tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post3015890949948079377..comments2024-03-18T17:08:18.111-05:00Comments on Fatale Abstraction: phlegmfatalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08636803080525003892noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-64216113257256308282007-09-22T16:56:00.000-05:002007-09-22T16:56:00.000-05:00Um er, I have no idea what yer talkin' about, sinc...Um er, I have no idea what yer talkin' about, since I missed the original post.<BR/><BR/>But I thought I'd comment anyway.<BR/><BR/>My fave Gilda/Jane moment is when Gilda is talking about "what's the fuss about violins on tv?"Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10402527138728932357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-62930416450429819822007-09-20T17:44:00.000-05:002007-09-20T17:44:00.000-05:00And thanks, James. They didn't put the alternative...And thanks, James. They didn't put the alternative history The Plot Against America by Philip Roth in that section. <BR/><BR/> From your point, I can see putting it in this section, but again it appeared anomalous for the section rather than the place where alternate. Perhaps you are right, but the inconsistency seems peculiar to me.phlegmfatalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08636803080525003892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-55025599344770646512007-09-20T17:21:00.000-05:002007-09-20T17:21:00.000-05:00dba dude - I haven't read any of William Gibson......dba dude - I haven't read any of William Gibson...<BR/><BR/>lainy - Indeed, this other store is great!<BR/><BR/>myron - clever!<BR/><BR/>brbiswrite - I agree - completely childish<BR/><BR/>christina - I agree. I noticed alternate histories by Philip Roth were not put in the sci-fi fantasy section, so it seems a peculiar placement. <BR/><BR/>george h - Gaiman is brilliant<BR/><BR/>rabbit - They didn't deserve you. Be sure and check out Pasand next door for their fantastic Indian food buffet 7 days a week. On Sundays, they give dhosas with the buffet. *yum*phlegmfatalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08636803080525003892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-39298145912945810942007-09-20T16:16:00.000-05:002007-09-20T16:16:00.000-05:00I worked for one of the big chain bookstores (coug...I worked for one of the big chain bookstores (coughLovers/Greenville) when I first came to Dallas years ago. I lasted 5 months until I'd had it with insolent 18 year olds under my supervision who babysat the manager's Incubii in their off-time plotting against me. <BR/><BR/>Gotta say, though, it was the only job I've ever just walked off from. <BR/><BR/><BR/>Now I've gotta head down Campbell to that new old place. Maybe this weekend....<BR/><BR/>Regards,<BR/>Rabbit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-43935643974310143152007-09-20T15:40:00.000-05:002007-09-20T15:40:00.000-05:00Nope, I mean that that particular series is classi...Nope, I mean that that particular series is classified as <B>alternate history</B>, which while it doesn't contain improbably attractive spacewomen with telepathy/telekinesis/what have you, still comes under the fantasy/science fiction umbrella. Wikipedia defines alternate history as "<I>a subgenre of speculative fiction (or some would say of science fiction) that is set in a world in which history has diverged from history as it is generally known. Alternate history literature asks the question, "What if history had developed differently?"</I>". That's the way I've always understood the genre, and since Amazon and NG's publisher both call <B><I>Gettysburg</B></I> alternate history, I'm sticking to my story.<BR/><BR/>In case you're curious about my sources, I used <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0312987250/ref=s9_asin_title_2/103-4935775-7934239?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0X81W36FS4YP5JXP0S8V&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=278240301&pf_rd_i=507846" REL="nofollow">Amazon</A>, <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_history" REL="nofollow">Wikipedia</A>, and NG's publisher, <A HREF="http://www.holtzbrinckpublishers.com/stmartins/search/SearchBookDisplay.asp?BookKey=1750401" REL="nofollow">St. Martin's Press</A>.<BR/><BR/>Incidentally, none of this is meant as criticism, but since I read a <B>lot</B> of alternate history, I felt compelled to comment.<BR/><BR/>James (who is currently re-reading Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey mysteries)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00369841340166726518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-33230402938759686902007-09-20T13:11:00.000-05:002007-09-20T13:11:00.000-05:00james - You mean that Newt's book has spaceships a...james - You mean that Newt's book has spaceships and Amazon women with hypnotic powers? I mean, if an historical fiction belongs in Sci Fi/Fantasy, then why aren't all the Bernard Cornwell novels in that section, too?phlegmfatalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08636803080525003892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-36651483465406587392007-09-20T12:49:00.000-05:002007-09-20T12:49:00.000-05:00I am reading Gaiman's "American Gods" right now. F...I am reading Gaiman's "American Gods" right now. Forget half price books, it's worth full retail.GeorgeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10736838055941100599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-1766890947083890752007-09-20T12:37:00.000-05:002007-09-20T12:37:00.000-05:00I'm going to be the voice of reason here and point...I'm going to be the voice of reason here and point out that Newt's books are classified as alternate history and therefore, by virtue of bookstore shelving practices, belong in the science fiction/fantasy section. Don't get me wrong, HPB is full of granola-munching hippies, but that doesn't make it a bad bookstore - I've found more obscure Texana there than any other place I've ever shopped. And while I've been on the receiving end of a certain amount of snottiness (the look I got for buying a book entitled <B><I>The Black Cowboys</I></B> comes to mind), by and large the employees have always been very pleasant and helpful to me.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I always prefer to shop at locally owned businesses, so the new place gets my vote because they need your patronage much more than HPB does. Your call.<BR/> <BR/>JamesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00369841340166726518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-44787274295284485172007-09-20T09:34:00.000-05:002007-09-20T09:34:00.000-05:00I bet it's ignorance.I presume that somebody think...I bet it's ignorance.<BR/><BR/>I presume that somebody thinks these are alternate history, like the book 1632 you can see in the same picture, and thus would be classified as fantasy.<BR/><BR/>Maybe I'm just being too charitable?!Christina RN LMThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03260505524676910667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-49092833217855645842007-09-20T09:26:00.000-05:002007-09-20T09:26:00.000-05:00Like you, I have a lot of problems with merchants ...Like you, I have a lot of problems with merchants inconveniencing me with their own fool ideas. Stories like this one always remind me of a quote: "When I was a child I thought like a child, acted like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." (Paul to the Corinthians.) Sounds like the store is run by children. Competition is good.brbiswritehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238551308132973791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-31458945000172599412007-09-20T08:29:00.000-05:002007-09-20T08:29:00.000-05:00Me: Are you the store manager?Mgr: Yes, may I help...Me: Are you the store manager?<BR/><BR/>Mgr: Yes, may I help you?<BR/><BR/>Me: Maybe but I doubt it but I'll ask anyway. Since I found a Gingrich book about civil war history in the SciFi section, will I find the Pratchett SciFi Discworld books in the, oh I dunno, geography section maybe? Or astronomy 'cause it's about a world? Or maybe whatever section has books about magic in it?<BR/><BR/>That's how Idda dun it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-87802856365106692672007-09-20T07:40:00.000-05:002007-09-20T07:40:00.000-05:00I agree, books should be put into each section acc...I agree, books should be put into each section accordingly and alphabetically.<BR/><BR/>Glad you found another place to go to.<BR/><BR/>Happy reading.:)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3786818.post-30999723734768222722007-09-20T03:12:00.000-05:002007-09-20T03:12:00.000-05:00I really love William Gibson's writing - at least ...I really love William Gibson's writing - at least they got Gingrich correct alphabetically :)<BR/><BR/>What Pratchett did you get?DBA Dudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05684347517853961518noreply@blogger.com