Neal Stephenson is Awesome
July 30, 2010 179 CommentsI have been focusing on things that make me mad lately. Which, you know, was kind of what I started The Resident for anyway.
But I also have used it to showcase people and things I like, too. So this week I thought it was time to show off a new super favorite of mine, writer Neal Stephenson.
A friend had lent me his book, “Snow Crash,” because I had expressed to him the giant black hole in my life at that time, no new good writers for me to explore. About two chapters in, I was hooked.
About a year and a half later, I own every book Mr. Stephenson has written. And they are all supremely dog-eared. Each one is better than the next. Each one has infinite amounts of laughter, wisdom, poetry and hope to offer.
And one is actually 3,000 pages long. If you’ve ever read a 3,000 page book – besides the Bible, get over yourself – then you probably have experienced the kind of grieving sensation I had when finishing Mr. Stephenson’s opus, The Baroque Cycle (which actually spans several books, but is still kind of ONE BOOK). I miss all the characters and their world.
So I thought I’d tell you about this guy, Mr. Neal Stephenson, so that you too can live in that world and make it come alive again.
In all the worlds he creates, actually: go live in them for a while and enjoy. Whether you are a sci-fi nut or a romantic, there is truly something for everyone in his body of work.
[..YouTube..] His books serve the same role as sport and entertainment do for corporate employees, just like a passage from his book read.
[..YouTube..] His books serve the same role as sport and entertainment do for corporate employees, just like a passage from his book read.
[..YouTube..] Great passages! But I like Snow Crash and Diamond Age best.
[..YouTube..] Great passages! But I like Snow Crash and Diamond Age best.
[..YouTube..] Excellent passages!
[..YouTube..] Excellent passages!
[..YouTube..] i can’t hear anything but her boobs. pg nr, plz?
[..YouTube..] i can’t hear anything but her boobs. pg nr, plz?
[..YouTube..] i can’t hear anything but her boobs. pg nr, plz?
[..YouTube..] i can’t hear anything but her boobs. pg nr, plz?
[..YouTube..] I was always a fan of the passage from quicksilver after Issac and Daniel had been conducting the needle experiment. something along the lines “by the next morning Daniel knew more about the human eye than anyone who had ever lived, save Issac. The experiment could have been performed by anyone. Only one person had actually done it.”
[..YouTube..] I was always a fan of the passage from quicksilver after Issac and Daniel had been conducting the needle experiment. something along the lines “by the next morning Daniel knew more about the human eye than anyone who had ever lived, save Issac. The experiment could have been performed by anyone. Only one person had actually done it.”
[..YouTube..] I was always a fan of the passage from quicksilver after Issac and Daniel had been conducting the needle experiment. something along the lines “by the next morning Daniel knew more about the human eye than anyone who had ever lived, save Issac. The experiment could have been performed by anyone. Only one person had actually done it.”
[..YouTube..] I was always a fan of the passage from quicksilver after Issac and Daniel had been conducting the needle experiment. something along the lines “by the next morning Daniel knew more about the human eye than anyone who had ever lived, save Issac. The experiment could have been performed by anyone. Only one person had actually done it.”
[..YouTube..] I was always a fan of the passage from quicksilver after Issac and Daniel had been conducting the needle experiment. something along the lines “by the next morning Daniel knew more about the human eye than anyone who had ever lived, save Issac. The experiment could have been performed by anyone. Only one person had actually done it.”
[..YouTube..] I meant the Anathem passage. He often gives me the willies when discussing race. Borderline TeaBagger shit. “Why can’t all of our differences be ignored? Why is talking about race automatically racist?” The only people saying that are White, meaning they feel race shouldn’t be important. Try telling that to the Irish or Chinese or whomever. Race matters and being proud of it isn’t isolating; it’s impowering. That is, as long as a White person doesn’t feel challenged by it.
[..YouTube..] I meant the Anathem passage. He often gives me the willies when discussing race. Borderline TeaBagger shit. “Why can’t all of our differences be ignored? Why is talking about race automatically racist?” The only people saying that are White, meaning they feel race shouldn’t be important. Try telling that to the Irish or Chinese or whomever. Race matters and being proud of it isn’t isolating; it’s impowering. That is, as long as a White person doesn’t feel challenged by it.
[..YouTube..] I meant the Anathem passage. He often gives me the willies when discussing race. Borderline TeaBagger shit. “Why can’t all of our differences be ignored? Why is talking about race automatically racist?” The only people saying that are White, meaning they feel race shouldn’t be important. Try telling that to the Irish or Chinese or whomever. Race matters and being proud of it isn’t isolating; it’s impowering. That is, as long as a White person doesn’t feel challenged by it.
[..YouTube..] I meant the Anathem passage. He often gives me the willies when discussing race. Borderline TeaBagger shit. “Why can’t all of our differences be ignored? Why is talking about race automatically racist?” The only people saying that are White, meaning they feel race shouldn’t be important. Try telling that to the Irish or Chinese or whomever. Race matters and being proud of it isn’t isolating; it’s impowering. That is, as long as a White person doesn’t feel challenged by it.
[..YouTube..] I meant the Anathem passage. He often gives me the willies when discussing race. Borderline TeaBagger shit. “Why can’t all of our differences be ignored? Why is talking about race automatically racist?” The only people saying that are White, meaning they feel race shouldn’t be important. Try telling that to the Irish or Chinese or whomever. Race matters and being proud of it isn’t isolating; it’s impowering. That is, as long as a White person doesn’t feel challenged by it.
[..YouTube..] OMG I just dog-eared that passage myself. I’ve re-read it several times. Sad but brilliant.
[..YouTube..] OMG I just dog-eared that passage myself. I’ve re-read it several times. Sad but brilliant.
[..YouTube..] OMG I just dog-eared that passage myself. I’ve re-read it several times. Sad but brilliant.
[..YouTube..] OMG I just dog-eared that passage myself. I’ve re-read it several times. Sad but brilliant.
[..YouTube..] “It don’t give when i mash it!”
[..YouTube..] “It don’t give when i mash it!”
[..YouTube..] “It don’t give when i mash it!”
[..YouTube..] “It don’t give when i mash it!”
[..YouTube..] “It don’t give when i mash it!”