Reading for Black Future Month 2022: Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor and Rosewater by Tade Thompson

 

Last year I wrote a post on "Black History of the Future" with reviews of novels by Samuel R. Delany, Walter Mosley, and Octavia E. Butler. This year for Black History Month, I decided to take an even more explicit cue from N. K. Jemisin's How Long 'Til Black Future Month in calling this post "Reading for Black Future Month 2022." I read two books set in future Ghana and Nigeria respectively: Nnedi Okorafor's Remote Control and Tade Thompson's Rosewater.  

I also started a book in Octavia E. Butler's Patternist series, Clay's Ark, but it looks like that one is going to spill over in to Women's History Month for me. Look for that review soon.

And of course nobody should limit their reading of Black and/or women authors to February and/or March! But these provide nice ways to give some structure and inspiration to my reading.

Random Thoughts, Part 17: The Randomness is New for '22

My lists of random thoughts continue with Part 17, and they're new for '22! And of course there are also random memes for no particular reason.

 

Pandemic Journal, Part 25: New Year, Same Pandemic

 

My longer-running-than-I-would-like pandemic journal continues with Part 25! This one includes the first several weeks of 2022: omicron surge, canceled plans, everyone but me playing Wordle (see above), and the pandemic still going on despite many people deciding it's over for them. But I have also continued to collect memes for my and your amusement.

Expanding the Expanse: Abaddon's Gate by James S. A. Corey

 

I read the first two books of The Expanse book series around 2013 and 2014. I meant to read the third book soon... and then I didn't. Instead, I watched the entire TV show The Expanse, which just ended recently. Occasionally while watching the TV series over the years, I would think, "I should read the rest of the books someday." And then I didn't. Until now!

So You're Going to Quote MLK?

 

So you're going to quote Martin Luther King, Jr.? Great! Here are a few pointers.

Folksy Absurdism: From a Buick 8 by Stephen King

 

From a Buick 8 is one of Stephen King's more explicit forays into science fiction, albeit with horror elements. Let's call it "folksy absurdism."

In a series of flashbacks told to the 18-year-old son of a recently-deceased Pennsylvania state trooper, we get the story of how a mysterious old Buick was abandoned at a gas station in rural Western Pennsylvania in 1979. But it's no ordinary Buick. In fact, it's not really a Buick at all, but something made to look like one with fake radio controls and everything. How did it get to the gas station? Where did the mysterious driver go?

"My Favorite Posts" Page Updated

 

Sometime in 2015 or 2016 I started a "My Favorite Posts" page here on the blog. And every few months ever since I've thought, "I should update that one of these days." And then I never did. Until the last few weeks, anyway.

So check out my newly updated "My Favorite Posts" page!