Links and Stuff

Hello, everyone! Time for another Links and Stuff. First, while Hurricane Matthew has long dissipated, his effects are still being felt here in Eastern NC. We (as in me and my family) didn’t suffer from the flooding, but there are roads and towns nearby that are submerged due to rivers and creeks bursting their banks. It’ll be early next week before the water subsides and the clean up begins for those affected. Many have lost homes, and some have lost loved ones thanks to this storm, and my prayers go out to them all.

Now to the links! As you may have heard, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan became the first lyricist to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. The citation praises Dylan for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” This move by the Nobel committee has been lauded and criticized. Among the criticisms is the fact that the Nobel committee passed over under-appreciated writers and works that deserve the spotlight a Nobel prize would afford. After all, Dylan is already a popular figure whose songs have garnered a number of other prizes over the past 50 years. Those pleased with the nomination point out that Dylan is well overdue recognition by the literary establishment for his insightful poetry that became the voice of a generation. I tend to the view that if the award is given for creating “new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition,” Lin-Manuel Miranda should get a Nobel Literature prize for “Hamilton.” And maybe he will. Watch for next year’s awards…

Speaking of literature, an interesting mash-up was announced this week. Puffin announced that they are publishing a series of Doctor Who “Mr. Men” books. For those who don’t know, the “Mr. Men” was (and is) a British book series by Roger Hargreaves, featuring odd-shaped characters named for their distinctive actions or attributes. “Mr. Tickle” has long arms so he can tickle people from afar. “Mr. Bump” bumps into things. “Mr. Strong” is, well, strong–you get the idea. I was really into this series as a child. I remember my Mum buying me “Mr. Men” books to keep me quiet while she shopped (yes, they’re THAT old). I would post a picture of some of my original “Mr. Men” books, but they’re packed away, so these will have to do:

The new series will feature each of the twelve Doctors, the first four, “Dr. First,” “Dr. Fourth,” “Dr. Eleventh,” and “Dr. Twelfth” being released next spring. Here’s what “Dr. First” and “Dr. Eleventh” look like:

Yes, they’re kids books… but I’ll be ordering them. 🙂

Next, another mash-up, this time Lego and the Beatles! On November 1, in time for the Christmas market, Lego is releasing a new “Yellow Submarine” set, based on the iconic 1968 Beatles cartoon movie. The set comes with a giant yellow submarine, along with John, Paul, George, and Ringo figures based on the cartoon characters. At $60 it’s a bit expensive, so I don’t know that I’ll be rushing to get one. It’s a nice collectible, though.

Finally, today is the 950th anniversary of The Battle of Hastings, a battle that changed the course of the Western world. I wrote an article about it five years ago, which contains links to various other sites, including the famous Bayeux Tapestry–possibly the world’s first graphic novel! 🙂 Here’s my article.

That’s all from me. Now, it’s your turn–share your thoughts!