The short stories? Again, does that mean I can skip them?

I think some issues raised in the short stories are referenced in the later novels. I'd recommend reading them before you get to Komarr and A Civil Campaign.

The short stories are pretty important, in that they make some of Miles' later actions make more sense. Ethan of Athos, you can skip. In terms of continuity, all you need to know is that Elli has extensive medical treatment on Athos.

I think the first book I read was Falling Free (NOT part of the series - set well before the Vorkosigan stories), or maybe Ethan of Athos. I know it took me a little while to connect them with the Vorkosigan books.

Ouch. I was just reading through Salon's archives and came across Joyce Millman's love letter to Silence of the Lambs.

She concludes:

Clarice Starling has been as imitated within the thriller genre as Lecter. Consider her influence on "The X-Files," for example; without Clarice, there'd be no Agent Scully, or at least no Agent Scully so wise or -- and this is the thing -- so good. Meanwhile, Harris is holed up in Mississippi, where he's been working for way too long on a sequel to "Silence of the Lambs." Where is Clarice Starling now, in her life and career? Until Harris is ready to tell us, his glistening parting glimpse of Clarice, enjoying a much-deserved rest with her new lover in a warm house on the Chesapeake shore as "Orion stood high in the clear night," will have to do. Clarice's face is "rosy in the firelight," writes Harris, "and she sleeps deeply, sweetly, in the silence of the lambs."

And in the hands of her understanding and benevolent creator.

And in the hands of her understanding and benevolent creator.

Huh. Yeah.

Joyce Millman introduced me to Buffy and Homicide. She saved my life, almost, and I still haven't been able to thank her for it.

I'm currently reading a history of American musical theater, called "No Legs, No Jokes, No Chance" by Sheldon Patinkin (cousin of Mandy and a professor of theater at Columbia College in Chicago). (The title comes from a producer's take on "Oklahoma" before it premiered.) It's a textbook, but written in a very readable style.

There's even some snark in it. At the end of the chapters, he'll give examples of where to find versions of the songs and performances he mentions in the chapter for review in class or at home. I just read a citation he gave for a version of "Manhattan," a Rogers and Hart song sung by Ella Fitzgerald, in which he says something like, "If you're a singer, don't pause for a breath in the middle of a word like Ella Fitzgerald does here. She's Ella Fitzgerald; you're not."

The book is really good, and very comprehensive. He starts with a chapter on "Oklahoma," but then goes back to 1791 and various operas and operettas from the 19th century, as well as the British dance hall shows that were imported and the minstrel shows that led to the first glimmers of musical theater in the States. I'm now up to the chapter on "Show Boat."

She's Ella Fitzgerald; you're not.

Wise words.

I'm marking that for my mother. Her favorite musical is Oklahoma! , and she's the reason I know the words to so many musicals. (Curse her.)

We watched Oklahoma on vacation, and I forgot how utterly ludicrous the ending is.

Curly: "Oh yeah, I just killed that dude -- let's go on our honeymoon and have lots of sex!"

Official Dude: "Well, Curly, I have to arrest you."

Curly: "But it's my HONEYMOON! Just LOOK at that fine piece of ass!"

Official Dude: "Okay, Curly, tell me -- did you MEAN to kill Jud?"

Curly: "Um...self-defense! Yeah, that's it! Now can I go have sex with Laurie?"

Official Dude: "Well, that breaks about 10 different laws, but...."

Aunt Eller: "Seriously, Official Dude, I will beat you down if you don't let them go."

Official Dude: "Have a nice honeymoon! Get some for me!"

WTF, man?!? Plus the whole part where Curly killed Jud and is in NO WAY traumatized by the fact and is all hot to trot for the honeymoon sex.

WTF, man?!? Plus the whole part where Curly killed Jud and is in NO WAY traumatized by the fact and is all hot to trot for the honeymoon sex.

Got to love the Shiny! Happy! midcentury musicals.