Author:Greg Bear Genre: Science Fiction. Why did you get this book? Because Eon has been on my “to read” list for some time. Did you enjoy the book? Yes. Hard science fiction is my favorite genre. Was the author new to you? No. I had previously read The Forge of God and Darwin’s Radio. Would you read something by this author again? Yes. I am tempted to read the other two books in the Eon series – Eternity and Legacy. Are you keeping it or passing it on? I am keeping it – when have I ever done otherwise? Anything else? Earth is visited by a hollowed out asteroid. It turns out the asteriod comes from an alternate future not so different from our own. The astreoid contains seven chambers. The seventh being longer than the whole asteroid – a lot longer. It is a tube that winds its way through space time connecting up to alternate futures. The heroine of the tale is a mathematician who’s specialty is space time continuums. Number of pages: 503 Total pages for the year: 2360
Piet Hein (16th December 1905 – 17th April 1996), Danish poet, mathematician, inventor and scientist is perhaps best known for his short poems, grooks. They are typically ironic and satirical. They are typically illustrated.
Her is an example.
On Problems
Our choicest plans
have fallen through,
our airiest castles
tumbled over,
because of lines
we neatly drew
and later neatly
stumbled over.
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin ( 1934- 1968 ) was the first human in space and the first to orbit the Earth.
This is one of the pivotal events in human history.
Gagarin orbited the Earth once. The entire mission from launch to landing took 108 minutes. During reentry the Vostok command section was supposed separate from the rentry module. A bundle of wires failed to release and the two sections were connected to each other until the wires burn out. As planned Gagarin ejected from the capsule before it landed because landing in the capsule was considered too risky.
I am sorry to say I do not remember this historic event at all. I was 11 years old when it happened. I suspect this event was one of the reasons my interest in space flight finally awoke. I do remember reading about Project Vanguard and Project Mercury in The Eagle so my interest must have fully awoken by late 1961/1962. Of course Dan Dare helped.
Author:Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel Genre: Pre-teen Fantasy.
Why did you get this book? I found it in a science fiction and fantasy bookshop having heard about it on a podcast. Did you enjoy the book? Yes. Was the author new to you? No. I have read the previous two books in The Edge Chronicles. Would you read something by this author again? Yes. Are you keeping it or passing it on? I am keeping it. Anything else? This is the third book in the Edge Chronicles series. The book continues the story of Quint, knight academic and son of a sky pirate. Easy reading as were the first and second books. The Edge universe is fleshed out some more. A well written tale with fine illustrations makes a great combination . Number of pages: 427 Total pages for the year: 1857
Book: 4 Title: God is Not Great Author:Christopher Hitchens Genre: Ante-religion.
Why did you get this book? Out of curiosity. Did you enjoy the book? Yes, it was thought provoking. Was the author new to you? Yes. Would you read something by this author again? Yes. I liked his writing style. Are you keeping it or passing it on? I am keeping it. Silly question really. I have never thrown away a book in my life and have seldom given one away. Anything else? It took quite a while to digest this book. Many thought provoking ideas. Hitchins is one of the fairly recent number of authors who are openly and vocally atheist. Opponents of these authors disparagingly call them new-atheist. Stupid name really. Much of what Hitchins (and the others) are writing about are ideas that have been voiced for decades if not centuries. Perhaps the thing that is new about these so called new-atheists is that they are uncompromising, unafraid (apparently) and unwilling to be silenced. I have seen quite a few video clips of Hitchins being interviewed. He seems polite and soft spoken to his opponents at least until they refuse to act likewise. He is on the other hand unwilling to be dominated by opponents and uses his knowledge and acerbic wit effectively. Number of pages: 286 plus references and index. Total pages for the year: 1430
Isaac Azimov is widely acknowledged to be one of the big three Science Fiction writers of the middle 20th century along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. Azimov has written or edited over 500 books.
During my youth and early adulthood he was one of my favorite science fiction authors. My bookshelf contains:
Where Do We Go From Here? Book 2 (anthology) – 1971
Buy Jupiter – 1975
Foundation’s Edge – 1982
Robots of Dawn – 1983
Robots and Empire – 1985
Foundation and Earth – 1986
Azazel – 1988
Prelude to Foundation – 1988
Nemesis – 1989
Nightfall – 1990 (with Robert Silverberg)
Forward the Foundation – 1993
Magic (collection of short stories published after his death) – 1996
I have read quite a few of his other books. One of the first science fiction books I clearly remember reading was The Currents of Space. His books have not aged too well – technological advances have overtaken them. In addition I think modern readers have other expectations of science fiction both concerning quality, depth and content. Still for me I still remember and appreciate the Sense of Wonder I associate with Azimov’s science fiction.
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