January 2012

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Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 12:27 pm
The Secrets of Story: Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers by Matt Bird

A how-to-write book. Despite the title, mostly for TV and movie writers, down to and including explaining that a prose writer has it easier.

Nevertheless, some useful ideas, particularly about irony, such as the character's flaw should be a flip-side of a strength to add reason to not want to fix it. None of the jargon was impenetrable.
Monday, March 16th, 2026 10:46 am
The Snake Prince and Other Stories: Burmese Folk Tales by Edna Ledgard

A varied collection. I think a little overwritten, but the tales are a new slice, fitting a new culture. Fairy tales, including a kind and unkind girls featuring a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, and a unique take on burning the skin of the shape-shifted: the Naga prince is not killed but he is rendered mortal to live and grow old and die with his bride.

Also tales of fools and clever men, and animal tales.

Most are recognizable types, but not close to other variants.
Friday, March 13th, 2026 06:54 pm
Temples, Tombs & Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt by Barbara Mertz

A light discussion of Egypt. Admittedly covering a long period of history and so necessarily cursory in place. Discusses what records we have and what archeological evidence we have found, and various Pharaohs and changes.
Sunday, March 8th, 2026 11:56 pm
Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits, Vol. 11 by Waco Ioka

And so we begin in medias res -- spoilers ahead for the earlier volumes

Read more... )
Saturday, March 7th, 2026 11:59 pm
The Way to a Beautiful World by James Norbury

Another collection of cartoons, loosely woven into a tale. A little more loosely than in Journey, which benefitted it. Most could work as stand-alones, and are the strongest.