The Great SF Stories #23 (1961) features one of my favorite Jack Vance stories: “The Moon Moth.” And, this is a particularly apt story to reread during the coronavirus pandemic because the action takes place on a planet where everyone wears masks. An assassin lands on the planet and must be found. The mystery, and its solution, are clever and unique. “The Moon Moth” is a brilliant story!

Another of my favorite SF mystery stories, “Hiding Place” by Poul Anderson, shows up here. Nicholas van Rijn has to identify hidden aliens among a menagerie of strange life-forms.

Other excellent stories in this volume include Brian W. Aldiss’ haunting “Hothouse.” Ann McCaffrey’s “The Ship Who Sang” launched a series of novels. Cordwainer Smith (aka, Paul M. A. Linebarger) never wrote a more disturbing story than “A Planet Named Shayol” which explores the frontiers of punishment.

Analog (once Astounding Science Fiction) and Galaxy dominate the selections in this anthology.

The Great SF Stories #23 (1961) is another top-notch volume! GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION by Martin H. Greenberg 9

1. “The Highest Treason” by Randall Garrett (ANALOG, January 1961) 13
2. “Hothouse” by Brian W. Aldiss (THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SF, February 1961) 75
3. “Hiding Place” by Poul Anderson (ANALOG, March 1961) 112
4. “What is This Thing Called Love?” by Isaac Asimov (AMAZING, March 196) 154
5. “A Prize for Edie” by J. F. Bone (ANALOG, April 1961) 168
6. “The Ship Who Sang” by Anne McCaffrey ( THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY & SF, April 1961) 174
7. “Death and the Senator” by Arthur C. Clarke (ANALOG, May 1961) 195
8. “The Quaker Cannon” by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth (ANALOG, August 1961) 217
9. “The Moon Moth” by Jack Vance (GALAXY, August 1961) 243
10. “A Planet Named Shayol” by Cordwainer Smith (GALAXY, October 1961) 281
11. “Rainbird” by R. A. Lafferty (GALAXY, December 1961) 320
12. “Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night” by Algis Budrys (GALAXY, December 1961) 333
13. “Remember the Alamo!” by T. R. Fehrenbach (ANALOG, December 1961) 356

Jeff Meyerson suggested that I post about Girl Groups so here is a volume from the Women & Songs series that fits the bill. If you were around in the Sixties, most of these songs should be familiar to you. How many of these songs do you remember? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

1. Chapel of Love (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Phil Spector) [2:49]
   • (performed by The Dixie Cups)
2. The Loco-Motion (Gerry Goffin/Carole King) [2:27]
   • (performed by Little Eva)
3. Baby It’s You (Burt Bacharach/Hal David/B. Williams) [2:40]
   • (performed by The Shirelles)
4. He’s So Fine (Ronald Mack) [1:54]
   • (performed by The Chiffons)
5. The Shoop Shoop Song (Rudy Clark) [2:16]
   • (performed by Betty Everett)
6. The Boy from New York City (George Davis/John T. Taylor) [3:08]
   • (performed by Ad Libs)
7. Tell Him (Bert Russell) [2:38]
   • (performed by Exciters)
8. Remember (Shadow Morton) [2:20]
   • (performed by Shangri-Las)
9. Johnny Angel (Lyn Duddy/Lee Pockriss) [2:22]
   • (performed by Shelley Fabares)
10. Easier Said Than Done (Larry Huff/William Linton) [2:10]
    • (performed by Essex)
11. Chains (Gerry Goffin/Carole King) [2:32]
    • (performed by Cookies)
12. A Lover’s Concerto (Sandy Linzer/Denny Randell) [2:42]
    • (performed by Toys)

My last SUPERCUTS haircut was in February 2020. When the coronavirus hit, all barbershops and hair salons closed in New York State. Now that we’re in Phase 2 of the Reopening, barbershops and hair salons are now open for business. Today, I’m getting my hair cut. Diane has an appointment with her hairstylist on Friday.

Diane did cut my hair about a month ago (you can read about it here). But Diane learned that a career in hair design was not for her. So I’m heading back to SUPERCUTS. With the temperatures in the 90s here today, less hair will feel much much cooler. How are you and your hair getting along?

So far, 71 feels fine. I’m celebrating with a Paula’s Donut and Paula’s wonderful coffee.

Later, the celebration will go on with my favorite pizza for dinner. Diane wanted to bake me a Birthday cake, but the temperatures today are supposed to reach 90 degrees! I’d rather not have the oven going in this kind of weather. In Normal Times, Diane and I would be going to a movie and then head to a swanky restaurant for dinner. But in the Coronavirus Era, a wonderful Paula’s Donut and a yummy pizza will have to do.

“Prosecutors are investigating the actions of two Buffalo police officers who were suspended without pay on Thursday night after a video showed them shoving a 75-year-old protester, who was hospitalized with a head injury.

The video taken by WBFO, a local radio station, shows the man, identified on Friday as Martin Gugino, approaching a group of officers during a protest stemming from the death of George Floyd. He was identified by the Western New York Peace Center, a nonprofit that named him in a Facebook post, saying he is a peace activist and a member.

After the video shows Mr. Gugino stopping in front of the officers to talk, an officer yells “push him back” three times; one officer pushes his arm into Mr. Gugino’s chest, while another extends his baton toward him with both hands. Mr. Gugino flails backward, landing just out of range of the camera, with blood immediately leaking from his right ear.

