From LISTSERV@listserv.uic.edu Thu Aug 24 18:52:13 2000 Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 20:41:39 -0500 From: "L-Soft list server at University of Illinois at Chicago (1.8d)" To: Laura Quilter Subject: File: "FEMINISTSF-LIT LOG9912D" ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 02:00:47 -0800 Reply-To: Feminist SF/Fantasy and Utopia Literature ON TOPIC Sender: Feminist SF/Fantasy and Utopia Literature ON TOPIC From: Joyce Jones Subject: upcoming movies Here's a disappointment. I found this site devoted to, what else, upcoming movies. Since we had discussed the possibility of some of our books being made into movies, I thought I find out something about The Sparrow. Nothing, it's just listed as a possibly going to be made movie, no details; same with Ender's Game. I was hoping for real details, guess I'm just going to have to wait. http://upcomingmovies.com/tba.html Joyce ========================================================================= Date: Sat, 25 Dec 1999 09:01:32 -0500 Reply-To: Feminist SF/Fantasy and Utopia Literature ON TOPIC Sender: Feminist SF/Fantasy and Utopia Literature ON TOPIC From: Marcie McCauley Organization: @Home Network Subject: Piercy's WotEoT and Bryant's TKoAaWfY MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello all! If one must be ill, it is most pleasant if the afflicted is still able to hold up a book and so I can find the silver lining in having been sick abed for the past five days. Once the fever had dropped, I was able to simply read for hours and hours, in between napping, which, had I been able to breathe through my nose, might be mistaken for my brand of utopia. ;) Feminist speculative fiction is one of my true pleasures though as such it's often the last thing I allow myself to read, so lately I've been making a point of delving into the classics of the field (at least those which I have collected or can find at the library). I did take part in the brief discussion of _Mistress of Spices_ but haven't been able to get copies of the _Cups and Saucers_ anthology or the upcoming Jane Yolan at the library (though they have 151 other entries for her?!?); when my budget allows, I'll catch up on those fronts. So I've just finished Marge Piercy's _Woman on the Edge of Time_ and Dorothy Bryant's _The Kin of Ata Are Waiting for You_. I'm a big fan of Piercy's general fiction as well and had just recommended her to a friend who was lamenting the heavy weight of plot in much sci-fi and fantasy at the expense of characterization so I figured I'd better have actually read WotEoT by the time she took my advice. One of my favourite things about her writing is the bonds between women and this is certainly evident in the friendship between Connie and Sybil. And the Bryant book had been begging for some attention since I ordered it last spring. One of the themes that appears in both books that fascinates me is the question of what constitutes reality. The reader can't help but wonder (if only briefly) if Connie really visits with Luciente and her family or if she is hallucinating as the average doctor in the hospital would be certain to assert. And in _Ata_ the theme is more directly explored as they believe that dreams are as (or more) real than one's waking hours, to the surprise (and, initially, frustration) of our hero. One of the main differences between the two books I found was the flow of the prose. Bryant's seems to draw your eye forward, though perhaps it was the generous typeface in the edition I have . Piercy's caught me up every time I came across the word "per". However, while I might have cited this in a whining tone with another book , I was thrilled by it here. It was an immediate reminder of the power of the pronoun and the fact that traditionally the masculine form is accepted as the universal (and we "ought not" to question the validity of this form ) and how often our eyes must slide over this without noticing. Such an innovation is always a challenge to read. I realize that many of you will have read these some time ago but I was hoping that you might have some thoughts on one or both of these works. I'll try to check back between naps, tearing myself away from the new Sheri Tepper. Marcie, whose tbr pile never truly dwindles