I think Pullman's greatest weakness as a writer is his tendency toward moralizing, but I don't think the feminist theme in Sally Lockhart hits you over the head as terribly as the organized-religion-is-evil-and-God-should-die issue in His Dark Materials books… which I loved as well, but the first was so far and away…

I think Pullman's greatest weakness as a writer is his tendency toward moralizing, but I don't think the feminist theme in Sally Lockhart hits you over the head as terribly as the organized-religion-is-evil-and-God-should-die issue in His Dark Materials books… which I loved as well, but the first was so far and away…

Most of my favorites have been mentioned, so I'll throw out a recommendation that isn't as well-known: Philip Pullman (he of the fabulous His Dark Materials series) wrote an earlier trilogy, the Sally Lockhart series, that is in some ways even better than his more famous work. For one thing, the novels get stronger as…

Most of my favorites have been mentioned, so I'll throw out a recommendation that isn't as well-known: Philip Pullman (he of the fabulous His Dark Materials series) wrote an earlier trilogy, the Sally Lockhart series, that is in some ways even better than his more famous work. For one thing, the novels get stronger as…

The ending to The Witches shocked me to the core; read it as an adult and was surprised at how fucking ballsy this kiddie book was willing to go into the darkness.

The ending to The Witches shocked me to the core; read it as an adult and was surprised at how fucking ballsy this kiddie book was willing to go into the darkness.

Diamond Age > Snow Crash, personally, but both books are incredibly hard to adapt. They make Dune look simple.

Diamond Age > Snow Crash, personally, but both books are incredibly hard to adapt. They make Dune look simple.

Count me as another person who thinks Sex and the City was a great show. It managed to be funny and entertaining while exploring how modern women deal with sex, dating, friendship and love.

Count me as another person who thinks Sex and the City was a great show. It managed to be funny and entertaining while exploring how modern women deal with sex, dating, friendship and love.

I skimmed the second book when it passed through my hands at the library (btw, I'm a librarian) and I could not find a smutty scene — what the fuck? I read about them emailing each other (apparently she has a new job), him flying her on his private helicopter, him bidding $100,000 to win her at a charity auction,…

I skimmed the second book when it passed through my hands at the library (btw, I'm a librarian) and I could not find a smutty scene — what the fuck? I read about them emailing each other (apparently she has a new job), him flying her on his private helicopter, him bidding $100,000 to win her at a charity auction,…

Yup, it's not just extraordinarily nifty (how I feel about most of his other movies), but also sad, moving and genuinely romantic. Afterward, my sister claimed that she didn't feel the pacing was actually problematic (that's what I had warned her beforehand) because the leisurely pace was consistent throughout and…

Yup, it's not just extraordinarily nifty (how I feel about most of his other movies), but also sad, moving and genuinely romantic. Afterward, my sister claimed that she didn't feel the pacing was actually problematic (that's what I had warned her beforehand) because the leisurely pace was consistent throughout and…

Well, I live in San Francisco, so I would say really expensive. Probably my least favorite thing about living here, honestly, but I have roots.

Well, I live in San Francisco, so I would say really expensive. Probably my least favorite thing about living here, honestly, but I have roots.

Well, I live in San Francisco, so I would say really expensive. Probably my least favorite thing about living here, honestly, but I have roots.

My love for the movie stems from my conviction that Jackie Brown is the one heartfelt movie he ever made (out many stunningly entertaining movies). And I randomly came across an interview with Wong Kar Wai that agrees with me!

My love for the movie stems from my conviction that Jackie Brown is the one heartfelt movie he ever made (out many stunningly entertaining movies). And I randomly came across an interview with Wong Kar Wai that agrees with me!

Thursday midnight: Prometheus, with my chums. Gorgeous, works as a sci-fi thriller, and the Caesarean scene was completely awesome, but even as I was watching, I knew it wouldn't hold up as a classic. Basically, when you are watching a movie where humans are getting menaced by very scary aliens determined to kill…