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 Embracing The Wide Sky I’ve discoved “Embracing the Wide Sky: A Tour Across the Horizons of the Mind” by Daniel Tammet entirely by chance. As I was touring the UK in a car, my favorite radio station of choice became BBC Radio 2. I specifically liked the Jeremy Vine show. During one of the shows Jeremy interviewed the author of this book. The show really caught my attention as Daniel was nothing like “The Rain Man” , a stereotypical autistic savant as depicted by Hollywood. Just by listening to the interview you wouldn’t be able to tell that the person speaking memorized 22,514 digits of the number Pi. So as soon as I could get my PC connected to the Internet I checked Amazon for Kindle version of this book and downloaded it.
“Embracing The Wide Sky” is a book about human mind and how it works in general. Daniel also goes into some detail about his special abilities related to math and linguistics. This book contains collection of interesting facts and factoids related to human mind and percenption. An example of such factoid would be: “Russian language speakers are on average better at distinguishing shades of blue than English speakers, which is most likely due to the fact that Russian language contains two distinct words for “blue”: “синий” which correstponds to the darker shares and “голубой” which corresponds to the lighter shades as opposed to one commonly used work in English”. Things like that made me think about how I think and perceive the world around me.
Entire chapter of the book is dedicated to the topic of how to treat everyday life analytically, mathematically and statistically and why being innumral is almost just as bad as being illeterate. The same chapter also goes into exploring things related to chance and coincidence such as lottery, elections etc.
“Embracing the Wide Sky” is however much more than collection of peculiar factoids. And while I personally disagree with the author on the point of human brain having nothing in common with a computer that was stated several times thoughout the book I still enjoyed reading it a lot and would highly recommend it for reading.
Rather that going over authors that caught my attention (which after 17 posts has drained my imagination considerably) I’m going to change the format of these series and instead write about specific books I’ve recently read. This time I’m going to cover two books: “A Briefer History Of Time” by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, and “The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene.
I’ve grouped these two Kindle eBooks together because I’ve read them one after another and they are complimentary to each other in many ways.
 A Briefer History Of Time A Briefer History Of Time is an abridged and updated edition of “A Brief History Of Time” that was originally published in 1988. It was published in 2005. The book is about human percenption of time, space and cosmology and how it changed and developed over time starting as early as ancient times of Aristotle and all the way to modern superstring frontier of theoretical physics. It covers established (and some outdated) scientific theories such as Newton’s treory of gravity, Einstein’s special and general relativity, quantum mechanics etc. “A Briefer History Of Time” does a great job at popularizing these complex theories to a level understandable by most people without background in math and physics. I derived a lot of enjoyment from reading this book by recollecting how I studied this or that concept in high school and university. If you are curious about what makes the world tick the way it does I strongly recommend reading this book. “A Briefer History of Time” is published by Amazon with “Optimized for Kindle DX” badge.
 The Elegant Universe The Elegant Universe, although written by another author picks up where “A Briefer History Of Time” left off. Although most of the book is dedicated to string theory, there is quite a bit of information about theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. “The Elegant Universe” describes how these two well established and verified theories are in fundamental conflict with each other and how string theory (as well as it’s variants superstring theory and M-theory) which depicts the universe as myriads of miniature strings similar to the ones you’ll find on a guitar or violin that become elementary particles by vibrating one way or the other attempts to resolve this conflict. Although “The Elegant Universe” is more technical than “A Briefer History of Time” it is still well within the realm of understanding by most people. For mathematically and scientifically savvy readers additional information is provided in appendixes. In final chapters the author really lets his imagination fly loose when touching on such subjects as multiverse. Although the books is somewhat biased (you can see that Greene really wants the string theory to come out as the Ultimate Theory of Everything) it still found it well worth reading.
Agatha Christie is often referred as the “Queen of Crime”, due to the crime novels and short stories featuring the famous detectives Hercule Poirot and and Miss Jane Marple. Lots of her works have been adapted into films, television and radio; according to the Guinness Book of World Records, she is as bestselling writer as William Shakespeare. Now, Amazon has a wide selection of Agatha Christie’s works in Kindle edition.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (published in 1920) was the author’s first published novel. A typical sample of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, it investigates a murder in an isolated manor, with suspects concealing facts about themselves and unexpected plot twists. Hercule Poirot, a Belgian detective, was first introduced in this novel; he proved to be a very long-lived character, appearing in 32 other novels and 51 short stories following his debut. “The key to the success of this style of detective novel,” writes Elizabeth George in her Introduction, “lies in how the author deals with both the clues and the red herrings, and it has to be said that no one bettered Agatha Christie at this game.”
