Book Recommendation
My friends over at http://www.inchoatus.com/ gave me a speculative fiction book recommendation I want to pass along.
Ted Chiang. Stories of Your Life and Others. (Also in paperback)
This is actually a collection of short stories, which means it’s perfect for people like me. I have a short attention span, and I ride the metro for 30 minutes getting to work each morning. Having a book while riding on public transportation is essential. Even if you’re not actually reading it, it’s the best way to avoid having the nutters talk to you. Well, acting like a nutter yourself is probably the best way, so maybe this is second best.
These stories are great, especially if you’re interested in science. You don’t have to be into science to get them, it just makes it a little more interesting.
Understand explores the possibilities of being able to use 100% of your brain, instead of just the 10% we use now.
Story of your life is about a linguist trying to communicate with an alien race. Not altogether different than communicating with the woman on the bus who enjoys poking lip balm up her nose. The alien language is very cool actually. It’s based on a way of thinking completely different from any language on Earth.
Division by Zero is actually about love and happiness, which means I didn’t get it at all. I think I was too busy trying to follow the math and missed the actual story. If anyone can explain it to me, I’d appreciate it.
I’ll let you know how the rest of the stories are after I’ve finished them all.
Ted Chiang. Stories of Your Life and Others. (Also in paperback)
This is actually a collection of short stories, which means it’s perfect for people like me. I have a short attention span, and I ride the metro for 30 minutes getting to work each morning. Having a book while riding on public transportation is essential. Even if you’re not actually reading it, it’s the best way to avoid having the nutters talk to you. Well, acting like a nutter yourself is probably the best way, so maybe this is second best.
These stories are great, especially if you’re interested in science. You don’t have to be into science to get them, it just makes it a little more interesting.
Understand explores the possibilities of being able to use 100% of your brain, instead of just the 10% we use now.
Story of your life is about a linguist trying to communicate with an alien race. Not altogether different than communicating with the woman on the bus who enjoys poking lip balm up her nose. The alien language is very cool actually. It’s based on a way of thinking completely different from any language on Earth.
Division by Zero is actually about love and happiness, which means I didn’t get it at all. I think I was too busy trying to follow the math and missed the actual story. If anyone can explain it to me, I’d appreciate it.
I’ll let you know how the rest of the stories are after I’ve finished them all.
posted by Sylow_P | 1:14 PM
7 Comments:
I think Division by Zero is about a math geek who goes to his friends' wedding and meets the love of his life who loves him in spite of his math geekiness.
After you read that story, you'll realize that was a silly thing to say.
Oh wait! Division by ZERO. I was thinking of Division by Nil, which has a very happy ending.
My fave part of Division by Nil is when the math geeks friends come to live with them, including the dude who sometimes comments when he should be sitting on his hands, and they all get real fat from all the eating and drinking they do.
Dude, you're startin to freak me out.
How part the part when the math geek got all freaked out and that other dude just kept going on and on even though everyone was dropping subtle and then not-so-subtle hints all over the place?
That guy was wiggy.
Great story!
I think that guy owes me a bottle of scotch.
And he'd better pay up quick, lest he suffer the consequences of welching on a bribe.
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