The Ballad of Beta-2

Samuel Delany's The Ballad of Beta-2 is another example of his excellent early novels and novellas. The central character, Joneny, a student of galactic anthropology, is assigned the task of researching a ballad among the "degenerate" Star Folk, descendants of human colonists sent into interstellar space before the invention of the hyperdrive. This particular ballad, however, is an interesting science-fiction retelling of Judaeo-Christian themes and beliefs. Sure, the interstellar star-ship voyagers partly inspired by Biblical stories is not new in science fiction, but Delany's short novel manages to convey a suspenseful story of god-like beings and human redemption. Indeed, the travails of 12 generations of these Star Folk were not for naught, as the child of Captain Leela and the "Destroyer" will ease future communication between humans and other peoples of the universe. One can also appreciate the interesting anthropological aspects of the text lie in its depiction of multiple-generations of humans adapted to life on star-ships, and the degree to which they desire to impose social norms can be disastrous. Considering Delany's own "outsider" status as an African American and gay man, the forces promoting social conformity and the status quo through the upholding of blind rituals are clearly a reminder of life in 1960s America. Or today, in 2020, for that matter. Society needs its deviants, just as the deviants require society.

Empire Star

Samuel Delany's Empire Star was a very endearing and clever novella. The journey of a hero, but with the addition of a spatial-temporal loop with and without a clear beginning and end. The novel also engages with the theme of enslavement (the Lll) and war while showing how even so-called simplex individuals are capable of multiplex comprehension and development. In fact, with the enslavement of the Lll and Jo's time on a literal slave-carrying spaceship, one can see links to Afrofuturism and African American history in this novel, even though none of the characters are "black." Indeed, Comet Jo, who "begins" the tale as a simplex boy on Rhys, shows how intelligence by itself does not define the three concepts of simplex, complex, and multiplex. It's also of significance how this novel was used to finance Delany's travels to Europe, which proved influential for his superior novel, Nova. Nova is also a quest story, but Lorq Von Ray is, at least on the surface, a more compelling character. Nevertheless, Delany is a master of world-building and includes some humorous allusions to science fiction (Sturgeon) and Earth history. The Lump is an excellent character, Jewel's interjections are humorous and Delany deserves accolades for a narrative that somehow remains coherent despite its wacky characters.

Nadia: Secret of Blue Water

Been thinking about Nadia: Secret of Blue Water for some time now. Although only very loosely based on Jules Verne's famous novel, the series reimagines it for an engaging adventure story with even more absurd science fiction elements. Despite some rather regrettable story arcs (Lincoln Island and the short trip to Africa), most of the episodes are endearing and entertaining tales of adventure, mystery, technology, and maturation for Nadia, Jean, Grandis and friends in the late 1800s. What's not to love about a series of adventures in the late 19th century, beginning in Paris and ending in space?

Like Shinji in Hideaki Anno's better-known series, Nadia is something of an orphan with a difficult relationship with her father. She also struggles to accept her role and to find her identity, mistakenly thinking she is from Africa when her roots lie somewhere else (no spoilers). But what most appeals to me from this family-friendly TV series from the early 1990s is a cautious embrace of technology and progress. Jean, the boy genius capable of inventing airplanes and other wonders, confronts the limitations of an obsession with technology as the path forward for humanity. Jean must learn that matters of the heart and the ideas behind the technology matter just as much if not more than advanced ancient technology.

The series, to me at least, seems to embrace the idea of progress lying in personal growth and openness to difference, not technological prowess or power. Set in a time of imperialism and industrialization, Jean and Nadia's budding love and the diverse crew of the Nautilus hint at an ideal future at odds with the ugly present of the late 19th century. Even the main antagonist in the series wears a hood resembling KKK outfits and pledges to restore ancient Atlantis to subjugate the human race, calling to mind the ugly realities of the period. Moreover, unlike Neon Genesis Evangelion, there is a more optimistic conclusion to the series, too, although some would interpret the ending of Evangelion as a positive one. Overall, I prefer Nadia to Shinji as a protagonist, but Evangelion is the superior series (its brevity helps as it contains far less filler than Nadia).

Back to Basics

The last few weeks have been difficult. And to make matters worse, I haven't been reading nearly enough. Reading is one of the few comforts, particularly at this moment of uncertainty and pandemic-related chaos. I'm hoping to delve into Sei Shonagon's famous collection of anecdotes and musings soon, while also having time to enjoy a French sci-fi comic book series. Augustine's Confessions was not quite working for me, possibly due to it being more of a spiritual conversion narrative rather than an autobiography. I still have to consider tackling classics like Moby Dick and the complete translation of Tale of Genji, as well as a plethora of other novels. Indeed, Delany's Empire Star has been on the list as I need to continue reading science fiction. So, in our solitude, let us try to find solace in the company of literature. Less screen time, fewer obsessive "research" pursuits, and more reading.

A Wasted Week...?

Le Philanthrope and the 171 liberated captives

A lack of focus will really take its toll on your life. The last week has mostly been wasted on various little projects while attempting to deal with health problems. Instead of reading at least 2 or 3 books, I was obsessively pursuing genealogical "research" and some "historical" topics of interest. So, instead of the usual rant one would expect from this blog, this post is a short update on what has transpired over the course of the last 7 days. 

The first project, the genealogical one, is long-term and requires more documents and interviews with older relatives before anything can be confirmed. Nonetheless, it was a learning experience to comb through digitized Haitian marriage and birth records, endeavoring to decipher one name or letter in the ornate cursive of the past. Without consulting some of the older cousins of my grandparents, I cannot narrow down exactly who my great-great-grandparents were from the legible marriage and birth records. Nonetheless, I have learned exactly what part of the province we hail from and more details about Bainet's colonial and post-independence history. Talking with older relatives revealed even more surprises, such as my god-mother being present at my great-grandmother's funeral. We really take our elders for granted, even though they are a treasure trove of information, details, and stories of the past. 

As for the other project, it is a long-term one that will require travel and research funding through a variety of archives. I doubt I will ever finish it. In short, I am interested in the forms of Haitian anti-slavery after 1804. Sure, some scholars have written about the impact of the Haitian Revolution and its possible influence on slave revolts and black uprisings. But what about the role of the Haitian state in direct anti-slavery activity? Haitian abolitionism? Haitian interception of slave ships in the Caribbean? And what happened to "liberated" Africans and fugitive slaves who found a refuge in Haiti? Going through the usual secondary sources and some of the digitized Haitian newspapers revealed some new surprises, like the existence of an abolitionist society in Port-au-Prince during the 1830s. But so much digging through newspapers and the archives would be required to even begin to do justice to this topic.

So, a week has been "wasted" on obsessively pursuing these aforementioned topics and themes. Why do I do it? No one knows. Perhaps the pandemic and ill health have pushed me into the brink of madness. Regardless of my possible insanity, this short update will perhaps elucidate my silence over the last week. After all, my legions of readers must have wondered what happened to the short book posts  and usual chatter in these parts. Rest assured, the next post will cover some other random topic or book to keep you entertained.