From Slashdot:

“James Oliver Rigney Jr, author of the long-running fantasy series The Wheel of Time and better known to millions of fans by the pen name Robert Jordan, died on 16 Sept 2007 from cardiac amyloidosis. Jordan announced he had been diagnosed with the disease in March 2006 and vowed to beat the odds, but determination and gumption sometimes just aren’t enough in the face of a disease with a median survival time of just over two years. Jordan was in the process of writing the twelfth and final book in the Wheel of Time series, A Memory of Light, but the book was not slated for release until 2009 and is still incomplete. While there is hope that the book will still be finished from Jordan’s notes, this is devastating news to all of us who have been reading the series since 1990.”

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How often do you go back an reread a book? Although I’ve read alot of books over the years, as time goes on, I find that while I remember the major/minor plot lines, I often forget the little details — especially the dialog.

Douglas Adams is one of the authors that you can always reread. The way he describes objects and writes dialog has a kind of ‘going off on a tangent, while maintaining your interest and causing you to laugh’ feel.

I haven’t read Dirk Gently Holistic Detective Agency in about 15 years. Right now I’m rereading it (actually listening to it on audio-book).

Here’s the kind of passages that make Douglas Adams uniquely Douglas Adams.

`Well,’ said Reg, in a loudly confidential whisper, as if introducing the subject of nipple-piercing in a nunnery…

Even the skeptical mind must be prepared to accept the unacceptable when there is no alternative. If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family Anatidae on our hands.

Current Mood:  groggy

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I wouldn’t doubt it. Artists are always being screwed. Especially those without much business savy. Here’s a nod to you Peter. Loved the book. Loved the movie. Loved the soundtrack (even if that wasn’t you…) Even danced to it at my wedding. I’m quoting the entire original newspost rather than snipping it down. Sorry if it makes my post longer.

Last Unicorn author ripped off by filmmaker, struggling and penniless

Cory Doctorow: A couple days ago, I blogged about the unabridged author-reading of Peter S Beagle’s classic novel "The Last Unicorn." Now, Connor Cochran, Beagle’s business manager, writes in with this grim news about Beagle being ripped off by the British company that adapted his novel for animation, and Beagle’s difficulty in fighting back due to his general pennilessness: London-based Granada Media has sold more than 600,000 DVDs and videotapes of THE LAST UNICORN worldwide, made multiple cable and satellite deals for same, and sold the live action remake rights for a quarter of a million dollars. Yet despite this great success, they refuse to pay Peter what he is owed under his contract. After two years of trying to reach an amicable settlement, with no progress, it is clear that Peter will only get what he is due by going to court. Unfortunately, there is no way for Peter to do so without outside support. Just about everything he earns right now goes to take care of his 100 year-old mother.

Anyway, right now he has nothing with which to hire the attorneys and accountants he will need to either beat Granada in court or force them to negotiate. So we need to get the word out to as many professionals and fans as possible, to generate public support, contributions to the legal fund, letter-writing campaigns to Granada execs, etc. (We’ve just gotten started, but so far both Christopher Lee and Rene Auberjenois, two of the voiceover actors from THE LAST UNICORN, have agreed to help. That’s exciting.)

Beagle’s written a limited-edition sequel to The Last Unicorn that you can buy here. Link

Current Mood:  annoyed

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The last time I had a book in my hands was when Jean and Alia were in the hospital. I needed something to pass the time, so I was reading  The War of Souls Trilogy part of the DragonLance Series. I got to the middle of the second book, but haven’t gone back to finish it.

I hate to have to make time to read, but I always find that when I eventually do sit down with a book, I realize how much I’d missed it.

What should I read next? is what it says…you enter the title and author of a book you like and the site will suggest something for you to read next.

That’s a pretty cool concept. We typically get our book recommendations from our friends, but why not use the resource of others? Granted, this is based on the premise that you’re interested in reading the same kinds of novels again, rather than a springboard of other books read by people who enjoyed this one.

That’s why I like the recommendation system on Netflix. They base recommendations on other movies watched by people who enjoyed this same movie as you. So it finds a common element and lets you build from there. Speaking of Netflix, if any of you have an account, send me a friend invite, or let me know that you have one. That why we can make more personlized recommendations… springing from the word “recommendation”, I highly recommend Netflix. If you need more information on that subject, contact me personally.

Ok, back on track.. books.. You can actually use Amazon in a similar way. When you search for a book/movie/etc. it shows you what other people who bought that item also bought. So you can find yourself some interesting products you might not have already thought of.

It’s funny to login to Amazon now and see my starting page with all the recommendations based on the past things I’ve bought from them, and the things thaty think I want to buy.

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