Evelyn C. Leeper's Home Page: Books, Travel, and More

Last updated 13 May 2022

This week's MT VOID contents :


This Is Like Star Trek's Next Generation Holo-deck (pointer 
     from Greg Frederick)
Mini Reviews, Part 17 (THE HOUSE, ENCOUNTER, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, 
     THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH (film reviews by Mark R. Leeper 
     and Evelyn C. Leeper)
Reforming the Short Form Hugo (comments by Dale Skran)
COMFORT ME WITH APPLES (letter of comment by R. Looney)
CRUELLA (letter of comment by Gary McGath)
Romper-Noir, HIDDEN FIGURES, 
     and the "Lady Astronaut" Series (letter of comment by Doug Drummond)
This Week's Reading (THE MARTIAN and RED PLANET) 
     (book and film comments by Evelyn C. Leeper)
Quote of the Week

More issues here

Featured articles, trip logs, and convention reports:

Older articles may be found here.

Mark and I were Fan Guests of Honor for Windycon XXIX, November 8-10, 2002. Here are:

My convention report
A brief co-biography written for the Program Book by friend and seven-time Hugo nominee Bob Devney
Further information on Windycon

What I do:

I was for twenty years one of the judges for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History.
- Click here for "AH 101," a quick introduction to alternate history.
- Click here for a list of Jewish-themed alternate histories.
I read books and write book reviews.
I travel and write travelogues and science fiction convention reports.
I maintain various lists and pages:
- NJ Bookstores
- Western Massachusetts Bookstores
- Magical Realism page of discussion and links
- Recommended DVD commentaries
I have stopped updating and posting all the other bookstore lists because:
- They were increasingly hard to keep up-to-date.
- There are many other resources (e.g., Yelp) that are more up-to-date.
- In particular, COVID-19 has caused so much churn in the new and used book-selling business as to make any information I have useless for the near future, and questionable in the long run.
I have been doing these lists since the 1980s, and after about thirty-five years, it's time to call it quits.

If you want to get some idea of my philosophy, check out my .sig quotes.

[rocket]
I have been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer twelve times, most recently in 2001.

The MT VOID is a publication of the Mt. Holz science fiction club.

To subscribe, send mail to mtvoid-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mtvoid/.

