New Neal Stephenson Aug. 7

[sparkchaser]

Some Remarks: Essays and Other Writing

Stephenson ponders a wealth of subjects, from movies and politics to David Foster Wallace and the Midwestern American College Town; video games to classics-based sci-fi; how geekdom has become cool and how science fiction has become mainstream (whether people admit it or not); the future of publishing and the origins of his novels. Playful and provocative, Some Remarks displays Stephenson's opinions and ideas on:

• The Internet, our dwindling national attention span, and the cultural importance of books and bookishness
• Waco, religion, and the cluelessness of secular society
• Metaphysics and the battle between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
• The laying of the longest wire on Earth—and why it matters to you
• Technology, freedom, commerce, and the Chinese
• How Star Wars and 300 mirror who we are today and what that spells for our future
• Modern Jedi knights, a.k.a. scientists and technologists, and why they are admired and feared by both the left and the right

YES!

 

[direstraits]

Have you read In the Beginning was the Command Line? I read it and remember loving it. I don't remember the details now (which is really sad, since almost all the non-fiction I read I retain probably about less than 5%-8%).

But it was great.

 

[Sneezy]

I think it is in my pre-order list.

 

[sparkchaser]

It magically showed up on my Kindle.

I will get to it after I finish this interesting book I picked up at Powell's on Saturday: The Mongoliad.

 

[coljmosby]

Thanks for the information re: The Mongoliad , I will look for it, have enjoyed Stephenson's point of view and several novels. Although I still enjoy book form, not a kindle fan yet. :innocent:

 

[sparkchaser]

Buy a Kindle then you will be a fan.

 

[Sneezy]

Did you get 'round to this?

 

[sparkchaser]

Reading it now. Some pieces are obviously dated, like the 1997 piece on the internet in China but some of the stuff is good. Really good.