While the SFPL's great One City One Book program doesn't begin until this fall, they've already announced their next choice, The Hummingbird's Daughter.
According to Rosie Levy Merlin, One City One Book's Program Manager, "We'll have over 500 copies of the book available at SFPL soon, and people can already reserve one of the 500 titles so they'll have a nice brand-new book to borrow and read when they arrive!" Thanks for the heads up, Rosie!
Like many of you, SFist Emily finds the English countryside kind of creepy, so she was pleased to see Kazuo Ishiguro (of The Remains of the Day fame) elaborate this theme in his latest novel, Never Let Me Go. (Ed note: Hey, Rain and I read this too!) While skirting a policital debate about the ethics of human cloning and selling of organs, Ishiguro manages to paint a very disturbing picture of a world where these things are commonplace. Like Remains of the Day, the narrative style of this book is sort of slow and plodding, but it carries you through as you try to piece just exactly what is going to happen to the characters, and especially the narrator.
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I'm don't believe Ishiguro skirts the human cloning issue. His book gives a sad, poignant portrait of what happens when humans sole purpose is for the harvesting of their organs. Yes, his take is subtle but it is still heartbreaking, because the clones lives have little to no meaning and relevance. It was science gone terribly wrong, especially since the reader gets to know the quirks and personalities of the clones, and in the end likely feels it's a huge waste.
Dear Mr. Jon Shurkin!)
My comment is a reaction on Your live blogging match Australia vs. Croatia
Thank God You usually type about football. And I must recommend, You stick to football only, because – and I don’t want to be rude - You totally suck in politics and in history as well. But, that’s America, am I right?
When You say things like, (and I qoute): „As for Croatia, I have no idea what Croatians are known for…”, I strongly advise You, in the future – stop typing!!! Only then no one will see how poor education You have. What the hell is this idiot talks about, You might ask yourself. Well, when You continued the previous sentence, You added: “…other than fighting nasty little civil wars with their neighbors”. For Your information, Croatia had no nasty civil wars with its neighbours! I suppose You ment – Serbia, cos’ Serbia and it’s communist dictator Slobodan Milosevic had nasty civil wars with their neighbours! If You don’t believe me, I suggest You check with the United Nations or in the archives of any major daily newspaper in Europe.
I am aware this things doesn’t’ concern you much, and to you Americans we are all the same – just some strange half-wild tribes that make wars, not love. But, You should know that Croatia was attacked by Serbia in 1991-1995 war. That was fascistic Serbian agression on independent states Croatia and Bosnia, not the civil war. Serious bloody war at the end of the 20th century, in the heart of Europe!!! War in which Serbs killed and massacred more than 400.000 people! Because of the Serbs, I had to spent my childhood in stinky basement, and not in school, or playing basketball with my friends. Because of the Serbian agression, Croatia had more than a half million refugees, and dammage of more than 200 billions US$. And in the meantime, we also helped Bosnia to defend from Serbs as well.
So, please, once again, think twice before comments like this. It’s very frustrating, not to mention insulting for Croatia, and for all Croats.
I’m sorry for this long comment on politics, but it was Mr. Shurkin that started to talk about it, not me.
And now, let’s all go back to sport, to football. I’m very sad Croatia didn’t beat Australia, and I’m also very sorry USA had a lousy referee in Ghana match. More luck to us all next time!
Tonci Buterin,
Zagreb, Croatia