A sci-fi fanatic's bookshelf

[Marie]

Hi there,

I'm doing a little research and I figured this was the best place to come. I'm creating an illustration of a stack of sci-fi books and I need to make sure I'm not missing any obvious titles. I need between 12 - 15 books. So far I have:

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Dune - Frank Herbert
Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A Heinlein
1984 - George Orwell
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C Clarke
I, Robot - Isaac Asimov
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K Dick
Starship Troopers - Robert A Heinlein
The War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells
Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Jules Verne

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Marie

[[deleted user]]

The Time Machine - H.G. Wells

Neuromancer - William Gibson.

[Marie]

Thank you - if I only included one from HG Wells, which would you choose, Thw War of the Worlds or The Time Machine?

[Vardan]

Alfred Bester - Stars My Destination
Harry Harrisson - The Stainless Steel Rat
Arthur C. Clarke - Randezvous with Rama

[[deleted user]]

Naive.super wrote: "Thank you - if I only included one from HG Wells, which would you choose, Thw War of the Worlds or The Time Machine?"

This is a really tough question. I would choose both; I only picked up The Time Machine initially because I read it first.

[Vardan]

The Planet of the Apes
The Omega Man
Alas, Babylon
On the Beach
A canticle for leibowitz
The road

[Marie]

I'm already thinking it's going to be tricky choosing which ones to include and which ones to leave out - I can't believe I missed Planet of the Apes off my original list! *blushes*

[[deleted user]]

Naive.super wrote: " I'm creating an illustration of a stack of sci-fi books and I need to make sure I'm not missing any obvious titles..."

I don't have any problem with your original list, they are all fine classic science fiction books.

Depends on your intended audience/message. I'll point out that none of your titles were written in this century, and they were all written by old white guys about white guys. (Granted, that's pretty typical of science fiction.) You could include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and at least have one female author on your list.

Naive.super wrote: "I can't believe I missed Planet of the Apes off my original list! *blushes*"

I don't think many sci-fi readers much care about the book "Planet of the Apes"; it's best known as a movie.

[Vardan]

a graphic novel would also look fine...something like V for Vendetta, perhaps?

[Hillary]

not-an-old-white-guy rec: Ursula K. LeGuin I'd go The Left Hand of Darkness, but you could go w/ The Dispossessed

old-white-guy rec: Edgar Rice Burroughs

[Marie]

Thanks again all - I really do appreciate your input :)

I like the graphic novel idea, the theme behind the artwork is 'you can tell a lot about a person by their bookshelves' and a graphic novel would be fantastic on this bookshelf because it absolutely has a place there, but I also have to draw a line somewhere...

About the audience, I have a small exhibition in a public library, so I've definitely got to give the 'old white guy' issue some thought, but then, of course, I'd like them to appeal commercially to readers who identify with the titles. Sci-fi isn't the only genre I'm planning to illustrate though, I'm also planning an illustration of feminist fiction & non-fiction, existentialism (no list yet, but only fiction I think) and classic children's books so I maybe can balance it out this way? Would including The Dispossessed be seen as a token gesture? I don't know.

Are there any titles from this century you feel would stand the test of time?

[Jim]

Vardan wrote: "The Planet of the Apes
The Omega Man..."

I've never come across this one, except as a movie very loosely based on I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Is there one I'm missing?

[[deleted user]]

Naive.super wrote: "Thanks again all - I really do appreciate your input :) .... Are there any titles from this century you feel would stand the test of time?"

For an exhibition in a public library, you're probably looking for titles that the general public would readily recognize as classic science fiction (as opposed to an exhibition specifically targeting science fiction fans.) And for that reason, it's helpful if the book has a movie adaptation, since that dramatically ups the name recognition.

We have a couple of SF-fan polls here, e.g.: Locus Magazine's Best SF of the 20th & 21st Century. (Incidentally, it lists Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness" as the #5 SF novel of the 20th Century. While we love to argue over just how high on the list to rate it, any fan of written science fiction would recognize it as a classic of both SF and feminist literature; but I can't speak for its name recognition outside the SF community.)

Likewise, Locus's poll of the top SF novels of the 21st century starts with "Old Man's War", which is very popular with today's SF book readers, but I doubt much of the general public has ever heard of it. (BTW, "The Hunger Games" appears in the top 10, has a younger cachet as well as wider name recognition, and a female author and protagonist.) Will either of these recent titles stand the test of time? I have no idea. How long is this library exhibition going to last?

