May Reading Thread

[Elentarri]

~ An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong

This is a book about animal senses - the biology, physics and chemistry animals use to perceive it, and if humans can ever truly understand the Umwelt of another creature. With numerous examples, Yong examines the perception and interpretation of smell, taste, light, colour, pain, temperature, contact, vibrations, sound, echoes, electric fields, magnetic fields, and the useful combinations of these. Yong also provides a brief chapter on "threatened scensescapes" or how human civilization (e.g. light and sound pollution) has affected many species. This is a fascinating topic and an interesting book, though sometimes a bit wordy (I kept wool gathering). Some might find the text a bit technical, but I love that sort of thing.​

 

[EricJ]

I'm reading Special Deliverance by Clifford D. Simak.

 

[feralreason]

I'm still rereading through The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Volume I by Arthur Conan Doyle (not very far yet, only on The Sign of Four which is the second story in my edition) and also reading Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune.

You may have already read this but, if not -- as a Holmes fan -- you might try "The Sign of Three: Dupin, Holmes, Peirce" Book by Umberto Eco. Two of these are fictional -- one flesh and blood. Quite entertaining. (I've always suspected that The "Sign of Three ..." was a result of some of the research Eco did in constructing his lead character, William of Baskerville, in the "Name of the Rose".) It does an excellent job of dissecting and differentiating "deduction", "induction" and "abduction" as tools of detection.

 

[feralreason]

It's 5/3 today. So - mostly in April, I listened to the 5 book "Bobiverse" series by Dennis Taylor. Enjoyed it - funny and hard science fiction. This lead me to read the first two Ringworld books (since Ringworld so influenced Taylor.) My wife and I are continuing our nightly read-aloud to each other -- currently with Dickens' "The Pickwick Papers" -- almost finished. Humorous, excellent character development, etc. etc. It's the only book by Dickens I've read. Finished "Ignition" by John Drury Clark (also in April) - entertaining first-hand history of the development of rocket fuels. A fun ride if you're a fan of the Periodic Table. Currently finishing "Quantum Space" -- first book I've read by Douglass Phillips. Solid hard science fiction (as far as I know from what little I know of Quantum Physics/Mechanics.) Reminded me a bit of Arthur C. Clark. (Read "The Light of Other Days" in April by Clark & Stephen Baxter.) Admittedly, some of "Quantum Space"'s appeal for me is the Fermi lab setting. I've been there for presentations, square dancing, etc. However, never got to see the backrooms where they travel into the 4th dimension Just started "When We Cease to Understand the World" by Benjamin Labatut. Haven't gotten far enough to form any judgment - but (early on) it does reveal Mary Shelly's source for the Frankenstein idea... Just a teaser.

 

[RDArmstrong]

Finished the Cyberpunk No Coincidence by Rafal Kosik

Rafal sold the Cyberpunk experience with this. The ending sort of left my hanging, but overall it was a good ride. I do wish I bought the actual hardcover for my collection instead of the kindle because it looks great.

 

[Chris von shannow]

Started this one this afternoon

It’s very good

 

[Randy M.]

Started this one this afternoon

It’s very good

View attachment 133397

Nice cover. That would catch my eye in a bookstore.

In the Woods by Tana French: I've been meaning to read this for about 10 years and since a GoodReads group is about to start it, so am I. Also continuing my group read of Blackwater 2, ed. Alberto Manguel. So far we've finished Grace Amundson's "The Child Who Believed"; Jerome Bixby's "It's a Good Life"; E. B. White's "The Door"; Elizabeth Bowen's "Mysterious Kor"; and Mircea Eliade's "Nights at Serampore". I'm about to finish "The Dead Fiddler" by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Six down, fifty-nine to go at one per week (and an extra week for the longish story by Eliade).

 

[feralreason]

~ An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong

This is a book about animal senses - the biology, physics and chemistry animals use to perceive it, and if humans can ever truly understand the Umwelt of another creature. With numerous examples, Yong examines the perception and interpretation of smell, taste, light, colour, pain, temperature, contact, vibrations, sound, echoes, electric fields, magnetic fields, and the useful combinations of these. Yong also provides a brief chapter on "threatened scensescapes" or how human civilization (e.g. light and sound pollution) has affected many species. This is a fascinating topic and an interesting book, though sometimes a bit wordy (I kept wool gathering). Some might find the text a bit technical, but I love that sort of thing.​

Umwelt - cool word. Just looked it up (never heard it before). You would think -- with as much science fiction as we all read this word would turn up more often

 

[Parson]

Umwelt - cool word. Just looked it up (never heard it before). You would think -- with as much science fiction as we all read this word would turn up more often

I agree about the word and also had to look it up. I agree about how surprising it is that us SF readers don't see more of it.

 

[Elentarri]

Umwelt - cool word. Just looked it up (never heard it before). You would think -- with as much science fiction as we all read this word would turn up more often

The concept (or at least an attempt at the concept) probably turns up more often than the actual word. Any attempt at making aliens unusual or more alien will at least be attempting some sort of alien umwelt.

 

[Hugh]

Philip K. Dick “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. Volume 5 of the Collected Short Stories”

25 stories written June '63 - February '81. (7 of these are in his "The Golden Man" Collection)
Sadly, I think this is the weakest volume of the five, though it does contain several uniquely Dickian stories. For me, the quality of the stories deteriorates from 1970 onwards, perhaps in line with his increasing personal difficulties. A great pity as he'd only have been in his very early 40s in 1970, a time when many writers are at the peak of their creativity.
My personal favourite is We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, which forms the basis of the Total Recall films.
I'm sorry that there are now no more PKD short stories for me to read.
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