These are my favorite science fiction (not fantasy) books of all time.
The City and the Stars (1956) - Arthur C. Clarke
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Monday, July 26, 2010
What I'm Reading
Recently Finished
Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon ***** - SciFi/Fantasy
The Course of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth **** - SciFi/Fantasy
The Poker Bride by Christopher Corbett *** - History
Escape from Hell by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle *** - SciFi/Fantasy
Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle ***** - SciFi/Fantasy
The Egyptians by Cyril Aldred *** - History
more detailed reviews later if I have the time
Reading Now
Dracula by Bram Stoker - Fantasy/Horror
Ancient Peoples of the Great Basin & Colorado Plateau by Steven R. Simms - History/Anthropology
In the Queue
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly - Horror/Fantasy
Bunch of stuff by H. P. Lovecraft - Horror/Fantasy
Misadventures of the Most Favored Nations by Paul Blustein- Current Events
Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon ***** - SciFi/Fantasy
The Course of Empire by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth **** - SciFi/Fantasy
The Poker Bride by Christopher Corbett *** - History
Escape from Hell by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle *** - SciFi/Fantasy
Inferno by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle ***** - SciFi/Fantasy
The Egyptians by Cyril Aldred *** - History
more detailed reviews later if I have the time
Reading Now
Dracula by Bram Stoker - Fantasy/Horror
Ancient Peoples of the Great Basin & Colorado Plateau by Steven R. Simms - History/Anthropology
In the Queue
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly - Horror/Fantasy
Bunch of stuff by H. P. Lovecraft - Horror/Fantasy
Misadventures of the Most Favored Nations by Paul Blustein- Current Events
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Science Fiction Recommendations
I like reading science fiction. I have since I first learned to read. One of the reading programs I had at Sahuaro School in Phoenix, Arizona, as a kid included a set of short chapters from a variety of different books. I remember getting a chapter from Robert Heinlein's Farmer in the Sky; one near the begining of the book that described the rocket ship taking off and I've been hooked ever since.
I have been reading and rereading some good scifi books over the holidays and have some recommendations.
I just finished three books by John Scalzi. Two of them, Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades, I've read previously. Both of these are set in the same universe where humans are fighting desperately to remain alive in a universe filled with hostile aliens. The unique twist in these books is that the defense forces consist almost entirely of old people from earth who have joined in order to avoid dying and are given brand new superhero bodies which are designed specifically for fighting aliens. The writing is very brisk and there's lots of action and plot twists. Both of these books are a lot of fun. I would read them in order, Old Man's War first and then, The Ghost Brigades.
The third book by Scalzi that I just finished is The Android's Dream, which I picked up on Tuesday and finished in about 24 hours. This one is much more humorous and I laughed a lot. It starts off with a US trade representative deliberately insulting his alien counterpart in a special language of scent that only the alien understands. After repeated messages like, "Your mother mates with algae," being anonymously sprayed into the atmosphere the alien finally discovers who is sending the messages and becomes so enraged that he dies of a stroke. The human diplomat laughs so hard he also dies of a heart attack. The rest of the book is very similar with lots of quirky plot twists and wacky scenes. This book is a real romp.
I am now rereading a pair of books by Dan Simmons, Ilium and Olympos, which I first read a couple of years ago. Simmons is a very good writer. These two books, which are really one story, are set in the far distant future where some humans have advanced so far scientifically that they are both virtually and literally gods. They have recreated the Trojan War and are watching over their simulation waiting for it to play out. Of course, things go wildly wrong, and there are several storylines to follow. I liked these two books a lot.
I have been reading and rereading some good scifi books over the holidays and have some recommendations.
I just finished three books by John Scalzi. Two of them, Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades, I've read previously. Both of these are set in the same universe where humans are fighting desperately to remain alive in a universe filled with hostile aliens. The unique twist in these books is that the defense forces consist almost entirely of old people from earth who have joined in order to avoid dying and are given brand new superhero bodies which are designed specifically for fighting aliens. The writing is very brisk and there's lots of action and plot twists. Both of these books are a lot of fun. I would read them in order, Old Man's War first and then, The Ghost Brigades.
