A few Sundays ago, I was listening to some instrumental American folk music while my wife was in the room. The tune was “Sweet Betsy from Pike”–a song I had stumbled upon a few weeks earlier and taken a liking to. Since I’m not a music person, and feel pretty inadequate when it comes to … Continue reading “The Anti-Mormon DNA of “Hinges””
. I’m not a fan of Spencer’s most famous story and it was, until now, the only Spencer story I’d read. This one (read it now!) I liked more, but I’m still mulling it over, not quite sure what to make of it. The tale is apocalyptic in nature. Earthquakes are threatened, floods are happening … Continue reading “Bright Angels & Familiars: “I Am Buzz Gaulter, Left-Hander” by Darrell Spencer”
In counterpoint to Andrew Hall’s now 12-year-old annual review of Mormon Literature[fn1] (the first part of the latest edition appeared last week), I thought it might give some perspective to look at what Mormon Literature looked like 100 years ago. Boy have we come a long way!! Unfortunately, I was only able to look at … Continue reading “Mormon Literature 100 Years Ago — 1912”
Title: The Tree House Author: Douglas Thayer Publisher: Zarahemla Books Genre: Adult Fiction Year Published: 2009 Number of Pages: 384 Binding: Trade Paperback ISBN10: 0978797175 ISBN13: 978-0978797171 Price: $16.95 Reviewed by Jonathan Langford Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author, in trade for a free copy of my book, No … Continue reading “Review of The Tree House by Doug Thayer”
John Brown is yet another Mormon speculative fiction author success story. Servant of a Dark God was just published last week by Tor — the first in a trilogy by Brown that the science fiction and fantasy giant picked up. He lives in the NE corner of Utah with his wife and four daughters. More about … Continue reading “Interview with John Brown, author of Servant of a Dark God”
We’ve all heard the sentiment, I think. Independent bookstores are better than those inhuman chains, whose employees don’t even know books and whose policies made it impossible for new authors to break into the market. A few months ago, a friend made these same familiar claims, that chains of bookstores, especially Barnes & Noble, are … Continue reading “LDS Stores, Chains and the rise of the Internet; or How did we get here?”
Warning: Philosophical flight ahead, soaring high into the ether, bearing little or no entertainment value and no direct references to Mormonism, the election, or Prop 8. Just so you know. These fall mornings, to get blood going to my brain, I walk out into the desert near my house. A few days ago I went up … Continue reading “Mr. Buber’s Cat”
A Motley Vision 