The Thirteen Problems is a short stories collection first published in UK in 1932. The first chapter, The Tuesday Night Club, was actually published in 1927 and introduced then another famous character, an elderly Miss Marple; though an amateur detective, she solves the mysteries and reveals the crimes that have nonplussed the police. “it is always Miss Marple’s quiet genius that names the criminal or the means of the misdeed. As indeed is true in subsequent gatherings at the country home of Colonel and Mrs Bantry, where another set of terrible wrongs is related by the assembled guests–and righted, by Miss Marple.”
Agatha Christie by Mark Campbell is a good book to read if you want to learn more about this prominent woman, her works and film adaptations.
 Agatha Christie on Kindle
Joseph Conrad is famous not only for his works adapted into well-known films such as Apocalypse Now and Sabotage; he also stands out as he was a Polish-born novelist who learned to speak English fluently in his twenties and then wrote in English, too. Many books are available now in Kindle edition, some of them for free.
Heart of Darkness first appeared as a series in Blackwood’s Magazine in 1899 and was published as a novella in 1902. It was partially based on Conrad’s experiences in the Congo as he served as a steamer captain. Though the book is famous on its own, Francis Ford Coppola made it even more well-known, having adapted the novella into Apocalypse Now changing the Congo to Vietnam and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. “Assigned by an ivory company to take command of a cargo boat stranded in the interior, Marlow makes his way through the treacherous forest, witnessing the brutalization of the natives by white traders and hearing tantalizing stories of a Mr. Kurtz, the company’s most successful representative.”
The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale (published in 1907) is set around the life of Mr. Verloc, a London businessman and spy. The book is different from other Conrad’s works as it does not deal with the usual seafaring themes; instead, it is considered a political novel since it describes revolutionary groups and anarchists. Alfred Hitchcock had adapted the book for his movie Sabotage released in 1936. “This absurdist story is noted for its adept characterizations, melodramatic irony, and psychological intrigue.”
Lord Jim (published in 1899-1900 in Blackwood’s Magazine) is believed to be based on true facts, though Joseph Conrad never admitted that openly. As a ship with pilgrims travelling to Mecca is about to sink, the crew members abandon the vessel and the passengers. Having faced the court for this crime, the first mate Jim redeems his guilt in a remote settlement in the Indonesian archipelago. “The novel, which explores the nature of the human spirit, is a delicately crafted picture of a character who reaches the status of literary hero.” The book was twice adapted into movies: by Victor Fleming in 1925 and by Richard Brooks in 1965.
 Joseph Conrad on Kindle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL was a British author born to an English father of Irish descent and an Irish mother. Though having chosen the profession of a physician at first, he later took up writing, thus becoming the author of the famous stories and novels about Sherlock Holmes and Professor Challenger. Many of these are available now in Kindle edition.
Sherlock Holmes: the Complete Collection includes 4 novels:
and 5 short stories collections:
In The Lost World Conan Doyle introduced another prominent character, Professor Challenger; a real person, professor of physiology William Rutherford, whom the author met at Edinburgh University, is believed to be his prototype. During an expedition to South America, Professor Challenger and his teammates find “the lost world” where prehistoric animals still survive. “As one of the most important works of dinosaur-related fiction, The Lost World is highly recommended for those who are interested in dinosaurs or those who are fans of the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle.”
If you’d like to learn more about this fascinating writer, you may want to read The Man Who Created Sherlock Holmes: The Life and Times of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Andrew Lycett. With an intention to show Conan Doyle’s full life, the author comes with a well-organized and detailed biography. “Lycett combines assiduous research with penetrating insight to offer the most comprehensive, lucid and sympathetic portrait yet of Conan Doyle’s personal journey from student to doctor, from world-famous author to ardent spiritualist.”
 Arthur Conan Doyle on Kindle
Haruki Murakami began his writing career much later than most authors; he finished his first novel when he was 29. Since then, as if to catch up, he has proved to be very prolific and penned a lot of fiction and non-fiction works. Some of them are available now in Kindle edition.