05/13/22, Vol. 40, No. 46: Comments on "Star Trek"'s holodeck; film reviews of The House, Encounter, Nightmare Alley, and The Tragedy of Macbeth; comments on reforming the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, on Comfort Me with Apples, on Cruella, on romper-noir, and on Hidden Figures and the "Lady Astronaut" series; and comments on books and films (The Martian and Red Planet).
05/06/22, Vol. 40, No. 45: Film reviews of Cruella, and Jungle Cruise; letter of comment on Rome and historical figures; Nightmare Alley, End of Eternity, and Last Night in Soho; and comments on books (A Study in Scarlet).
04/29/22, Vol. 40, No. 44: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in May; pointer to a video comparing Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton; film reviews of Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen, Turn Back the Clock (1933), and As The Earth Turns; book review of The Extractionist; letters of comment on Comfort Me With Apples, The Time Macine, Severance, Nightmare Alley, End of Eternity, and Last Night in Soho; and comments on books (Hero of Two Worlds and Rome's Revolution).
04/22/22, Vol. 40, No. 43: Correction to Motherland review; film reviews of Book of Love, Belfast, and Munich--The Edge of War; television review of Motherland: Fort Salem; book review of The Kaiju Preservation Society letters of comment on Hugo finalists reviews, and on Motherland: For Salem; and comments on books and drama (Waiting for Godot).
04/15/22, Vol. 40, No. 42: Film reviews of Found, Acasa, My Home, No Man of God; comments on Nigel Kneale centenary; book review of Beyond: Our Future in Space; television review of Motherland: Fort Salem; letters of comment on fundraisers, and on baldness; and comments on books and films (Hugo Award finalists).
04/08/22, Vol. 40, No. 41: Film reviews of House of Gucci, Pig, The Many Saints of Newark; television review of Cracow Monsters; comments on Brandon Sanderson's Kickstarter; letters of comment on Mark Twain, on Mandibles, Dangerous Visions, and on Jorge Luis Borges; and comments on books (Paradoxes).
04/01/22, Vol. 40, No. 40: Film reviews of Mandibles, First Date, Drive My Car; book review of Dangerous Visions; letters of comment on topical films; and comments on books (collecting short stories).
03/25/22, Vol. 40, No. 39: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in April; film reviews of Bug Out, The 355, Against the Ice, A Face in the Crowd, Network, The Dead Zone, Contagion, Grease; comments on Brandon Sanderson's Kickstarter campaign; book review of Where the Drowned Girls Go; letters of comment on library books, on Encanto, and on pay television; and comments on books (Bryn Mawr book sale).
03/18/22, Vol. 40, No. 38: Comments on pay TV and on animals; list of Nebula Award finalists; and comments on books and films (Out of the Ruins, The Time Traveler's Almanac, and Under the Skin).
03/11/22, Vol. 40, No. 37: Film reviews of Finch, Swan Song, I'm Your Man, and Mother/Android; book and series reviews of The Shards of Earth and the "Little Boss, Big Man, Old Man" series; letters of comment on pronouns; and comments on books (Sinopticon).
03/04/22, Vol. 40, No. 36: Film reviews of Last Night in Soho, Titane, and Little Fish; letters of comment on Mrs. Henderson Presents, on Florence Foster Jenkins, on The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and on The Dispossessed and first person pronouns; and comments on books (book sales).
02/25/22, Vol. 40, No. 35: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in March; television review of Reacher (Season 1); film reviews of Munich--The Edge of War, The Last Duel, Mrs. Henderson Presents, and Florence Foster Jenkins; letters of comment on the Bell Labs Holmdel building, on Star Trek economics, on The Planets, and on The End of Eternity; and comments on books (The Dispossessed).
02/18/22, Vol. 40, No. 34: Pointer to movie trailer featuring BTL Holmdel; Mark's "Top Ten" film list for 2021; book review of The Planets; letters of comment on Star Trek economics, and on The Time Machine; and comments on books (The End of Eternity).
02/11/22, Vol. 40, No. 33: Pointer to the Locus Magazine 2021 reading list; film reviews of Ailey, MLK/FBI, Roadrunner: The Story of Anthony Bourdain, and Passing; book review of Comfort Me with Apples; comments on Lawrence of Arabia; letters of comment on Star Trek economics, on various movies and books, on Bible translations, and on the MT VOID in general; and comments on books (The Time Machine).
02/04/22, Vol. 40, No. 32: Comments on the MT VOID typeface; film reviews of Wife of a Spy, France, Bad Luck Banging, or Loony Porn, and The Door into Summer; book review of Treknomics: The Economics of Star Trek; letters of comment on Star Trek economics, on Billy Budd, on Free Guy, on Latin, on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and on Shiva Baby; and comments on books ("Funes, the Memorious" and translations).
01/28/22, Vol. 40, No. 31: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups, and of the OFCS movie awards; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in February, and on the MT VOID typeface; film reviews of The Colony, Free Guy, and Synchronic; book review of Treknomics: The Economics of Star Trek; letters of comment on "Enoch Soames", and on Bibles; and comments on books and films (The Door into Summer).
