Book Touchers
What is a historian but a miserable little book toucher, anyway? One must imagine her happy.
Listen, there are a few things I need to bring you up to speed about
- Book Birthday
- Magazine Launch
- Media Menu
- 100 Hours in Baltimore.
1) Cosmic Fragments
I'm part of a great new edited volume on the global history of spaceflight, edited by Asif Siddiqi and featuring some of the smartest and most creative space history and culture researchers working right now. I'd better hear you talking about this book as a Turn in spaceflight history from now on. My contribution is Chapter 1, "'Loose in Some Real Tropics': Environmental Images of Florida's Space Coast," which is an updated and expanded version of this from the Dr. Banana back catalog.
2) Night Shades
I started a speculative fiction magazine. Why not, right? For now I'm running it out of my website–the very website that is emailing you right now–as a bootstrapping baker without commercial space might run a cupcake business out of her house. I think eventually I'll make a standalone site for it, but for now I'm publishing 4 stories a month here. All the other details are on the Night Shades page. The first two pieces for May are available to read.
Big Palmer & Little Palmer by Zach Low
Butane City Leafs by Pierre S Robes
I really think this sort of thing is my wheelhouse. I'm a back of house type guy. I like to make spaces for other people to do stuff. It's the part of Lady Science that I've been missing most since we stopped publication. Zach's piece was his first even fiction sale and publication. That's the kind of shit I want to be responsible for.
3) Watch Andor
I don't think you need to care about Star Wars to do it. I used to have the impulse to write essays about anything that was good and also had a strong social or political message. As though that something anyone even wants to read anymore. The show is excellent. And the best review I can give it is that it is so clearly made with care. It's incredible how uncommon it is for good filmmakers to be allowed to give a shit about the products they make for the studios.
You might also like Mike Duncan's Revolutions podcast series on the Martian Revolution. Maybe you think you know exactly how the Day of Batteries went down. Or maybe you think Mabel Dore should have been acquitted. Mike will set you straight, he's read every book on the subject.
Murderbot (the show) is here. I shant say anything about the first two episodes. But I have read all the books and short stories, and I can recommend them as fun reads and great audiobook listens. If you have Spotify hours, they're all on there and perfect for cleaning and gardening. Also how can you not root for Martha Wells' success, what a gem.
5) Visit Baltimore!
I have a friend visiting from New Mexico at the moment. Here's our itinerary if you need a template for a relaxed few days in Baltimore.
Tuesday: late dinner and drinks at Dutch Courage
Wednesday: pastry and coffee at Doppio Pasticceria, then a visit to the Peabody Library and the Walters Art Musuem. Grab sandwiches at Trinacria for lunch.
Thursday: breakfast at Artifact, shopping in Hampden (Celebrated Summer Records, Atomic Books, Mount Royal Soap). drinks at W.C. Harlan, then dinner at Little Donna's.
Friday: breakfast at Common Ground, then get a new tattoo at Transmission. have a replenishing burger and Boh at 29th St. Tavern.
Saturday: amble around Greenmount Cemetery, and have one last early dinner at Thames St. Oyster House before catching a late flick at The Charles.
Hey, things are really bad and I think they will get a lot worse. Please take care of each other.
Love you. <3
