Quickie between classes.

[lenora_rose]

I don't know what to say about Mike Ford's passing, but I can't - quite - leave it unacknowledged. I figured the first thing to do is put the Dragon Waiting next on my queue to read, since it's on the shelf of books I own but haven't. But I don't know when I'll ahve a chance to read fiction,a s the essay reading has kicked in.

___________________

So I need to post about three reviews (The Billy Bragg concert forodwaith invited me to Tuesday, Blood and Iron so matociquala can link to it and make another joke about stalkery writer behaviour (As if I don't give her enough fangirly behaviour right back) and some comments on Lust Over Pendle vs. HP& the Half Blood Prince as reading experiences. (For the last of those, a taste: I take back one aspect of the fanfic's characterization. Draco is appropriately a sneaky bastard much of the time, but Hall has him convert to "Muggles=Okay (at least some of them)", too easily. But I really like the way Harry's own habit of leaping to conclusions until Hermoine points out the logical gaps is played - where in The Half Blood Prince he goes off even more wildly and is Right Right Right abnout everything and how dare they doubt him because he isn't being logical {Recalling, of course, that in the first book they're all Wrong, and that Rowling used to know how to do this}.)

Anyhow, that's not what I meant to talk about.

This particular school year is even more designed for the books I'm planning to write soon than intended. Okay, okay, the math isn't, but math is a good thing to refresh my mind in anyway.
The Medieval World is the next-least useful course writing-wise, but since quasi-medieval is such a default setting for so many books, it's somewhat helpful in reading my genre, and who knows, I may try to do something Byzantine or the like yet. 16th Century Literature has such an emphasis on court life and roundabout ways of saying what you mean it *has* to be good for the Serpent Prince - especially as the essay topic I'm working on requires me to read even more about how court life influences everything, especially poetry and honesty.

The Biology class, being all about the environment, is of astonishing help with Labyrinth, never mind just how much it matters in real life, since that's what Heather does as a day job when she's not on mystical adventures.

The one thing I'm missing is apparantly something for about the time in which i was born, give or take a bit. I have a character who hasn't seen the world since aroudn the days of the Iranian Hostage Crisis. I have some of the historic details and a bit of the general mood. Briefly, I poked at Wikipedia regarding 1979, and I didn't get the things I need most. I have yet to Google or do other online poking about for the things I need -- at least facts wise, current albums, current events, technology or lack thereof. Facts are easy.

But I'd like to request some book suggestions for the mood and feel of the culture(s) of the time -- particularly as seen through the eyes of a pair of 20 year old male presumed hetero college students who aren't into the disco craze -- or at least, not heavy into (I do wonder if Thomas or his fiancee wouldn't own a disc or two.)

Help?

Gotta go, or be late to Bio.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Harriet Frank, Jr. Special Effects--it doesn't focus on college boys though there is one in it, but it's very very much of its time...very generous spirited for that time.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

Squee! <bounce> *FLUFF*

[brannie-bird.livejournal.com]

As promised.

And now that I have everybody *except* you confused royally, this is where I express my interest in the stuff about courtly life and so forth. Because I'm interested, and because it would be wonderful stuff for me as a writer to know a thing or two before I try writing about it.

I mean, I don't usually mind making people laugh with my silly antics and so forth ... but when I'm *intending* to be silly, please, not because I sound like an amateur with no clue.

Re: Courtly Squee! <bounce> *FLUFF*

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Well, the first segment of that was pretty much class notes and a very little discussion. I could pass them on, but they're kind of general.

Right now I'm reading a loose biography of Sir Thomas Wyatt, who was a roustabout courtier, an ambassador, periodically put in jail or on trial for possible treachery, the lover of Anne Boleyn before the King's special interest in her made him decide very quickly to drop her (Among other lovers), and the writer and translator of a great deal of poetry -- songs and sonnets. The reason for the biography (And, i suspect, the oft-cited book of his letters I'm goignt o have to track down is because theis biography is one meant to emphasize just how his life in court ifluenced what he wrote (beyond the obvious metric ton of poems about having lost the girl he wanted).

Re: Squee! <bounce> *FLUFF*

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Oops, I did meant to say, this is something I've previously found advantageous. History classes are cool, but I've found I get more feel for life in that culture via the literature and art history classes, because art and writing usually have less to do with the exact timing of war X and event Y, and a lot more to do with how people lived, at least in the echelons willing and able to get involved in the arts (which generally get lower as time goes on.)

Oh - my

[senekal.livejournal.com]

Hadn't heard about John M. Ford. Bother.

My one encounter with the man (whom I'd somewhat idolized before that) put me off reading him for years. I find it hard to care what someone has to say when my only real world impression is "What a jerk."

Perhaps, however, it was just an off day. Who can say? Regardless, his work for Traveller was always top notch. The Dragon Waiting, I did not find one of his better books. Indeed, it left me rather unstatisfied (YMMV). I'd strong suggest 'The Final Reflection' instead. It's a Star Trek book, yes, but it's one of those GOOD Star Trek books, from the days before they just churned out drek.

That one is worth reading over and over.

He was a very talented man. He'll be missed. :(

Re: Oh - my

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

I remember you saying just that years ago, about being put off his books by meeting him. I remember it mostly because since then, I started thinking I must have had the author wrong and you must mean someone else.

My impression of him from online dialogue is of a very generous, good-humoured, supremely intelligent, and very very widely knowledgeable man. Everyone except you who's met him in person who's said anything seems to think he was a nice guy all around -- but Everyone in the Universe has some off days or some jerklike moments (Certainly neither you nor I are innocent of those, hee!), and nobody can or will be truly universally liked, or universally liking. (There's also been ongoing discussion about how some of the pressures of conventions can exacerbate bad impressions or bad moments).

You don't have to sound apologetic about the Final Reflection. I'm the one who owns How Much for Just the Planet? :) Both are touted as among the best Trek novels in existance, and for supremely different reasons. I've seen the latter used and almost took it home, but I'm not really buying books right now.

Well

[senekal.livejournal.com]

A lot of Trek novels (particularly the more recent ones are BAD.

I have a copy of Final Reflection if you ever want to borrow it.

Strangers from the Sky is highly recommended as well (and utterly blows away the abortion that was 'First Contact' which dealt with the same event).

Re: Well

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

I used to be fond of the A.C. Crispin ones (Yesterday's Son and Time for Yesterday), I can remember reading Uhura's Song but not much about it, and I read a lot of the first ten or so next Generation ones, when they and the show were new and I was a dedicated watcher, too. Only one of those was much good, though - and theat fact meant I never read anything else that wasn't an Original Series book written before that date.

Diane Duane

[senekal.livejournal.com]

Almost all of those are fantastic.