Under the cut: a few bits of Anathem that I think will make it into popular culture (or popular internet culture ... is that the same thing yet?)

( Spoilers, yes, but nothing to give away the ending. )

Well, it was finished Saturday, but I was avoiding my computer yesterday for no reason in particular ( Read more... )

... because my Advance Reader's Edition of Anathem showed up today ( Read more... )

Generally I really like rain. It's starting to interfere with my lifestyle, though, and that will not do ( Read more... )

"Congratulations. You've snagged an Early Reviewers copy of Anathem by Neal Stephenson."

My day could not get any better.

I did say I had an interesting mix of things to review, didn't I?

Though it doesn't say, I think this one is an adaptation of a thesis. It has that feel. The language isn't super-elegant, but it's very clear, and easy to understand even with little knowledge of astronomy or Lakota culture.

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Sandman vol. 5, A Game of You, Neil Gaiman, 1991-1992.

I'm reading Sandman all out of order. That's all right, though. Particularly with a volume like this, which is one self-contained story. Was pretty good, too.

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I really do wish that someone had bothered to do something about the side yard of this house last fall. There are three apple trees, which will probably be lovely once they've got leaves, but the entire yard is filled with last year's apples ( Read more... )

Bang Crunch - Stories, Neil Smith, 2007.

Picked this up compulsively based on having thought I'd read a positive review at some point. Short stories, mostly very good.

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The Trouble with Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next. Lee Smolin, 2006.

A pretty amazing book. It made me realize how glad I am to have left physics when I did. It also made me want to try again.

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