1. Siddharth Kara, Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery. A serious research effort and the best book so far on its topic.
2. Joseph Contreras, In the Shadow of the Giant: The Americanization of Modern Mexico. A neglected side of recent Mexican history; one of the best books on where Mexico is headed. Here is a recent article on related progress in Mexico's legal system.
3. Mahmood Mamdani, Saviors and Survivors: Darfur, Politics, and the War on Terror. This revisionist account argues the conflict is political rather than racial and that the notion of "genocide" is an externally imposed category for international political reasons. I found the arguments of this book hard to assess but it made for stimulating reading.
4. George Scialabba, What are Intellectuals Good For?, recommendation via Henry. Fascinating essays on 20th century intellectuals, from an "ethical left" point of view. I especially liked the piece on Pasolini (a favorite director of mine).
5. Dying Inside, by Robert Silverberg. This 1972 classic has just been republished. Is it science fiction or speculative fiction? In any case it is full of social science; the basic premise is about how other people react to a man who has the ability to read peoples' minds and how psychologically destructive this power turns out to be. If you wish to read every great science fiction book this is a must.
The obvious question: what are some other great science fiction books?
The obvious question: what are some other great science fiction books?
You could do worse than reading everything Silverberg wrote in that period from Hawksbill Station to Shadrach in the Furnace, perhaps even including the short storie, which won s awards. It’s a legendary run of serious themes, style, and entertainment.
The obvious question: what are some other great science fiction books?
This, and my second comment, has turned me all reflective and stuff. Cowen’s got privileges, he can delete me.
1) No fan could give a half-dozen recommendations. There are plenty of lists of the 100 greatest science fiction novels. There the Hugo & Nebula Winners & Nominees. I would consider several of the Silverberg-edited “Hall of Fame” anthologies essential introductions to work up their publication date. Read them, see who you like, and go from there. I am sure there are more recent introductions.
2) I had just a moment of arrogance when encountering the misattribution, bu that was quickly replaced by a more complicated mix of emotions, especially since I recognized the line, but not the poem or author. I have been wrestling for hours about whether a working knowledge of what’s in the Norton Anthologies is essential, especially since so few will recognize the allusions or quotes, and maybe only English Lit professionals will really care. Oh, but it’s such a beautiful
poem
3) Cowen only says what he is reading; recommendations are at most implicit I read last mothad last month Douwe Draaisma’s Why Life Speeds Up As You Grow Older
“Is it science fiction or speculative fiction?”
Is there science fiction that is not speculative fiction?
You could do worse than reading everything Silverberg wrote in that period from Hawksbill Station to Shadrach in the Furnace, perhaps even including the short storie, which won s awards. It’s a legendary run of serious themes, style, and entertainment.
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