01/21/22, Vol. 40, No. 30: Comments on James Bond songs; film reviews of No Time to Die and David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet; book review of 51; letters of comment on Bibles, on Don't Look Up, and on The Expanse; and comments on books (Black Water and "Enoch Soames").
01/14/22, Vol. 40, No. 29: Film reviews of Don't Look Up, Settlers, Old, and The Djinn; book review of Leviathan Falls; letters of comment on Dune, and on Bibles; and comments on books (The Affirmation).
01/07/22, Vol. 40, No. 28: Film reviews of Dune, Mayday, and Come True; book reviews of Project Hail Mary and The Anglo-Saxons; letters of comment on Cyrano, on The Past Is Red, and on Bibles; and comments on books and films (Becoming Jane Austen, Becoming Jane Eyre, and Becoming Jane).
12/31/21, Vol. 40, No. 27: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in January, film review of Cyrano; book review of The Past Is Red; letters of comment on Falling for Figaro and operas; and comments on books (James Fenimore Cooper, my family and books, editions of Bibles, and Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible).
12/24/21, Vol. 40, No. 26: Film reviews of Falling for Figaro, The Nowhere Inn, The Village Detective--A Song Cycle, and Snow Wonder; comments on The Green Knight and other Arthurian films; letter of comment on mini-reviews, on Cryptozoo, and on Designer Genes; and comments on books (A Lot Like Christmas).
12/17/21, Vol. 40, No. 25: Film reviews of Werewolves Within, The Feast, and Cryptozoo; letters of comment on Tetley tea; and comments on books (Designer Genes).
12/10/21, Vol. 40, No. 24: Film reviews of Fauci, My Salinger Year, Swan Song, and Being the Ricardos; book review of Light Chaser; letters of comment on The Dybbuk (1938) and on The Last Pagan; and comments on books (The Past Is Red and Lincoln's Dreams).
12/03/21, Vol. 40, No. 23: Announcement of a milestone; film review of The Dybbuk (1938); book review of The Relentless Moon; letter of comment on Monkey Business; and comments on books (The Last Pagan).
11/26/21, Vol. 40, No. 22: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in December; and comments on books (Lives of the Stoics).
11/19/21, Vol. 40, No. 21: Answer to puzzle; comments on James Bond songs; film review of Worth; letters of comment on gralloching, on variations in German, and on H. G. Wells omnibus editions; and comments on books (Tennessee Williams).
11/12/21, Vol. 40, No. 20: Puzzle; film reviews of Shiva Baby, The Meaning of Hitler, and Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time; letters of comment on variations in Middle English, and on Byzantium; and comments on books (The Food of the Gods).
11/05/21, Vol. 40, No. 19: Film reviews of Playing with Sharks, Becoming Cousteau, and The Rescue; book review of Entangled Life; comments on Halloween binge watching; letters of comment on Wolfgang Puck, on oysters, on Casino Royale and Never Say Never Again, on Latin, and on the Eastern Roman Empire; and comments on books (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Fall of Arthur, The History of Coined Words, and Seven Conversations with Jorge Luis Borges).
10/29/21, Vol. 40, No. 18: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in November; comments on Night of the Demon and "Casting the Runes"; annotations to "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet"; film review of Wolfgang; letters of comment on the ; and comments on books (Hint Fiction, Thinking in Numbers, and The Science of Can and Can't).
10/22/21, Vol. 40, No. 17: Comments on James Bond songs; film review of Needle in a Timestack; letter of comment on the "Living Dead" saga, on James Bond films and songs, and on the MT VOID; and comments on books (Hugo Award novella finalists).
10/15/21, Vol. 40, No. 16: Comments on James Bond songs; book review of Black Sun; annotations to "The Boscombe Valley Mystery"; letters of comment on The Fly (1958); and comments on books (Lodestar Award finalists).
10/08/21, Vol. 40, No. 15: Comments on The Fly (1958); TCM's October promotion email; letters of comment on the "Living Dead" saga, and on Forbidden Planet; and comments on books (Hugo Award novelette finalists).
10/01/21, Vol. 40, No. 14: Comments on films and novelizations; letters of comment on Robby the Robot, on Forbidden Planet, on You Only Live Twice, and on Stanislav Yegrafovich Petrov; and comments on books (The Relentless Moon and Cakes and Ale).
09/24/21, Vol. 40, No. 13: Correction; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in October, and on Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov; letters of comment on Captain Video, on Moonraker, on the "Foundation Trilogy", on the Hugo Awards, on You Only Live Twice, and on complications; and comments on books (Veritas).
09/17/21, Vol. 40, No. 12: Comments on James Bond songs; book review of The Savior Generals; letters of comment on The Fall of Rome; and comments on books and films (The Martian Chronicles).
09/10/21, Vol. 40, No. 11: Film reviews of After the Dark, French Exit, and Zombies on Broadway; book review of The Escapement; letters of comment on Robby the Robot and on Alaric the Goth; and comment on books (The Chosen and the Beautiful).
