Diane and I drove down to Kleinhans Music Hall for the second session in the Just Buffalo Literary Center’s Babel series featuring Tommy Orange (last month we heard Sandra Cisneros who led off this Babel series, you can read my review here).

Tommy Orange’s first novel was There There, a best selling book about the lives of urban Native Americans. Orange’s second novel, Wandering Stars, was published in February 2024. Diane is reading it now.

Tommy Orange’s presentation concerned his Native American experiences. Orange is a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. As you might suspect, both of Orange’s novels are heavily autobiographical.

Diane and I–and the hundreds of other audience members–enjoyed the “Conversation” segment of the evening where Barbara Cole, Just Buffalo’s CEO, engaged Orange with questions about his writing process, his evolution from a non-reader to a reading addict, and his current movie and TV projects. All in all, a satisfying evening full of humor and pathos. GRADE: A

In the run-up to the HBO/MAX six part series which starts on November 17, Dune: Prophecy, I decided to read the novel the TV series is based on: Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. Sisterhood of Dune takes place 10,000 years before the events of Dune. That’s quite a prequel!

Sisterhood of Dune (2011) is basically an origin story about the Bene Gesserit, an organization of women who develop into a powerful force in the Dune series future. But at this time, the Bene Gesserit faces challenges that may end in their destruction.

“Frank Herbert died in 1986. Beginning in 1999, his son Brian Herbert and science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson published several collections of prequel novels, as well as two sequels that complete the original Dune series (Hunters of Dune in 2006 and Sandworms of Dune in 2007), partially based on Frank Herbert’s notes discovered a decade after his death. As of 2024, 23 Dune books by Herbert and Anderson have been published.” (Wikipedia)

Frank Herbert had a unique writing style that Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson make no attempt at emulating. The team has their own style that includes plenty of detail and subplots. If you’re a fan of Dune you’ll enjoy Sisterhood of Dune. I’m looking forward to watching Dune: Prophecy a few days from now. GRADE: B+

I’ve been listening to Joe Cocker this week. Even though there’s some overlap on the songs included on Joe Cocker’s Greatest Hits and Joe Cocker Live, there’s enough variation in the songs and sound to hold my interest.

Joe Cocker’s best-selling song was “Up Where We Belong“, a duet with Jennifer Warnes that was Number One in the US and won a Grammy in 1983. The version on the live album captures that Grammy Winner vibe. Cocker may be best known for “With A Little Help From My Friends” and “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window,” two John Lennon / Paul McCartney songs.

I’m also fond of Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful,” a Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher song from the early 1970s. Are you a Joe Cocker fan? Do you have a favorite song? GRADE: A (for both)

TRACK LIST:

TRACK LIST:

This anthology collects many classic stories from Astounding and the retitled Analog SF magazines. It was published in 1980. All the major SF writers are here: John W. Campbell, Jr., L. Spraque de Camp, Robert A. Heinlein, A. E. Van Vogt, Fredric Brown, Theodore Sturgeon, and Isaac Asimov.

All of these writers wrote dozens of stories for Astounding/Analog so some of the choices of stories are debatable. But, if you’re a SF fan, you’ll recognize plenty of these titles from 1934 to 1979.

I read Astounding as a kid and loved the wonderful Kelly Freas covers. I occasionally read Analog but preferred Galaxy, If, and Worlds of Tomorrow while Fredrick Pohl was editor. Are you a fan of Astounding/Analog? How many of these stories do you recognize? GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 11 • Introduction (The Analog Anthology #1) • (1980) • essay by Stanley Schmidt
• 15 • Twilight • [Twilight • 1] • (1934) • novelette by John W. Campbell, Jr. [as by Don A. Stuart]
• 31 • The Lotus Eaters • [Ham Hammond] • (1935) • novelette by Stanley G. Weinbaum
• 54 • Fantastic Fiction • [Editorial (Astounding)] • (1938) • essay by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• 56 • Language for Time Travelers • (1938) • essay by L. Sprague de Camp
• 67 • QRM – Interplanetary • [Venus Equilateral] • (1942) • novelette by George O. Smith
• 95 • —And He Built a Crooked House^? • (1967) • novelette by Robert A. Heinlein (variant of “—And He Built a Crooked House”^? 1941)
• 111 • Far Centaurus • (1944) • short story by A. E. van Vogt
• 127 • Placet Is a Crazy Place • (1946) • short story by Fredric Brown
• 139 • The Chromium Helmet • (1946) • novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
• 178 • The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline • [Thiotimoline • 1] • (1948) • short story by Isaac Asimov
• 184 • No Copying Allowed • [Editorial (Astounding)] • (1948) • essay by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• 187 • The Dead Past • (1956) • novelette by Isaac Asimov
• 223 • Ceramic Incident • (1956) • short story by Theodore L. Thomas
• 227 • The Dread Tomato Addiction • non-genre • (1958) • short story by Mark Clifton
• 229 • Transfusion • (1959) • novelette by Chad Oliver
• 261 • The Longest Voyage • (1960) • novelette by Poul Anderson
• 285 • Sleep No More • [Telzey Amberdon] • (1965) • short story by James H. Schmitz
• 299 • Computers Don’t Argue • (1965) • short story by Gordon R. Dickson
• 312 • Test in Orbit • [Kinsman] • (1965) • short story by Ben Bova
• 324 • The Prophet • (1972) • novelette by Stanley Schmidt
• 343 • The Asking of Questions • [Editorial (Analog)] • (1972) • essay by Poul Anderson
• 350 • Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand • [Snake] • (1973) • novelette by Vonda N. McIntyre
• 366 • Can These Bones Live? • (1979) • short story by Ted Reynolds