Kafka on the Shore (published in 2002) is a complex novel with two different, yet interrelated plots about a run-away schoolboy and an elderly finder of lost cats. After the novel had been released, the readers asked thousands of questions concerning its meaning on the official website, and Murakami personally answered many of them. He emphasized that “Kafka on the Shore contains several riddles, but there aren’t any solutions provided. Instead, several of these riddles combine, and through their interaction the possibility of a solution takes shape. And the form this solution takes will be different for each reader.” For the novel, Murakami received Franz Kafka Prize and World Fantasy Award.
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is a collection of short stories written between 1981 and 2005; it gives the reader a great opportunity to follow the evolution of Murakami’s style, often allegoric and surreal. As Murakami himself noted, “I find writing novels a challenge, writing stories a joy. If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.”
After Dark (published in 2004) is a classic Haruki Murakami novel with extensive attention to detail both in characters and settings, themes of loneliness and fate, and vivid pictures of Japanese urban life. “Murakami’s trademark humor, psychological insight, and grasp of spirit and morality are here distilled with an extraordinary, harmonious mastery.”
 Haruki Murakami On Kindle
It is rather difficult to name a certain genre Kurt Vonnegut’s works might belong to; to me, they are a mixture of science fiction, black comedy and philosophical fiction. Being honorary president of the American Humanist Association, he also promoted humanist beliefs and social reforms through his books. Some of the novels are available now in Kindle edition.
Cat’s Cradle (published in 1963) is one of the most famous Kurt Vonnegut’s books; it’s my favorite. In 1964 the novel was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel; to express appreciation of the novel the University of Chicago awarded the author his Master’s degree in anthropology. In the center of the plot the writer places “ice-nine” – a newly-discovered matter that can cause freezing of water once it has been in contact with it, thus leading to a global catastrophe on the Earth. The substance was created by Felix Hoenikker; though a bright scientist, he is an amoral person who does not care about the way his discoveries, including the atomic bomb, might be used. “Vonnegut’s madly amusing imagination is in full play here, and the novel is a triumph of contemporary satire.”
Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children’s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death (published in 1969) is an anti-war science fiction novel. Though often subject to censorship, the book was nominated for a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award in 1970. It tells the story of American soldier Billi Pigrim who was taken prisoner of war in World War II and brought to a slaughterhouse in Dresden. A fantastic thing happens then as Billi is kidnapped by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore and learns to travel in time. “In a plot-scrambling display of virtuosity, we follow Pilgrim simultaneously through all phases of his life, concentrating on his (and Vonnegut’s) shattering experience as an American prisoner of war who witnesses the firebombing of Dresden.”
Breakfast of Champions, or Goodbye Blue Monday (published in 1973) is a satirical novel with the title taken from the popular slogan of Wheaties breakfast cereal. In the book, though, this phrase is said by a waitress every time she serves a customer a martini. One of the main characters, Dwayne Hoover, is brought into madness by a book written by Kilgore Trout, an unknown pulp fiction writer. “Breakfast of Champions is a slippery, lucid, bleakly humorous jaunt through (sick? inhumane?) America circa 1973, with Vonnegut acting as our Virgil-like companion.”
 Kurt Vonnegut On Kindle
George Orwell is a pen name of English author Eric Arthur Blair; he is most known for his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four and the concepts like “thought police” and “doublethink” derived from it. In 2005 the book was listed among the hundred best English-language novels published since 1923. Now this novel as well as some other works by George Orwell are available in Kindle edition.
Nineteen Eighty-Four (published in 1949) is a classic dystopia showing a repressed society with a totalitarian regime where the rights of an individual are totally sacrificed for national politics. To keep control over population, the government develops a complex invasive system of surveillance (“Big Brother is Watching You“), propaganda and “Newspeak” (a language based on English but with a much smaller vocabulary and grammar simplified to make it impossible to commit “thoughtcrime”, any alternative thinking). The book was written in 1948; some scholars believe that the title was derived from this year as Orwell reversed the numbers on purpose to show that the events taking place in the novel were not so distant, rather they might be contemporary. “The story of one man’s nightmare odyssey as he pursues a forbidden love affair through a world ruled by warring states and a power structure that controls not only information but also individual thought and memory, 1984 is a prophetic, haunting tale.”
