Andrew’s recent reading:
I first read Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhoods End as a teenager, and was quite taken with it. It’s a few years since I last read it, and so I was interested in seeing how it stood the test of time. The answer: not well. Clarke was always better at ideas than eloquent writing, and the ideas here far outstrip the prose. What really struck me this time around though is the casual chauvinism and white male superiority that comes through, as well as a stunningly naive understanding of the dynamics between science, technology and society, that can’t be dismissed simply by saying he was a writer of his time.
It’s been way too long since I’ve read George Elliot (an author I devoured when I was younger). Going back to her first novel and Adam Bede (a re-read).
Continuing the complete Discworld read-through, I’m on to book 6 and Wyrd Sisters, where Pratchett establishes and begins to flesh out the socially commentary possibilities of the series’ witches.
Hank Green’s first novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, intriguingly meshed together a sophisticated perspective on social media, the internet, tech innovation, and the nature and future of humanity. The sequel promises to continue in the same way, capturing a particular zeitgeist around tech, the internet, society and the future with a unique and compelling voice – I’m looking forward to reading it!
I’m a huge fan of Iain Banks, and especially his science fiction novels writing under Iain M. Banks — in part because he is a brilliant but flawed writer of my generation, and more identifiable-with as a result. I regularly come back to his books, and decided to revisit Matter. From memory not one of his best, but still expansive, thought provoking and entertaining!
Back to Terry Pratchett and my sequential reading of the Discworld novels. Sourcery is book 5 in the series, and IMO not one of the best as it’s a little unfocused when it comes to the plot and the broader messaging. But still worth reading.
Being a Brit, I wasn’t brought up on the US classics, and so thought I should add some to my reading list, starting with The Catcher in the Rye. An interesting and insightful book, but not sure it lives up to the hype, and is not as representative of or as relevant to teens these days as some reviewers/commentators seem to believe. But a worth while read.
It’s a while since I’ve read any Atwood – the MaddAddam trilogy may be the last books of hers that I read possibly (and loved) – and so I thought it time to dive back into her work. The Heart Goes Last has mixed reviews, so I’m interested to see where it goes and what I think … (verdict – some interesting ideas, but shallowly developed and not followed through on)
Back to reading sequentially through Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Mort is book 4, and sees Pratchett’s style beginning to solidify around insightful satire rather than simply having a lot of fun with the writing.
Having spent the past few weeks with zombies, I thought I’d take a break with some light romantic comedy – Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners is just the ticket (suggested by my wife!)
I’m on to the last of Mira Grant’s (Seanan McGuire) zombie trilogy – Blackout. As I wrote previously, I have a soft spot for these as she develops a scarily plausible (within bounds) scenario for the zombie-causing virus, and one that is quite terrifying. But more than this, she uses the zombie setting to explore the complex dynamic around power, politics, rights, democracy and autonomy within a technologically complex society. This book is where the politics of power and complex social decisions comes into its own – along with some high tech thrown in.
Continuing Mira Grant’s zombie trilogy, I’m back re-reading Deadline – the second in the series. As I wrote previously, I have a soft spot for these as she develops a scarily plausible (within bounds) scenario for the zombie-causing virus, and one that is quite terrifying. But more than this, she uses the zombie setting to explore the complex dynamic around power, politics, rights, democracy and autonomy within a technologically complex society.
With COVID rampant, I thought it was time to revisit Mira Grant’s (Seanan McGuire) zombie trilogy. I have a soft spot for these as she develops a scarily plausible (within bounds) scenario for the zombie-causing virus, and one that is quite terrifying. But more than this, she uses the zombie setting to explore the complex dynamic around power, politics, rights, democracy and autonomy within a technologically complex society.
Still re-reading (in chronological order) Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Equal Rites is when Pratchett begins to seriously flex his social commentary muscles – stands the test of time well.
I’m a huge John Wyndham fan, although his books are definitely of their time, and there are aspects of them that positively grate against today’s social norms and expectations. That said, when you get over the sometimes-problematic gender stereotypes in Trouble with Lichen, it’s a quite remarkable foray into the complex ethics of a transformative technology for its time, and remains a relevant study of responsible and ethical innovation for the present day. Plus, despite the gender stereotypes, the book was ground-breaking in its focusing on a strong female scientist and entrepreneur as its protagonist.
I first read this as a teenager, and still enjoy revisiting it.
Continuing my journey back through Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, this is the second book in the series. The world he’s building has yet to gel, but it’s getting there — and the writing has all of Pratchett’s hallmark wit and insight.
I have a deep love and respect for Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books — over the course of the series, he was uniquely able to create an alternative world that provided a platform for searingly revealing observations on the world we inhabit, and the responsibilities we have to others while we inhabit it — all delivered with delicious wit and humor. It’s years since I’ve read The Colour of Magic, which is the first in the series, but I was encouraged to come back here by a tweet from the author Nick Harkaway.
I love this book — it’s deeply and disturbingly reminiscent of my childhood in a British comprehensive around the same time the books set in, with every nuance of Mitchell’s beautiful, poetically crafted prose bringing back the pain and anxiety in an almost cathartic way. Highly recommended, although it’s hard to understand how readers who didn’t live through a British comprehensive childhood in the early 80’s will be able to fully savor the references and imagery.
