I sincerely hope that this post-Christmas morning finds you in possession of tokens of affection from those you love that reflect your passions and interests. Though it came as no surprise that books and dvds were a big part of my Christmas, it was no less of a pleasure or surprise to see what arrived. In addition to gifts from Santa and family and friends, I acquired some pre-Christmas loot of my own throughout the month that I have not yet shared. I will keep the commentary brief and (with few exceptions) will not be mentioning how various items came into my possession.
Those who were so sweetly generous have been thanked and I will be able to retain the mystery of just how naughty I was this Christmas season in purchasing things for myself. 🙂
- Books:
Positronic Man ~Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg
Very excited when I saw this. Have been trying to squeeze this one in before Christmas ends and am enjoying it thus far.
Schulz and Peanuts ~David Michaelis
Huge Peanuts fan, and this recent biography appears to be liberally strewn with Peanuts strips.
The Best of Gene Wolfe ~Gene Wolfe
I haven’t read near enough of Wolfe’s short fiction, this book will provide a step towards remedying that unfortunate situation.
Cordelia’s Honor ~Lois McMaster Bujold
Bujold has been a hot topic on the Classic Science Fiction Book Club boards over the last few months and I am very excited about dipping my toe in the water of her Vorkosigan Saga.
The Alloy of Law ~Brandon Sanderson
Fell hard for Sanderson this past summer with a group read of The Way of Kings. Though I have yet to read the original Mistborn trilogy, I am thrilled to have a hardback copy of the first book in the next trilogy set in that universe. And it has steampunk elements to boot! Exciting!
Artemis ~Phillip Palmer
This is a sneak peek at one of the covers that made it to my favorites list for 2011. I’ll explain why in a soon-to-be-released post. In the meantime, the story sounded too good to pass up.
Life on Mars ~Jonathan Strahan, ed
I’ve been wanting this collection all year. I’m a fan of stories set on the Red Planet and the Stephen Martiniere cover on this is great.
Redemption Ark ~Alastair Reynolds
I have the first book in this trilogy and frequently see it and book three in stores but never see this one, so I am excited to add it to my pile of Reynolds books that I long to read.
Anne of Green Gables series ~Lucy Maud Montgomery (2 boxed sets, 6 novels total)
I’ve talked before about how much I am a fan of the Anne of Green Gables novels, but other than a couple of the books I have not been in possession of the series. I am now! 🙂
Turn Left at Orion ~Guy Consolmagno, Dan M. Davis
Read about this book online earlier this year. I have a very basic telescope and my schoolboy knowledge of constellations is fading fast so am very excited to have this easy reference guide to educate myself.
New York Times Book Lover’s Journal
I have always wanted one of these book journals and my dear friend Debi sent this to me earlier in the month with some chocolate and hot cocoa to share with my family. Special thanks Debi!!!
Nightmare Town ~Dashiell Hammett
The Continental Op ~Dashiell Hammett
Was very impressed with The Thin Man when I finally read it for the first time a couple of years ago. Both of these short story collections look great.
- Movies:
Christmas in Connecticut
Have not seen this show in years. Thrilled to add it to the Christmas movie collection.
Happiness is a Warm Blanket
This is new and I had no clue it even existed. Thanks Jeff for being the kind of friend who knows how much I love Peanuts and how I just had to have this film.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Despite mixed reviews I was disappointed I didn’t see this in the theater as I have the other three films. Quality varies, but I have enjoyed all three previous movies.
Footloose
This movie came out a few months before my 16th birthday. It was quite the phenomenon then and it was fun to be swept up in it. As corny as it seems now all these years later, I still truly love this film and am so happy to finally own a copy of it.
Adventure Time
I have wanted to see this bizarre, warped cartoon for a long time. Thanks to Santa, the wait is over.
The Major and the Minor
A classic I have not had to privilege of seeing, hope to watch it very soon.
The Muppet Show Season 2
Too perfect!