09/03/21, Vol. 40, No. 10: Comments on our status; more comments on Forbidden Planet; book review of Alien Day; letters of comment on Robby the Robot; and comments on books (Alaric the Goth, The Fall of the Roman Empire, and Der Falls Rom).
08/27/21, Vol. 40, No. 9: Pointers to NPR science fiction and fantasy recommendations; announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in September; letters of comment on Latin; and comments on books (The Plague).
08/20/21, Vol. 40, No. 8: Comments on James Bond songs; letters of comment on James Bond songs; and comments on books (In the Land of Invented Languages, How You Say It, and Lost Languages).
08/13/21, Vol. 40, No. 7: Comments on James Bond songs; book review of The City We Bacame; letters of comment on James Bond films; and comments on books (The Man Who Made Vermeers, The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, Mexican Gothic, Escaping Exodus, What It Is Like to Go to War, and The Art of Eating).
08/06/21, Vol. 40, No. 6: Comments on James Bond films, on the Ursula K. LeGuin stamp, and on pre-crime; book review of The God Equation; letters of comment on James Bond songs, on The Thief of Baghdad, on The Invisible Man (2020), on The Stepford Wives, on the MT VOID, and on Girl in the Basement; and comments on books (Klara and the Sun).
07/30/21, Vol. 40, No. 5: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in August, and on weird animal stories; film review of Girl in the Basement; letters of comment on James Bond songs, and on alphabetizing; and comments on books (Winter Tide).
07/23/21, Vol. 40, No. 4: Comments on James Bond songs, and on labels and alphabetizing; letters of comment on mini-reviews, on series, on psychohistory, on Supernova Era, the Ata boys, and sea level rise, and on Star Trek and the Venus Drug; and comments on books (The Once and Future Witches).
07/16/21, Vol. 40, No. 3: Comments on Star Trek: The Original Series; letters of comment on jazz, on Airplane!, and on Midway, historical dates, and timelines; and comments on books (Supernova Era).
07/09/21, Vol. 40, No. 2: Announcement of discussion group change; film reviews of Airplane! and Land; comments on wine clubs; letters of comment on romper noir, on Midway (2019), on The Calculating Stars, on long form dramatic presentations, on jazz, and on The Human Cosmos and New Grange; and comments on books and films (The Forger's Spell, Dracula (1974), The Picture of Dorian Gray, and In Harm's Way).
07/02/21, Vol. 40, No. 1: Example of romper noir; film review of Midway (2019); book reviews of The Fated Sky and The Human Cosmos; letter of comment on Song of Freedomn; and comments on books (Hugo Award dramatic presentations, long form).
06/25/21, Vol. 39, No. 52: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in July, and on spiders and mice; film review of Song of Freedom (1936); and comments on books (library browsing).
06/18/21, Vol. 39, No. 51: Film reviews of Rebuilding Paradise, Dads, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and The Prom; correction on Tom Clancy; and comments on books (Parable of the Sower).
06/11/21, Vol. 39, No. 50: Film reviews of Palm Springs, Possessor, The Invisible Man (2020), and Sputnik; list of the Nebula Award winners; comments on the Vatican astronomer and on elephants on the march; letters of comment on Tom Swift and on The Stepford Wives; and comments on books (American Fried).
06/04/21, Vol. 39, No. 49: Correction to announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on High Noon versus Uncle Vanya, and on Kolchak, Las Vegas, and Forensics; film reviews of Wolfwalkers, Dolittle, and The Wolf House; letters of comment on The Stepford Wives, and Tom Swift, Jack Ryan, Grand Opera, Sexuality, and Race; and comments on books (Hugo Award short story finalists).
05/28/21, Vol. 39, No. 48: Announcement of science fiction discussion groups; comments on Mark's picks for Turner Classic Movies in June; television review of a Nancy Drew/Tom Swift teamup; letters of comment on Piranesi, and on a plague of mice; and comments on books and film (The Stepford Wives).
05/21/21, Vol. 39, No. 47: Pointers to The Donut King and to a comparison of the Bela Lugosi Dracula and the Spanish-language Dracula; film reviews of Promising Young Woman, Buffaloed, and The Forty-Year-Old Version; book reviews of A Hole in the Sky, Piranesi, and Until the End of Time; status update on Evelyn's hip; letters of comment on status, on smartphones, and on recent reading; and comments on books (Sherlock Holmes).
05/14/21, Vol. 39, No. 46: Film reviews of Mank, Shirley, The Black Emperor of Broadway, and Resistance; Book review of Together We Go; and comments on books (The Black Death: A Personal History).
05/07/21, Vol. 39, No. 45: Film reviews of Black Bear, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, and She Dies Tomorrow; request for contact information; comments on mice on the march; and comments on books ("No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency").
"Enveloped in a common mist, we seem to walk in clearness ourselves, and behold only the mist that enshrouds others." --George Eliot, "Leaves from a Note-Book"

Here are some links to sites of interest:
Evelyn C. Leeper
(eleeper@optonline.net)

Evelyn C. Leeper's Home Page: Books, Travel, and More

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