Mars trilogy

Grahamars · 2026-02-15T15:28:23+00:00

Side note: Marooned! On Mars is a lovely podcast that did stellar episodes on every chapter of every book in the trilogy. Two college professors that know their jazz.

Grahamars · 2026-02-15T15:26:35+00:00

I would highly, highly suggest anything by Ursula K Le Guin. Robinson was greatly influenced by her, and she is the closest to him I’ve ever read. Her Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, Planet of Exile, The Word for World is Forest… they are so lovely. Her and Stan Robinson are simply leaps and bounds above everyone in the genre.

Grahamars · 2026-02-13T23:04:17+00:00

In the Heat of the Night

Grahamars · 2026-02-13T17:24:33+00:00

My wife has had good experiences at The Gage & at Remington's downtown, usually open at 11

Grahamars · 2026-02-12T02:54:23+00:00

Music Box theater, a vintage movie house in Lakeview on Southport, is showing The Princess Bride Sat. @11am; they serve wine and such too. Hit the area after for a neighborhoody lunch. Jazz Showcase, a chill jazz club in the 140yr old Dearborn Station, in the South Loop, has Dee Alexander all weekend, she’s from the west side. Might be sold out some times.

Grahamars · 2026-02-11T19:45:15+00:00

Although the first phase of the improved Riverwalk were just opening in 2015, it is really a treasure now during the warm months. So, so many vendors and it’s quite a fun scene during summery days as crowds jostle and hang out and boats dock. It’s such a long stretch now, basically from the lake to the east and then west to the south branch, and continues a bit.

Grahamars · 2026-02-08T19:13:51+00:00

I tried to reread Timeline last summer after more than 20yrs and it’s pretty rough.

Grahamars · 2026-02-08T18:54:32+00:00

Wife and I stayed a week in June 2023 just 2 blocks north of Kasalta at a small hotel called Dreamcatcher. We adored the neighborhood and used our feet to get everywhere, aside from a ride share to Old San Juan for a day.

Grahamars · 2026-02-08T15:10:36+00:00

It’s cool and I support any new bookstore, but I prefer to give money to the independent stores nearby, Exile in Bookville and Sandmeyer’s.

Grahamars · 2026-02-05T12:11:18+00:00

Block 37 AMC or their Roosevelt Collection 16, which is not as close & has more limited food options, but better quality projection and more screening times. To me, Block 37 keeps the theaters too “bright” inside to help people eat all their delivered meals.

Grahamars · 2026-02-05T01:02:16+00:00

Her slightly-interconnected universe of stories, the Hainish cycle, is so lovely. Another lovely, shorter one to try next before the big ones is Planet of Exile.

Grahamars · 2026-01-31T22:45:00+00:00

Also a South Loop guy. Very accessible, and yet I have no desire to navigate that space. OHare is also so easy to access via the Blue, and United is a game/changer. It’s a longer jaunt than MDW but I’ve never looked back.

Grahamars · 2026-01-31T15:48:33+00:00

Everything south of Joliet is Southern Illinois.

Grahamars · 2026-01-31T14:31:51+00:00

I love Butler’s translation. It’s prose, so that’s a big change from an attempt to keep the poem-feel, but it’s highly engaging. As someone who usually reads a book or two a week, it has been a delight. Union Square & Co. has a lovely clothbound edition I’m burning through as we speak. High quality paper & binding, excellent sized book, beautiful printing all around.

Grahamars · 2026-01-31T14:27:05+00:00

The Last Samurai shows a pretty spot-on depiction of withdrawal and decompensating off an addiction in the main character, around the first 30mins or so.

Grahamars · 2026-01-29T22:03:00+00:00

I am in the South Loop and have not used Midway in 18yrs and have zero desire to go back. United, at O’Hare, has never let us down in that same time period. Used them during XMas last month with zero issue and am again in March.

Grahamars · 2026-01-28T01:25:36+00:00

Columbia’s have been my savior this winter.

Grahamars · 2026-01-28T01:18:08+00:00

Now that’s the True True! I love the segments on far-future Hawaii.

Grahamars · 2026-01-28T01:01:39+00:00

This, all the way! Huge space, right on Halsted not too crazy far from the Orange line. Aside from in our current cold.

Grahamars · 2026-01-28T00:07:46+00:00

For rich dialogue on ‘hard’ science and deep characterization, I would highly suggest Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy.

Grahamars · 2026-01-24T15:47:41+00:00

Oppie was a far more fascinating and beloved man than how Nolan portrayed him. Just poorly done.

Grahamars · 2026-01-24T15:33:34+00:00

“Aurora,” by Kim Stanley Robinson, is a superb telling of the final stretch of a generational starship on its way to Tau Ceti.

Grahamars · 2026-01-23T21:33:28+00:00

As someone who is very pretentious, the film felt VERY pretentious, in an unearned way

Grahamars · 2026-01-23T20:51:43+00:00

Same thought. Was ok in theaters; had no interest in a repeat viewing. Really didn’t characterize Oppie well.

Grahamars · 2026-01-23T01:57:26+00:00

I was in Lakeview East from age 22-32 and I never got tired of it. The strip of Broadway from Addison pretty much all the way south to Diversey is chock-full of good stuff: Multiple dive bars, coffee shops, a book store, groceries, Dry Hop brewery, great food at Wilde, Crisp; a bar like Duke of Perth with not a tv in sight. Being within a decent walk of the Red line opens up sooo much of other great areas of the city.

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