* Overheard in the Store:
"Receipt? Oh, no, no, thank you. I don't want to be reminded how much I've spent on books."
"That’s adorable! The Prius had a bumper sticker that said 'Cool Prius! - Nobody'."
"But the paper ones are _meant_ to be edited"
"Space said 'we have black holes' and scientists just replied with, 'pics or it didn't happen'."
"You measure the cinnamon in parsecs?"
* ICYMI: Yes, we have permanently closed Borderlands Cafe (JUST THE CAFE), and we will be moving the bookstore (only) to the building that we purchased on Haight Street at some point in the future, when the construction work on the Haight Street building is complete. Alan Beatts, the business' owner, on closing the Cafe: http://borderlands-books.blogspot.com/2019/04/borderlands-cafe-to-close.html
* Because we've closed the Cafe, we'll be selling all the Cafe furniture, fixtures, and equipment, plus some extra bookshelves and other things while we're at it. The sale starts Sunday, May 19th at 12:00 pm. Come check out many tables, chairs, a variety of bookshelves, and a mind-boggling array of mugs, glasses, teapots, and such! We also have some really beautiful furniture -- would you like an amazing Chinese-style armoire, or a church pew for your place? This is a really cool opportunity to take home a little bit of Borderlands' history. We'd love to know that these items will live on with people who appreciate them. (Regrettably, it won't be possible for us to hold anything. And not to sound too salesman-y, but. . . prices will be dropping as we get closer to the cafe's must-be-vacant date of June 1st, but if you wait you'll risk missing out!)
* R.I.P. celebrated author and science fiction Grand Master Gene Wolfe: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/gene-wolfe-science-fiction-writer-with-a-literary-touch-dies-at-87/2019/04/28/9bf76226-69c1-11e9-a66d-a82d3f3d96d5_story.html
* We also regret having to share the news of the death of "Star Wars" actor Peter Mayhew: https://www.tor.com/2019/05/03/peter-mayhew-1944-2019/
* A very nice article on Borderlands Books by local author Kevin Smokler, from The Battery's magazine: https://www.thebatterysf.com/article/local-literary-gem
* A tribute and examination of one of the most important science fiction authors in history, Alice B. Sheldon (aka James Tiptree, Jr.): https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/4/18/18282660/james-tiptree-jr-feminist-dystopian-science-fiction
* You shouldn't waste food, but (#1) Oreos are barely food, and (#2) this isn't waste, this is ART! https://www.fastcompany.com/90328526/oreo-uses-2750-cookies-to-recreate-game-of-thrones-opening-credits
* Marlon James, author of the wildly popular BLACK LEOPARD, RED WOLF, (and the Man Booker Prize winner for A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEVEN KILLINGS) is on "Time" Magazine's list of 100 most influential people in 2019. http://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/5567700/marlon-james/
* Privacy: a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant to our lives and our fiction: https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/04/surveillance-science-fiction-colonializing-force/587863/
* More and more streaming services are popping up, and many of them are mining science fiction stories for their original programs. http://fortune.com/2019/05/03/data-sheet-apple-disney-amazon-streaming-science-fiction/
* Book Riot has organized a list of the Top 30 science-fiction books on Goodreads. Check it out here: https://bookriot.com/2019/05/03/top-sci-fi-books/
* In a continuing trend of AI and human cooperation in SFF, DJ Steve Aoki's new comic series "Neon Future" explores an optimistic future between man and machine. https://www.news18.com/news/tech/meet-neon-future-a-science-fiction-comic-that-trades-cyber-paranoia-for-optimism-2128799.html
* Sarah Ditum investigates why so many "literary" authors want to play with the ideas of science fiction while at the same time denigrating the genre and those of us who enjoy it. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/apr/18/it-drives-writers-mad-why-are-authors-still-sniffy-about-sci-fi
* "Yes" Magazine examines SFF's so-called "compassionate revolution" or "hopepunk": https://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/science-fiction-revolution-hope-hugo-award-20190423
* Inverse pulls together the top 11 SFF TV shows and movies streaming on Netflix this month. https://www.inverse.com/article/55427-best-science-fiction-movies-and-tv-on-netflix-may-2019
* A very interesting article that discusses the confluence of atheism and omnipotent beings in much of the SFF we consume -- the resistance to calling them gods doesn't alter the things they can do. https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/atheism-in-the-face-of-omnipotence-in-science-fiction
