Present - 2001
 
2000 - 1996
1995 - 1991          
          Cover
Title
Author
Date Completed 
Darwin's Radio
Darwin's Radio
Greg Bear
12/27/0
Borrowed from: Cesar

Excellent.  What happens when it's time for Homo Sapiens Sapiens to start the next subspecies.  Read the short biology primer at the back of the book first!  It's very helpful!

Robot: Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind
non-fiction
Robot

Mere Machine to
Transcendent Mind

Hans Moravec
10/27/0
Not bad.  1st half is history of robots (a little plodding, actually).  2nd half is the future of robots, when their intelligence will match and then exceed ours (about 30-50 years from now) and further, on to when they become super-intelligent and start transcending physical existence.  Then the book gets a little weird...
Deep Time
non-fiction
Deep Time

How humanity communicates
across millennia.

Gregory Benford
8/3/0
First Edition

Liked quite a bit.   In 3 sections: 1. stuff we build: only a few of the pyramids have survived 5,000 years; how do we seal away nuclear waste for 10,000?  2. messages on space probes 3. how we treat the Earth is itself a message to the future.  Includes ideas on how to counteract global warming.

My Vast Fortune
non-fiction
My Vast Fortune
Andrew Tobias
5/31/0
First Edition

Liked it!  Easy read, light hearted sort of "early memoir."  Lots of good info about how the auto insurance industry is so messed up and how Ralph Nader is a big fat idiot.  This is the guy who got us on the cover of Parade Magazine.  :-)

See us on Parade
(see us on Parade)
Ghost of the Well of Souls
Ghost of the Well of Souls
Jack L. Chalker
4/30/0
First Printing (paperback)

Series: Well World
 

The Sea Is Full of Stars
The Sea Is Full of Stars
Jack L. Chalker
4/26/0
First Printing (paperback)

Series: Well World
 

Timeline
Timeline
Michael Crichton
4/2/0
Started off a little easy/predictable, but by the end turned out to be a pretty good story.  Time travel to medieval times.
Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
3/2/0
Very good.  Surprising that after 30 some odd years, it still has good warnings to us, namely, that catering to minorities to the extent that no one can do anything that "might offend somebody" will lead to a society that outlaws free thinking (in this case, reading books).
The Road to Mars
The Road to Mars

A Post-Modern Novel

Eric Idle
11/22/99
Nice.  Light, but chock-full of profanity.  Interesting ideas on the basis of comedy.  Not a dissertation, but an actual novel (science fiction, actually).   Yes, this is the Eric Idle of Monty Python fame.
Engines of Creation
non-fiction
Engines of Creation
K. Eric Drexler
11/2/99
Excellent.  The defining text for molecular nanotechnology.  Written in 1986, this book is about the social implications of nanotech far more than the tech itself.  Drexler meticulously builds his cases for why nanotech will happen and for why and how we should be prepared for the "assembler breakthrough," since it will be abruptly world changing.  Discussion includes the "gray goo problem" as well as active shields, cell repair machines, biostasis, "fact forums," and quite an uncanny prediction of the World Wide Web (though it's really more of a plea to create it than it is an actual prediction).  The only thing he missed was the amount of time it would take to create - the web came 5-10 years sooner than he expected.  In the afterward (written in 1990) he states that other steps along the way to nanotech have been completed sooner than he expected.  In all, makes you wonder if we're going to be ready enough socially by the time the breakthrough gets here because it looks like it's coming full speed!
The Joy of Work
humor
The Joy of Work

Dilbert's Guide to Finding Happiness at the Expense of Your Co-workers

Scott Adams
9/30/99
First Printing (paperback)

Good book.  Has an excellent section at the end where he explains how to write humor.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
A Connecticut Yankee
in King Arthur's Court
Samuel Clemens
(Mark Twain)
8/8/99
Awesome!  Great!  Hard to believe a story like this was written so long ago.  I think I like Clemens; maybe I'll have to read something else of his now.  I read the "Norton Critical Edition" which has all sorts of useful footnotes detailing all the little references he makes to stuff I never would have known.  A third of the book is "extras:" sources, backgrounds, critiques (contemporary and modern), letters to/from Clemens regarding, on and on.  Quite excellent.  Very much enjoyed!  Didn't finish all of the commentaries until 3/10/0.
Nano: The Emerging Science of Nanotechnology
non-fiction
Nano

The Emerging Science
of Nanotechnology

Ed Regis
5/10/99
Though not what I expected, a good book.  Not details about all the neat things nanotech can do, it is instead the story of the guy who first realized all the things it can do.  If I had known this is what it was about, I wouldn't have read it, but now I'm glad I did since it's given me all the background to bring me up to speed on the ... well, politics of nanotech.  THE book to read seems to be Engines of Creation by Eric Drexler.  Guess I'll have to russle up a copy.  (Guess I did!)
Far Futures
Far Futures
Gregory Benford
(editor)
4/13/99
Borrowed from: Cesar

Collection of 5 short stories that are each set at least thousands of years into the future.  Very good, especially the Foundation story and the last one.

