May 2016

Rants

Negative Bookstore Experiences: Why Bookstores Should Be Like Libraries

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A few weeks ago, I flew out to California to visit family and friends, pursue some possible job opportunities, and get some much needed decompression from the stress of PhD life.  During that time, I stopped at a Barnes & Noble to pick up a book recommended to me by a friend.[note]a longer story that involves me actually writing fiction for once…[/note]  Unlike previous stops at one of the big chain stores — whereat the cashier tries to sell me on their membership card, to which I always respond “no, thanks” — I had a far less pleasant experience.  It went something like this: Cashier:  Are you a Barnes & Noble member? Me:  No, but… Cashier:  *judgmentally* …you know what the membership card gives you, right? Me:  I do, but… Cashier:  *dismissively* …Alright then.  $15. What I had meant to say was this: I understand what the card provides, but Barnes & Noble closed down the only store within a 30-40 minute drive of my house, so I don’t get the opportunity to browse there anymore.  And I don’t like browsing for books online, which means I don’t buy books all that often from any online bookstore.  Sorry.

WISB Awards

2016 WISB Awards: The Winners

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Now that awards season is in full swing, it’s time to release the winners of the 2016 WISB Awards.  As with every year of the award, the winners are selected from my reading and viewing experiences throughout 2015 and during my annual Hugo Awards reading binge.  As such, the long list included works published decades ago. Unlike previous years, the 2016 WISB Awards included a long list, which you should check out to see all the great stuff I enjoyed.  You might also check out the 2016 Hugo Awards Reading/Watching List, which includes works from my original list and works suggested by readers. As with every year of the awards, these selections are based entirely on my own tastes, which are imperfect, narrow, and weird. The winners are below the fold.  Some of the categories include runners up; the categories that do not contained far fewer entries on the long list, and so including a short list would basically have included the long list anyway.

Podcasts, Shaun's Rambles

Shaun’s Rambles 013: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (w/ Special Guest Mareen Kincaid Speller)

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Geek references + the Dominican Republic = instance classic.  In this episode, Maureen Kincaid Speller joins me to discuss the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.  We tackle the novel’s treatment of geekery, its exploration of masculinity, romance, and the coming-of-age narrative, and much more! I hope you enjoy it!

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