So What Are you Reading?: Generations

[Greg Cox]

Meanwhile, I'm three-quarters through The Hammer Horror Omnibus, having devoured the mini-novelizations of The Gorgon, The Curse of Frankenstein, and The Revenge of Frankenstein. I'm now onto The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, which, although well-written, is reminding me why I've always found the actual 1964 movie to be rather frustrating; there's so much (over)emphasis on the personal dramas of the various archaelogical expedition members that it takes forever for the actual Mummy to show up . . . .

Oh well, at least I have Volume Two to look forward to in January, including The Reptile and Plague of Zombies, among others.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Does the name Xenophon actually mean what it looks like, "strange sound"? If so, why?

It appears that it's generally rendered as "Foreign Voice." Quora has a whole discussion of the subject. Of course, it also has a spam level that we'd never tolerate here.

. . . it takes forever for the actual Mummy to show up . . . .

Are you saying that you want your mummy?

(I remember a story involving a mummy. A Scarry story (as in Richard Scarry). It involved an archaeologist named Professor Dig, and (in a mistaken identity plot that's actually funny) somebody who thought the professor's mummy was his mother.

 

[Denise]

Currently reading 18 Little Deaths about Francis Glessner Lee and the beginnings of the medical examiners profession.

Finished The Land and Its People by David Sedaris. He deserves the Twain prize, even though this is not his best book.

 

[Denise]

Meanwhile, I'm three-quarters through The Hammer Horror Omnibus, having devoured the mini-novelizations of The Gorgon, The Curse of Frankenstein, and The Revenge of Frankenstein. I'm now onto The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb, which, although well-written, is reminding me why I've always found the actual 1964 movie to be rather frustrating; there's so much (over)emphasis on the personal dramas of the various archaelogical expedition members that it takes forever for the actual Mummy to show up . . . .

Oh well, at least I have Volume Two to look forward to in January, including The Reptile and Plague of Zombies, among others.

Have you read Anne Rice's book on the Mummy? It's been a few years, but I remember that I enjoyed it, probably more than The Vampire Lestat.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Currently reading 18 Little Deaths about Francis Glessner Lee and the beginnings of the medical examiners profession.

Fascinating. Given that I've seen every single episode of Quincy, and bought one or two season sets of DVDs, I might well find it interesting.

 

[Greg Cox]

Have you read Anne Rice's book on the Mummy? It's been a few years, but I remember that I enjoyed it, probably more than The Vampire Lestat.

Yep, and the two sequels co-written with her son, Christopher Rice, which came out many years later.

My understanding is that Christopher did the lion's share of the work on the sequels, with Anne overseeing.

"Hey, Mom, if you're never going to continue that series, do you mind if I take a crack at it?"

 

[Victoria]

Does the name Xenophon actually mean what it looks like, "strange sound"? If so, why?

The name, as far as I was aware (and I am happy to be shown to be wrong) used "zenos" in its meaning of "guest" rather than "strange". The "phon" comes from "phaon" meaning "shining" rather than "phōnē"

 

[JD]

I'm up to the third issue of The Enterprise Experiment in the Star Trek: Library Collection Vol. 3. The first Year Four miniseries was pretty good, none of the issues really blew me away, but none of them were bad either. I've been really the Enterprise Experiment too, this is technically my second time reading it, but I don't really remember it, so it's kinda like I'm reading for the first time again.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Currently reading 18 Little Deaths about Francis Glessner Lee and the beginnings of the medical examiners profession.

Do you maybe mean 18 Tiny Deaths, by Bruce Goldfarb? Or is there another Frances Glessner Lee book out there?