Animal Farm (published in 1945) is another dystopian masterpiece by George Orwell. In 1996, it won a Retrospective Hugo Award; Modern Library ranks it 31 among Best 20th-Century Novels. At first, the author had great difficulty getting it accepted; one of four publishers finally agreed but later refused to publish the manuscript, having consulted with the Ministry of Information. At last, the first edition was published by Secker and Warburg in 1945. In a satirical allegory, Orwell severely criticizes Stalinism and outcomes of Bolshevik Revolution; though allegedly stating that all are equal, they created “more equal species” corrupted by power and greed. “Fueled by Orwell’s intense disillusionment with Soviet Communism, Animal Farm is a nearly perfect piece of writing, both an engaging story and an allegory that actually works.”
 George Orwell On Kindle
Aldous Huxley’s books are often received with mixed emotions or even controversy. In 2006 Time magazine excluded Brave New World, Point Counter Point and Island from Best 100 novels list, which caused a lot of commotion; the American Library Association ranks Brave New World # 52 among most challenged books. Despite different views on his works, one can’t deny they’re thought-provoking and plentiful of interesting ideas. Some of Huxley’s novels are available now in Kindle edition.
Brave New World (published in 1932) was actually written as a parody of by H.G.Wells’ utopia Men Like Gods; as a result it turned into “a negative utopia” with a pessimistic vision of the future world where reproductive technologies and hallucinogenic drugs mutilate the society. The book may even seem scary and too gloomy, but it’s well worth reading. “Huxley foreshadowed many of the practices and gadgets we take for granted today–let’s hope the sterility and absence of individuality he predicted aren’t yet to come.”
Crome Yellow (published in 1921) is a satirical novel about English aristocrats dwelling at a country estate during a summer vacation; it entertains with lengthy conversations and interesting psychological portraits. “The end of the world is announced, virginity is lost, and inspirational aphorisms are conceived in a trances. When our hero, Denis Stone, tries to capture it all in poetry, love disappoints him.“
if you’d like to read about this controversial man, you may consider Aldous Huxley: A Biography by Nicholas Murray. Having accessed diaries and documents not available earlier, Murray draws a thorough picture of Huxley’s colorful life and “the gloriously kinetic chemistry of his erudite, playful, and deeply spiritual mind”.
 Aldous Huxley on Kindle
When I last checked Kindle Store none of the J.R.R.Tolkien books were there. There were some books about Tolkien himself and his writings but that was that. Oh, well I though, no big surprise here – you can sell these books in paper for centuries from now and people would gladly buy them, myself included.
I was checking out Kindle Store recently and discovered the most wonderful thing: Harper Collins published most of J.R.R.Tolkien’s books on Kindle! It turns out that some of these books were added as early as April 2009.
I first read Lord Of The Rings in Russian many years ago. Here’s an interesting fact for those who are not familiar with Russian translations of J.R.R.Tolkien: back then there were at least 3 major Russians translations of The Lord Of The Rings. They were identified by the way Frodo’s last name was translated: there was one where Baggins was just transliterated into Cyrillic and then there were Сумкинс (Sumkins) and Торбинс (Torbins). The latter are variations of Russian word for “bag”.
“The Silmarillion” was probably the best reading experience I’ve had ever. I read it after reading “The Lord Of The Rings” and “The Hobbit”. I was reading the original English text, while listening to my favorite tracks of Blind Guardian, while smoking a pipe, while wrapped in a warm blanket during long winter evenings. I was totally there!
I guess that having to flip paper pages was part of the reading pleasure as well. I’m not sure if I would have had the same experience if I were reading it in Kindle Edition. However it’s still great to see these books finally available on Kindle. Here’s a list of what you can currently buy:
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The Lord Of The Rings (Trilogy). What’s a bit hilarious is that the first sentence in this book is: “J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord Of The Rings is often erroneously called a trilogy, when it is in fact a single novel, consisting of six books plus appendices, sometimes published in three volumes“. I guess that HarperCollins put “trilogy” in the product title just to prove their point even more. You can also get “The Fellowship Of The Ring“, “The Two Towers” and “The Return Of The King” as three separate books if you prefer. The eBook is based on the 50th Anniversary Edition.
