Wednesday, Reading

Proving that I can read a book in under a week, I finished Liminal People yesterday. And yes, for someone who grew up reading X-Men comics and whose tastes have since matured, it was much fun. This is the kind of book I would read like popcorn -- my escapism -- if there were more books out there like it. And judging from the end, there will be.

So, yes, "liminal people," somewhere between "norms" and gods, with special powers. The main character is a healer who is exactly the antithesis of touchy-feely -- he is, essentially, a house assassin for a small but powerful organization based in Morocco. But then he gets a call from his past! The skeleton is standard thriller material, executed well, with enough nonstandard plot choices to keep me happy and enough of a familiar overall shape to keep everyone else happy. Most of the action takes place in London but there is exactly one white man with more than a single line of dialogue (if my count is correct) and he gets creamed early on. You won't really notice that unless you're paying attention, though, because that's what breathless! thriller! action! is for.

I still want to slap Andrew Vachss for his cover quote, though. "Voodoo cauldron" indeed. Pro tip: if it doesn't use the word voodoo on the inside of the book, and/or if it doesn't take place in New Orleans or Haiti, don't use the word in a review quote. Especially if you're a white guy endorsing a black guy's book. Thanks!

Anyway. Lots of fun! Would read the sequel (there will be a sequel) and I don't even do sequels!

Now I am reading Rebecca Ore's The Illegal Rebirth of Billy the Kid. As part of my Western project, dontcha know.

After that, hm. Six Gun Snow White is a possibility (see: Westerns). I started Charles Yu's newest collection of short stories, Sorry, Please, Thank You while at FOGCon -- the first story, "Standard Loneliness Package," was pretty great. We'll see what leaps off the shelves.

Preschool Workout #3

1. Observe your children playing with a large plastic wagon in the front yard of their preschool.

2. Observe the sign that says, "want this wagon? It's yours with donation!"

3. Discuss donation details with director. Listen to director explain that the wagon is simply too big for their back play area.

4. Watch Simone pull her sister around the yard. It's hard for her, but she can do it. Which means it will be easier for April.

5. Contemplate taking a wagon down to the farmer's market. Of course, this means bringing a laden wagon back up from the farmer's market.

6. Tell Simone to climb in the back.

7. Pull wagon full of two four-year-olds uphill two blocks to home.

8. Park the wagon in the back yard.

9. Head up the back stairs to your flat.

10. Or maybe just this time the front door will do.

Tentacle on a Stick!

I am reposting my explanation of Tentacle on a Stick! for easy reference and linkitude.

The short version: I suggested that if a man is arguing that, say, rape in hentai is OK as a plot device because it's fantastical and involves tentacles and those totes don't count, it's time for him to bend over for Tentacle On A Stick. Because sexual violence parity is only fair, no?

I've since begun to think that this principle may need to be applied to large swathes of men in other related contexts. Such as oh, for example, the compelling need by some men to mention their physical weight and height by way of explaining why they do not feel threatened by sexual violence. I could fix that with one simple application of...Tentacle On A Stick!

(P.S. The original may have involved a whole octopus. See, I can be merciful. [cough])

(P.P.S. I think I may need an icon.)

Unrelated

1. Dinner was cauliflower soup with cheddar and mustard a la Nigel Slater. With wheat bread croutons (rye would be nice, too). This one's a major keeper. I was worried it might be too heavy for the suddenly warmer weather, but no.

2. Sophia McDougall gets a Tentacle On A Stick Medal of Honor for her post on The Rape of James Bond.

3. Simone and April were wearing knit gloves on their feet this evening, so as to give them "frog feet." I am ded.