* Aliens move further and further from the realm of science fiction and closer and closer to science fact. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6986897/Expert-reveals-idea-alien-life-no-longer-like-science-fiction.html
* Thank you to sponsor Jo F., who made sure we didn't miss the entire cast of "Avengers: Endgame" covering "We Didn't Start the Fire". (No spoilers here.) Watch till the end for the sweet tribute to Stan Lee: https://www.cnet.com/news/avengers-endgame-cast-sings-we-didnt-start-the-fire-adds-stan-lee-tribute/
* For those who've seen "Avengers: Endgame", here are some burning questions you might have after the movie (beware, spoilers!): https://sciencefiction.com/2019/05/03/12-burning-questions-we-have-after-seeing-avengers-endgame/
* So often science fiction and fantasy focuses on colonizing powers without ever examining the history of the indigenous people, whether they be an existing culture, or one that's made up (and given attributes of real-life cultures). Here's one artist exploring the history of Mexico's indigenous people through speculative art. http://eltecolote.org/content/en/arts_culture/mexican-painter-imagines-indigenous-history-as-science-fiction/
* Ranking the most destructive weapons in science-fiction (with a few real-life WMDs included for perspective) in an infographic! https://techaeris.com/2019/04/05/infographic-what-are-the-top-weapons-in-science-fiction
* SFF is full of created sports, from rollerball to qudditch to blitzball to pyramid, and Dr. Derek Thiess' latest book explores the ideas and importance of made-up sports within the realm of speculative fiction. https://ung.edu/news/articles/2019/04/thiess-latest-book-examines-sports-in-science-fiction.php
* Are sea serpent sightings the result of actual science? https://www.sciencealert.com/the-public-s-fascination-with-marine-fossils-changed-how-we-saw-monsters
* "The Flintstones" and "The Jetsons" are icons that few people forget, but for Na'amen, "The Herculoids" were an absolute favorite, and he's so glad someone is finally giving the classic cartoon some credit. https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/alex-toth-and-the-herculoids-helped-define-science-fiction-in-animation
* Apex Magazine will unfortunately go on indefinite hiatus after their 120th issue. Read editor Jason Sizemore's statement here: https://www.apex-magazine.com/sleep-now-apex-magazine-youve-earned-it/
* If you live in New York or will be there in January 2020, sponsor Flash S. is putting together a meet up to celebrate Isaac Asimov's hundredth birthday at a location near one of Asimov's childhood homes in Brooklyn. Meetup info here: https://www.meetup.com/Asimov-Centennial-Meetup/ and discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/asimov/comments/a4j4wn/asimov_centennial_convention/
* A Speculative Fiction Writers Group is starting at The Mechanics' Institute Library & Chess Room in San Francisco this Tuesday, May 7th: https://www.milibrary.org/events/speculative-fiction-writers-group-may-07-2019
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Awards News
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* Here are the Hugo finalists both for 2019 and the Retro Hugos for 1944! https://dublin2019.com/hugo-finalists/
* The Nebula Award nominations have recently been the subject of controversy, as accusations of "slate voting" and rigging fly: https://locusmag.com/2019/04/nebula-awards-ballot-controversy/
* The 2018 British Science Fiction Association awards have been announced! https://bsfa.co.uk/bsfa-awards-2018-announced/
* The 2019 Phillip K. Dick Award winner was announced, along with a special citation winner! https://www.philipkdickaward.org/2019/04/2019-philip-k-dick-award-winner-announced.html
* The nominees for the 2018 Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced. The awards are presented for "outstanding achievement in horror, psychological suspense, and dark fantasy fiction". The list of nominees is here: https://locusmag.com/2019/05/2018-shirley-jackson-awards-nominees/
* DOWN THE RIVER UNTO THE SEA by Walter Mosley has won the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Novel! The complete list of nominees and winners is here: http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html
* Baltimore Science Fiction Society has decided on the winner for the 2018 Compton Crook award. (THE POPPY WAR by R.F. Kuang is an amazing book that you should definitely check out.) http://www.bsfs.org/
* Madeline Miller's newest novel CIRCE, (based on our favorite witch from Greek myth, or is that just us?), has been shortlisted for the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction. https://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/
* PulpFest has announced the nominees of the 2019 Munsey Award, given "to an individual or institution that has bettered the pulp community." The list of nominees is here: http://www.pulpfest.com/2019/05/2019-munsey-award-nominees/
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