An officer leans down to examine him, the video shows, but another officer then pulls the first officer away. Several other officers are seen walking by the man, motionless on the ground, without checking on him.”

That’s the story that made the New York Times and most major news outlets. The video of the incident has been viewed 70 million times. Buffalo has been under a curfew for most of the week after some stores were looted earlier in the week.

What’s the state of the protests in your neighborhood?

Fred Blosser mentioned the great comic book writer Gardner F. Fox. Fox also wrote a variety of Science Fiction and Fantasy paperbacks. I just happened upon Fox’s Kyrik: Warlock Warrior which was published by a fringe paperback publisher, Leisure Books, back in 1975. As the cover says–“In the tradition of CONAN”–Kyrik is a fighter and powerful tactician.

But Kyrik first appears in this novel as a small statue. An evil sorcerer imprisoned Kyrik in this statue for a thousand years! A beautiful sorceress named Aryalla finds the statute and casts the spell that frees Kyrik. In return, Aryalla wants Kyrik to help her overthrow the dictator Devadonides. Devadonides relies on the evil sorcerer, Jokaline, to keep him in power.

Kyrik, with his sword Blue Fang, and Aryalla with her Magic, Gardner F. Fox launches them on an adventure worthy of Conan. Sure, this is a pastiche of the Real Thing, but if you’re looking for Sword & Sorcery action, Kyrik is a fun substitute. GRADE: B

Harry Dresden is Chicago’s only wizard who works as a private investigator. I’ve enjoyed the first four books in this series (you can read my reviews here). Death Masks is the fifth book in the series and Jim Butcher jams it with action. A dangerous vampire from the Red Court challenges Dresden to a duel. Then group of hit men target Dresden and his VW Blue Beetle.

But the key plot line in Death Masks concerns Dresden being hired to find the stolen Shroud of Turin. The Shroud becomes a key element in a devastating spell of evil.

And, on top of all this, Dresden’s ex-girl friend, Susan (part vampire) , shows up and complicates his life. The pages fly by when I read a Harry Dresden novel. I read Death Masks in a day. Great fun! If you enjoy Urban Fantasy action novels, you’ll get a kick out of Death Masks. Are you a fan of Urban Fantasy? GRADE: B+

A few weeks ago I posted about Women & Songs: Beginnings (you can read my review here) and now I’ve listened to the sequel: Women & Songs: Beginnings 2. Like the first collection of songs, the choices include several musical eras. It’s not often that I hear “Johnny Angel” by Shelly Fabares (who I had a crush on back in 1961). I want to get up and dance whenever I hear “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva. And who can resist “Your Precious Love” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell!

Women & Songs: Beginnings 2 presents several hit songs like Carly Simon’s “Anticipation” which was the theme song for Heinz Ketchup commercials from the 1970s to the 1980s. “You Made Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” was one of Aretha Franklin’s biggest hits. And Dionne Warwick’s version of “Walk On By” has always been one of my favorites.

On the minus side, I was never an Edith Piaf fan. Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

Disc 1

1. You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman
   • (performed by Aretha Franklin)
2. Walk On By
   • (performed by Dionne Warwick)
3. You’ve Changed
   • (performed by Billie Holiday)
4. I’m Sorry
   • (performed by Brenda Lee)
5. You Don’t Own Me
   • (performed by Leslie Gore)
6. You Don’t Know How Glad I Am
   • (performed by Nancy Wilson)
7. End Of The World
   • (performed by Skeeter Davis)
8. Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
   • (performed by Crystal Gayle)
9. Private Dancer
   • (performed by Tina Turner)
10. MacArthur Park
    • (performed by Donna Summer)
11. Love Is Like A Heatwave
    • (performed by Martha Reeves)
12. Release Me
    • (performed by Esther Phillips)
13. Who’s Sorry Now
    • (performed by Connie Francis)
14. It That All There Is
    • (performed by Peggy Lee)
15. Whatever Will Be Will Be
    • (performed by Doris Day)
16. Mister Sandman
    • (performed by Emmylou Harris)

Disc 2

1. Anticipation
   • (performed by Carly Simon)
2. Rose Garden
   • (performed by Lynne Anderson)
3. Baby Don’t Go
   • (performed by Sonny & Cher)
4. What The World Needs Now Is Love
   • (performed by Jackie DeShannon)
5. Goldfinger
   • (performed by Shirley Bassey)
6. Mangos
   • (performed by Rosemary Clooney)
7. Johnny Get Angry
   • (performed by Joanie Sommers)
8. I Cried A Tear
   • (performed by Lavern Baker)
9. The Loco-Motion
   • (performed by Little Eva)
10. Easier Said Than Done
    • (performed by The Essex)
11. Johnny Angel
    • (performed by Shelley Fabares)
12. Your Precious Love (with Tammi Terrell)
    • (performed by Marvin Gaye)
13. What’s New
    • (performed by Linda Ronstadt)
14. Cry Me A River
    • (performed by Julie London)
15. Love Me Or Leave Me
    • (performed by Lena Horne)
16. La Vie En Rose
    • (performed by Edith Piaf)

I’m sure most of you have already received your Economic Stimulus payment. We filed our income tax through Turbotax which somehow delayed our payment. But, better late than never! We plan on using this extra money for charitable purposes in these troubled times. How do you plan to use your Economic Stimulus payment?