The Arrow of Time
non-fiction
The Arrow of Time
Peter Coveney
Roger Highfield
4/12/99
First Edition

The single longest read of my life!  Auugghhh!  Took me 5+ YEARS to plod through this thing!  A lot of talking WAY over my head.  Got it because it talks about time.  It tells how current physics is lacking because it's time-symmetric - the equations run backward as easily as forward.  They try to show that the key to "time's arrow" - that part that requires time to run forward and prohibits it from running backwards - maybe can be found in chaos theory.  If you're a theoretical physicist (or wannabe), go for it.

Events That Shaped the Century
non-fiction
Events That Shaped the Century
Time-Life Books
3/31/99
Very nice.  Lots of pictures, light reading.  History of the US from 1900-1997  (Brownie camera to Mars Pathfinder).
Beyond Star Trek
non-fiction
Beyond Star Trek

Physics from Alien Invasions to the End of Time

Lawrence M. Krauss
2/10/99
First Printing (paperback)

Excellent!  Especially the second half where there's a lot of quantum discussion, including an explanation of the "quantum froth" from "The Cosmic Code" (though he doesn't call it that).  Also physics explanations of why telekinesis, telepathy, et. al. are very unlikely due to the enormous energy requirements, lack of known "force of nature" to impart the force/info, etc.

Series

Xenogenesis

Xenogenesis
Octavia E. Butler
(Series)
Borrowed from: Cesar

Cesar loaned me the single-bound series of all three books, pictured at left.  Can't for the life of me find a link for it for you anywhere... sorry!
 

Dawn

Dawn8/29/98 
 

Very nice.  Ends very abrubptly! (Good thing I borrowed it as all 3 in a single volume!)  Begins after Earth has nuked itself and ET's have rescued some number of Earthlings.  They're kind of like sentient anoemonoes.  Want to reseed the Earth with their humans, but want something from the humans in trade...
Adulthood Rights

Adulthood Rights9/13/98 
 

Good.  Ended more abruptly than the first. The life of the first construct male child up until he reaches adulthood.
Imago

Imago9/23/98 
 

Also good.  Interesting thoughts on how solids might become "changelings" aka shape-shifters.  Told entirely as a first person narrative; not a big deal at first, but just gets a little weird after a while.
Pulling Your Own Strings
non-fiction
Pulling Your Own Strings

Dynamic Techniques for Dealing With Other People and Living Your Life As You Choose

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
8/24/98
Borrowed from: Becky

How to keep yourself from being manipulated by other people.  Pretty good.  At some points though,  I got the feeling that if the ex  had read it, it would have strengthened her resolve to leave.  Turns out I'm already pretty good at "pulling my own strings" - about 80 some odd percent...  Course, could be used as a guide for manipulating others... ;-)

I Am Spock
non-fiction
autobiography
I Am Spock
Leonard Nimoy
7/4/98
First Edition

Very good.  Explained that title of previous book, "I Am Not Spock", was a mistake.  Lot of good behind the scenes on movie making (non-Star Trek movies as well), and a little bit about his childhood.

Billions && Billions
non-fiction
Billions & Billions

Thoughts on Life and Death
at the Brink of the Millenium

Carl Sagan
6/25/98
First Edition

Excellent.  Very easy read.  Written for the layman.  Social issues approached in a scientific manner.  Ends with an intimate account of how Carl deals with knowing that he's dying - the book is finished by his widow, Ann Druyan.

Beggars Ride
Beggar's Ride
Nancy Kress
4/7/98
Borrowed from: Bilbo
Series: Beggars in Spain
 
Better than previous, but still  no time spent with the supers.  Class strife when the Change syringes run out.
Timequake
Timequake
Kurt Vonnegut
2/9/98
Borrowed from: Cesar

Different!  Told as though Kurt were sitting in the room talking to you.  Kinda liked it.  Lots of almost seemingly free association and off hand insights about life.  The story is about the Timequake, a 10 year hiccup by the universe that causes everything to "rerun" - until it ends and "free will" kicks in again - of course, by then, everyone's forgotten how to have free will and they hang around stunned for a while..."Written" seemingly simultaneously in 1996 and 2001, just after the end of the rerun.  Spent the first few chapters (they're all quite short) wondering if the prologue was ever going to end.  That's just the style of the book.  Kinda' cool as a change of pace.  Kilgore Trout stars.  Ting-a-ling!

