Neanderthals, extinction, the apocalypse

After a lengthy hiatus, I’m about to kick my survey of post-apocalyptic science fiction into gear again. Before I do so, I’m reposting my original rationale for reading post-apocalyptic sci-fi:

What does the Neanderthal genome have to with post-apocalyptic science fiction? It may seem like odd inspiration, but Neanderthals have aroused my interest in one of the most venerable genres of science fiction. Last summer I was awaiting the release of The Road movie, reading a piece of classic post-nuclear sci-fi (John Wyndham’s 1955 The Chrysalids), and thinking about some recent news stories on the (then) forthcoming Neanderthal genome sequence. Continue reading “Neanderthals, extinction, the apocalypse”

David Brin: read these to have sci-fi bragging rights

I’m a sucker for lists of good sci-fi. David Brin puts out a big one, with categories:

But now let’s try something much more ambitious — a bigger, broader reading compilation. This is still just a sampler – for something comprehensive, see the Science Fiction Encyclopedia or the user-friendly Worlds Without End. But any person who has read all the books and stories and authors noted here (and I admit they are heavy on “classics”) can come away with bragging rights to say: “I know something about science fiction.”

For this list I divide the novels authors and stories in my own quirky manner , according to categories…

Of the books on the list, I’ve read ~25, and I have a roughly equal number of unread ones piling up on my bookshelf.

I have to object to his recommendation to read “anything at all by Poul Anderson.” Having read three, Vault of the Ages, Twilight World, and The Winter of the World, I’m not impressed.

Sci-fi-ish links

For Sci-fi fans of all stripes:

If you like Lovecraft (and all fans of classic sci-fi should), check out Arthur Machen: Beyond the Veil: The Fiction of Arthur Machen by Michael Dirda

H.G. Wells: Tono-Bungay By H.G. WELLS reviewed by Michael Dirda

John Buchan: The Vintage Thrillers of John Buchan, by Michael Dirda

William Gibson: Zero History By WILLIAM GIBSON Reviewed by Paul Di Filippo

Meta Sci-Fi: The Astounding, the Amazing, and the Unknown By PAUL MALMONT Reviewed by Paul Di Filippo

Don’t ask a biologist to explain the behavior of the solar system

After reading a string of disheartening reviews on the supposedly important future directions of biological research, I’m convinced that the older generation of biologists, those who made their careers in heyday of molecular biology during the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, have turned biology into an innumerate outlier among the natural sciences. Continue reading “Don’t ask a biologist to explain the behavior of the solar system”

Italo Calvino on how to build models of the world

Brilliant and hilarious, from Mr. Palomar, over at Gene Logic.