Thursday, August 26, 2004
(K-L-M) The Knarley Knews, Lofgeornost, Memphen
The Knarley Knews #105-7 / Henry Welch, 1525 16th Ave., Grafton WI 53024-2017 / welch@msoe.edu or LethaWelch@aol.com / $1.50 @ / Welch hasn’t even started law school yet and already he’s had hassles, with his employer about paying for it. Whateve rhappens, I predict he’ll do well – he’ll bring an engineer’s precision and clarity to occasioanlly murky issues, and the law – believe me or don’t – values clarity above all else. Preparing to start his extended nightmare, Knarl describes a relaxing trip to the L.A. area for his mother’s MBA graduation, and another jaunt to attractive Salt Lake City. (Utah’s is the most beautiful state capitol building I’ve ever seen.) Sue Welch’s columns describe this year’s family assemblage in Vail – an evocative, nicely-written account – and review the odd PBS reality series, Colonial House. Todd Bushlow contributes a piece on the Sonora Caverns and Milt Stevens ranks this year’s fiction Hugo contenders – he says his choices never win, but I hope some praised here do. Also here, a thoughtful piece by Gene Stewart and zine ruminations by Rodney Leighton. In the latest issue Knarl surrounds himself with techno-toys, and anticipates law school. Pain addict! A family trip to Pennsylvania brings the Welches to the desolation of Centralia, where a coal fire has been wasting the landscape since 1961. Sue Welch describes Oregon, Terry Jeeves pops in with a good-natured rant about everything from phone horoscopes to crop circles, and Rebel winner and former SFC President Julie Wall tells a terrible traffic tale. In the lettercol, Joseph Nicholas compares winger adulation for Ronald Reagan with the idolatry heaped on Staling when that old horror went to Hell. Good writing in these zines, and a peachy-cute cover to #105 by Sean Russel Friend.
Lofgeornost #75-6 / Fred Lerner, 81 Worcester Ave., White River Junction VT 05001 / fred.lerner@dartmouth.edu / FAPA and trade / Ever traveling, Fred noses into Nova Scotia in this spring FAPAzine, and it’s a fine journey. Seals, fishing villages (I always liked the word “picturesque”) with “Lunenburg bumps” (reminding me of Charleston’s unique side-entry porches), delightful Halifax and its museums, and any number of nifty inns and pubs. One can practically smell the sea air – and one also wonders if Fred & frau have ever visited Fremantle. Various apt mailing comments follow, and a discourse on bibliometrics ends things on a baffling note. The later issue tops its predecessor with a trip of anyone’s lifetime: St. Petersburg, and I don’t mean Florida. Planes, trains, buses, feet – awesome journey! Fred takes us through Lappeenranta on the Finnish-Russian border through Vyborg and its “White Night” (sun doesn’t set that far north) and militant babushkas to St. Petersburg itself. Down Nevskiy Prospekt the Lerners go, through Peter the Great’s Summer Palace and the Russian Museum and gaggles of cathedrals. Finally, after losing his wallet, touring the Grand Palace, and riding the hydrofoil, Fred reaches the Hermitage. The site dwarfs the effect of the art. A rich, detailed, dignified but never dull account, Lofg #76 is another gift from fandom’s busiest and most generous world traveler. But – what is “stuffed dolma”?
Memphen #s 279-281 / Greg Bridges, 141 Stonehaven Circle, Jackson TN 38305 NEW ADDRESS / Trade / Greg sent several back issues of the Memphis clubzine from 2002, all with excellent, funny cover cartoons by Tom Foster; pencilled on each is “for Best Fan Artist”, and if Foster’s work reached more venues, he would certainly merit a nod. Content is the usual for a clubpub, dated now, of course, but some is moving and timeless, such as #281's series of heartfelt memorials for Memphen Dal Coger, P.L. Caruthers-Montgomery and Sid Jones.
Lofgeornost #75-6 / Fred Lerner, 81 Worcester Ave., White River Junction VT 05001 / fred.lerner@dartmouth.edu / FAPA and trade / Ever traveling, Fred noses into Nova Scotia in this spring FAPAzine, and it’s a fine journey. Seals, fishing villages (I always liked the word “picturesque”) with “Lunenburg bumps” (reminding me of Charleston’s unique side-entry porches), delightful Halifax and its museums, and any number of nifty inns and pubs. One can practically smell the sea air – and one also wonders if Fred & frau have ever visited Fremantle. Various apt mailing comments follow, and a discourse on bibliometrics ends things on a baffling note. The later issue tops its predecessor with a trip of anyone’s lifetime: St. Petersburg, and I don’t mean Florida. Planes, trains, buses, feet – awesome journey! Fred takes us through Lappeenranta on the Finnish-Russian border through Vyborg and its “White Night” (sun doesn’t set that far north) and militant babushkas to St. Petersburg itself. Down Nevskiy Prospekt the Lerners go, through Peter the Great’s Summer Palace and the Russian Museum and gaggles of cathedrals. Finally, after losing his wallet, touring the Grand Palace, and riding the hydrofoil, Fred reaches the Hermitage. The site dwarfs the effect of the art. A rich, detailed, dignified but never dull account, Lofg #76 is another gift from fandom’s busiest and most generous world traveler. But – what is “stuffed dolma”?
Memphen #s 279-281 / Greg Bridges, 141 Stonehaven Circle, Jackson TN 38305 NEW ADDRESS / Trade / Greg sent several back issues of the Memphis clubzine from 2002, all with excellent, funny cover cartoons by Tom Foster; pencilled on each is “for Best Fan Artist”, and if Foster’s work reached more venues, he would certainly merit a nod. Content is the usual for a clubpub, dated now, of course, but some is moving and timeless, such as #281's series of heartfelt memorials for Memphen Dal Coger, P.L. Caruthers-Montgomery and Sid Jones.
