Books
Science Fiction
After a childhood diet of respectable but vanilla classics placed in my hands by bibliophile but highly conservative parents, it was science fiction which took root in my fertile pubescent imagination around age twelve. And though I couldn't have expressed consciously it at the time, it wasn't so much the cool environments and exciting stories as it was the revolutionary ideas which I'd been sheltered from yet was madly thirsting for:
- freedom from arbitrary social conventions
- plots driven forward by characters full of restless ambitions
- supremacy of reason, though balanced against emotion
- a strong vein of liberal social philosophy
- emphasis on the power of science fused with human determination
- disinterest in religious doctrine save as an interesting specimen
There are a lot of sub-genres of sci-fi, each with the predictable mix of stunningly good and stunningly awful writing. I tend to like that which tends anthropological: heavily character-driven stories where interaction with a complex and unfamiliar social environment spiced with technological innovations serves as the proving ground for one or more carefully fleshed-out individuals, as well as for philosophical concepts, most often the balance of liberalism versus authority.
Excellent authors in this genre include:
Fantasy Fiction
Once I cut my teeth on L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt's Intrepid Enchanter, I was solidly won over as a fantasy fic aficionado. It's interesting to consider how the similarities and differences between fantasy and sci-fi stack up against one another. Here, too, you have the ability to use the hypothetical environment to reject or critique social norms, and the nature of a fantasy environment tends to make matters even more driven by vivid and three-dimensional characters. The choice to pursue themes of liberalism and humanism is definitely there, though equally available is a more traditionalist approach such as involving adventures undertaken by more chauvinistic characters on behalf of authoritarian figures. One may easily even have a fusing of the two concepts. The sky's the limit to an even greater degree than in sci-fi, plus you get to throw in knights in shining armor, scowling mages, and fierce enchantresses. You can't beat that.
In the genre of fantasy, my favorite authors include:
Nonfiction
Nonfiction has become a stronger interest of mine in the past few years. Factors leading to this have included taking Fred Siegel's courses at Cooper Union; the current US political climate; listening to NPR during my daily commute; and becoming an avid reader of political opinion/news blogs. Also I just haven't had as much time for books as I used to, and I've started to feel as though if I'm going to scrounge up the time to read one, perhaps I should read one with more of a long-term edifying effect. I've also discovered that not only is truth a heck of a lot stranger than fiction, there are also many talented writers in the field whose prose has the power to turn the dry into the sidesplitting. My areas of highest interest include current-day US politics; twentieth-century European and US history; World War One; and the US Civil War.
A listing of authors and books will follow later.
Reviews
The Charioteer Mary Renault
Deliver Us from Evie M.E. Kerr
Foxfire Joyce Carol Oates
The Necessary Hunger Nina Revoyr
Art and Lies Jeannette Winterson
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