to tackle it and get lost in what I know will be a fascinating experience.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Everything

Okay, here it is - my list of every book (excluding graphic novels and picture books) I read or listened to in 2008:

JANUARY
Generation Loss (2007) – Elizabeth Hand * * * * ½
The Kragen (1969/2007) – Jack Vance * * * *
Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers (NF 2004) – Chap Clark * * * * *
The Age of Shakespeare (NF 2003) – Frank Kermode * * * *
A History of Ancient Greece (Modern Scholar, NF 2007) – Eric H. Cline * * * *
A Pack of Lies (YA 1988) – Geraldine McCaughrean * * * * *
Take Joy: A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft (NF 2006) – Jane Yolen * * * *
Wolves Eat Dogs (2004) – Martin Cruz Smith * * * *
iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It (NF 2006) – Steve Wozniak * * *

FEBRUARY
20th Century Ghosts (2005) – Joe Hill * * * *
The Shadow Year (2008) – Jeffrey Ford * * * *
Like You'd Understand, Anyway: Stories (2007) – Jim Shepard * * * * *
In the Night Room (2004) – Peter Straub * * * *
So Yesterday (YA 2004) – Scott Westerfeld * * * *
The Yiddish Policemen’s Union (2007) – Michael Chabon * * * * *
Inferno: New Tales of Terror and the Supernatural (2007) – Ellen
Datlow, ed. * * * * ½
Duma Key (2008) – Stephen King * * *


MARCH
Baseball: The History of America’s Favorite Game (NF 2006) - George Vecsey * * * *
Watching Baseball Smarter (NF 2007) – Zack Hample * * * * ½
How Angel Peterson Got His Name (J NF 2003) – Gary Paulsen * * * * *
The Audacity of Hope (NF 2006) – Barack Obama * * * *
The Shadow Speaker (YA 2007) – Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu * * * * ½
You: Staying Young (NF 2007) – Michael F. Roisen and Mehmet C. Oz * * * *
The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (J-Fic 2005) – Joseph Delaney * * * * ½
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (J-Fic 2007) – Laura Amy Schlitz/Robert Byrd * * * * ½
The Search for Joseph Tully (1974) – William H. Hallahan * * * * ½
Charm City (1999) – Laura Lippman * * * ½
Into the Wild (NF 1995) – Jon Krakauer * * * *
The Black Cauldron (J-Fic 1965) – Lloyd Alexander * * * ½
Kirby: King of Comics (NF 2008) – Mark Evanier * * * *
Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood (NF 2008) – Mark Harris * * * * *

APRIL
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA (NF 2007) – Tim Weiner * * * * ½
What Jesus Demands from the World (NF 2006) – John Piper * * * * *
Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets (NF 2008) –Sudhir Venkatesh * * * 1/2
The Dangerous Act of Worship (NF 2007) – Mark Labberton * * * * ½
A Clockwork Orange (1962) – Anthony Burgess * * * * ½
The Black Ice (1993) – Michael Connelly * * * *
Mister Pip (2006) – Lloyd Jones * * * ½
No Country for Old Men (2005) – Cormac McCarthy * * * * * (2nd X)
Free for All: Oddballs, Geeks and Gangstas in the Public Library (NF 2007) – Don Bochert * * * * ½
Like The Stars: Leading Many to Righteousness (NF 2004) – Glenn Parkinson * * * * *
Ella Minnow Pea (2001) – Mark Dunn * * * * ½

MAY
The Bush Tragedy (NF 2008) – Jacob Weisberg * * * *
The Last Lecture (NF 2008) – Randy Pausch * * * *
Sunstroke and Other Stories (2007) – Tessa Hadley * * * * ½
The Talisman (1984) – Stephen King and Peter Straub * * * * (2nd X)
This is What I Did: (YA 2007) – Ann Dee Ellis * * * * ½
Unaccustomed Earth (2008) – Jhumpa Lahiri * * *
Bird Lake Moon (J-Fic 2008) – Kevin Henkes * * *
Burger Wuss (YA 1999) – M.T. Anderson * * * * *
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (NF 2003) – Michael Lewis * * * * ½
Sunrise over Fallujah (YA 2008) – Walter Dean Myers * * *

JUNE
Kit's Wilderness (YA 1999) – David Almond * * * * *
Brittle Innings (1994) – Michael Bishop * * * * ½
Tamar (YA 2007) - Mal Peet * * * * *
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968) - Philip K. Dick * * * * *
Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth (NF 2008) - R. Albert Mohler Jr. * * * *
Willful Creatures: Stories (2005) - Aimee Bender * * * *
Escape from the Deep: A Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew (NF 2008) - Alex Kershaw * * * * *
Skin Hunger (YA 2007) - Kathleen Duey? * * * *
Islam at the Crossroads: Understanding Its Beliefs, History, and Conflicts (NF 2002) - Paul Marshall, Roberta Green and Lela Gilbert * * * *