3001: The Final Odyssey
3001: The Final Odyssey
Arthur C. Clarke
11/17/97
Series: Space Odyssey
 
After finishing it thought, "Okay, now what was that about... ???"
The Metaphysics of Star Trek
non-fiction
The Metaphysics of Star Trek
Richard Hanley
10/11/97
First Edition

Also surprisingly good!  (See "The Physics of Star Trek")  Is Data alive?  Should you transport?  Awesome time travel section!
 

The Seraphim Rising
The Seraphim Rising
Elisabeth DeVos
(wife of co-worker!)
9/29/97
First Edition
Signed
View signed Serpahim Rising
(see the signed page)
Cool!  "Angels" return to Earth and how Earth is affected.  Her first submission to a publisher and she gets published!  Signed, of course! Well, okay, honestly?  Just sort of "okay" as a novel, but hey, a whole lot better than I could do!
The Dilbert Future
humor
The Dilbert Future

Thriving on Stupidity in the 21st Century

Scott Adams
6/5/97
First Edition

Great! Best one so far. Wrapped in humor, says a lot of things that people don't like to believe are true.

One Hundred Years of Solitude
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
5/18/97
Borrowed from: Gail

Not bad.  A little weird.  Follows the life of a town and the family that founded it.  Full of quirky people.

Chicken Soup for the Soul
non-fiction
Chicken Soup for the Soul

101 Stories to Open the Heart & Rekindle the Spirit

Jack Canfield
Mark Victor Hansen
4/97
Borrowed from: Becky

Nice.  101 short "aww, isn't that nice" stories about how people have overcome adversity to do great things.

Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook
humor
Dogbert's Top Secret Management Handbook
Scott Adams
3/97
First Edition
Inside Star Trek: The Real Story
non-fiction
Inside Star Trek

The Real Story

Herbert F. Solow
Robert H. Justman
1/8/97
Very good account of behind-the-scenes from the original Star Trek series.  Points out a lot of the fictions in other people's accounts of those days!
Crazy English
non-fiction
Crazy English

The Ultimate Joy Ride Through Our Language

Richard Lederer
10/11/96
Borrowed from: Charlie

All sorts of weird things about English (palindromes, ...).

Across Realtime
Across Realtime
Vernor Vinge
9/30/96
About "bobbles," spheres completely cut off from the rest of the universe.  Liked it quite a bit.  This is actually 2 novels, "The Peace War" and "Marooned in Realtime," neither of which is in print any longer.
The Physics of Star Trek
non-fiction
The Physics of Star Trek
Lawrence M. Krauss
9/9/96
First Printing (paperback)
Signed
View signed Physics of Star Trek
(see the signed page)

Surprisingly good! Not "this is how it could work...", it's "here's why most of ST's physics is bunk", and does a lot of real physics. Kind of helps if you already have a passing acquaintance with quantum physics (read "The Cosmic Code")

The Dilbert Principle
humor
The Dilbert Principle

A Cubicle's-Eye View of Bosses, Meetings, Management Fads & Other Workplace Afflictions

Scott Adams
6/17/96
First Edition

Good.  Comic expanded into "cubicle's-eye view" of office life.  Last chapter has some potentially serious ideas.

Contact
Contact
Carl Sagan
5/26/96
I liked it, it was good. Deals believably more with how a message from the stars would be dealt with by humans than it is random musings on what extra-terrestrial life would be like.
See, I Told You So
non-fiction
See, I Told You So
Rush Limbaugh
5/96
First Edition
 
The Tao of Pooh
non-fiction
The Tao of Pooh
Benjamin Hoff
3/31/96
Borrowed from: Gail

Very Good. All the characters in the Pooh stories exemplify different views on life. Pooh's, of course, is the right one!

Beggars and Choosers
Beggars and Choosers
Nancy Kress
3/18/96
Borrowed from: Bilbo
Series: Beggars in Spain
 
Okay.  No time spent with the supers.  Cool nanotech.
The Dechronization of Sam Magruder
The Dechronization of Sam Magruder
George Gaylord Simpson
1/28/96
Borrowed from: Gail

Okay. 1 man completely, forever alone in the age of dinosaurs. Mostly a description of dinosaurs.

        Present - 2001
 
2000 - 1996
1995 - 1991