Author Archives: Sherwood Smith

About Sherwood Smith

Sherwood Smith's website and Book View Cafe ebooks.

A Sense of History: the thirties

Posted on April 28, 2013 by

 When I look at the romantic comedies of the 30s,  it strikes me how many of the American-made films are set and a kind of fantasy Europe. I don’t know if this is because so many of the creative minds … Continue reading →


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WWW Wednesday April 24

Posted on April 24, 2013 by

WWW Wednesday. This meme is from shouldbereading. • What are you currently reading? • What did you recently finish reading? • What do you think you’ll read next? Nazis, Zombie Guy Fawkes, eighteenth century actresses, girl guide rescuers . . … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Eighty years in style: Astaire and Rogers

Posted on April 7, 2013 by

There used to be a saying — I think it was even on a T-shirt — that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards, and on high heels. I knew the intent. It was a feminist shout out,  … Continue reading →


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Posted in Film, Uncategorized | Tagged | 30 Comments

Mapping creative influence

Posted on March 31, 2013 by

        How many of us of a similiar age shared key influences forming our tastes—and for that matter what can be considered key?   In the New York Review of Science Fiction, in 1991, editor and genre raconteur … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, Culture, fantasy, regency, science fiction, space opera, Star Trek, Star Wars, television | Tagged , , , , , , | 30 Comments

WWW Wednesday 3-27-13

Posted on March 27, 2013 by

WWW Wednesday. This meme is from shouldbereading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions… • What are you currently reading? • What did you recently finish reading? • What do you think you’ll read next? Little finishing, … Continue reading →


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The Hero through the female gaze

Posted on March 24, 2013 by

      A discussion of the quest, the heroic quest, and heroes at ConDor a few weeks back got me to thinking about male heroes, as written by women. The hero from the female gaze is one I think … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, History | Tagged , , , , | 24 Comments

The White Fire and Stars

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

              A couple summers back I sat there at Hollywood’s Hard Rock café below Janis Joplin’s plum-colored suede bell bottoms, and Jimmy Page’s double-necked guitar. Behind me, the yellowing carbon copy of the March … Continue reading →


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Posted in Music, Writers on Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

Caught in the act of greatness, part three: the author as creator

Posted on March 10, 2013 by

            Part three of three discussions of rereading, covering the first three of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series. The first six chapters of Patrick O’Brian’s H.M.S. Surprise read a lot like Post Captain; they largely carry … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, historical novels, History | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Caught in the act of greatness, part two: worldbuilding, character, and voice

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

          It delighted but didn’t surprise me to discover that Patrick O’Brian’s historical series appealed to so many fans of SF and F. There are three aspects of the books that seem to appeal to fans: … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, historical novels, History | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Caught in the act of greatness–rereading Master and Commander

Posted on February 24, 2013 by

When I first read a great book I am no longer I, but ego dissolves away into an eye, absorbed completely into the world of the story. Rereading overlays the text with a palimpsest of memory: the first time I … Continue reading →


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Posted in Books and Reading, historical novels, History, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments