tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11920826.post9008819410171237801..comments2024-03-18T05:15:30.666-04:00Comments on Foma*: Stalking Nivenyellojkthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592683505688819187noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11920826.post-90697688842653284122007-06-01T16:56:00.000-04:002007-06-01T16:56:00.000-04:00Inferno was great fun. If I recall correctly, Vonn...<I>Inferno</I> was great fun. If I recall correctly, Vonnegut wound up in the circle of Heretics, just inside the walls of Dis. There was a tomb with a flashing green neon sign that read "And so it goes". I remember the protagonist finding that unfair, because the unnamed "heretic" didn't mean it seriously.<BR/><BR/>It got me to read Dante, too. It's really an appropriate subject, since I consider the <I>Divine Comedy</I> to be the first SF work. I mean, it uses the most the most up to date scientific knowledge of the period, understands the consequences of many of them, and has a number of scientific expository discussions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11920826.post-56053613456242563802007-06-01T10:39:00.000-04:002007-06-01T10:39:00.000-04:00The only Niven-Pournell books I've read are Infern...The only Niven-Pournell books I've read are <I>Inferno</I> and the Motie books, but I really love <I>Inferno.</I> It made a huge impression on me as a kid and actually got me to read Dante. It's great because it takes a hard science attitude towards something very, very different. Well worth a read and I'm intrigued that a sequel is in the works all these years later.<BR/><BR/>The main characters do encounter lots of folks in hell that the authors want to take swipes at -- it's a lot like Dante in that respect. There's a nameless sci-fi writer (one who "pretends not to be a sci-fi writer") who I've always assumed was supposed to be Vonnegut, but I'm not sure...<BR/><BR/>JoshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11920826.post-51064300641362460402007-06-01T07:59:00.000-04:002007-06-01T07:59:00.000-04:00What fun, yellojkt! You are lucky to live so near ...What fun, yellojkt! You are lucky to live so near that major sci-fi event. Thanks for the report; it was "the next best thing to being there."<BR/><BR/>As you know, I've had some primo stalking experiences at the Miami Book Fair. I'm almost satisfied that I've met most of my favorite authors at this point. Amazing. Just this year, Dave Barry, Carl Hiaason, Kurt Andersen, Jonathan Franzen. For 2007, my dreams would come true if Barbara Kingsolver and Robert Wright showed up. It could happen.<BR/><BR/>Of course, it goes without saying that there's a certain WaPo reporter/blogger that I will be happy to meet whenever he publishes a book and makes the rounds of book-promotion venues. I'm thinking, maybe 2010.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11920826.post-11966158915743459822007-06-01T06:50:00.000-04:002007-06-01T06:50:00.000-04:00Yeah, Jerry said that east coast pollen must me mu...Yeah, Jerry said that east coast pollen must me much deadlier than west coast pollen because he felt like a zombie most of the time.yellojkthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09592683505688819187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11920826.post-67924256792122381082007-06-01T06:32:00.000-04:002007-06-01T06:32:00.000-04:00Pournelle doesn't travel well and from his comment...Pournelle doesn't travel well and from his comments at his "not a blog" he'd already been on the road for several days. All of which combined to make him crankier than ever.<BR/><BR/>I suppose the author I'd come closest to wanting to "stalk" would be Harry Turtledove. I've got a serious history bug.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com