http://www.samizdat.com/blog Thoughts about books, publishing, and other matters of interest to Richard Seltzer Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:34:12 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Adapted from a letter written to my father in 1981, when I was 36 and he was 58. I am now 65, and my oldest son is now 36.  My Dad is now 88 and in a nursing home. Your letter struck a familiar note.  Much of what you said about ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=501 This week's Free Ebook of the Week is "Liza or A Nest of Nobles" by Ivan Turgenev. According to Wikipedia: "Home of the Gentry [another translation of this title] is a novel by Ivan Turgenev published in the January 1859 issue of Sovremennik. It was enthusiastically received by the Russian ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=500 Thanks to a request from Michael Bowman-Jones, this week's Free Ebook of the Week is more Russian fiction -- "The Mantle and Other Stories". "The Mantle" is known as "The Cloak" in other translations. This collection also includes The Nose, Memoirs of a Madman, A May Night, and ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=499 I used to envy those born with perfect pitch.  They could appreciate music to its fullest, unlike me. I couldn't tell if a piano was out of tune.  I couldn't distinguish great from mediocre performances. Then I realized that perfect pitch is a curse and a tin ear a blessing. To someone with ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=498 Thanks to a suggestion from Owen Lowe, this week's Ebook of the Week is "The House of the Dead or Prison Life in Siberia" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. According to Wikipedia: "The House of the Dead is a novel published in 1861 in the journal Vremya by Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky, ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=497 In Douglas Adams' Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a space ship is powered by a ludicrous, hilarious "improbability drive." And I have often been amazed by the improbability/unlikeliness of chains of events that have had great influence on my life, that have led to me being me. Now it finally occurred ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=496 Every day I'm confronted with the question -- "What is the meaning of life?"  My life is the sum of what I do and did; so did I do anything worth doing today? Yes, relationships are important -- interacting with those who matter to you, enjoying being with them, even if ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=495 This week's book is The Red Acorn, a Civil War novel by John McElroy. According to Wikipedia: "John McElroy was born to Robert and Mary Henderson McElroy in Greenup County, Kentucky. When his father died, he traveled to St. Louis to become an apprentice in the printing business. As a ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=494 In the Starcraft PC game series, the Zerg are one of the races struggling for dominance.  While there are many Xerg, they act together (more or less) as a single-entity, a single horde or hive.  When they capture an opponent, they "assimilate" him or her, acquiring new strength, new powers, ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=493 Thanks to a suggestion from Grace Ensz, this week's Free Ebook of the Week is Si Klegg, a Civil War novel by John McElroy, author of Andersonville, last week's selection. According to Wikipedia: "John McElroy was born to Robert and Mary Henderson McElroy in Greenup County, Kentucky. When his father ... http://www.samizdat.com/blog/?p=492