Back in the 1970s, I read Pauline Kael’s movie reviews because they were unique. Here was a critic who really loved movies even if her tastes were a little quirky. Now the Library of America has brought out The Age of Movies, 800 pages of Pauline Kael’s reviews and articles, many of which I hadn’t read before. There’s a wonderful article in this book on Cary Grant, “The Man from Dream City.” The infamous (and wrong-headed) review of The Deer Hunter is included, too. If you’re a fan of movies and smart, sophisticated movie reviews, you’ll want a copy of The Age of Movies. Deb wrote she’s working on her holiday gift lists. I can think of a lot of friends and relatives who’d like to see a copy of Pauline Kael’s selected writings under their tree. GRADE: A

The just published Shannach–The Last Farewell to Mars collects some of Leigh Brackett’s best short fiction. As always, Haffner Press has produced an attractive package featuring a great Frank Kelly Freas cover (there’s plenty of Freas and EMSH artwork from the original magazines included, too). This 572-page tome will give you reading pleasure for hours. If you’re a Leigh Brackett fan, her previous Haffner Press collection, Lorelei of the Red Mist: Planetary Romances, is still available. Order now!
Table of Contents
“Introduction” by Anne McCaffrey
The Truants (Startling Stories Jul ’50)
The Citadel of Lost Ages (Startling Stories Dec ’50)
The Woman from Altair (Startling Stories Jul ’51)
The Shadows (Startling Stories Feb ’52)
The Last Days of Shandakor (Startling Stories Apr ’52)
Shannach—the Last (Planet Stories Nov ’52)
Mars Minus Bisha (Planet Stories Jan ’54)
Runaway (Startling Stories Spr ’54)
The Tweener (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction Feb ’55)
Last Call from Sector 9G (Planet Stories Sum ’55)
The Queer Ones (Venture Mar ’57)
All the Colors of the Rainbow (Venture Nov ’57)
The Road to Sinharat (Amazing Stories May ’63)
Purple Priestess of the Mad Moon (ss) F&SF Oct ’64)
Come Sing the Moons of Moravenn (The Other Side of Tomorrow, ed. Roger Elwood, 1973)
How Bright the Stars (Flame Tree Planet, ed. Roger Elwood, 1973)
Mommies and Daddies (Crisis, ed. Roger Elwood, 1974)
“Afterword” by Leigh Brackett

Chris Isaak grew up listen to the songs put out by Memphis’s Sun Records run by Sam Phillips. So many great artists started at Sun Records: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis! Now, with Beyond the Sun Isaak pays homage to that classic music with a marvelous collection of Sun Records songs, some familiar and some not. I’ve always liked Chris Isaak, but most people only know him from his early hit, “Wicked Game.” Isaak is a musical chameleon. He can sing and perform in almost any style. That may have hindered his career because Isaak isn’t associated with any particular branch of music. If you love these old songs as much as I do, you’ll be delighted at the interpretations Chris Isaak gives them. And, the sound on this CD is great! Check out the video below. GRADE: A
TRACK LISTING
CD 1:
1. Ring Of Fire
2. Trying To Get To You
3. I Forgot To Remember To Forget
4. Great Balls Of Fire
5. Can’t Help Falling In Love
6. Dixie Fried
7. How’s The World Treating You
8. It’s Now Or Never
9. Miss Pearl
10. Live It Up
11. I Walk The Line
12. So Long I’m Gone
13. She’s Not You
14. My Happiness
CD 2:
1. My Baby Left Me 2:01
2. Oh, Pretty Woman 2:52
3. Doin’ The Best I Can 3:17
4. Your True Love 1:57
5. Crazy Arms 2:48
6. Lovely Loretta 2:47
7. Everybody’s In The Mood 2:16
8. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry 2:05
9. Love Me 2:45
10. Doncha’ Think It’s Time 2:04
11. That Lucky Old Sun

Chris Isaak – Beyond the Sun EPK from VanguardVideo on Vimeo.

