Activity timeline
October 6, 2009
August 1, 2009
Brooks added The Speed of Dark to his library.
June 22, 2009
Brooks added Ender in Exile to his library.
May 28, 2009
Brooks added Physics of the Impossible to his library.
Brooks added Predictably Irrational to his library.
April 14, 2009
March 20, 2009
bltravis says...
Somewhat odd that "Fahrenheit 451" is on the list for a "Contemporary" Literature Course. Is it really contemporary? Just asking. I'd almost say the same for "The Handmaid's Tale". I'd argue that you lose the "contemporary" label after 20 years.
December 13, 2008
bltravis replies...
Interesting response, given that the book was originally written and published before he decided to run for President. I think it may say more about the reader than the book or it's author. That said, I'd recommend the audio version, if you're an Audible listener.
December 10, 2008
Brooks added American Theocracy to his library.
November 11, 2008
Brooks added The Time Traveler's Wife to his library.
November 10, 2008
Brooks added The Left Hand of Darkness to his library.
Beginner's Guide to SF Criticism
These books are my recommendations for anyone interested in pursuing academic criticism of Science Fiction (SF). The focus is primarily on Critical Theory (derived from the Frankfurt School) and it's special relationship to the genre in contemporary academic discourse.
November 9, 2008
Read. This. Book. Now.
It is, at the same time, both inspiring and depressing. Friedman draws a map of our past, littered with lost opportunities, roads not traveled, and opportunities lost, yet paints a clear picture of where we can, nay, must go if we are to have any hope for a future, as a species, let alone a civilization. I was particularly heartened to learn that President-elect Obama has read this book, and can only hope he was as inspired by it as I was.
bltravis replies...
For the most part, I agree with you about Rand's writing, though I much prefer the Fountainhead to Atlas Shrugged. I believe Rand is at her best when addressing the more abstract formulations of individuality and individual exceptionalism. In many ways, the Fountainhead is about people, where Atlas Shrugged is more about Capitalism as an ideal and a system, and the roles people play in it. The former is a more "profitable" exercise than the latter.
September 30, 2008
September 12, 2008
bltravis replies...
I definitely have to agree with you on those points. However, they did have one thing in common—the endings were completely unsatisfying on both emotional and intellectual levels; though, if I had to choose one, I'd say the novel was more fulfilling overall.