Bruchac, Joseph - Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two

I write short reviews so I can post them...

This is a competently written but not spectacular novel about the Navajo code talkers of WWII. What struck me most was Bruchac noting the discrepancy between the Navajos being forced to abandon their language earlier on (many of them have their mouths washed out with soap if they're caught speaking Navajo) and the US later needing that very language for the war.

While I admired the Navajos' willingness to fight for a country that had pretty much screwed them over, I'm angry that even then, they didn't get promotions or much recognition.

Robins, Madeleine E. - The Stone War

A fantasy (despite the future setting, I think it's fantasy) of post-apocalyptic New York. Starts out good and atmospheric, ends with some plot points that make me want to spork things, most notably those having to do with the two women of color and the one older woman.

Points given for having more than one woman of color, and even more points for having a woman over 50, but still.

Also, I was rather unsatisfied with the conclusion; I think I wanted more of an explanation than there was.

Wiscon 31: Third Culture Kids

Description: Not everyone is born in one country and grows up there. Some are born in one country and then grow up in another, or several others; these are third culture kids. Often, they find themselves out of synch with both places. What is it like to a third culture kid and where can we find ourselves in sf/f? Is Temeraire of the Naomi Novik novels a third culture kid?

Panelists: Lawrence Schimel (desayunoencama) (mod), Alma Alexander, yhlee, me

This is going to be a rather sketchy write up, since I didn't take notes. Also, it will probably be rather self-centered because I remember what I said best, heh.

Lawrence was the mod, but he was coming from a reading in a non-Concourse building, so the panel started a little late. Also, he had only found out he was the moderator a couple of hours beforehand! Alma Alexander, Yoon and me sort of stared at each other for a bit before deciding that maybe we should introduce ourselves. Thankfully, Lawrence ran in a bit after the introductions and saved us from more aimless staring.

Alexander said she was born in Yugoslavia but grew up in various countries in Africa and got her education in the UK and South Africa. Yoon said she was born in the States and alternately moved between the US and Korea several times. I said I was born in the States and then moved to Taiwan when I was 8 or 9. Lawrence said that he was not really a third culture kid, but more a third culture adult, having moved to Spain a while back.

I interrupted the panel mid-discussion sometime to ask if people wanted a definition for TCKs; I figure it'll be useful for people reading this now to have it at the front. Third culture kids are generally defined as people who grew up in two or more cultures (and usually countries, so hyphenated Americans and etc. don't usually count). Growing up in two or more cultures generally means that they form a "third" (or fourth, or fifth, etc.) culture of their own. General traits tend to include a feeling of perpetual alienation and a more global perspective (at least, I hope so for the second).

I also defined the difference between immigrants and expats as: immigrants are viewed as moving "up" culturally while expats are viewed as moving "down" or across. Lawrence also mentioned that expats generally have the option to return or move back and forth between their adopted country and their chosen country, and that they have a different relationship with their adopted country than immigrants tend to. I think a lot of this (or all of this) has to do with class; expats have the resources to move about and to keep options open while immigrants don't. I add my usual disclaimer that I am defining immigrant vs. expat descriptively and not prescriptively; this is how I think the terms are consciously or unconsciously used.

Someone later (in conversation or in the panel, I can't remember) brought up refugees as well, who are usually perceived to be even lower on the class scale (though not always; my grandparents for example).

( Cut for length )

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ZOMG I POSTED! A long post! Finally!

I will now attempt to catch up on comments and such. Also, woe, am so behind on things!