Robert Frost, in another context, made a comment about playing tennis without a net. That’s what I felt as I pushed through The Night Circus. Yes, there’s magic on practically every page. The Night Circus is an incredible place, full of marvels. Everything is possible. And that’s the fatal flaw of fantasy fiction. Without some limits, anything can happen. And it does. Although there is a competition between two master magicians, there’s no suspense, no thrills, no tension. It’s just magical incident piled upon magical incident. The Night Circus may be the first book in a projected trilogy. I won’t be reading the rest of the series. The Night Circus has 387 pages, but it felt twice as long when I was reading it. GRADE: C

I had hoped to like Margin Call more than I did. Margin Call is loosely based on the financial meltdown at Lehman Brothers. Kevin Spacey plays a character who has been part of the firm for 34-years and who acts of the conscience of the company. Stanley Tucci’s character, who works in the Risk Management office, discovers a disturbing trend in the trades the firm is making. But before he can completely prove his case, Tucci is fired. Zachary Quinto plays another analyst who takes Tucci’s findings and tweaks them until the truth becomes evident: the firm is already in jeopardy because of their trades in toxic assets. Simon Baker (The Mentalist) and Demi Moore aren’t given much to do. Jeremy Irons shows up as the CEO who will do ANYTHING to save the firm (and his stock options). There’s a subplot about a pet that I found completely gratuitous and phony. Still, this talented cast makes the most of a weak screenplay to portray the beginning of the financial crisis. GRADE: B

I once had a film professor who exclaimed in class, “Why would any female want to read Moby Dick? There aren’t any women in the book!” Well, actually, there are. But you get the point. Once the whaling ship goes to sea, the all-male cast of characters dominates the book. Nathaniel Philbrick writes a moving tribute to Moby Dick (his favorite novel). Why Read Moby Dick? is a love letter to readers about this quirky book. I’m amazed Philbrick found someone to publish it. In these times of ebooks and neglect of the classics, Philbrick’s argument for reading Herman Melville’s odd novel is compelling. I know I wanted to drop everything and reread Moby Dick after finishing Philbrick’s insighful book. GRADE: A

Microstyle is writing effective tweets, headlines, witty dialogue, titles, sound bites, brand names, domain names, slogans, taglines, company mantras, and bullet points. Like SHORT & SWEET. Branding consultant Christopher Johnson explores the techniques of poets, copywriters, brand namers, political speechwriters, and other professional verbal miniaturists to illustrate how to write effective, pithy messages. Microstyle goes beyond style guides like Strunk & White’s classic Elements of Style to focus on saying plenty with just a few words. Not only does Johnson deliver a heavy dose of linguistics, but he applies those principles to famous slogans and advertising campaigns to reveal how they work. I found the whole topic fascinating. GRADE: A

Between Planet Stories reprinting omnibus volumes of Robert Silverberg’s short novels and Subterranean Press reprinting all of Silverberg’s science fiction short fiction, this is a great time to be a Robert Silverberg fan! Just released Multiples: The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg Volume Six (1983-1987) presents some of Silverberg’s best work. “Sailing to Byzantium” won the Nebula in 1985 for Best Novella. As always, Silverberg’s “Introduction” sets the stories in the context of the Eighties and reveals insights into the publishing industry of that time. Subterranean Press deserves praise for continuing this wonderful series.
Table of Contents:

Introduction
Tourist Trade
Multiples
Against Babylon
Symbiont
Sailing to Byzantium
Sunrise on Pluto
Hardware
Hannibal’s Elephants
Blindsight
Gilgamesh in the Outback
The Pardoner’s Tale
The Iron Star
The Secret Sharer
House of Bones

Record producers rarely achieve fame. Quincy Jones and George Martin are a couple of producers who became known through their association with artists: Michael Jackson in Jones’ case, the Beatles in Martin’s case. But Phil Spector achieved fame by producing hits by a number of artists: the Ronettes, Crystals, Righteous Brothers, Darlene Love, and even the Beatles. One of Spector’s musical innovations was “The Wall of Sound.” Spector created a dense, layered, reverberant sound that sounded great on AM radio and jukeboxes popular in the Sixties. Spector achieved this sound by having a number of electric and acoustic guitarists perform the same parts in unison, adding musical arrangements for large groups of musicians up to the size of orchestras, then recording the sound using an echo chamber. The result was a unique sound that’s instantly recognizable. This just released collection presents much of the range of Phil Spector’s early work. Highly recommended!
TRACK LIST:
1. He’s A Rebel
2. Da Doo Ron Ron
3. Be My Baby
4. Then He Kissed Me
5. (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
6. Baby, I Love You
7. He’s Sure The Boy I Love
8. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
9. Wait Til’ My Bobby Gets Home
10. Walking In The Rain
11. Uptown
12. Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts?
13. Do I Love You?
14. A Fine, Fine Boy
15. There’s No Other Like My Baby
16. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling
17. (The Best Part Of) Breakin’ Up
18. Not Too Young To Get Married
19. River Deep, Mountain High