[Bobby]

Naive.super wrote: "I'm already thinking it's going to be tricky choosing which ones to include and which ones to leave out - I can't believe I missed Planet of the Apes off my original list! *blushes*"

Though, I think Planet of the Apes is more famous as a movie than a book which is why I would leave it off.

[Bobby]

Jim wrote: "Vardan wrote: "The Planet of the Apes
The Omega Man..."

I've never come across this one, except as a movie very loosely based on I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Is there one I'm missing?"

I Am Legend IS the book upon which The Omega Man is based.

[Bobby]

Hillary wrote: "not-an-old-white-guy rec: Ursula K. LeGuin I'd go The Left Hand of Darkness, but you could go w/ The Dispossessed

old-white-guy rec: Edgar Rice Burroughs"


Good one! Definitely.

[Bobby]

@Naive.super You might want to go Childhood's End for Arthur C. Clarke. It's kind of like his first run at the story of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

But outside of The Left Hand of Darkness and Neuromancer I think you pretty much nailed the books that had to be on there your first try. Everything is else is just people's personal faves.

[[deleted user]]

its a really good list...GOOD JOB!!!

[Marie]

Thank you, I'll post a revised list in a couple of days.

[Marie]

Just reviewing all your comments, I've given the audience some thought and I reckon if I add a couple of titles that the general public might not know it would give a nod in the direction of sci-fi readers like yourselves, and maybe even encourage folk like me to look the less recognised books up. I'll definitely look at that poll and revise my original list.

Re: how long is the exhibition going to last... 2 weeks, ha! What I meant was, will recent titles sit alongside the classics, but actually, as I'm screen printing them, I can reprint them until my knees give way :)

[Ruth]

Vardan wrote: "Alfred Bester - Stars My Destination
Harry Harrisson - The Stainless Steel Rat
Arthur C. Clarke - Randezvous with Rama"

Personal preference - I would go with Childhood's End

[Bobby]

G33z3r wrote: "Naive.super wrote: " I'm creating an illustration of a stack of sci-fi books and I need to make sure I'm not missing any obvious titles..."

I don't have any problem with your original list, they a..."

This was an EXCELLENT comment. Frankenstein. Of course. I'm an ass for not thinking of it before, since, in my not-quite-humble-opinion, Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus is the harbinger of ALL science fiction.

[Marie]

Hi all,

I've revised my original list to include a number of your suggestions - it's slightly longer than I'd intended, but I can live with that.

Now I have a different favour to ask, straying a little away from books but still on the bookshelf theme...

In this illustration I've decided to include an object which you'd wouldn't be surprised to find on a bookshelf, just for interest. It may or may not relate to the books in the list, but it would need to say something about the kind of person who would have these books on their shelves (like yourselves).

A tin robot would be too obvious, but that's my thinking. My bookshelf would have a spider plant.

Any suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks again...

[[deleted user]]

Naive.super wrote: "an object which you'd wouldn't be surprised to find on a bookshelf..."

Personally, I'd like a nice replica of an antique Orrery (even if the gearing doesn't actually function.) I'm partial to brass, if anyone's taking notes for Christmas presents.... :)

An antique astrolabe or small brass telescope might carry a similar connotation.

In addition to the usual Earth globe, globes of Mars and/or the Moon.

[[deleted user]]

i say put a hugo on the shelf...it fits the theme...if not a hugo, then a model of the USS Enterprise (from the orginal series)...nothing says SF like the Enterprise. :)

[Bobby]

Yeah, I don't know. I look at my shelves. Yes, the Moon. Candles. Action figures(Iron Man and Spider-Man). A woman and a dragon statue. A Buddha of Compassion carving. More candles. A stone that says "explore". A sea shell. So funny. I never even thought about what winds up on these shelves or why.

[Bobby]

I like the Enterprise idea. I use to have one. Mind you, it was actually a pipe but that's neither here nor there. Or maybe it is.

[[deleted user]]

Spooky1947 wrote: "a model of the USS Enterprise...nothing says SF like the Enterprise. :)"

Yes, nothing says "book reader" like something from a TV show.

[[deleted user]]

G33, that's spoken like a true old phart. :P

spooky the Star Trek fan. :)

[Doc]

Naive.super wrote: "Hi there,

I'm doing a little research and I figured this was the best place to come. I'm creating an illustration of a stack of sci-fi books and I need to make sure I'm not missing any obvious tit..."

I see you have included Asimov's "I Robot." I would add his Foundation trilogy.

