FFB: Porterhouse Blue – Tom Sharpe

I have been thinking about academic novels lately because I am — much as I swore never to do so — working on a roman à clef called Hire Idiots (the topic of which ought to be abundantly clear). I taught Lucky Jim in my senior seminar and enjoyed my students’ reactions to it. I’ve…

Under My Skin

A week ago — a momentous time for so many reasons — I whacked my knuckles on the book case in the conference room outside my office at the end of a day meeting students for advisement. I’ve done it before: those of you who know me well will not be surprised. Head in the…

Deliberately Lost SF Classics

Can they actually be classics if they were deliberately lost? I don’t know, but inspired by Jane Gutter of the Cultural Gutter with all her movie-watching shenanigans, I decided they needed to exist. The hard part was stopping once I started… Thanks to the Short Humour site for being willing to host my nonsense. Thanks…

Short Humour

I am generally in need of it; perhaps you are too. After two and a half hours in the dentist chair yesterday, I definitely needed something. So here’s a new bit for that thing with feathers: Hope And here are some of the others you may have missed. Thanks always to Swan Morrison and the…

Wicklow Street Lobster Reel

Wicklow Street Lobster Reel (commemorating the freeing of the lobsters) by K. A. Laity or what happens on Twitter doesn’t always stay on Twitter: with thanks to Joe O’Shea. [The original news story here] Thanks as always to the lovely Brian at the Short Humour Site!

Winner: 200K Tweets Contest

I have had a read through of the entries and have decided this is the winner: Congratulations, @bzztbaa! I will get your details via DM. All is crazy hereabouts, so Todd, I don’t have a TOA/V write up, but you might list this as the minute I finish grading, I’m going to watch it:

Today: Vonnegut in Schenectady

Join me at the Schenectady Historical Society’s Mabee Farm at 2pm for a talk about Kurt Vonnegut’s Schenectady years. I talk a lot about Player Piano as well as a bit about Cat’s Cradle and Welcome to the Monkey House. Quite shamelessly I mention Owl Stretching, too and I would be remiss if I didn’t…

While You Were Out

Or I suppose, while I was out and about in the Big Easy with Miss Wendy and other folks (yes, write up to come) I neglected my blog. So a hasty round up while I get caught up — INTERVIEWS Hector D Jr interviewed me for Sliver of Stone magazine and I natter on about…