Letters from an occupant

[vovat]

To continue with my unofficial and irregular series of posts on public figures with viewpoints that I find morally reprehensible, a few nights ago, I caught an appearance by good ol' Dr. Laura on Fox News. She was saying something about women being "unpaid whores," and how women shouldn't be viewed as sex objects. Okay, fair enough, I can agree on that one point. But then she went on to say something about how women want to be idolized. Wait, isn't that also objectification of a kind? Occasionally I'll hear about women saying they want to be treated like princesses, by which I can only assume they mean they want to be forced into arranged marriages with strange foreign princes in attempts to secure political alliances. No, but seriously, I tend to think that men treating women as something Other, even in an ostensibly positive way, isn't such a good idea.

bethje bought The Beatrice Letters, the new tie-in book for A Series of Unfortunate Events. She said it would be a while before she could read it, so she loaned it to me. Has anyone else read this book yet? I'd be interested in discussing it, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it and might want to. I think I'll do a little bit of Internet searching, and see what other people might have come up with. Incidentally, there's a collection of music based on the series coming out in October. It's all by Stephin Merritt, whose music I like a lot anyway, so it might well be worth picking up.

You Are Incredibly Logical

Move over Spock - you're the new master of logic You think rationally, clearly, and quickly. A seasoned problem solver, your mind is like a computer!

How Logical Are You?

Comments

[gizmohigh69.livejournal.com]

i have a question limitey snicket is that the authors pen name or is that his acutalle real name because that is a cool name to have id like one like that but i was just asking

[vovat.livejournal.com]

The author's real name is Daniel Handler. Lemony Snicket is both a pseudonym and a character in the series. I believe the name comes from a cocktail, or something like that.

[gizmohigh69.livejournal.com]

thanks i didnt know

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

I didn't even realize there was another companion book out! I thought the last book was due out sometime in the next month, and therefore, why would they put out another book to compete with itself? (Not that it really would be competing with itself, since obviously someone who is going to buy one would be likely to buy the other). and for that matter, do you happen to know the release date for Book the Last?

Anyhoo, are these letters to or from the very dead Beatrice? And do you think it would be important to read them before reading Book the 13th (making up titles all over the place here) for clues? Or are they all likely red herrings anyway? As if one could really tell? I suppose many of the things you are anxious to discuss would answer those questions.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

and for that matter, do you happen to know the release date for Book the Last?

Friday, October 13th. An appropriate date, no?

Anyhoo, are these letters to or from the very dead Beatrice?

Many of them, yes. I can't really say too much else without giving some interesting new information away.

And do you think it would be important to read them before reading Book the 13th (making up titles all over the place here) for clues?

I do know that the title of the last book will be simply The End, breaking the pattern of alliterative titles. I would imagine that it isn't at all necessary to read TBL in order to enjoy the last book, but I'd still recommend reading it first if you're going to read it at all, since its mysterious nature is part of the fun. I imagine it'll be less mysterious after the series is complete.

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

Friday, October 13th. An appropriate date, no?


Yeah, I remembered that after I went to the website, and had a major DUH moment. I knew that. What else could it have been?

[loz]

I don't want to be idolised. I just want to be treated equally.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

What? That's crazy talk! :P

Maybe you should get a doctorate (it doesn't matter what in) and a syndicated program, so you can be the Dr. Laura who ISN'T a heartless psycho bitch. {g}

[loz]

♥

I'll try :D

[bec-87rb.livejournal.com]

What people often mean when they say, "Women want ..." is that they want that, or that the women they have dated are like that. So, Laura wants to be taken seriously, but still be treated like a princess.

Nice work, if you can get it.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

People making generalizations based on what THEY think have been getting on my nerves as of late. I can't tell you how many times I've heard politicians and newcasters say "the American people want this" or "the folks don't want that" in recent times.