When I taught night school, we had eight week terms and I taught sixteen different classes over the years. The most popular class was called Science Fiction and Science Fact. I know many Scifi readers love real science books as I do. It is hard to talk about one without the other.
Science fiction writers dream up things and then scientists build them.
Of course, Isaac Asimov and David Brin are scientists as well as writers of science fiction and fantasy as are many of our favorite authors. David writes diaries at DKos and invites you to his website:
http://www.davidbrin.com/
wiki says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/...
Glen David Brin, Ph.D. (born October 6, 1950) is an American scientist and award-winning author of science fiction. He has received both the Hugo and Nebula Awards.
Brin was born in Glendale, California in 1950. In 1973, he graduated from the California Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in astronomy. He followed this with a a Master of Science in applied physics in 1978 and a Doctor of Philosophy in space science in 1981, both from the University of California, San Diego.
The Uplift novels are:
Sundiver (1980)
Startide Rising (1983)
The Uplift War (1987)
The Uplift Storm Trilogy:
Brightness Reef (1995)
Infinity's Shore (1996)
Heaven's Reach (1998) ISBN 0-553-57473-6
Additionally, Aficionado, currently published in the limited-edition collection Tomorrow Happens, is a short-story prequel to the novels. This story was originally published as "Life in the Extreme" in Popular Science Magazine Special Edition, 8/98. This story is freely available on Brin's website for reading.
Brin has also co-authored Kevin Lenagh Contacting Aliens: An Illustrated Guide to David Brin's Uplift Universe.
A few words from an article about writers is here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/...
Isaac Asimov
Trained as a chemist, Asimov, who was born in 1920, held a teaching post at Boston University for many years. As well as his fiction, he wrote many popular guides to science. His scientific credentials were recognized when he had an asteroid (5020) named after him - as is Honda's humanoid prototype robot ASIMO. He died in 1992.
"Unlike a lot of sci-fi writers, Asimov knew how to explain the science, and was a great populariser of real science," says Brake. "But what sets him aside is that he was also masterful at documenting human responses to scientific progress."
HG Wells
Socialist, journalist, historian, and author, Herbert George Wells was nothing if not prolific before his death in 1946. He predicted the invention of tanks, aerial bombing, nuclear war, gas warfare, lasers and industrial robots. His scientific background (he studied biology under TH Huxley) led him to produce iconic tales such as The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, The War of the Worlds - almost entirely pessimistic about human nature and the future...
Arthur C Clarke
Sixty books, 50m copies in print, and a link with some of the 20th century's most indelible ideas: not bad for a boy from Minehead in Somerset. He was born in 1917, and signaled his space odyssey intentions by joining the British Interplanetary Society before the second world war. He worked on radar in the RAF and in 1945 submitted a technical paper called Extraterrestrial Relays, laying down the principles of satellite communication in geostationary orbits.
He graduated with first class honors in physics and mathematics from King's College London in 1948.
FerrisValyn, BillWhite, Neon Vincent and other DKos diarists have been writing diaries to help us keep on top of amazing new things. Please watch for their diaries.
We have read for years about spaceports and now the US is building one in New Mexico.
Pictures of the planned spaceport are here:
http://www.inhabitat.com/...
Here is a speech by Isaac Asimov on January 14, 1989, where he discusses the "Greenhouse Effect" in his speech ‘The Threats to Humanity’: (or before Al Gore, there was Isaac)
http://www.youtube.com/...
Here is a video of Isaac Asimov discussing the movement and change in scifi/fantasy formats that was interesting and there are other videos of his speeches on the same page.
http://www.youtube.com/...
Also, here is the video from a speech called ‘The Answer for Humanity’ that Asimov gave on January 14, 1989, that I found very interesting about why we should go into space...if you don’t have the time for the 10 minute version...try beginning at 6 minutes into the speech.
http://www.youtube.com/...
A REALLY interesting discussion of Robots including Asimov’s laws is here and well worth a read...
http://www.jnd.org/...
How Might Humans Interact with Robots?
Human Robot Interaction and the Laws of Robotology
Don Norman
Here are just a couple of thoughts from this article:
...Science fiction can be a useful source of ideas and information, for the best are in essence detailed scenario development, showing just how a device, e.g., a robot, might fit within everyday work and activities, although some scenarios are more useful than others, of course. Asimov's laws of Robotics (originally three, then expanded to four with the addition of a Zeroth law), turn out to be more relevant than one might think...
Implications for Robots. Don't try to have a robot do a task for which it is imperfect and that therefore requires continual human monitoring. The human will get bored when the robot performs successfully and thus be unable to take over at exactly the times when it is most critical. Either do the whole thing, or don't do it at all - or at least, do it cooperatively.
