Fiskadoro is Denis Johnson’s second novel, published in 1985. The novel is set beyond some apocalypse. It is not a dying world, although it is set in the shadow of one. Fiskadoro describes a vibrant culture, be it one scarred by radiation and bombs, employing shibboleths to ward off the present: “the quarantine will be lifted” (is there even one?), “Bob Marley will...
Hide and Seek is the third episode of the franchisee show Stargate Atlantis[1]. It first aired in July 2004. Spoilers? Yes. Synopsis: An energy-feeding shadow is freed and a shield stone is found. They get rid of the shadow and can’t use the stone any more. Fin. DVD Commentary Instructions: (1) Print off this commentary. (2) Hire a voice actor – someone with a deep voice and who is well...
The Origin of Speech is the title of an article published in Scientific American in 1960 by Charles F. Hockett. It is often cited, even today, for its suggestion that there are 13 “design-features” shared by all languages. The 13 design-features of language: Vocal-auditory channel – While it is true that we have cultural adaptations that don’t require vocalizing communication – sign...
Nobody Move is a novel written by Denis Johnson. Beginning in July 2008, Nobody Move appeared as a four-part serialized novel in Playboy before being published in book form in 2009. Incidentally, that veritable literary journal does a fine job summarising the story: It maps a colliding and eliding of characters and agendas: a hapless gambler and sometimes barbershop singer trying to survive, a...
What he loved in horses was what he loved in men, the blood and the heat of the blood that ran them. All his reverence and all his fondness and all the leanings of his life were for the ardenthearted and they would always be so and never be otherwise. Ch.I All the Pretty Horses is a novel by American author Cormac McCarthy. The novel was published in 1992 and won the National Book...
Editorial notes: This is the first of two posts (bost written on the same day) dedicated to the Antikythera mechanism. Decoding the Heavens is a non-fiction book by Jo Marchant about the Antikythera mechanism, and was published in 2008. For the actual focus of the book, see the relevant node, although suffice to remind everyone at this point that the Antikythera mechanism was a Greek artefact...
Dangling Man was the first novel published by Nobel Prize winner Saul Bellow. It was published in 1944 by Vanguard Press, and which today is owned by Random House. The novel forms a diary kept by Joseph for a one year: December 15, 1942, through to April 9 1943. The very first entry begins with the caveat that although to keep a diary is not something that should be done – since one should...
The Algebraist is a science fiction novel set in the unfathomably far future and is penned by the established author Iain M. Banks. The plot concerns a star system being attacked by some force, (I would have written “alien force” but by this stage in the universe’s history to define something as an alien is rather provincial). The attack is motivated by a desire to conquer the...
Dawkin’s God is a non-fiction book by Alister McGrath published in 2004. It is a response to Dawkin’s views, especially as they regard religion. The book is subtitled Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life. Comments: The most intelligible interpretation of McGrath’s take on Dawkins is that Dawkins is attacking academic-religion and not pop-religion. The reason for making this...
Jesus’ Son is a collection of stories revolving around a lost soul known as fuckhead. The book was published in 1992, and in 1999 was made into a movie by the same name. The book’s title comes from The Velvet Underground‘s song Heroin. When I’m rushing on my run And I feel just like Jesus‘ son… Comments: While the main theme (or at least thematic motif) found...
