Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Hurricane’ Schwartz Dishes on Debut Cli-fi Novel "The Weatherman"


Philly TV Weatherman Glenn ''Hurricane’' Schwartz Dishes on Debut Novel

 ''If you’ve lived in the Philadelphia area and have watched NBC10 on TV in the last 25 years, you’ve seen  most likely Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz sweeping his arm over satellite images and telling you whether you’ll need an umbrella."

That was the opening line from Jewish Exponent news reporter Jesse Bernstein introducing the popular Philly TV weatherman Glenn Schwartz and his new novel titled "The Weathermaker," a book I recently reviewed on this blog.

The book details the exploits of a character named Neil Stephenson, a Jewish TV weatherman in Baltimore, whose power to control the weather presents him with pressing moral questions. The novel is getting a lot of media attention now nationwide, with a camera crew from The Weather Channel travelling to Philadelphia to interview Schwartz for a future broadcast about his TV gig -- and about his new cli-fi novel.

When Jesse Bernstein at the Jewish Exponent, a weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, asked Schwartz how he feels Neil Stephenson’s Judaism shapes him as a character in the novel, the first-time novelist explained how he created the character.

''He may not have been brought up in a strict religious atmosphere, but he was exposed to (and appreciated) the morality and ethics taught in Judaism," Schwartz shared. "A recognition that God has the ultimate control, and that we should use our talents for good, not just personal satisfaction. He is not just using his gift to become famous or get rich, but wants to know how to use it. That’s why he seeks out a rabbi for advice and counsel."

When asked if novelists can make the subject of climate change interesting, Schwartz had a ready answer and didn't miss a beat.

"This is where it becomes important to me," he told the Exponent. "There are lots of great books on climate change, written by experts, but they are all nonfiction. Their readers already accept the science (probably a large percentage of them). [However, as a novelist,] I want to reach the broadest audience possible.''

Movies such as “Mad Max” and “Waterworld” deal with future worlds that are severely impacted by climate change, but the science itself is never addressed, he added, noting: "The most recent movie I could think of that deals with climate change was “The Day After Tomorrow”, but that was 15 years ago. And the science in that was pretty bad. In my novel, I have tried to get the science as right, and current as possible."

When asked what kind of readers he is trying to reach, the avuncular and bow-tie wearing TV weather guy said: "First, I want them to be entertained by an interesting story about an interesting subject. And for people with a variety of views on climate to read the book. But I also would like some of the more skeptical readers to open their minds to how the science has evolved in recent years. And for everyone to realize that there could be a time when we become desperate to 'fix' the climate, and how dangerous that could be.'
'
If “The Weathermaker” is a success, will Schwartz try his hand at a second novel?
''I’ve always enjoyed writing, and trying to explain science in ways the general public can understand and enjoy," he replied, implying that there could very well be more weather-related novels under his umbrella.

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丹·布魯姆(Dan Bloom) TRANSLATE TO CHINESE

丹·布魯姆

台灣嘉義市—“如果您過去25年來住在費城地區並在電視上看過NBC10,您很可能已經看到格倫·颶風施瓦茨橫掃衛星圖像並告訴您是否我需要一把雨傘。”
這是從開行猶太指數報記者傑西·伯恩斯坦介紹了流行的費城電視天氣預報員格倫·施瓦茨和他的新小說題目的Weathermaker,一本書我最近這個網站上的審查。
該書詳細介紹了巴爾的摩的一位猶太電視天氣預報員尼爾·史蒂芬森(Neil Stephenson)的行為,他控制天氣的能力向他提出了緊迫的道德問題。如今,這部小說在全國范圍內引起了媒體的廣泛關注,來自《天氣頻道》的攝製組前往費城,採訪了施瓦茨,就他的工作以及他的新小說作了未來廣播。
費城周刊《猶太指數》的傑西·伯恩斯坦問施瓦茲時,他如何感覺尼爾·史蒂芬森的猶太教思想將他塑造成小說中的角色,這位第一任小說家就解釋了他是如何創造角色的。
“他可能沒有在嚴格的宗教氛圍中長大,但他暴露於(並讚賞)猶太教教義中的道德和倫理,”施瓦茨分享道。“認識到上帝擁有最終的控制權,我們應該善用自己的才能,而不僅僅是個人的滿足。他不僅在使用自己的禮物成名或致富,還想知道如何使用它。這就是為什麼他尋找一名拉比尋求建議和忠告。”
當被問及小說家是否可以使氣候變化這個話題變得有趣時,施瓦茨已經準備好了答案,沒有錯過任何機會。
“這對我來說很重要,”他告訴指數公司“有很多由專家撰寫的有關氣候變化的好書,但都是虛構的。他們的讀者已經接受了科學(可能佔很大的比例)。[但是,作為小說家,]我想吸引盡可能多的觀眾。”
他補充說,“ 瘋狂的麥克斯”和“ 世界” 等電影涉及受氣候變化嚴重影響的未來世界,但科學本身從未得到解決,他指出:“我能想到的涉及氣候變化的最新電影是《後天》。明天,但這是15年前。而且那方面的科學非常糟糕。在我的小說中,我試圖使科學正確並儘可能地保持最新。”
當被問及他想吸引什麼樣的讀者時,這位身穿便裝且低頭的電視氣象專家說:“首先,我希望他們對有關有趣主題的有趣故事感到滿意。並為對氣候有多種看法的人閱讀。但我也希望一些持懷疑態度的讀者對近年來科學的發展持開放態度。每個人都意識到,有時我們迫切需要“解決”氣候問題,這將是多麼危險。”
如果天氣預報員  是成功的,施瓦茨會嘗試第二本小說嗎?
他回答說:“我一直很喜歡寫作,並試圖以普通大眾可以理解和享受的方式來解釋科學,”這暗示著在他的保護下很可能會有更多與天氣有關的小說。
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丹·布魯姆(Dan Bloom)是自由撰稿人,氣候活動家和台灣資深網絡衝浪者。可以通過dan.bloom@sdjewishworld.com與他聯繫。

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