The Vine: August 6, 2010
I need help finding this obscure short story I read back in the 5th grade, around 1985. It was a sci-fi time travel story, possibly written for a middle-grade/YA audience, and it was anthologized in a school textbook/reader.
It was pretty cool– from what I can remember, the plot involved two girls, transported from the 19th century (the 1850s? maybe 1860s?) and into the future, so they could be studied by scientists. I remember the illustration that accompanied the story — the girls were out sleigh-riding in the snow, and they, their horses, and the entire sleigh were transported from wintertime New England into a summery meadow.
Of course, the future, while seemingly utopian, is also corporate and cold. Anyway, one of the girls gets pneumonia — or maybe even just a cold — and the two are quarantined. These future people are now completely terrified of these girls, and the girls are not sure why. They are eventually sent back to their own time — and it is revealed that these people in the future have eradicated so many diseases that they have no immunity left. Even a common cold would kill them.
It was a really awesome story, like Louisa May Alcott meets Isaac Asimov. I’ve scanned over time travel story lists, but I can’t see anything like it. Does anybody perhaps remember this story too? I’d love to read it again.
Joanne
*****
Hi Sars:
I don’t know if Ask the Readers does music. I’ve lately been obsessed with a slow, melancholy version of “My Funny Valentine” I recorded off Suny Binghamton’s radio station back in the early nineties; it was the first time I had heard the song, and I loved it played it until I warped the tape, but I never knew who was singing.
I’m pretty sure it was a woman, but she had a deep voice — it sounded a little like Ella Fitzgerald, a little like Sarah Vaughn, a little like Etta James or Chet Baker. I remember that she sang “you make me smile with your heart” rather than “my heart,” and she ad-libbed a little and sang “yet…yet you’re my favorite work of art” instead of singing it straight.
I know that’s not a lot to go on and there are umpty-million versions of that song, especially since American Idol. My impression was that the version was not recent when I had heard it. It was on some kind of eclectic middle-of-the-night insomniac’s radio program. I’ve been YouTubing like crazy and I can’t find it, and now all the different versions are so muddled in my head I’m not sure I’d know it if I heard it. Any help the readers can give would be appreciated.
Rose
Tags: Ask The Readers popcult
According to Wikipedia, Nico covered My Funny Valentine. I have no sound on my work PC so I can’t check but I’m thinking that’s a strong possibility. She does have a fairly deep voice for a woman.
Linda Ronstadt also covered My Funny Valentine on one of her “big band” albums from the 80s.
Could it have been Jo Stafford? I can’t find anything online, but I seem to remember she recorded it. Connee Boswell, too, but I don’t think her voice was all that deep. Sarah Vaughn’s voice darkened over time, and I know there’s footage of her singing “My Funny Valentine” in 1990 where her voice sounds surprisingly deep. I’d almost say it is was this,
http://tinyurl.com/anwou5
except it doesn’t include the line change Rose mentions to “your heart.” I think. The Nico cover I’ve heard doesn’t include that line change, either, although I think “yet you’re my favourite work of art” might be in the lyrics as written.
I would have guessed Sarah Vaughn or Etta James from the description and the arrangement that might have made one think of Chet Baker.
Here is Etta with that same lyrical artistic license: http://tinyurl.com/dyeoj5
The Connie Braswell mentioned above also makes that change and I’ll agree that her voice isn’t particularly low http://tinyurl.com/32e7oox
@Rose
I have no suggestions for you. I just want to say your reference to Suny Binghamton in early 90’s made me smile all the way here in Chicago.
Anna – Class of ’96
Listen to Carly Simon’s verson of Funny Valentine -pretty sure it is available on iTunes. It came out in that time frame and is on her first album of standards (Time After Time) along with Something Wonderful, In the Wee Small Hours, etc. The arrangements are not lush Nelson Riddle, but more low key cabaret.
The book in question is Summer Sleigh Ride – a huge favorite of mine as a kid as well. I actually reviewed it on my site a while back, with links to buy second-hand copies!
http://www.sheilaomalley.com/?p=4885
I’m so excited I actually know one of these!!
Could it maybe be “Demi Moore” (Chrissy Faith)’s cover on the “No Small Affair” soundtrack? I also ruined my version of the tape, but try this singing voice and see if this is it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKvtvkawmMo
Rose, maybe it was Nina Simone’s version? She has the kind of voice you reference…
Sheila! How lovely to see you here! Not that I’m surprised, I guess. If I see a Sheila again here, I’ll smile to think it is someone I know from blogland.
Megan (of FTA and RP)
Rose — it’s Julie London you are looking for. It’s on Youtube, and I’d post you a link if I weren’t such a Luddite.
http://tinyurl.com/28l3qdh
Hope it works.
Just wanted to thank everyone who chimed in on “My Funny Valentine” — I still haven’t found the exact version I remember, but you’ve pointed me to some great ones, especially Julie London, who sounds almost spot on to my memory except without the lyrical changes, so that I wonder if it was some obscure recording of her. I still have to track down the Jo Stafford, Nina Simone, and Chrissy Faith versions. And @ Anna– class of ’95. Can’t believe it’s been more than 15 years.
Thanks for the help, Sheila! “The Summer Sleigh Ride” is indeed that story that was anthologized in my grade school reader. I can’t wait to reread it!
Maybe it’s Rickie Lee Jones’ version?