The Compass Rose, Vol. 2, No. 1, Spring 2002

Heyla, Misty fans and other visitors!

I've heard it said that good things come to those who wait <g>. I apologize for being so late getting this issue of The Compass Rose online, but the births of my daughter, Kassandra Alys, in October 2000 and my son, John Alayn, in November 2001 interrupted my coding plans. As a result, there was only one issue in Volume 1. I'm going to try to return to the quarterly publishing schedule we intended. That said, here is a brief overview of the contents of this issue:

Laura Felton opens this issue with a fascinating discussion of music from medieval Ireland. Filk fans, take note! This is where a lot of those tunes we love came from originally.

I then take a trip down memory lane with the publication of the very first Arthurian paper I ever wrote. I am quite stunned at how many of my current ideas were already developing when I was fifteen years old. Yes, there are some points in this paper with which I no longer agree, but there are also a surprising number of assertions that I still hold to be true. Anyone who has been following the development of my ideas about the Arthurian tales will find this early piece particularly interesting.

Kendra Renaud shifts the conversation to the topic of banned books and censorship in our nation's libraries. She looks at the history of censorship and points out several disturbing incidents that happened not too long ago. This is a must-read for book lovers who enjoy making their own decisions about their reading material.

As usual, we have several reviews covering a range of interests in a variety of media. So pour yourself a drink, sit back in your chair, and prepare to enjoy some thought-provoking discussions worthy of the professors and students who gather at Misty's Compass Rose.

Zhai'helleva,

Herald-Mage Master Danya Winterborn,
aka Linda A. Malcor,
Co-President, Queen's Own