As I was organizing my books, CDs, and DVDs in my basement, I found CREAM: ROYAL ALBERT HALL – LONDON – MAY 2-3-5-6 O5 in a box full of miscellaneous stuff. I had completely forgotten I owned this CD/DVD set.

Cream broke up in 1968 after a farewell tour and the release of their final album, Goodbye, in 1969. Cream chose to reunite in 2005 and play a total of seven concerts: four at the Royal Albert Hall and three at Madison Square Garden. As with any reunion, the questions of “Could they pull it off?” and “Would they be too old?” could only be answered by the music and the DVD of the concert.

Fortunately, the answer to my eyes and ears is: “YES!” Granted, Ginger Baker looks like a seventy-year-old, but sounds like the drummer on those Cream albums from the 1960s. Jack Bruce leans against a chair from time to time, but his bass sounds as good as ever. And Eric Clapton delivers red hot solo performances.

The DVD also includes bonus interviews with Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce, and Eric Clapton that Cream fans will find informative. I need to spend more time rooting around in my basement finding treasures like this! GRADE: A

TRACK LIST:

The 7-2 Buffalo Bills travel to Indianapolis to take on the 4-5 Colts. Both teams are dealing with injuries. The Bills may have two receivers out because of wrist injuries: Amari Cooper and Keon Colman. The last time the Bills played the Colts, running back Jonathan Butler scored FIVE touchdowns. The Bills have trouble defending the run and they’ll be tested today. The Bills are 4½ point favorites.

Many Bills fans fear that today’s game is a “trap” game because the Bills face the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday. How will your favorite NFL team do today?

After the horrendous Election results, we all need a little comfort food to help us cope. Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Comfort, supplies plenty of delicious recipes to lift our spirits.

One of my favorite comfort foods is soup. I tried the “Pea and Ham Soup” on page 55. YUM!

My other go-to Comfort food is cake. I tried the “Chocolate Ripple Fridge Cake” on page 282. Super yummy!

If you’re looking for comfort, this is one book that will supply dozens of great recipes to brighten your day! What’s your favorite comfort food? GRADE: A

Table of Contents:

• Introduction. — 7
• Eggs, crêpes, pancakes — 20
• Soups, dips, spreads — 50
• Fritters and other fried things — 66
• Comfort veg — 84
• Roast chicken and other sheet pan dishes — 118
• Dals, stews, curries — 154
• Noodles, rice, tofu — 182
• Pasta, polenta, potatoes — 198
• Pies, pastry, bread — 236
• Sweet things — 270
• Index — 312
• Acknowledgements — 318

The Eschaton Sequence is a trilogy of three Science Fiction novels: The Other End of Time (1996), The Siege of Eternity (1997), and The Far Shore of Time (1999).

Essentially, this is a First Contact story as a group of humans are sent to investigate alien signals warning of the destruction of Earth by the malevolent Horch. The group of astronomers, led by Dan Dannerman of the Bureau of National Investigation, are taken prisoner by aliens.

Pohl uses many of the tricks he’s developed in past novels: alien technology, clones, bureaucratic bumbling, and tricky humans.

I’ve been reading Frederik Pohl since the early 1960s beginning with Drunkard’s Walk (the nude on the cover may have influenced my choice). I also enjoyed the Pohl and Kornbluth collaborations.

I enjoyed The Eschaton Sequence but be aware it’s 801 pages long with some tedious chapters. GRADE: B- (for all three novels)

A couple weeks ago I posted a review of Arista: A 15 Year History of Rock (you can read it here) and said I had another Arista anthology around here somewhere. I found 25 Years of #1 Hits: Arista and I also found Atlantic Records: 50 Years.

Arista: A 15 Year History of Rock was a mediocre collection of hits. My favorite song on 25 Years of #1 Hits: Arista is Annie Lennox’s haunting “Why.” I love everything Sarah McLachlan sings. It’s hard to believe “A Rose is Still a Rose” was a #1 hit.

Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay” dominated the local radio stations back in 1999. Houston won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for this song.

Atlantic Records: 50 Years is a much superior compilation of songs. From Sixties classics like Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour” to Seventies songs like The Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar” to Eighties songs like “Stop Dragging’ My Hear Around” by Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty these 2 CDs are full of hits most of us will recognize. Clearly Atlantic Records outperforms Arista!

How many of these songs do you remember? Any favorites here? GRADES: ARISTA: C, ATLANTIC: A