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The Hobbit. In case somebody doesn’t know. It covers events before the ones described in “The Lord Of The Rings” and among other things contains the story of Bilbo finding the ring of power. In case you are wondering – yes, there’s two part movie based on the book in the works and yes, Peter Jackson is producing it. It’s scheduled to hit the theaters in December 2011 and December 2012. In case you don’t want to wait that long – there’s animated film made in 1977.
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The Silmarillion. It is another great read. It contains legends some of which are referenced in “The Lord Of The Rings” and “The Hobbit” and covers history of the Middle-Earth since it was created until the events leading to “The Lord Of The Rings”: the fall of Morgoth, rise of Sauron and fall of Sauron and forging the rings of power.
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Unfinished Tales is a collection of unfinished works of J.R.R.Tolkien published by Christopher Tolkien. It contains additional pieces of information related to the events in The Lord Of The Rings.
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The Children of Húrin covers events that took place 6,500 years after the War Of The Ring.
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The Legend Of Sigurd And Gudrún is an epic poem that J.R.R.Tolkien wrote in 1920s and 1930s. It was just released in 2009 and is not linked to The Lord Of The Rings and Middle-Earth but rather based on Norse mythology.
This can only be topped by release of exteneded edition of “The Lord Of The Rings” movie trilogy on Blu-Ray :) Currently you can only pre-order blu-ray version of the theatrical cut. However, according to SlashFilm, extended editions will also be released sometime closer to theatrical release of “The Hobbit”.
 J.R.R.Tolkien on Kindle
Douglas Noel Adams is best known for the science fiction comedy Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Originally radio broadcast series, they later inspired “a trilogy in five parts” as well as TV series, a movie and stage productions. Some of these are available in Kindle edition.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is the first book of the “trilogy”. Published in 1979, it was soon number one on the Sunday Times bestseller list, and in five years its 1,000,000th copy was sold. The novel is written in the form of an encyclopedia that helps Arthur Dent and his alien friend, Ford Prefect, in their travel through the universe. “Required reading for science fiction fans, this book (and its follow-ups) is also sure to please fans of Monty Python, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, and British sitcoms.”
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe was published in 1980 as the second book of the series. It continues the funny adventures of Arthur, Ford and their strange pal Zaphod Beeblebrox in entertaining and unusual style. Adams himself thought this novel to be the best of the five.
Unlike the previous two books, Life, the Universe and Everything was not adapted from radio series, but was originally written as a novel. In the US edition the book was censored, you can find the differences here. “Join Arthur Dent, earthling, “jerk”, kneebiter and time-traveler; sexy space cadet Trillian; mad alien Ford Prefect; unflappable Slartibartfast; two-headed, three-armed ex-head Honcho of the Universe Zaphod Beeblebrox… and learn to fly.”
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (published in 1984) is the fourth book in the series; the title has since become a humorous “goodbye phrase” among science fiction fans. Arthur returns to the Earth that has been replaced by Dolphins in the “Save the Humans” campaign, and falls in love with a girl named Frenchurch. “Was the earth really demolished? Why did all the dolphins disappear? What is God’s final message to His creatures? Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, and the new voivoid gang are off (by commercial airline) on a wacked-out quest to answer these truly unimportant questions.” While the previous novels showed Adams’ rather negative attitude towards computers, he definitely changed his mind at the time of writing this one, which is reflected in the plot. By the way, he claimed to have bought two of the first three Macintosh available in the UK.
Mostly Harmless (published in 1992) is “The fifth book in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhikers Trilogy”, as it reads on the cover. The plot of the previous books continues to evolve, with Infinidim Enterprises trying to destroy Earth in every possible dimension.
 Douglas Adams on Kindle
Herbert George Wells, better known as H.G.Wells, is by right referred as “The Father of Science Fiction”, as he has greatly influenced much literature after him, especially popularizing such conceptions as “time travel” and “alien invasion”. Here are some books that are available on Amazon Kindle…
The Time Machine, now a classic of science fiction genre, was first serialized in the New Review from 1894 to 1895. It brings up the idea that time is a fourth space dimension, and thus people and things can travel back and forth in a proper device, the “time machine”. The time traveler is brought 800,000 years into the future, to witness the sad evolution of humans. “In enduring, electrifying detail, he[H.G.Wells] takes us to dimensions of time and space that have haunted our dreams for centuries — and shows us ourselves as we really are.”