- Games:
Alice Madness Returns
I played the first iteration of American McGee’s Alice when it came out for the PC several years ago. Big fan. Was excited to see a recent release and look forward to going back to this Alice’s Wonderland.
Kinuko Y. Craft puzzle
Craft is a favorite artist and has been ever since she began doing cover paintings for books by Patricia A. McKillip. Several of her paintings have been commissioned for use as puzzles and it has become something of a family tradition for me to be gifted one of these puzzles. My daughter and I, and occasionally my wife, will then proceed to spend some of our holiday vacation listening to music and putting the puzzle together. At the end of our family Christmas I was quietly disappointed that I had not received a puzzle. A while later my daughter came out with a present that Santa had apparently left with her for safe keeping. I was so happy! I couldn’t believe how disappointed I was going to be if we didn’t have a puzzle to put together. The image shown on the box is just a small portion of a larger image filled with gorgeous detail. We’ve been having a good time getting started on this one.
- Music:
Passenger ~Lisa Hannigan
I “discovered” Lisa Hannigan earlier this year and the whole family has become big fans of hers. This is her latest.
And finally, though it does not fit the medium of the above gifts, I had to share this extra fun gift my daughter Tori bought for me. It is a replica Star Wars lunch box with fun Millennium Falcon and Tie Fighter sandwich cutters. I think I may have to revert to my childhood for my first lunch when I return to work in another week.
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The primary reason for sharing is of course to induce the “what have you acquired lately” exchange, so please let us know what you’ve either purchased yourself lately and/or what goodies you found waiting for you under the Christmas tree.
I have another entire week off work, and I look forward to partaking of some of my goodies over the coming week!
Now see… this is one of the reasons I miss living in a real house! Room to acquire (and keep) more “stuff”! You brought a smile to my face with the movie Christmas in Connecticut because Dennis Morgan stars in it and he was Carolyn Kelley’s “crush” movie actor..and believe it or not Dennis had a short lived tv show (called the Dennis Morgan show ..duh) and DeForest had a guest spot on it..he asked Dennis if he called his wife if he’d talk to her and he said “of course”..De phoned home said he had someone who wanted to say hello and put Dennis on the phone.. Dennis talked..Carolyn was tongue tied and didn’t say a word!
I love Tori’s lunch box (since I got myself an “original star trek” on that is similiar! lol great minds think alike!
You have certainly acquired enough books for your sci-fi experience!!! you just blossom when it comes to sci fi books! Sometimes I am surprised that you can also enjoy other types of books.. but then that is what makes you the “Challenge Master”!!
Glad you had such a wonderful Christmas! I know you will continue to enjoy this week off.. I hope you and Mary and Tori have a healthy and happy 2012!
That is a fun story. I imagine she was tongue tied. I have a hard enough time thinking what I want to say to SFF celebs at cons when I walk up to them, I can’t imagine being blindsided by the chance to talk to one’s celebrity crush.
Ah, the Star Trek one would be fun as well.
It would be too hard for me to just read one kind of book as I like so many other things. Science Fiction is still my first love, but I would hate to miss out on the other things I want to read. As much as I’m excited about reading science fiction over the next few months, my Christmas gifts had me wanting to read some Hammett as well as wishing that it was a nice spring day so that I could revisit Anne.
To end Carolyn’s love of Dennis Morgan, when I lived in CA Dennis Morgan passed away and it was announce on a radio show that the Kelley’s and I always listened to about old movies and movie stars… when they said it Carolyn and De were sitting in bed ..De told me, Carolyn gasped, and he reached over and held her hand while she cried… damn, that’s love!
ah yes.. only since I met up with you did I read 3 or 4 of the Anne of Green Gables books! I had never read them as a kid…when I was young and mostly cowboys were on tv.. in books it was me and Zane Grey! that may have been why all of my life I felt as if I should have lived back in the pioneer days..!
still your excitement about what you read is contageous!
