As such, I stole this online quiz from Senior Chief Janiece at HotChicks, because it's just that damned cool.
I'm tickled by the results, I am.
 | I am:Arthur C. ClarkeWell known for nonfiction science writing and for early promotion of the effort toward space travel, his fiction was often grand and visionary. |
Arthur C. Clarke is one of my all time favorite writers. The scope and vision, the utter grandeur, of his work has always captivated me. When I finished 2001, Childhood's End, or The City and the Stars, I'd put the book down feeling as if my brain was sore, the way little used muscles are the day after a workout. Clarke is one of the few writers who can see a billion years into the future - and make you believe that he's been there.
Janiece, of course, is RAH - also a stellar (heh heh) choice. What about the rest of you?
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I've got to go run some errands, but I was sitting here watching GWB on CNN talking about the economy. I think he's missing the causal effect of the economic downturn, in a major way - energy, and lack thereof of a practical and sustainable domestic energy policy - but that's not what got to me, it was GWB himself. He looks, hmmm, unwell. Pale, distracted, sickly - I mean significantly more than usual. He's always had an odd disjointed speech pattern, but today it's almost aphasic (or more properly, dysphasic), the way you'd see in post-stroke victims. It's strange, or stranger than usual. It may be that the interview wasn't scripted, but I think it's more than that. Yeah, just something else to worry about.
Off to the store, back in a bit.
I am David Brin. I'm gonna have to read some of my work.
ReplyDeleteYou could always just watch The Postman...
ReplyDeleteOh, wait, Brin hated that movie, never mind. Read the Uplift Saga, it's pretty damned cool.
Gergory Benford. Never heard of him.
ReplyDeleteBenford... Benford...
ReplyDeleteMichael had one of his books.
He wrote a Foundation sequel. I think it went to the used book store. But then Michael doesn't horde books like I do.
Hmmm. I'm Ursula K. LeGuin, but I'm not sure why. It can't because I'm female, because Janeice is RAH. I only ever liked one of her books (Left Hand of Darkness). I'd rather be Brin, Clarke, or RAH. And now I'm scared that something even worse than GWB will come along. Back to work...
ReplyDeleteNatalie
Benford - that would figure, John. GB is a scientist, an astrophysicist if I remember correctly. I've read several of his books, Eon springs to mind. I think that's a compliment.
ReplyDeleteNeurondoc - Ursula K. LeGuin? I love LeGuin. The Lathe of Heaven and City of Illusion are two of my favorite books. Strange and mysterious, and things are never what they seem - that's you :)
Yes, I have a very large library (I've been collecting books since I was about 8, or so.). I've got in the neighborhood of 7,000 scifi paperbacks alone, and another 3,000 or so professional and non-fiction books. I just finished my basement a couple of months back and as soon as I find the time, I'm going to fill it with bookshelves and have me a proper library, I am.
In fairness, I procured this from fellow UCF member Tania.
ReplyDeleteAnd for Brin? Read The Kiln People. My favorite!
Ugh! I knew that. Thanks, Tania.
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to think that our interlinked/self-reinforcing blog circle is what we in the Navy used to call a 'self-licking icecream cone' :)
Yeah, The Kiln People excellent read.
I'm starting to think that our interlinked/self-reinforcing blog circle is what we in the Navy used to call a 'self-licking icecream cone' :)
ReplyDeleteWe should call Scientific American and inform them that we've found the secret to the perpetual motion machine...
I am...
ReplyDeleteHal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs)
A quiet and underrated master of "hard science" fiction who, among other things, foresaw integrated circuits back in the 1940s.
I love that reading Polybloggimous has lead me to other great reads...and of course yet another distraction from the things i should be doing...
Hoped for PKD or Frank Herbert, got James Tiptree (Alice Sheldon) instead. I kinda figured PKD was out when I picked "Futilty and confusion" over "God" on the first question.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, I only remember one of Tiptree's stories (after I pulled out one of the two heavy Asimov-edited anthologies I have): "Houston, Houston, Do You Read?"--and it's alright but not overwhelming. So it seems a little odd, I guess; I can't remember enough of her work to figure out whether or not being James Tiptree is totally cool or not.
Oh (and sorry for the double post): I saw the headline on MSNBC reading, "Bush: U.S. not headed for recession," and thought, "Oh shit, we're heading for a recession." But then the next headline I saw read, "Keith Richards' advice: Lay off the dope," and I realized it was Opposite Day.
ReplyDeleteOops. My bad! I meant to--wait: I mean I didn't mean to not write that I didn't see those headlines and immediately failed to realize that it's not Opposite Day today. There, that's not better. (large, knowing wink)
I love that reading Polybloggimous has lead me to other great reads..
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that PolyBoggimous has led you here, welcome Kimberly-Ann, make yourself at home. Any friend of Nathan's and all that.
Eric, Tripree is major coolness. I love Sheldon's stories. They're weird and strange and very very alien - as was Alice herself. She led a very secretive and interesting life - and had a tragic end. If only the treatments for depression had been then what they are now, but then her work wouldn't have been what it was. A terrific book is Julie Phillips: James Tiptree Jr: The Secret Life of Alice B. Sheldon, it's very well written and worth every penny even if you're not a fan of Tiptree/Sheldon's work. One of the best biographies I've read in a long time.
Oh and Eric, double post? Who cares? Post as much as you like.
And - I just spoke to Nathan on the phone, and he is even more cool and interesting 'in person' than he is online, one of those guys you just immediately like.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the conversation, Nathan.
Hmm, I'm also Gregory Benford. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteDude, I blogged about it. And CWO Gil Shefflin is being born at the moment. (He's really big and hairy for an infant. And he won't stop saying Fuck!)
ReplyDeletePhilip Jose Farmer.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to actually read something of his now, I suppose.
Hey, just got back from the Iditarod dinner, so cool, I just spent the last two hours having dinner with two of my favorite mushers - what a great night.
ReplyDeleteAnd while I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for my wife to show up, Tania called - we're having lunch tomorrow. Expect a full report. If she's half as cool as she is on the phone, it'll be a blast.
Steve, I can totally see you as Greg Benford.
David, PJF is kind of an acquired taste, some people love him, some don't. Me personally, I love his stuff. Try the World of Tiers series, starting with The Maker of Universes. I'm less a fan of his most famous works, the Riverworld series, but a lot of people really enjoy the books.
Off to read Nathan's blog, woohoo!
I'm only about 1/10th as cool as I am on the phone, prepare to be underwhelmed. heh.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I'm looking forward to it. This is where we'll be having lunch and libations. Ummm. Libations.
That's OK, I'm actually shorter in person than I am on the internet :)
ReplyDeleteReally Jim? That's pretty impressive, because from your pictures you only look a few inches tall!
ReplyDeleteYou know, Michelle, I've got one of those 'Male Enhancement' spam jokes in mind - but I won't, I won't, no I won't go there.
ReplyDeleteWhat? Is it sexual innuendo day and no one warned me?!
ReplyDelete