JULY
Darkside (YA 2007) - Tom Becker * * *
Angels Flight (1999) - Michael Connelly * * * *
Uglies (YA 2005) - Scott Westerfeld * * * * *
Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business (NF 1985) - Neil Postman * * * * *
Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth about the American Voter (NF 2008) - Rick Shenkman * * * *
The Last Apprentice: Wrath of the Bloodeye (J-Fic 2008) - Joseph Delaney * * *
Eternity and Other Stories (2005) - Lucius Shepard * * * * *
Salt River (2007) - James Sallis * * * *
Five Minds for the Future (NF 2007) - Howard Gardner * * * 1/2
Longitudes & Attitudes: Exploring the World after September 11 (NF 2002) - Thomas L. Friedman * * * *

AUGUST
Our Lady of Pain (2008) - Elena Forbes * * *
Running Blind (2000) - Lee Child * 1/2
Brave New World (1932) - Aldous Huxley * * * *
Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow (NF YA 2005) - Susan Campbell Bartoletti * * * * 1/2
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (2008) - David Wroblewski * * * *
Healing for a Broken World: Christian Perspectives on Public Policy (NF 2008) - Steve Monsma
* * * * 1/2
Out Stealing Horses (2007) - Per Petterson * * * *
Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, Book 1 (YA 2007) - Heather Brewer * * * *
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (NF 2008) - Timothy Keller * * * * *

SEPTEMBER
Too Many Women (1947) - Rex Stout * * * *
Notes from Underground (1864) - Fyodor Dostoevsky * * * * *
Everyday Apocalypse: The Sacred Revealed in Radiohead, The Simpsons and Other Pop Culture Icons (NF 2002) - David Dark
* * * * *
The Outsiders (YA 1967) - S.E. Hinton * * * *
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974) - John le Carre * * * *
Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations (NF YA 2008) - Alex & Brett Harris * * * * 1/2
The Scarlet Letter (1850) - Nathaniel Hawthorne * * * * *
The New York Trilogy (1985, 1986) - Paul Auster * * * * *
Coronado: Stories (2006) - Dennis Lehane * * *
A Welcome Grave (2007) - Michael Koryta * * * * 1/2

OCTOBER
City of Ember (J-Fic 2003) - Jeanne DuPrau * * * *
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (NF 2005) - Dean Karnazes * * * 1/2
The Gargoyle (2008) - Andrew Davidson * * * 1/2
Painted Devils: Strange Stories (1979) - Robert Aickman * * * *
Eye of the Crow: The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His First Case (J-Fic 2007) - Shane Peacock * * * *
Midnight on Mourn Street (2008) - Christopher Conlon * * * 1/2
Consolation of Philosophy (NF 524) - Boethius * * * * 1/2
Islam: The Religion and the People (NF 2008) - Bernard Lewis, Buntzie Ellis Churchill * * * *
Starting Friction (Poetry 2008) - Tenea D. Johnson * * * *
The Iliad - Homer * * * * 1/2
The Post-American World (NF 2008) - Fareed Zakaria * * * *
The Snowman’s Children (2002) - Glen Hirshberg * * * * *

NOVEMBER
Thirteen Reasons Why (YA 2007) - Jay Asher * * * *
The Shack (2008) - William P. Young *
Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Callling (NF 2008) - Andy Crouch * * * * *
Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko (NF 2008) - Blake Bell * * * * *
Share Your Master’s Happiness (NF 2005) - Glenn Parkinson * * * * *
In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto (NF 2008) - Michael Pollan * * * * 1/2
The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals (NF 2008) - Jane Mayer * * * * 1/2
Living Dead Girl (YA 2008) - Elizabeth Scott * * * *
The Knife of Never Letting Go (YA 2008) - Patrick Ness * * * *
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) - Kurt Vonnegut * * * * *

DECEMBER
Howard Who?: Stories (1986/2006) - Howard Waldrop * * * *
The Killer Inside Me (1952) - Jim Thompson * * * * 1/2
The Graveyard Book (J-Fic 2008) - Neil Gaiman * * * * *
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves (YA 2008) - M.T. Anderson * * * * *
The Brass Verdict (2008) - Michael Connelly * * * 1/2
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005/2008) - Stieg Larsson * * * * *
Understanding Movies: The Art and History of Film (2008 Modern Scholar) - Raphael Shargel * * *
Rear Window and Other Stories (1984) - Cornell Woolrich * * * *

Thursday, January 01, 2009

December Books Read














































Sorry the pictures are a mess, but I'm pressed for time. Cindy and I are running in a New Years 5K in a little while, so we've got to get geared up. (Literally. The high today is 37.) So here we go...

DECEMBER BOOKS READ

Howard Who?: Stories (1986/2006) - Howard Waldrop

The Killer Inside Me (1952) - Jim Thompson

The Graveyard Book (J-Fic 2008) - Neil Gaiman

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves (YA 2008) - M.T. Anderson

The Brass Verdict (2008) - Michael Connelly

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005/2008) - Stieg Larsson

Understanding Movies: The Art and History of Film (2008 Modern Scholar) - Raphael Shargel (not pictured)

Rear Window and Other Stories (1984) - Cornell Woolrich