has 6 followers and is following 6 people
Christina M’s last login was Sunday, May 15, 2011.
Read the review for The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach
Rated 2 stars
Read the review for Blindsight
Rated 3 stars
Read the review for Sun in a Bottle
Rated 4 stars
Read the review for Starfish
Read the review for Stiff
Rated 5 stars
Read the review for QED
Read the review for Timescape
Read the review for Bad Luck and Trouble
Read the review for The Android's Dream
Read the review for Halting State
Read the review for Ventus
Thanks for the thorough write-up on Hedges. The book I was on the fence about is Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle. The title sounds wonderful, but I feared that, although I may not find myself necessarily disagreeing with Hedges, the book may be too cranky and insufficiently thought-provoking to be worth my time? In light of what you say, I'll probably follow my intuition which was to read What Every Person Should Know About War, and not bother with the other. Sounds like he's better in journalist mode, one step away from the soapbox.You say you're unclear about what Hedges wants us to do? Given the breadth of his thesis, wouldn't it be difficult, if not impossible, for him to say what ought to be done about the dark side of human nature? Do you feel you're any closer to answering that question than Hedges?
So, what's the verdict on Hedges? After reading your reviews, I think my intuition may not have been too far off? He's an interesting journalist, but a bit cranky, and circular as a cultural critic? Would you recommend I read anything, of his, longer than an article?
Howdy, I don't think I'm going to be much help with this, since I think that's the only one of hers I've read. I might've read some of the others at my aunt's house (they're more her taste than mine), but it's been so long that I don't remember any real details other than that they were generally enjoyable cosy-mysteries.
"I see you read Moore's The Stupidest Angel. Would I like it?" (note from last year) I forgot I never replied to this. Yes, I think you'd like it. It's a goofy zombie story, but it's well-paced and he's got a quirky humor I think you'd appreciate.
Glad you enjoyed Bonk! I'm not sure about the documentary idea -- I think the subject enjoys more charm in book form -- it is, perhaps, a little to graphic to be tastefully presented in televisual form (for this prudish society, at least)? Which ideas did Roach present as 100% true for all humans? I wasn't particularly struck by any generalizations. As for the omission of social and cultural practice? This is a book about "the curious coupling of science and sex," not the curious coupling of cultural anthropology, sociology, history, or insert-your-favorite-humanity-here and sex, so I wouldn't expect it to? She's looking at sex in the laboratory, so anything else is outside the scope of the book.Personally, I read Roach's books for their entertainment value, not for the cold hard "facts." I do, however, find her to be a competent researcher, and she always provides citations.
That was the only bit of it that was quoted, and there wasn't much context. I almost quoted it before, but it seemed to take away from the text."We had one semester on Babylonia at university and there was an ancient Babylonian prayer that I memorized that really explains ... well, how exciting archaeology can be, hearing a voice from thousands of years ago. Care to hear it?"Farrell shrugged and said indulgently, "Sure, why not?""Good ... it's a prayer, you know." Closing his eyes he was quiet for a moment and then he slowly recited, "'I am silent and in tears and none takes me by the hand. My God, who knowest the unknown, be merciful ... in the midst of the stormy waters come to my help, take me by the hand....'"They were moved to silence until Mrs. Pollifax said softly, "How beautiful -- and how eloquent."Farrell said gruffly, "When would that have been written?""Long before Christ was born."
Completist urge.The spy stuff was still completely silly to the end, but there was one thing I got out of it: a translated quote from an ancient Babylonian prayer to an unknown god. It reached out from among the fluffy text surrounding it and resonated, across a couple of millenia."I am silent and in tears and none takes me by the hand. My God, who knowest the unknown, be merciful ... in the midst of the stormy waters come to my help, take me by the hand...."
I gave Bonk five stars: http://www.shelfari.com/books/3651530/Bonk/reviews/2036273Hey, I enjoy oogie-ness, when it's presented amusingly :-)Enjoy the Dispossessed! I know I did. It was required reading for a "feminism and sci-fi" class that I took many years ago.
So, have you started reading Bonk yet? I'm almost finished -- just one chapter to go.
oops! Apologies for making a pig's breakfast of the link, there!
What's the Dispossessed about? Well, I read it fifteen years ago, but I remember being more impressed by it than I was by Left Hand of Darkness. Here's a good review: [a href="http://www.shelfari.com/books/52242/The-Dispossessed/reviews/829003"]http://www.shelfari.com/books/52242/The-Dispossessed/reviews/829003[/a] I remember being impressed by her message about the significance of the level of visibility when it comes to the mode of production? That is the message that stuck with me over the past fifteen years.
Have you read LeGuin's The Dispossessed?
Hey, thanks for suggesting shelfari! This place is fun!
Hmmm... I read it several years ago, now. I found it thought provoking, on the subject of individualism, at the time I read it. I think it's worth reading. I'd recommend it, and check in with you afterward. If it irritates you, it may stimulate some interesting discussion :-)
hey!!! how r u??did u read GEB completely??can i know what do u think of it??
It's by an artist named Ethan Van Sciver.Here is his blog.http://www.newsarama.com/comics/020905-Ethan-Time9.htmlI found the image here though.http://heyoscarwilde.com/ethan-van-sciver-orson-welles/
Hey, thanks man! :p I'll make one for you if you want.Hope you are having a good day.- Anthony
its a collection of essays of great sagan.. if u havent read him do read one of best sci writers
Hi Christina,My feeling about the end of Behemoth was that he had not in fact ended the world. I felt that the last few sentences had a hopefulness that suggested that Achilles really had been bluffing and that there was at least a chance that Seppuku was going to wipe out Behemoth. But it was definitely ambiguous. It didn't even occur to me that the last page mentioning non-convergence was relating to something to do with predictions about the spread of Behemoth or Seppuku or the nuclear warheads. I assumed it was a sort of meta-textual comment indicating that at that point there were so many unknown factors at play that the author couldn't predict any further what might become of mankind. I was pretty amused by that ending because I am a statistician and I use numerical maximization to solve a lot of the problems I work on, and non-convergence due to a singular hessian matrix is one of my most hated things!Have you made any progress with Motherless Brooklyn?Rebecca
]I have no doubt but that you read a little of everything?Hee hee. I was just showing off my sf chops. 'Cause, like, I had an example. I fluff my sf feathers at you! (Are you impressed? I mean, they're really fluffy!)I confess to liking _Starship Troopers_. I will say in my defense that I went to see the movie without (purposefully) reading the book. (Since I hadn't already read it, I decided to hold off and see the movie without bringing anything of the book to it. It's rare that I get the opportunity and I wanted to see what it was like.) That movie just plain sucks. I disliked it on its own merits. And THEN I read the book, and found out that there were at least 10 contradictions in the first three pages. I ask you, what is the *point* of basing a movie on a book if you're not going to follow any of the book?? (A general question that I ask over and over again. Do not get me started on the Saint movie.) In comparison to the movie, that book is a stellar masterpiece. Perhaps I should read it again. I generally find that Heinlein has interesting global ideas and writes well, but his characters tend towards the shallow.On fantasy v. sf, I was aware of the religious schism but had friends on both sides of the chasm and so could talk a good line either way. Or, put another way, could find someone to indulge me in a book thrashing-out whichever genre I was reading. On a basic level, they seem much the same to me. "Magical teleport" v. ftl travel; other realm v. other galaxy -- all the same suspension of disbelief, all the same "and then a miracle occurred" reality. :)
