So What Are you Reading?: Generations

My readings so far this year are:
"The Statesman's Book" by John of Salisbury which I mentioned in my last post.

"Timaeus and Critias" by Plato this was translated by Desmond Lee with an appendix on 'Atlantis' wherein it is suggested Plato was the first science fiction writer.

"The Being of the Beautiful" Part I: Theaetetus by Plato translated with commentary by Seth Benardete.

"Only Superhuman" by Christopher L. Bennett -- this book inspired me to study a few interesting themes: Beauty & Truth, Demagoguery & Statesmanship, and, Eugenics. Human modification.

"Ragnarok" by A. S. Byatt (not the VOY book). The eschatology and commentary on myth were interesting.

"As We Speak" by Peter Meyers & Shann Nix. A good book on public speaking. Helps connect the dots from modern communications technology and methods towards what may happen in various futures.

"The Being of the Beautiful" Part II: Sophist by Plato and translated with commentary by Seth Benardete. Challenging trilogy.

"Across the Universe" by Sargent & Zebrowski. This is ST-TOS #88 and was my first ST novel of the year. I shall have to catch up. Did buy many novels in hardcopy and e-copy formats.

"Essays in Eugenics" by Francis Galton. Got the book from internet archives but while looking up the author, I got onto a comprehensive Nazi website. Historians would love it but I was a bit perturbed. At least eugenics makes an interesting Valentine topic.

Now I am to read "Being of the Beautiful" Part III: Statesman by Plato translated with commentary by Seth Benardete; and, "The Joy Machine" by James Gunn based on the story by Theodore Sturgeon. ST-TOS #80.
 
Well, the public library got some books in, so I checked out three new Star Trek books: Brinksmanship, Silent Weapons and The Body Electric. I'm especially excited for the 2 Cold Equations books, I loved #1, and figured it would be months before the next parts came out (thats what I get for assuming and not looking online). My Typhon Pact reading has been weird. I started on Plagues of Night, and have just continued from there (my library doesn't have books 1-3 or 5, so its not like I had a choice, although I still need to read Paths of Disharmony) but I haven't became lost.
 
As for my reading, I just started a book called The Floating Admiral...written by a whole bunch of authors! Back in the Golden Age of detective fiction, circa 1930s, many of the best-selling writers of the day (including Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers) were part of an informal group called The Detection Club. And one day someone got the crazy idea to write a collaborative novel. Each writer produced a chapter, handed it on to the next writer, and so on. The solution was not foreseen at the outset, so the last person had to tie everything together. In addition, each contributor handed in their own solution in a sealed envelope to be printed at the back of the book. It sounds like a giant mess...but really it was just a game they played with themselves for their own amusement. And it couldn't have been that bad because they did it a couple more times. :)
I haven't read that one, but I do have and have read the next one, Ask a Policeman. In that one, there's a mystery at the outset, and the writers then swap detectives so Anthony Berkley writers a Lord Peter Wimsey story, Helen Simpson writes a Mrs. Bradley story, etc., that solves the mystery. It's a fun book.
After finishing The Floating Admiral, I'm game to pick up that one some time. Unfortunately the only one of the detectives I'm really familiar with is Lord Peter Wimsey, which might make the book less enjoyable. Or does it?

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Meanwhile, everyone can see what I'm reading now from my avatar and signature. :)
 
I haven't read that one, but I do have and have read the next one, Ask a Policeman. In that one, there's a mystery at the outset, and the writers then swap detectives so Anthony Berkley writers a Lord Peter Wimsey story, Helen Simpson writes a Mrs. Bradley story, etc., that solves the mystery. It's a fun book.
After finishing The Floating Admiral, I'm game to pick up that one some time. Unfortunately the only one of the detectives I'm really familiar with is Lord Peter Wimsey, which might make the book less enjoyable. Or does it?
At the time I read Ask a Policeman, the only detective in the book I was familiar with was Wimsey. I don't think the lack of knowledge on my part made it difficult to understand.

The way I remember it (and it's been about fifteen years since I last read it), AaP has an opening act of about a quarter of the book where the mystery is set up. Then there are four short stories by members of the Detection Club where they swap detectives and have them offer solutions to the mystery. Then there's an epilogue where we find out the real solution to the mystery.
 
The way I remember it (and it's been about fifteen years since I last read it), AaP has an opening act of about a quarter of the book where the mystery is set up. Then there are four short stories by members of the Detection Club where they swap detectives and have them offer solutions to the mystery. Then there's an epilogue where we find out the real solution to the mystery.

That's actually a little disturbing, in-story. These four great detectives, and only one of them figures out the right answer? That's a pretty low success rate, and it calls their deductions in their solo adventures into question.
 
I currently enjoying Plagues of Night. I really like the way it's tied together a few of the Typhon Pact storylines. I've seen complaints that the stories are somewhat fragmented, but that doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it's been perfect for me right now because if I just have a few minutes I can read one complete scene in a short sitting. Looking forward to Raise the Dawn.
 
The Persistence of Memory and The Space Between. The latter is a...Christian take on new urbanism, which is a fascinating combination.
 
The way I remember it (and it's been about fifteen years since I last read it), AaP has an opening act of about a quarter of the book where the mystery is set up. Then there are four short stories by members of the Detection Club where they swap detectives and have them offer solutions to the mystery. Then there's an epilogue where we find out the real solution to the mystery.

That's actually a little disturbing, in-story. These four great detectives, and only one of them figures out the right answer? That's a pretty low success rate, and it calls their deductions in their solo adventures into question.

That problem is acknowledged in the book. I don't remember how it's dealt with.
 
Someone other than Dorothy L. Sayers writing Lord Peter. Hmmmm.

I have to admit I'm a bit interested in seeing how that goes. ;)
 
As I'm reading Persistence of Memory, I can't help but note that I seem to be missing some of the background. When did Data find his mother and fall in love?!
 
As I'm reading Persistence of Memory, I can't help but note that I seem to be missing some of the background. When did Data find his mother and fall in love?!

Data met his "mother" in the TNG episode, "Inheritance."

Data became romantically involved with a female crew member in the TNG ep, "In Theory."
 
^I think Smellincoffee is referring to Rhea McAdams, who was introduced in Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang. As Dave states in the acknowledgments, the entire Cold Equations trilogy is essentially a sequel to Immortal Coil.
 
As I'm reading Persistence of Memory, I can't help but note that I seem to be missing some of the background. When did Data find his mother and fall in love?!

Data met his "mother" in the TNG episode, "Inheritance."

Data became romantically involved with a female crew member in the TNG ep, "In Theory."

Note to self, I haven't seen every episode of TNG...apparently. :lol:

^I think Smellincoffee is referring to Rhea McAdams, who was introduced in Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang. As Dave states in the acknowledgments, the entire Cold Equations trilogy is essentially a sequel to Immortal Coil.

I was indeed. Thank you both for the response. Now I have a paperback to investigate (after this trilogy, anyway) and an episode to watch...).

So far I'm enjoying it -- I rather like the Soongs. Arik Soong is one of the reasons I like Enterprise's 4th season so much.
 
I've finished Jeri Taylor's Mosaic, and I thought it was pretty solid, despite not being a huge fan of the TV show Voyager.

Next, I'm reading Peter Telep's Ghost Recon: Choke Point.
 
I'm reading book3 of Errand of Fury These books are writen alot like the Typhon pact books when it comes to the political stuff going on in the Federation and the Klingon Empire.I've really enjoyed reading this series of books again.I plan on reading TNG Dyson sphere next.
 
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