It is a very pretty part of the world.
Top-to-bottom: view of downtown from Bernal Heights; school mural in the Mission District; view from a cable car; flowers in the Marin headlands; houses, I don’t remember where; the Golden Gate, of course; curved escalators in Nordstroms; and sunset over the Pacific coast. Many more here. It was a good trip: caught up with some old friends, made some new ones, and, of course, bought some books:
Again, top to bottom: Bitter Angels by CL Anderson, Shambling Towards Hiroshima by James Morrow, The Dazzle of Day by Molly Gloss, Couch by Benjamin Parzybok, Black & White by Lewis Shiner, Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman (a much-appreciated gift from Terry), and The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (because my paperback copy is somewhat beaten up). I now have several books on the Nebula list that I haven’t read, and a couple from the Dick list, and who knows, I may even get around to reading them soonish. First, though, as I mentioned, a post about Stephen Baxter, and something I need to write for Strange Horizons, and The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. At least, that’s the plan.
March 1, 2010 at 12:44 am
Oh I didn’t realise Black & White had a pb edition. It’s a very interesting and enjoyable novel. It has a hint of the fantastic, it’s nominally a crime novel, but what it’s really about is the thing Shiner usually writes about: Men and their relationships, father-son, and male-female. I’m a big fan, in part because he knows how to tell a story as well as explore his themes, unlike certain mainstream literary darlings who think they are doing the same thing but are really just indulging themselves. Martin Amis for instance.
March 1, 2010 at 1:02 am
I remembered you mentioning it positively a while back, and since I’ve never read Shiner, and it was there, buying it seemed like the thing to do.
March 1, 2010 at 1:36 am
Now the real question: Did you see the jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium? :D
March 1, 2010 at 2:34 am
Niall: Shiner has almost everything he’s ever published online at his website. http://www.fictionliberationfront.net/index.htm
Subterranean have also just published a Collected Stories that is very interesting.
March 1, 2010 at 8:29 am
Rachel: oh yes. Although for my money the shoals in the Outer Bay tank may have been even more hypnotic. :-)
Kev: I knew about the Collected Stories (have a review to look at for SH), not about all the online stuff. Thanks!
March 1, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I have read everything in the standard edition of shiner’s Collected Stories but am awaiting my copy of the limited edition with bonus chapbook before I write about it. Interested to see the SH review though.
March 1, 2010 at 3:42 pm
I can also see Molly Gloss’s The Dazzle of Day in that pile!
March 1, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Whoops, yes! All down to your post, that one.
March 1, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Dude, you were here? I would totally have bought you a beer.
Oooh, and thanks for the link to Jo’s review: I just finished reading that novel last week. How convenient.
March 1, 2010 at 10:19 pm
I thought you were further south! Dammit. Sorry.
March 2, 2010 at 5:28 pm
It’s a big state: you can be forgiven. I live about five miles south of Nick Mamatas.