I find the pioneer days, and Anne of Green Gables’ time period to be wildly romantic in my imagination (same with Jane Austen’s time period) but I just know I could never deal with the reality of actually living in those time periods, LOL! I would be a mess. No air conditioning and lack of hygiene products that I am accustomed to would be my undoing.
I’ve always meant to read Zane Grey. Used to shelve Grey books a lot when I worked at Waldenbooks. I do like Westerns on television/films but I rarely if ever read any.
I can understand that kind of devotion to people we don’t know. Turning it back to Anne, I was very, very sad when both Richard Farnsworth and Colleen Dewhurst died because I was so terribly fond of them in the two Anne films. And I’m sad that people like De are no longer with us. And not just because I wanted one more original cast Star Trek film.
awww lol it would only be your undoing because you are comparing it to “now” back then it would be the norm lol..it was a hard life and if the woman of the house had to kill the chicken for dinner I’d have a family of vegatarians!! lol..but ..it would have been the norm.
and yes.. as you watch old movies you realize what super actors we had and like newer actors you want more and more of them but they aren’t here to make more movies.. but missing De and Carolyn triggers me into really deep crying even all these years after they are gone…
I don’t know if your “lunch box” came with a “thermos” or not.. my ST one didn’t.. dammit Jim!
No it didn’t, but I do fondly remember my old Scooby Doo lunch box and Addams Family lunch box that both had those thick plastic indestructible thermoses. I can almost taste the chocolate milk.
What a haul Carl! I’m off this week too and will be playing with my new toys – although not as many as yours. One thing that impressed me was the diversity of your pop culture acquisitions. Carl, your tastes are wide ranging. We live in good times since we can enjoy so many simple pleasures.
Yes we do! I think I was fortunate to grow up an avid reader who would just go to the library and pull out tons of stuff. I also had good teachers who encouraged reading and exposed me to a wide range of stuff at an early age.
I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of your Tunnel in the Sky audio.
I’m curuious as well as I haven’t read Tunnel in the Sky either but have on my TBR pile.
Jim mentioned that it unfortunately isn’t a full cast audio, but I hope the reader is good.
Ooh, I love Dashiell Hammett, but I’ve never read his short stories. I can’t wait to hear how they are!
I will be sure to share and not keep it a secret! Hope you and yours had a great Christmas Amanda.
Man you got some GREAT stuff! I hope you get to enjoy a lot of it this week.
I was blessed with the following loot over the holiday.
A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber
Dancing Barefoot by Wil Wheaton
Castle: A Deadly Storm grphic novel
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
Star Born by Andre Norton
Big Bang Theory Season 4 on DVD
Kansas City Royals legend Frank White signed baseball
A Game of Thrones House Stark Hoodie ( SO comfortable )
Skyrim XBOX video game
40″ Flat screen tv ( my wife and kids are the best )
I hope everyone else was properly spoiled over the holidays.
You were very spoiled, I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait to see your new tv. And the hoodie sounds cool, I need to look up a picture of it online.
Oooh, nice loot! Adventure Time is an awesome show. Marceline is my favorite character; I think you’ll be amused by her.
I got a boxed set of the Mistborn trilogy, which I’m excited to read. I loved Way of Kings, and if these are even half as good they won’t disappoint! I also got a Kindle, which I’m loving thus far.
Twice now I’ve seen previews of sorts for Adventure Time at the movie theater and it looks so wild that I am drawn to it like a moth to the flame.
I’m planning on picking up the Mistborn boxed set with one of my gift cards. I’ve heard good things to and I’m of the same mind as you, it could be half as good as Way of Kings and still be great.
What a haul! All those books… I love the Anne books too–I think one of my favorite gifts from holidays past was the box set of the books. I’ve actually been dipping into a collection of L.M. Montgomery stories the last few nights titled Christmas with Anne and Other Stories. They’re delightful!
I did manage to see the Pirates of the Caribbean movie in the theaters, and despite the mixed reviews I enjoyed it. I hope you do, too!
