Nnedi Okorafor is known as a YA author, but this is her first adult novel. And it's very adult, with some difficult scenes of rape and violence. ...moreNnedi Okorafor is known as a YA author, but this is her first adult novel. And it's very adult, with some difficult scenes of rape and violence.
This is not my typical fare, but I'm glad to have read it. It's a mixed bag genre-wise, being a fantasy set in post-apocalyptic Africa. There's a bit of science fiction here, but it's not well developed and not important to the plot, which is driven by the magical education of Onyesonwu, a "chosen one" character picked to stop genocide.
Of particular interest to me were the feminist and African cultural elements. I have no idea how the magic ties into African myth and tradition, but I'm guessing that it does. It was certainly rich and, in the end, rewarding. (less)
I enjoyed the insider information - what days are like for the candidates, some of the strategies... of course, it's difficult to read this book without realizing that how we choose our presidents is ridiculous. It's disheartening to realize that the skills needed to successfully run a campaign are not necessarily skills we need in a president. Wooing donors, for example.
This ebook is short (novella length) and reads like an in-depth magazine article. I will be reading the next installment.(less)
The movie Wall-E recently brought the concept of a generation starship to a large popular audience. Like most ideas we see in the movies, science fic...moreThe movie Wall-E recently brought the concept of a generation starship to a large popular audience. Like most ideas we see in the movies, science fiction literature has been throwing that concept around for a lot of years. In the September 1934 issue of Wonder Stories appeared Laurence Manning's "The Living Galaxy", the "first fully fledged generation starship narrative". From this starting point, Simone Caroti takes us on a tour of what science fiction has had to say on the subject of generation starships.
The book covers a lot of territory. Caroti does not have the laser focus that the title suggests, but instead, in true "in order to tell you this, I need to make sure you are aware of this" fashion, he digresses into other aspects of the history of science fiction, like editors, the magazines they edited, the popular authors of the period, and a bit about the world's political situation. Each section of the book covers a period of history, and each section is introduced with a description of that period apart from the concept at hand.
1. Fathers
2. The Gernsback Era, 1926-1940
3. The Campbell Era, 1937-1949
4. The Birth of the Space Age, 1946-1957
5. The New Wave and Beyond, 1957-1979
6. The Information Age, 1980-2001
After that introductory material, Caroti discusses stories in great detail, comparing and contrasting the growing scientific knowledge and changing attitudes of the stories with those that came before.
Overall, a very good book for those interested in the history of science fiction and the development of concepts in the genre.(less)
I had this on mostly in the background while I was doing other things, so there are plenty of details I'm missing. The book is mostly about the milit...moreI had this on mostly in the background while I was doing other things, so there are plenty of details I'm missing. The book is mostly about the military happenings in 1776 as opposed to the political happenings. I learned quite a bit. David McCullough narrated, and did a fine job.(less)
This is not so much a review of my friend Julie’s book, but an appreciation, for her book is exactly my kind of thing, and appreciate it I do.
...moreThis is not so much a review of my friend Julie’s book, but an appreciation, for her book is exactly my kind of thing, and appreciate it I do.
As I re-embraced Catholicism years ago, there were stumbling blocks. One of those stumbling blocks was that the world of science fiction, which I loved, generally was not on Catholicism’s side. I would sometimes despair to a point where I was convinced that I needed to give up one or the other – Catholicism or science fiction. I was exhausted by the tension between what I knew and the constant challenge of speculation.
As time progressed, I realized a couple of things. First, there is nothing wrong with reading fiction that challenges your ideas. Over time, those challenges reinforced my beliefs because they made me confront things that needed looking into.
Second, there is a heck of lot going on in science fiction (and literature in general) that presents universal truths that we all share as human beings. That’s exactly what Julie proves in this wonderful book. She shares quotes from all kinds of sources – Batman to St. Pio, House M.D. to Albert Einstein. In those quotes she finds the thoughts on which she reflects.
If I had this book back when I was feeling conflicted, I’d have realized that I was not alone. When Robin says to Batman, “Self control is sure tough, Batman,” I would have known that I’m not the only one that thought “Isn’t that interesting… my priest said that in a homily last week. It’s not supposed to be easy.”
And even though I’m not conflicted now, I find this book a treasure because it’s enlightening, thoughtful, honest, and fun. Happy Catholic reminds me that God is everywhere. All I have to do is listen.(less)
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