Hello, readers.
On this day, the last day of February, a few things.
Thing one.
Storyological, that one podcast I host along with E.G. Cosh in which we discuss the very best in short stories which we have chosen to discuss, has returned for a second season. We recently put out an episode–THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS, OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND GET BEHIND THE FEMINIST LOCOMOTIVE–which is one of our best, if I do say so myself.
Which I do.
Whoever it is that I am1, that is.
Thing two.
Speaking of Storyological. If you know what the Hugo’s are, and you are registered to vote in the Hugo’s, and you are reading this blog right now, then you might be interested to know that Storyological is eligible for the Best Fancast Award.
Jonah Sutton-Morse, host of Cabbages and Kings, said a lovely thing about our podcast:
Storyological is the best genre podcast out there. The short story discussions are excellent, Chris and E. G. have great banter while staying close the the topic & getting in and out quickly. I love it.2
Thing three.
Jon Stewart appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as he is wont to do. It was funny.
Thing four.
Jeanette Winterson, one-time preacher and continuing purveyor of sharp, heart-struck prose, wrote this piece on Oscar Wilde for the Guardian in 2013 called, “Why we need fairytales.” It includes such lovely arrangements of words as follows:
Fairytales always involve reversals of fortune. This works in both directions: beggars become kings, palaces collapse into hovels, the spoilt son eats thistles. Wilde’s own reversal of fortune from fame and money to destitution and exile shares the same rapid drama. Fairytales are also and always about transformation of various kinds – frogs into princes, coal into gold – and if they are not excessively moralistic, there is usually a happy ending. Wilde’s fairytale transformations turn on loss. Even “The Star-Child”, in which meanness and vanity are overcome by compassion, ends with a kingdom that lasts only three years.
You should probably read it. Or, at least, read “The Happy Prince” by Oscar Wilde. It is a story, I see, that Mr. Wilde intendeded to be read to children. If you don’t have any of those handy, I recommend reading it to yourself. After all, you were once a child, and I imagine some part of you remembers what that was like.
Happy February, readers. Enjoy it while it lasts.
ttfn.
- Love me some Crash Course Philosophy. ↩
- http://yellingatmybookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/2017-hugo-nominations-rough-cut.html ↩
the magnelephant review 