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Reviews:
Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood
The Best Friend I Ever Had by David Nuffer
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon by Frederik Pohl
Black Rainbow by Barbara Michaels
The Bomb That Followed Me Home by Cevin Soling
Catalog by Eugene Mirabelli
The Chemist by Janson Mancheski
Culture Shock! California by Mark Cramer
The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
Heechee Rendezvous by Frederik Pohl
How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo
Keeping Hannah Waiting by Dave Clarke
Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
Love in 90 Days by Diana Kirschner
The Night We Buried Road Dog by Jack Cady
Of Dreams and Reality by Frank L. Johnson
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
Purplicious by Elizabeth and Victoria Kann
School Days by B. G. Hennessy
The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay
Sister Margaret by Rhonda Parrish
A Surprise for Rosie by Julia Rawlinson
Texas Bake Sale by Charles Coleman Finlay
There's a Wolf at the Door by Zoë B. Alley
Tiger Burning Bright by Theodora DuBois
Venice by Adrian Stokes and John Piper
Winding Broomcorn by Mario Milosevic
The Whole Shebang by Timothy Ferris

Ulysses:
Episode 2: Nestor: Kif
Episode 3: Proteus: Georgia Nicholson
Episode 4: Calypso: Parasites Lost
Episode 5: The Lotus Eaters: Down to the River to Pray

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Winding Broomcorn: 03/21/09

Before I begin my review of "Winding Broomcorn" by Mario Milosevic, the Hugo nominations have been announced. FSF has a number of entries but the one that has me most excited is Gordon Van Gelder's nomination in the "Best Editor, Short Form" category. The magazine and the forum wouldn't be the same without his hard work and sense of humor. Congratulations! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

"Winding Broomcorn" is Mario Milosevic's second story in the magazine. The first one, "Dead Letters" was published 30 years ago. This very short story delighted me and reminded me of Margarettown by Gabrielle Zevin. I think it's my favorite of the February issue so far.

In it, a man who specializes in handmade brooms is approached by a witch who needs a broom made a certain way for an unspoken reason. He nods knowingly, remember a woman he loved and has lost and makes the broom to her specification. In turn he is invited to a gathering where he is allowed one last change to say goodbye to his lost love.

I hope I don't have to wait another 30 years for another of Milosevic's stories to appear in F&SF.

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