Neal Stephenson is Awesome
July 30, 2010 193 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..] @kredit787 That’s not even good fiction.
[..YouTube..] Diamond AgeorA Young Ladies Primer,Is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Shows for still remembering it.
cool! i check em out
[..YouTube..] I want to merry with you! I mean not precisely now, but you are the perfect woman. Smart, sharp and very beautiful
[..YouTube..] on of my favorite books is The Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen
[..YouTube..] In a nutshell: For thousands of years people farmed and hunted their own food and built their own houses. They didn’t need to pay anyone for anything to live of off what God gave. Then one day, a certain greedy individual wanted more power and wealth beyond what God provided. He made himself king and began to use violence and intimidation to threaten farmers to give him tribute or be killed. This was the beginning of government , “the system” or civilization or whatever you want to call it.
[..YouTube..] My summer project has been to read The Baroque Cycle. Great stuff! Crazy cool to hear The Resident talk about Stephenson
[..YouTube..] Some people can really wear glasses – yes, I can see Craig Ferguson saying you have the “naughty librarian” look going here. ^_^
[..YouTube..] cool.
[..YouTube..] Her shirt sucks.
[..YouTube..] Sounds groovy. I’ve always been interested in reading something by Stephenson but haven’t had the balls to invest my time in one of his large books. You have persuaded me to give one a try. This video makes me happy.
[..YouTube..] please visit us at Saudi arabia !! I will be your host ; you will love it for sure . Please say yes
[..YouTube..] Keep your voice down in the library!
[..YouTube..] I’ve sold some copies of Anathem. The worst part of the job is that I’m surrounded by thousands of books at work, but we aren’t allowed to read any of them.
[..YouTube..] Neal Stephenson? good choice. As a complete nerd, Snow Crash is my favorite.
[..YouTube..] great shirt Res
[..YouTube..] Sounds like Mr. Stephenson is well acquainted with Frederick Taylor and his work, “The Principles of Scientific Management”. I’ll put Neal on the “to-do” list without a second to waste!
[..YouTube..] I love the part about the corporate jisms.
[..YouTube..] Definitely gonna check him out! His books sounds very interesting. Thank you! Have a great week, Lori
[..YouTube..] What I’m reading now: The Rockefeller File, by Gary Allen.It’s all about the family that started America’s biggest (and legal) mafia, that today continues in the form of the CFR and the banking cartel.
[..YouTube..] Snow Crash ftw!
[..YouTube..] There’s no prescription lenses in those glasses, right Rez?
[..YouTube..] I just had a flash back to my childhood show “Reading Rainbow” . lol
[..YouTube..] will you read them to me as we fall asleep for the night?
[..YouTube..] Ah I love u resident! You’re a woman of my heart (in a platonic sense ofcourse)I love ur devotion to philosophy
Love Neil Stephenson … great stuff. If you get them from Audible, in some cases, he actually reads them too, so you get the story told to you by the author.
Thanks Lori.
[..YouTube..] Hello,Lori.Reading is good, but trying to turn down the corner of a page on a kindle or some such reader, may void the warranty…
[..YouTube..] 2:10… is this possibly why I don’t care, and never did care about sports? (I work in an artistic field.) I don’t fit-in with most guys at parties or BBQs because all they talk about is sports and their favorite players. I tried to get into watching sports on TV like most normal guys, but I just get bored.I never knew why this was, but Resident, I think you just explained it! Come to think of it, my normal guy friends ARE bored with their lives.Thanks for the book recommendation!
Hmm, I just might take a look at Neal’s books. Thanks, Lori.
[..YouTube..] You are beautiful with your glasses on!Best video in my book. Do this some more.
[..YouTube..] The outfit looks awesome! :3
[..YouTube..] I love Cryptonomicon.
[..YouTube..] You look so much prettier with glasses. (sorry, that’s a left-handed compliment, but I’ll let it stand because it was my first thought when I watched this video) remember, only in Hollywood does wearing glasses make you ugly
[..YouTube..] I will. I already read Plato and Sokrates. Also interesting.
[..YouTube..] why mohamad rape his own aunt?
[..YouTube..] Lori what is this “Hey People” I thought all of us has been your friends for a while. lol Ok so you don’t like us any more I understand.
I don’t know whether to give you a thumbs up or down. Hmmmmm. Thumbs up for such a great video about a great Aurthur.:-) that is the way you spell Aurthur isn’t it? my bad
[..YouTube..] @chungdanield You are welcome, my friend.But don’t let your studies slip…
Joe.
[..YouTube..] @joecounter Definitely know what you mean. I was always lost in a book or three probably until I got into college. Now I’m 22, and I’ve reduced my texual input to short web snippets and headlines.
. Thanks Mr. Counter for the encouragement!
[..YouTube..] @chungdanield You just have to start. These books are so great, that they carry you away in a blink and you don’t even realise, that it’s 4 a.m. already.Trust me.Joe.
[..YouTube..] Hi Lori,thanks for picking up one of my favourite authors.Currently I’ve read “Cryptonomicon” and started with the Baroque Cycle (“Quicksilver”) in last years December.Neal understands to blend fiction and facts.One can learn a lot about history as well as getting acquainted with new ideas while he skilfully weaves in new ideas.Sometimes I thought about how life would have been, if destiny took some other ways at some stage…Joe.
[..YouTube..] I can’t even fathom reading a 3000 page book! Props to The Resident for being such a book fiend.
[..YouTube..] @theresident You would look out of place in the library without the “librarian glasses”.
[..YouTube..] I boobmarked this video. Intelligent and informative absolutely sexy as well!
[..YouTube..] nice
[..YouTube..] He’s been my favorite author since 1993. I’m so glad you made this video. You could talk about the Waterhouse family, the Shaftoe family across the books. Daniel Waterhouse and Jack Shaftoe are more real to me than my neighbors. You should caution people that they will need to keep a good dictionary close by.
[..YouTube..] @Twostones00 Yes, glasses = smart, listen to me, right? haha
[..YouTube..] @Anom565 It’s awesome, love it.
[..YouTube..] sounds like a genieous
[..YouTube..] @Anom565 “POOR IMPULSE CONTROL” I still laugh about that.
[..YouTube..] i love you