Future Females, The Next Generation: New Voices and Velocities in Feminist Science Fiction Criticism ed. by Marleen S. Barr (review)

those mentioned previously, the units cover a good range of authors, including Meena Alexander, Bharati Mukherjee, Le Ly Hayslip, Jessica Hagedorn, Philip Kangotanda, Momoko Iko, and Wakako Yahauchi. The discussion of short fiction and poetry are classroom-oriented, providing reviews and bibliographies of Asian American anthologies, short fiction, and poetry. Overall, the depth and practicality ofA Resource Guide to Asian American Literature have made it indispensable to me already as an instructor in multi-ethnic literature survey courses. It is much needed. Now we can only hope for Wong and Sumida to take the same comprehensive approach to Asian American short fiction and poetry. % Marleen S. Barr, ed. Future Females, The Next Generation: New Voices and Velocities in Feminist Science Fiction Criticism. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Litdefield Publishers, Inc., 2000. 323p. Lorie Sauble-?tt? University of Northern Colorado From one of the most important names in Feminist Science Fiction criticism comes a follow-up collection ofarticles by sixteen representatives ofthe ever-growing body ofscholars in the discipline. While the first Future Females published in 1981 served as an introduction and eye-opener to the field of Feminist Science Fiction, FutureFemales, TNG, as referred to by the editor and contributor, Marleen S. Barr, delves into and showcases the creative discursive practice currently taking place, twenty years later, in Feminist Science Fiction scholarship. This collection spotlights some of the most innovative and interdisciplinary scholarship by the SF community ofauthors, scholars, students, and teachers. Future Females, The Next Generation is divided into five different sub-topics: "Utopia and Dystopia," "Alternative Cyberpunk," "Sex/Gender," "First Contacts," and "New Female Heroes." Within each sub-topic are placed several articles concerning a variety ofauthors and/or other media. Many ofthe contributions to this collection are revisions or re-readings ofclassics such as TheFemaleMan byJoanna Russ, and the works of Ursula Le Guin; however, the majority of the pieces explore contemporary authors and sub-genres, such as cyberpunk, ecotopia, Chicana futuristic writing as well as explorations in film and television SF. Much of the scholarly value of this collection resides in its multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural approach to Feminist Science Fiction criticism. The editor's own contribution, "Post-Phallic Culture: Reality Now Resembles Utopian Feminist Science Fiction," is a scholarly romp through a number of"exceedingly dis92 + ROCKY MOUNTAIN REVIEW * FALL 2003 Reviews parate cultural manifestations" of "utopian post-phallic culture" (68). With examples drawn from art, literature, film, politics, society, and entertainment, Barr weaves a cultural critique ofsociety through the lens ofFeminist Science Fiction. Another important scholar in the field of feminist science fiction (and feminist fiction in general), Anne Cranny-Francis, combines feminist theories ofthe body and the cyborg with an analysis of"the figure ofthe cyborg" or "Borg" characters in several Star Trek productions, both television and film (145). Another remarkable contribution is made by Deirdre Byrne in "Truth and Story: History in Ursula K. Le Guin's Short Fiction and the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission ," wherein the author juxtaposes some ofLe Guin's work with the current political and societal challenges facing the leaders and citizens ofher homeland. The multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural emphasis ofthis collection makes it a perfect reader for Cultural Studies courses as well as for any Science Fiction course at the graduate level and as an excellent resource for advanced undergraduate students interested in Science Fiction scholarship. This book serves as an important tool in the promotion of science fiction scholarship well into the next decade or until Barr graces us with the next Future Females] % Steven G. Kellman, ed. SwitchingLanguages: Translingual Writers Reflect on Their Craft. Lincoln: University ofNebraska Press, 2003. 339p. Christa Albrecht-Crane Utah Valley State College Readers ofthis journal might remember a special issue ofthe New Yorker in June 1997 devoted to Indian literature; I recall a large number of colleagues in the English department in which I was a graduate student at that time, at Washington State University, reading the issue with great interest. Salman Rushdie had been asked to guest edit the issue, introducing and selecting texts by other contemporary Indian writers. In his introduction, "Damme, This Is the Oriental Scene for You!" Rushdie offered a provocative argument suggesting that...