The general philosophy among many designers is to automate as much as they can and let the human take over the rest. This is a truly bad way of designing. The correct way is to understand fully the tasks to be performed and the relative strengths and weaknesses of people and machines. Then design the system as a cooperative endeavor, where people do what they are best at, machines do what they are best at, and the interaction between the two is smooth and continuous, but designed around human needs and capabilities...
- Science fiction, e.g., Asimov's 4 laws of Robots
Asimov's Revised Laws of Robotics (1985)
Zeroth Law:
A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.
First Law: A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate the Zeroth Law of Robotics.
Second Law: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the Zeroth or First Law.
Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the Zeroth, First, or Second Law.
(From Clarke, Roger (1993, 1994): Asimov's Laws of Robotics: Implications for Information Technology. IEEE Computer. (Published in two parts, in IEEE Computer 26,12 (December 1993) pp. 53-61 and 27,1 (January 1994), pp. 57-66). Available at http://www.anu.edu.au/...
Don provides a long list of neat books you can read, here:
http://www.jnd.org/...
His own books are:
The Design of Future Things
Emotional Design: Why we love (or hate) everyday things
The Invisible Computer
Things That Make us Smart: Defending Human Attributes in the Age of the Machine
Turn Signals Are the Facial Expressions of Automobiles
Here are just a few articles about robots:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...
Octopus Arms May Point Way to New Robot Designs
Hillary Mayell
for National Geographic News
February 9, 2005
Octopuses, those boneless, brainy, denizens of the deep, use their arms for some tasks in much the same way humans do, according to a new study...
Understanding how the octopus controls eight flexible arms all at once could be the basis for developing the next generation of flexible robotic arms—long a goal among robotics engineers...
New Robot Suit to Assist Japanese Farmers
http://www.robots-dreams.com/...
Photo in the News: Ultra-Lifelike Robot Debuts in Japan
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...
New Japanese Robot Checks Vital Signs and Dials 911
by Donald Melanson
http://www.switched.com/...
In Japan, robot babysitter always ready to play
http://www.spacedaily.com/...
Japanese Invent New Multi-Skilled Kitchen Robot
Nandini | Mar 1 2007 (with pictures)
http://www.bornrich.org/...
The kitchen robot on DailyMail, here:
http://www.bornrich.org/...
Monkey’s Thoughts Propel Robot, a Step That May Help Humans
http://www.nytimes.com/...
On Thursday, the 12-pound, 32-inch monkey made a 200-pound, 5-foot humanoid robot walk on a treadmill using only her brain activity.
She was in North Carolina, and the robot was in Japan.
ASIMO to Conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Humanoid Robot's Appearance at Yo-Yo Ma Performance to Highlight DSO's Youth Music Programs
http://world.honda.com/...
For fantasy books, I did dragons recently...here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
I realize that many aficionados are particular about their science fiction being separate from fantasy, and that some books are considered literature and others are space operas, so to speak.
Some authors write both kinds so finding their books shelved in different areas is hard. I prefer having all the author’s books in one place. Just me.
I would be very glad to hear about your favorites. Readers who are not fans, we will try to convince you to try at least one, but feel free to talk about other books you are reading.
Science-Fact fans, please tell us about your favorite books.
Here are a few of my favorite books minus the dragon stories which were already done before. I consider these tales to be good reads that also made me grow and think about the future, about society, about character, and about being human.
Isaac Asimov...everything...just that...everything.
James Blaylock
The Elfin Ship
Ray Bradbury...all the short story collections
Fahrenheit 451
Marian Zimmer Bradley
Hawk Mistress
Mists of Avalon
Lady of Avalon
David Brin...see list above for Uplift saga
Orson Scott Card
Ender’s Game
Speaker for the Dead
Ender’s Shadow
C. J. Cherryh
Foreigner
Invader
Inheritor
Precursor
Defender
Explorer
Destroyer
Pretender
Deliverer
Fortress in the Eye of Time series
Fortress of Eagles
Fortress of Owls
Fortress of Dragons
Fortress of Ice
Collected Short Fiction of C J Cherryh
Angel with a Sword series
Merovingen Nights
Festival Moon
Fever Season
Troubled Waters
Smuggler’s Gold
Divine Right
Flood Tide
End Game
Pride of Chanur
Chanur’s Venture
Kif Strike Back
Homecoming
Chanur’s Legacy
Thieves World
Arthur C. Clarke
Rendezvous with Rama and sequels
Collected Short Stories
Julie Czerneda
Charles DeLint
Stephen R. Donaldson
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Mirror of Her Dreams
Man Rides Through
Dave Duncan
David Eddings
Kate Elliott
David Feintuch
Prisoners of Hope
Voices of Hope
Fisherman’s Hope
Challenger’s Hope
Midshipman’s Hope
Alan Dean Foster
Journeys of the Catechist
Carnivores of Light and Darkness
Into the Thinking Kingdoms
A Triumph of Souls
David Gerrold
Terry Goodkind
Frank Herbert
Dune
Robert Jordan
Wheel of Time series
Guy Gavriel Kay
Song for Arbonne
Tigana
Fionavar Tapestry series
Summer Tree
Wandering Fire
Darkest Road
Sarantine Mosaic series
Sailing to Sarantine
Lord of Emperors
Last Light of the Sun
Lions of Al Rassan
Rosemary Kirstein
Lian Hearn
Across the Nightingale Floor
Grass for His Pillow
Brilliance of the Moon
(there is also a prequel to the series and a sequel to Moon that I have not read, yet).