I love your family puzzle tradition. Every other Christmas or so my mom pulls out a Christmas-themed puzzle, but we don’t always have time.
Enjoy your time off with your new goodies!
I suspect I’ll enjoy the film. Getting it for a gift will certainly put me in a different frame of mind when I see it.
The puzzle tradition just started without much thought when I bought on of these Kinuko Craft puzzles several years ago around Christmas time for a family gift and we’ve been doing it ever since. I’m going to be really sad if/when we run out of puzzles by her. I realize there are many other puzzles out there, but I just love doing hers.
I’ve read a few other Montgomery books over the years and have at least one, Blue Castle, that I have yet to read.
The Hammett books look great. It is hard to go wrong with the master.
Of course, I like the Silverberg/Asimov book.
My Christmas presents were mostly DVDs with some books and graphic novels.
Graphic Novels
Holy Terror by Frank Miller
Whether or not you agree with his viewpoints, Miller is always interesting.
Sixth Gun Vol. 1&2 by Brian Hurtt&Cullen Bunn
A supernatural western from Oni Press.
Books
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds
I read Revelation Space last year and liked it. A recent podcast
said this book is sort of a tribute to Algis Budrys Rogue Moon.
Hidden Empire by Kevin Anderson
DVDs
Lois&Clark The Adventures of Superman Vol. 1
I always liked this series. One of the reasons was a girl I went to school with appeared as a reporter in many episodes in a later season.
Friday the 13th Seasons 1-3
A favorite series that had nothing to do with the movies but seems like an inspiration for Warehouse 13.
Night Court Season 1 and 3
I enjoyed this series when it first appeared. I have been a Harry Anderson fan since he appeared as Harry the Hat in Cheers.
Bing Crosby: Screen Legend
(Double or Nothing, East Side of Heaven, Here Come the Waves, If I Had My Way, Waikiki Wedding)
I remember watching many Bing movies with my mother. I don’t remember seeing any of these.
Great haul Jim!
I’ll be curious to hear your thoughts on Frank Miller’s latest book. I agree with your comments on him. None of my immediate friends picked this one up so I’m curious what you think of it.
Nice haul Jim!
I haven’t seen Night Court in years, but always enjoyed it. Bing is always a winner. That is really fun about Lois and Clark.
I LOVED Chasm City. It is still one of the top books I’ve read in the 2000’s. Very, very good. I hope you enjoy it.
Haven’t heard of the Oni Press book but I’ll be looking it up. I used to buy all kinds of Oni Press comics.
It was Frank Miller’s Dark Knight series along with Gaiman’s Sandman that introduced me to what comics were out there for adults and the reading of those books, loaned to me from a good friend, truly changed the course of my reading and my life. Comics became a gateway to some dear friends, especially when I moved to Kansas City.
Anne Shirley makes me smile. I reread Anne of Green Gables earlier this year and it was definitely a highlight of the year. And Dashiell Hammett! That’s awesome! You’ve just reminded me that I need to reread The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man. I wrote up something about what I acquired before and on Christmas morning. I’m a very happy camper!
And I wished I had thought of Footloose when I went to spend my Amazon Gift Card. But Bring It On will have to due for now 🙂
Bring it On is a fun film!
I hope you enjoy The Thin Man, it is a great book. And if you haven’t you should check out the series of films based on the characters, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. They are very good.
What a lovely bunch of gifts and loot, Carl! Oh, that Star Wars lunch box is so cool. I think I’ve seen one in one or our children’s stores that also carries cool adult things. I’ll be doing my post tomorrow on what was under my tree this year, it includes one very cool item from Santa – well, many, actually.