The third book by Scalzi that I just finished is The Android's Dream, which I picked up on Tuesday and finished in about 24 hours. This one is much more humorous and I laughed a lot. It starts off with a US trade representative deliberately insulting his alien counterpart in a special language of scent that only the alien understands. After repeated messages like, "Your mother mates with algae," being anonymously sprayed into the atmosphere the alien finally discovers who is sending the messages and becomes so enraged that he dies of a stroke. The human diplomat laughs so hard he also dies of a heart attack. The rest of the book is very similar with lots of quirky plot twists and wacky scenes. This book is a real romp.
I am now rereading a pair of books by Dan Simmons, Ilium and Olympos, which I first read a couple of years ago. Simmons is a very good writer. These two books, which are really one story, are set in the far distant future where some humans have advanced so far scientifically that they are both virtually and literally gods. They have recreated the Trojan War and are watching over their simulation waiting for it to play out. Of course, things go wildly wrong, and there are several storylines to follow. I liked these two books a lot.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Book Review - Meltdown
Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis, by Mike Chinoy
I started this book last Thursday and finished it this morning. It is a fascinating look at US policy toward North Korea during the Bush administration (up through early 2008). There is also some good background on US-North Korean diplomatic relations. The most interesting part of the book, to me, was the documentation of the internal warfare in the US foreign policy bureacracy over what the correct US policy ought to be. The book is meticulously researched and would be a good read for anyone interested in North Korea, or in the mechanics of US foreign policy.
Chinoy is obviously a supporter of negotiations with North Korea, but he makes a good case. For the most part the book is historical documentation of what actually happened with little or no editorializing. The fact of the matter is that, despite a hard-line attitude toward North Korea, the Bush administration eventually ended up with pretty much the same deal that the Clinton administration had, but North Korea acquired several addition nuclear bombs in the meantime.
North Korea is run by a reprehensible ruling elite with an awful human rights record, but Chinoy makes a very good case for the US talking with them anyway.
I started this book last Thursday and finished it this morning. It is a fascinating look at US policy toward North Korea during the Bush administration (up through early 2008). There is also some good background on US-North Korean diplomatic relations. The most interesting part of the book, to me, was the documentation of the internal warfare in the US foreign policy bureacracy over what the correct US policy ought to be. The book is meticulously researched and would be a good read for anyone interested in North Korea, or in the mechanics of US foreign policy.
Chinoy is obviously a supporter of negotiations with North Korea, but he makes a good case. For the most part the book is historical documentation of what actually happened with little or no editorializing. The fact of the matter is that, despite a hard-line attitude toward North Korea, the Bush administration eventually ended up with pretty much the same deal that the Clinton administration had, but North Korea acquired several addition nuclear bombs in the meantime.
North Korea is run by a reprehensible ruling elite with an awful human rights record, but Chinoy makes a very good case for the US talking with them anyway.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Book Reviews
I like to read; mostly for entertainment. But there are those rare occasions when I do read something educational. Recently my "serious" reading has been mostly history. Here are some of these books I've liked:
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford.
This book is a history of the Mongol conquests of Asia & Europe during the 1200's. It is an excellent look at many of the modern issues in international relations, but from the historic perspective of the Mongol Empire. The Mongols ruled over a very diverse set of cultures and peoples. Their rule was characterized by many institutions and practices we associate with the modern world. They were strong proponents of free trade, for example. The book is well-written and is a fun read.
Basilica, The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter’s, by R. A. Scotti
An enthralling account of the building of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome during the renaissance. The challenges of Bramante’s initial vision of putting the dome of the pantheon on top of the Basilica of Maxentius nearly bankrupt the church in Rome. This lead to increased sale of indulgences and ultimately to the Protestant reformation. The book is a fascinating recounting of the politics of renaissance Europe and the powerful personalities of the popes and architects who worked on the basilica. It is also an interesting description of the technical challenges and how they were overcome.