Lee and Miller
Liaden series
Ursula LeGuin
Earthsea Trilogy
Barry Longyear
Enemy Mine
Tomorrow Testament
Last Enemy
Ann Marston
Jack McDevitt
Juliet McKenna
Patricia McKillip...everything, but I love this one especially:
The Cygnet and the Firebird
Elizabeth Moon
The Deed of Paksenarrion
Sheepfarmer’s Daughter
Divided Allegiance
Oath of Gold
(and her others about space are good, too, but not as serious as these)
Terry Pratchett...all
Pratchett and Gaiman
Good Omens
Jennifer Roberson
Chronicles of the Cheysuli
Mary Doria Russell (both stories must be read to get the whole picture)
The Sparrow
Children of God
Sean Russell
Fred Saberhagen
Complete Book of Swords has
First, Second, Third Books
Lost Swords: First Triad
Woundhealer’s Story
Sightblinder’s
Stonecutter’s
Lost Swords: Second Triad
Farslayer’s
Coinspinner’s
Mindsword’s
Lost Swords: End Game
Wayfinder’s
Shieldbreaker’s
Brandon Sanderson
Elantris
Elizabeth Scarborough
Songs from the Seashell Archives
Robert Silverberg
Lord Valentine’s Castle and sequels
Brian Stableford
Mark Sumner our Devilstower...this book has the best first sentence I have ever read.
Devil’s Tower
Joan D. Vinge
Dreamfall
Angus Wells
Michelle West
Prequels to the Sun Sword series
Hunter’s Oath
Hunter’s Death
Sun Sword series
Broken Crown
Uncrowned King
Shining Court
Sea of Sorrows
Riven Shield
Sun Sword
James White
Tales of Sector General (not listed in order...I read the first three on this list first, though they are late in the series, but which sent me looking for the earlier ones)
Galactic Gourmet
Final Diagnosis
Mind Changer
Genocidal Healer
Silent Stars Go By
Double Contact
Hospital Station
Star Surgeon
Major Operation
Ambulance Ship
Sector General
Star Healer
Code Blue
General Practice
Alien Emergencies
Connie Willis..all
Gene Wolfe
Soldier of the Mist and sequels
Janny Wurts
Wars of Light and Shadow series
Curse of the Mistwraith
Ships of Merior
Warhost of Vastmark
Fugitive Prince
Grand Conspiracy
Peril’s Gate
Traitor’s Knot
Stormed Fortress
Roger Zelazny
First Chronicles of Amber
Nine Princes in Amber
Guns of Avalon
Sign of the Unicorn
Hand of Oberon
Courts of Chaos
Second Chronicles of Amber
Trumps of Doom
Blood of Amber
Sign of Chaos
Knight of Shadows
Prince of Chaos
For humor:
Robert Asprin (The Myth books)
For children or YA, but also for me:
Lloyd Alexander
Chronicles of Prydain
Edward Ormondroyd
David and the Phoenix
Time at the Top
Jonathan Stroud
Bartimaeus Trilogy
Peter Beagle
Last Unicorn
Cornelia Funke
Madeleine L’Engle
Rowling
Harry Potter
I have left many big names for you to share. I did not take them all. Please list your favorite authors and titles in the comments...thanks!!
POLL Below:
Who Is Your Favorite Author not including Dragon books. I know there should be a category for "all of the above", but you will just have to close your eyes and choose one and then complain in comments. I needed another forty slots on the poll to even begin to list your favorites.
Bill Moyers: "We are in trouble"
by Inky99
http://www.dailykos.com/...
The Katrina Protocol (book plug)
by Lupin
http://www.dailykos.com/...
plf515 has a wonderful book diary on Fridays early and all day
sarahnity’s list of DKos authors has grown so much that she has her own diary on Tuesdays.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
sarahnity says:
It turns out that we have quite a few authors hanging out here who have published books in the real world. A while ago, I started keeping a list of books by Kossacks, former Kossacks and Kossacks-once-removed. I was posting it each week to the diary series What Are You Reading and Bookflurries, but the list has grown long enough, that I've decided to turn it into a diary and post it as a weekly series on Tuesday evenings.
Not all Kossack authors may wish to lose their anonymity, so I am only including the author's UID if he has outed herself here (gender confusion intended). If you'd like to be included on the list, or if you know of an author who is left off, please leave a comment or email me.