[Bobby]

@Naive.super (Marie): Hey, Marie, is there someplace we can look at your painting? It sounds very cool.

[Bobby]

G33z3r wrote: "Spooky1947 wrote: "a model of the USS Enterprise...nothing says SF like the Enterprise. :)"

Yes, nothing says "book reader" like something from a TV show."

And I think it's different with sci-fi nuts. They read. Think about it. Is there any Trekkie for instance, who you don't think also reads a lot of science fiction?

[Marie]

Hi, and thanks so much again! I've got a lot to be thinking about, particularly whether I want to include an object from a TV show in a piece about books. It's got me thinking that maybe that's ok because the underlying theme is identity (you can tell a lot about a person by their bookshelves and their shoes). I'll be asking the viewer to think about the kind of person who owns these books, so if I did include a figurine, in my mind it would be still in its original box.

The artwork is going to be a single or 2 colour screen print and really quite minimal. I promise I'll send you all a link when it's done and credit everyone on my website. I really can't thank you enough.

[Vardan]

I like the way your project is shaping up and would love to see the end result, if only to compare it to my own bookshelf (that does include a figurine from a science fiction movie :))

[Marie]

In the original box? ;)

I'm a little nervous about showing you to be honest. Worried you'll all say, "Is that it?" I feel like I need to make it extra special now!

[Vardan]

Naive.super wrote: "In the original box? ;)

I'm a little nervous about showing you to be honest. Worried you'll all say, "Is that it?" I feel like I need to make it extra special now!"

Sense and simplicity... (is that a slogan?) do not overburden it... it's a matter of coming up with something you feel comfortable with and then stopping before you overburden it with too much detail... it is out of the box :)

[Bobby]

Vardan wrote: "Naive.super wrote: "In the original box? ;)

I'm a little nervous about showing you to be honest. Worried you'll all say, "Is that it?" I feel like I need to make it extra special now!"

Sense and ..."

Original box? Sorry, I'm a computer illiterate actually. What do you mean? And don't let us idiots tell you how to paint your painting. But I am excited to see it.

[[deleted user]]

Bobby wrote: "Think about it. Is there any Trekkie for instance, who you don't think also reads a lot of science fiction?..."

Okay, I thought about it. No, I don't think many Trekkies read a lot of sci-fi books (other than Star Trek related novels, of which there may be a thousand by now.)

[Marie]

I'm so much more excited about the whole project after speaking to you all on here. I know I keep saying it, but thank you again.

'Out of the box?' was in reference to my comment that if I did include a figurine on the shelf, in my mind it would be still in its original box. If I were asked to explain why it would still be in the box I'd probably shift from foot to foot and mumble something about sci-fi readers being quite passionate about the subject.

I love the idea of a brass telescope, both conceptually, and because it also fits in with my style of illustration.

Thanks for your encouragement all - yes, I like minimal, but sometimes I think there should be more detail. I'm actually off to do some drawing now.

[[deleted user]]

Asimov said Star Trek was good SF.....Harlan fought to keep it on the tube...and i love me some Star Trek and i have my nose stuck in a SF book every day, and i dont mean a ST novel....

[Vardan]

Spooky1947 wrote: "Asimov said Star Trek was good SF.....Harlan fought to keep it on the tube...and i love me some Star Trek and i have my nose stuck in a SF book every day, and i dont mean a ST novel...."

I second that! Along with Star Wars (yes, I like them both!)

[Bobby]

Vardan wrote: "Spooky1947 wrote: "Asimov said Star Trek was good SF.....Harlan fought to keep it on the tube...and i love me some Star Trek and i have my nose stuck in a SF book every day, and i dont mean a ST no..."

I third it.

[[deleted user]]

Spooky1947 wrote: "Asimov said Star Trek was good SF..... and i love me some Star Trek and i have my nose stuck in a SF book every day, and i dont mean a ST novel...."

I didn't say fans of sci-fi books don't watch television or didn't like Star Trek. I said most fans of Star Trek aren't big readers of sci-fi books.

Television is much more ingrained in US culture than reading, and that applies to sci-fi fans as well. Of course there's some overlap, but it's mostly in the direction of readers also watching TV.

[[deleted user]]

your point is taken G33...also I speak as a fan of the original series from the late 60s...i think back then more people read books...now with cable its a diff story...as a very young ST fan, ST played a big role in my choice of reading matter...today a young fan could easily get side-tracked into cable TV sf or video games.

I do have to point out that the first Star Trek novels (the earily ones, before the numbered series) were writen by some big name SF authors.