New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus, by Charles C. Mann
Almost everything you learned in school about the Americas before Columbus is wrong. For example, the Americas were not sparsely populated. Indeed, there were probably more people living here than in Europe. Civilization (i.e. city dwelling) was well established in the Americas before the pyramids were built. Native Americans in the Amazon “farmed” the rain forest for centuries and sustained huge populations while doing so. The huge herds of buffalo roaming the plains that white explorers encountered as they travelled west were probably not the “natural” state of the land. European diseases preceded the Europeans themselves and wiped out huge portions of the human population. This left the buffalo woth no check on their population and the herds increased dramatically in size. This book is very well written and quite thought provoking.
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, by Tim Weiner
A very interesting rundown of the history of the CIA and some of its more colorful personalities. Wiener shows in example after example how the agency bumbled and bungled almost every facet of intelligence from its formation to its call of WMD in Iraq. Almost from the begining the CIA violated its charter to be a supplier of information and placed a much stronger emphasis on covert operations, most of which failed. Presidents tended to become quickly disillusioned with the advice and analysis they got from the CIA, particularly if it was in conflict with their preconceived view of the world. This often led the agency to tailor the information it sent to the president to conform to his views in order to avoid having the CIA marginalized. Weiner is often critical of presidents for ignoring the intelligence the CIA provided them, but this seems a bit unfair given the large number of intelligence failures he documents. An interesting, but somewhat depressing read.
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford.
This book is a history of the Mongol conquests of Asia & Europe during the 1200's. It is an excellent look at many of the modern issues in international relations, but from the historic perspective of the Mongol Empire. The Mongols ruled over a very diverse set of cultures and peoples. Their rule was characterized by many institutions and practices we associate with the modern world. They were strong proponents of free trade, for example. The book is well-written and is a fun read.
Basilica, The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter’s, by R. A. Scotti
An enthralling account of the building of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome during the renaissance. The challenges of Bramante’s initial vision of putting the dome of the pantheon on top of the Basilica of Maxentius nearly bankrupt the church in Rome. This lead to increased sale of indulgences and ultimately to the Protestant reformation. The book is a fascinating recounting of the politics of renaissance Europe and the powerful personalities of the popes and architects who worked on the basilica. It is also an interesting description of the technical challenges and how they were overcome.
New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus, by Charles C. Mann
Almost everything you learned in school about the Americas before Columbus is wrong. For example, the Americas were not sparsely populated. Indeed, there were probably more people living here than in Europe. Civilization (i.e. city dwelling) was well established in the Americas before the pyramids were built. Native Americans in the Amazon “farmed” the rain forest for centuries and sustained huge populations while doing so. The huge herds of buffalo roaming the plains that white explorers encountered as they travelled west were probably not the “natural” state of the land. European diseases preceded the Europeans themselves and wiped out huge portions of the human population. This left the buffalo woth no check on their population and the herds increased dramatically in size. This book is very well written and quite thought provoking.
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, by Tim Weiner
A very interesting rundown of the history of the CIA and some of its more colorful personalities. Wiener shows in example after example how the agency bumbled and bungled almost every facet of intelligence from its formation to its call of WMD in Iraq. Almost from the begining the CIA violated its charter to be a supplier of information and placed a much stronger emphasis on covert operations, most of which failed. Presidents tended to become quickly disillusioned with the advice and analysis they got from the CIA, particularly if it was in conflict with their preconceived view of the world. This often led the agency to tailor the information it sent to the president to conform to his views in order to avoid having the CIA marginalized. Weiner is often critical of presidents for ignoring the intelligence the CIA provided them, but this seems a bit unfair given the large number of intelligence failures he documents. An interesting, but somewhat depressing read.
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