Sunday Salon

I went to Barnes & Noble yesterday and went a little crazy:


Um . . . about that last one . . . yes, I am a geek. But some of these people are hardcore. This magazine (which cost me $6.99) has ads for "authentic prop replicas" and "dramatic, fully-sculptural scenes from your favorite Star Trek episodes." Kitsch much? I love Trek, but could really do without Star Trek dog tags, Star Trek shot glasses, Star Trek necklaces, the "classic Star Trek patch set," Star Trek "new uniform" shirts (are you trying to get beaten up?), and a "Star Trek Communicator." This stuff is also monstrously expensive.












But this particular issue is awesome because it is all about the Borg. It has an interview with Alice Krige, who played the original Borg Queen; various theories about the Borg's origins, their place in the galactic evolution of sentient life, and their fate following the Destiny trilogy; and a bunch of really cool Borg photos. No, we haven't had enough of the Borg yet. Not even after Voyager and all the books leading up to Destiny. So anyway. . .

Louis Menand's American Studies is a collection of essays on various aspects of American cultural history, ranging from William James's nervous breakdown to Larry Flynt v. Jerry Falwell to 9/11. He also discusses T.S. Eliot and anti-Semitism, which I'm kind of nervous about reading because I absolutely love Eliot. But I guess no one's perfect.

John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let the Right One In is a Swedish vampire novel that I first heard about here from Lu on Regular Rumination. She described it as "gritty" and consisting of "vampires [that] don't sparkle," plus zombies, and that it is very scary. I'm about 1/4 of the way through and I have to say that she is right. I might finish it today, and my review will be up shortly.

I spent way too much money at Barnes & Noble and should probably avoid it for awhile. But I have no regrets.