…
but were afraid to ask.
Like
an aging pop star, I suppose it’s time to drag out some of my greatest
blogging hits, or at least ones that I like the most. There are a couple of
reasons for this.
One,
I have done a lot of work on this thing which the various fans surfing in and
out of this site might not be familiar with. Some of this has been published on other sites, but still ...
Two,
I also do not really keep producing materials for this blog on a regular basis.
My book drained an enormous amount of fuel from my tank when it comes to Star Wars. Not to mention all the
reasons I outlined in my previous post on Christmas Eve.
However,
not long after I posted I began to hear the Midichlorians whispering in my ear
that there was still a considerable amount to say about this franchise, and
chances were no one was going to if I didn’t. Those galactic muses are guiding
me again, and some big projects may be in the works when it comes to my Star Wars scholasticism. Even now, it doesn't seem possible that I won't - at some point - be writing something interpreting the themes, symbols, and philosophies of Episodes IV, V, and VI. Just flipping
through the Star Wars Frames book that I got for Christmas really started
inspiring me again, letting me find what was left of my old voice or perhaps
invent a new one.
Peeps, I still absolutely love this stuff.
Last
time, I used a Doctor Who metaphor to talk about my transition, but it was not
unlike Ashoka Tano at the end of The Clone Wars. She walked away from a
dogmatic and bureaucratic Jedi Order, leaving behind the named and the known,
with nothing left to do but carve out a new life for herself. That was very
much me, abandoning my comfort zone until not really even being sure I had one
anymore. But that’s what life requires of us, and that’s why the Jedi stance on
non-attachment in an ever-changing, ever-transforming galaxy makes a fair
amount of sense.
Needless
to say, if you enjoy what you read here, my book is the best way to go ….
But
in case Amazon is sold out again and you’re not feeling the Force of the
e-book, here’s some essays and editorials that I love from this blog.
Reading
The Force – This is basically an introduction to what I do and why I do it, as
well as establishing that Star Wars is a language best when poetically interpreted.
Deconstructing Vader – This is a great
one that views Star Wars through the
lens of Eastern philosophy, specifically Zen Buddhism.
The Saga in a
Paragraph –
One paragraph from The Hero With a
Thousand Faces, a lot of deftly chosen images from Star Wars, and yes, the whole story unfolds
Star Wars According to William Blake - A very similar thesis, only this time juxtaposing images from a galaxy far, far away beside the poetry of William Blake.
.
How a Jedi Master Makes War - Still mourning the loss of The Clone Wars? Try out this study of the first episode, Ambush.
Slower and Less Intense - Still not enough Clone Wars? This is an analysis of the character Tera Sinube in the episode Lightsaber Lost.
Lucas the Sell Out! - Tired of listening to the endless bashing of who art critic Camille Paglia refers to as the "world's greatest living artist"? Me too. Hint, the article is ironically named.
Lucas Stole All My Money! - Surprisingly enough, this article was also ironically titled. Think Lucas owes you something? Only from a certain point of view.
Night of the Mindless Lucas Slaves! - After having the phrase "mindless Lucas slave" fired in my direction a number of times over the past decade or so, why not just embrace it? This rounds out the trilogy about why the Notorious GL is still a stand-up dude.
Why Midichlorians Matter - An in depth analysis of why those microscopic little buggers make perfect sense in that galaxy far, far away. Plus one of my most well-punned titles.
The Soul of Star Wars - And finally, some thoughts from me early on concerning the Disney buy out and the future of our saga. Not to mention my own particular take on what it all means to me.
P.S. And if you're int he mood for more reviews, this one courtesy of Bookgasm. The comments section is particularly interesting.
P.P.S. Also check out the brilliantly entertaining Coffee with Kenobi. This episode features not only Kenobi himself, but also a kind listener email concerning my book.
