Back when I was a student in Europe in the 70s (yes, I’m that old), I visited the Museum of Science and Technology in Munich, Germany. The place is huge. I remember going from display case to display case in the physics wing, pushing a button here to show how a pulley works, pushing a … More Less Reading, More Thinking
There are moments, events that stick with you. Moments that you will never forget, that you can remember as if they had just happened. I remember holding my son for the first time. I remember giving my daughter her first bath. I remember giving my wife our first kiss. I know I talk about how … More That Perfect Moment
No, I am not talking about literal messages from beyond the grave. But for you to really understand what I am talking about, I have to back up. My father died in 1993. Of those of us who are still alive, I suspect I knew him (arguably) better than anyone else. It was the usual … More Advice from My (Dead) Father
“Storm Front” by Jim Butcher. Roc Books. 372 pages. I have a student named Andrew that is also a colleague in our student-led campus creative writing group, The Rough Writers. He has been going on and on about Jim Butcher and especially about the Dresden Files series. And so I got a good deal at … More Review: “Storm Front” by Jim Butcher
Hark, the herald, people sing, Joy to no more suffering, Peace on earth and mercy mild, Men on earth are reconciled. Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, With all nations then proclaim Men on earth are all the same. “Mother,” Brenda Saffold said as they got in the Yellow … More “[An Alien] Christmas In Chicago”
The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi. Tor Books. 374 pages. I need to start off by explaining that this book is the sequel to Old Man’s War, a book I thoroughly enjoyed and have reviewed here. But as John Scalzi himself admits, writing a sequel is no easy thing. Being the author of a trilogy … More Review: “The Ghost Brigades” by John Scalzi
If you go to author Neil Stephenson’s (author of books like Cryptonomicon and Anathem) website, you will get a message that goes something like this: Dear Reader, if you appreciate my books, then I encourage you to leave me alone and let me focus on my work. Thank you. N. Stephenson. Writing is a solitary … More Private Parts
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. —Reinholt Niebuhr I got into an argument with my daughter the other day. You see, we live just outside the city limits, and because we live in … More What Is, Is
“The Martian” by Andy Weir. Crown Books. 369 pages. I’ve been sort of a fan of Michael Crichton for quite a while. I say “sort of” because I believe he has some great books, and others that are not-so-great. I long have wondered how you classify Crichton’s writing: it’s not really science fiction, but then … More Review: “The Martian” by Andy Weir
It’s been all of five days since I introduced my new book Chosen to the world. It’s been a long time coming, just a dream for most of that time, and now it is reality. I’m eager for you and the rest of the world to read this book, because I think it’s one of … More Letting Go
