June 2021 Recommended Reading/Viewing

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

So we've reached June now – 2021 is already halfway behind us. For some, it's probably been quick, and for others, it must have been slow. At least we're moving into summer (although sweltering heat isn't necessarily preferable). I've been indulging in genre fiction recently, so I have some suitably speculative recommendations for you this month.

Reading: Starship Troopers (1959) by Robert A. Heinlein

The classic military sci-fi novel, this is one of the best-known titles by the legendary first Grand Master and perhaps his most controversial, as some critics are unsure of what is fiction and what is an espousal of Heinlein's genuine beliefs. Written in response to the U.S. suspending nuclear testing, the story is set in the far future – one in which public service is required to cast a vote and participate in the Terran Federation's government; the action centers around one such branch of service, that of the elite Mobile Infantry which defends Earth from enemy threats through body-enhancing powered armor. Juan "Johnny" Rico simply meant to get his franchise, but his grueling boot camp training is put to the test when an insect-like alien species from the planet Klendathu (derisively referred to as "Bugs" and "Arachnids") instigate an interstellar war. Originally meant as a juvenile, the novel marked a turning point in Heinlein's career as he moved to more adult-oriented fiction; the brisk, exciting pace is marked with ruminations on the value of service, the effectiveness of capital and corporal punishment, and other subjects, which has led some detractors to label Heinlein a fascist. It's a fun read that doesn't have to be agreed with completely to enjoy.

Mass Market: https://www.amazon.com/Starship-Troopers-Robert-Heinlein/dp/0441783589/ref=monarch_sidesheet
Trade: https://www.amazon.com/Starship-Troopers-Robert-Heinlein/dp/0441014100/ref=monarch_sidesheet
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Starship-Troopers-Robert-Heinlein-ebook/dp/B004EYTK2C/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=



Viewing: Mad Max (George Miller, 1979)

This is the cult classic dystopian film that made Mel Gibson a star and launched the Australian New Wave film movement into international success. Gibson plays Max Rockatansky, a weary cop assigned to a future Australia's Main Force Patrol (MFP) which hunts down the highway's deadliest offenders; he plans to resign after increasing disillusionment, but a tragedy involving his family's death at the hands of a psychotic biker gang drives him over the edge, leading him to take a supercharged V8 Pursuit Special – a car specially made for high speeds – and exact a cold revenge on the gang members. Compared to the later entries, this is a rather tame, low-budget release lacking a lot of the extravagances associated with the franchise, but it's still a great film, its appeal coming from its midnight movie aesthetic and the charisma of its cast, anchored by a young Gibson as the near-unhinged Max and Hugh Keays-Byrne as the flamboyant gang leader Toecutter. It's worth a viewing, especially for those interested in the development of action movies of the later 1980s and their over-the-top anti-heroes.

DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Mad-Max-Mel-Gibson/dp/B00CDDHI5W/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=mad+max+dvd&qid=1622509845&sr=8-5
Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.com/Mad-Max-Blu-ray-Mel-Gibson/dp/B08H5BRLRN/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1622509845&sr=8-5
4K: https://www.amazon.com/Mad-Max-4KUHD-Blu-ray-Gibson/dp/B08H5DFV1P/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=mad+max+4k&qid=1622510889&sr=8-2
Amazon Video: https://www.amazon.com/Mad-Max-Mel-Gibson/dp/B000IZXR7U/ref=tmm_aiv_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1622509845&sr=8-5


Hopefully, these will make your summer enjoyable. Get out there when you can and enjoy the weather, but remember to stay safe and respect the boundaries of those who are still trying to get through the pandemic.