I have been trying to find a copy of Revelation Space to buy! I’ve wanted to read it for some time now, and it’s not available anywhere. Grr. I got it out of the library, but ran out of time to read it. So when I saw there was a series out by Reynolds, it’s only made me more determined to find Revelation Space! lol
I will be signing up for the Scifi challenge tomorrow also (very late tonight now. I had a 2 hour nap this afternoon, and so I’m wide awake in the wee hours)
I’m so happy you have the complete Anne of GG set – one of my very favourite childhood series I grew up on. I also really like that BookLovers’ Journal, I have to go see if I can find one now! Santa could always be a little late 😀
Santa sometimes does those late deliveries just for fun! 🙂
Hope you can track down Revelation Space. Let me know if you do.
Can’t wait to see the cool stuff Santa left under your tree!
A belated Merry Christmas to you, Carl! You have such wonderful goodies here. I’m obsessed with the idea of the Alice game. I haven’t yet gotten my hands on it, but I WILL have it!!!
I’m also a HUGE Footloose fan. I introduced The Rockets to it, and they love it now, too. Can’t even be bothered to see the remake. 🙂
Here’s wishing you a Happy New Year in the coming week!
Thanks Andi, and the same to you! I really should try loading and playing the old Alice game on my laptop. I enjoyed it so much and would love to play it again, maybe even before playing the new one.
I can’t be bothered to watch the Footloose remake either. I’m sure I would enjoy the music and the dancing since I do like those type of shows, but I’m too devoted to the original. Maybe I won’t always feel that way, but I do now.
lovely loot! am listening to your Lisa Hannigan link now–very nice.
I received the latest Flavia de Luce, going to dive into it soonest.
this year was a big gaming year. Nate got the Skylanders console from Santa and we each have a figure (character) to play. and then there is the latest Zelda and Harry Potter Lego for the Wii. we pretty much stayed in our new christmas p.j.s for two days straight–glorious.
I find Lisa Hannigan to be so lovely. Her voice is amazing, I like her lyrics, and she is cute too.
I still haven’t worked in Flavia with all my other reading and I’m disappointed by that despite loving what I am reading. I still have some wild hope that I’ll work it in here before too much more time has passed.
I thought the Skylanders thing looked really fun, and I have enjoyed all the Lego games that I’ve played. They are some of the best games to play together because of their relative simplicity and yet the visual and dialogue humor is very creative and fun. What a great idea those games were.
I plan on us having some pj days now that most of our visiting and parties are done. I’m loving having this second week off from work.
Lots of exciting gifts in your pile! The Vorkosigan saga is simply amazing, in my mind – I can’t wait for you to read it! I started with YOUNG MILES, but CORDELIA’S HONOR is an excellent place to go as well (I read that one after, not realising the chronological order!). Also, you’ve reminded me I need to buy The Alloy of Law with my own Christmas loot! Thanks. 😉
Thanks Meghan, I’m glad to hear more praise for Bujold’s work. Makes me excited to give it a try.
Wow, what a haul! I really want to read Bujold’s books. I just haven’t got around to it yet… I love the Anne series, too. I have a boxed set. 🙂
I know what you mean, I think we all have many books/authors we could say the same about.
So very behind on blogs… but wanted to pop in to wish you a Happy New Year and to let you know I’m here now: http://wherethereisjoy.wordpress.com/ (couldn’t remember if I sent you the link or not)
You did, I’m sorry I haven’t been over since the initial switch. I wish you a Happy New Year as well and will do so on your new site.
Wonderful post, Carl, nice group of new treasures. I hope you enjoy the Continental Op stories, I think they are some of Hammett’s best. So many books and movies, I wonder when you find time to read and watch them all.
I got the first volume of L.E. Modesitt, Jr.’s Imager Portfolio, IMAGER. Also a book on pruning and a new lens for the camera. What I reallt, really want now is to get better but the doc says a few more weeks.
I think I will. Modesitt is another author I haven’t tried, but am always so impressed with the artists gracing the author’s book covers. Some real beauties.
Sorry to hear that the doc thinks it is going to take that long. I imagine pneumonia is a pretty awful thing to have, especially over Christmas.