[ExI] book

efc at swisscows.email efc at swisscows.email
Sat Apr 22 14:29:08 UTC 2023


No, not the Edda, the sagas if the icelanders 
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagas_of_Icelanders).

The edda is quite commonly available, although I can be a bit dry. The 
sagas (see link) are a much better read in my opinion. If you are curious 
and want to give it a try, I'd recommend Njals saga which is very 
available (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/103104.Njal_s_Saga).

I heard both good and bad things about the three body problem, did you 
read it? I also have a chinese tv series based on it although I have not 
yet watched it.

Best regards,
Daniel


On Sat, 22 Apr 2023, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat wrote:

> Are you referring to the Edda,which comes up often in crossword puzzles?  
> 
> Ted Chaing, Liu Cixin, and a few others are very good. Here is a good
> link:  https://booksandbao.com/great-works-of-chinese-science-fiction/
> 
> Dick, of course.
> 
> Give Pratchett a try.  No character is pat - witches and wizards are not what you expect.  Start with Rincewind.   Nothing at all
> like Tolkien.  bill w
> 
> On Fri, Apr 21, 2023 at 5:55 PM efc--- via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>       Hello Bill,
>
>       I think from the science fiction list, Kage Baker looks like what I would
>       appreciate (I did a quick search and the first hit was the Company series)
>       so this I will add to my reading list! =)
>
>       Vinge I really like, True Names is one of my favourites (especially these
>       days), but his AI stuff and the others is great.
>
>       When it comes to science fiction short stories, I like Ted Chiang and
>       of coure Philip K. Dick. Did you ever read Ted Chiang?
>
>       Father Brown I'e only seen on TV, but I am absolutely certain that the
>       books are better, so that's also on the reading list.
>
>       Speaking of Brown, I saw the TV series inspector Morse, and although I
>       haven't read the books perhaps that could be something? Otherwise in terms
>       of detectives, I'm pretty conventional, which means Holmes and some Agatha
>       Cristie.
>
>       Now fantary is a tough one for me. For some reason, after lord of the
>       rings, nothing ever really caught on, but just felt like variations on the
>       same theme.
>
>       Although not fantasy, the stories that are closest are probably the old
>       icelandic sagas from a 1100 years ago or so. The problem is that I do not
>       think any good english translations exist for all of them. You have the
>       more famous ones such as Njals Saga, Vinlands Saga and some others, but
>       have not seen a complete translation. In fact, in my native swedish, I had
>       to go to a used book store and found one translation from the 1960s, and
>       that's about it. But if you're not into history, vikings and scandinavia
>       I do not think you'll find them interesting.
>
>       Another favourite of mine is a short story collection written by Lars
>       Gustafsson who used to be a professor of philosophy at the university of
>       texas, but sadly it is also only available in swedish. It's about an AI on
>       a long journey in space, and to entertain itself, it splits itself into 8
>       personalities of old navy admirals who entertain themselves by telling
>       stories exploring philosophical questions such as identity, intelligence,
>       time travel etc.
>
>       Actually this book is so short (around 200 pages or so) I would be
>       delighted to translate it into english, but I have no idea about how
>       to even start such a project (finding the owner of the copyright,
>       negotiating, what to do, what not to do, renumeration etc.).
>
>       Best regards,
>       Daniel
> 
>
>       On Fri, 21 Apr 2023, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat wrote:
>
>       > Hey DAniel
>       > Heinlein is the best (later novels with incest did not bother me).  I like Asimov but he is so dry- not much color, not
>       much
>       > emotional relationships.  Read all of Clark. Neuromancer and Snowcrash I read, but they are really not my style.  
>       >
>       > Two favorites:  Bujold.  Kage Baker.  Oh, I read and have re-read all of Orson Scott Card,  Some SCalzi, Vinge, Iain
>       Banks,
>       > Andy Weir, CHarles Stross (not the Laundry horror stuff), quite a few others of lesser importance and interest. Like
>       Ann Leckie.
>       >
>       > I really need to read Borges. Maybe you read my post about Father Brown mysteries - highly recommended.  Perhaps Nero
>       Wolfe is my
>       > favorite detective.  
>       >
>       > Fantasy you did not mention.  Terry Pratchett - comedic fantasy satire - unequalled in my opinion.  Some people seem to
>       miss the
>       > satire.
>       >
>       > I am leaving out tons of books I had liked, but this is a start.
>       > bill w
>       >
>       > On Fri, Apr 21, 2023 at 2:58 PM efc--- via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>       >       Hello Bill, sounds like a deal!
>       >
>       >       Alright, so Le Carré is not your thing. When it comes to science fiction
>       >       then, to get a feeling for your taste, some of the classics that I like
>       >       are Neuromancer, Snowcrash, most of Asimov and Clarke, Heinlein.
>       >
>       >       Are any of those books/authors something you appreciate?
>       >
>       >       When it comes to mystery, would you classify Jorge Luis Borges short
>       >       stories as mystery?
>       >
>       >       Best regards,
>       >       Daniel
>       >
>       >
>       >       On Fri, 21 Apr 2023, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat wrote:
>       >
>       >       > Thanks Daniel- have tried leCarre several times and just cannot finish a book of his.  I would be glad to trade
>       >       recommendations in
>       >       > science fiction, science nonfiction, humor, psych, mystery.  bill w
>       >       >
>       >       > On Fri, Apr 21, 2023 at 11:17 AM efc--- via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>       >       >       Thank you for the recommendation Bill!
>       >       >
>       >       >       From my side, I'll add John le Carré. If you enjoy spy books, I think most
>       >       >       of his books are great!
>       >       >
>       >       >       Best regards,
>       >       >       Daniel
>       >       >
>       >       >
>       >       >       On Fri, 21 Apr 2023, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat wrote:
>       >       >
>       >       >       > I am glad I lived long enough to run across this book:  complete Father Brown mysteries by G. K.
>       Chesterton.
>       >       >       >
>       >       >       > Absolutely first rate.  Many of them better than Doyle. and most of them more complex-  even
>       astonishing.  
>       >       >       >
>       >       >       > About 10-12 pages per story.
>       >       >       >
>       >       >       > bill w
>       >       >       >
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