The Island of Doctor Moreau is another bestseller by H.G.Wells; it was written in 1896 when the issue of animal vivisection led to fiery debates in English society, and has inspired three movie adaptations since then. “A shipwreck in the South Seas, a palm-tree paradise where a mad doctor conducts vile experiments, animals that become human and then “beastly” in ways they never were before–it’s the stuff of high adventure.”
The War of the Worlds, a classic alien invasion fiction, was first published as a serial in Pearson’s Magazine in 1897 and was a quick success among both critics and fans. The novel is written as a journalistic report of the Martians’ attack on Earth, so readers can imagine they are reading a newspaper with the summary of dreadful events that took place in Victorian England. “No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own…”
 H.G. Wells On Kindle
Frank Herbert, the author of epic Dune, influenced science fiction no less than the “Big Three” (Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Arthur Clarke), mentioned in the previous posts. Most notable of his works are available now in Kindle edition, too.
It’s hard to believe that Herbert couldn’t find a publisher for Dune at first. Eventually, the manuscript was accepted by a minor publishing house in Philadelphia and the book was soon a tremendous success with critics. It took the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1965, a year later it shared the Hugo Award with ...And Call Me Conrad by Roger Zelazny. Though not a bestseller at the beginning, now Dune is highly popular among science fiction fans. It “…tells the sweeping tale of a desert planet called Arrakis, the focus of an intricate power struggle in a byzantine interstellar empire. Arrakis is the sole source of Melange, the “spice of spices.” Melange is necessary for interstellar travel and grants psychic powers and longevity, so whoever controls it wields great influence.”
Dune Messiah followed the original novel in 1969; twelve years after the events in Dune, Paul Atreides is a Emperor of the Known Universe. “Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremens, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne — and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence.”
Children of Dune is third in the series; in 1977 it was nominated for Hugo Awards for Best Novel. Paul’s children Leto and Ghanima, possessing supernatural abilities of prescient vision, survive despite numerous attemps to kill them. Unlike his father, who preferred to escape into the desert, Leto makes a hard decision to transform into a hybrid of a human and sandworm to gain immortality and keep control of the Universe. “At stake are the precious ecology and ethos of Dune itself, with terrible consequences for the scattered planets of the Imperium.”
 Frank Herbert On Kindle
Arthur C. Clarke, one of the “Big Three” along with Robert A. Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, is most famous for his work 2001: A Space Odyssey. Based on the author’s short stories, mostly The Sentinel, the novel was completed in 1968, concurrently with Stanley Kubrick’s direction of the movie version. In 1991 the film was considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress and preserved in the National Film Registry.
Available on Amazon Kindle, Moonwatcher’s Memoir: A Diary of 2001: A Space Odyssey by Dan Richter gives an insider’s view of shooting “The Dawn of Man” sequence, with interesting details about costumes, make-up,choreography and cinematography. “Filled with illustrations and memorabilia from the making of 2001, this book will fascinate film aficionados, Kubrick devotees, and science fiction fans alike.”
The Fountains of Paradise (1979) is another popular novel by Arthur Clarke; it got the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1979 and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1980. In the book Clarke brings up a totally new idea of a space elevator that would connect the Earth with a space station, thus “combining exquisitely daring blueprints of future worlds with perceptive observations of our own.”
The City and the Stars (1956) is a rewrite on Clarke’s first novella, Against the Fall of Night. The author revised the original version to improve individual scenes and add details to the plot. “The 10-billion-year-old metropolis of Diaspar is humanity’s last home. Alone among immortals, the only man born in 10 million years desperately wants to find what lies beyond the City. His quest will uncover the destiny of a people…and a galaxy.”
If you like science fiction, such name as Isaac Asimov is most probably familiar to you.
Foundation series is the most famous work by Asimov; it was the winner of the Hugo Award for “Best All-Time Series” in 1966. For decades it was known as Foundation Trilogy, consisting of Foundation, Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation volumes. “One of the great masterworks of science fiction, the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, daring ideas, and extensive world-building. The story of our future begins with the history of Foundation and its greatest psychohistorian: Hari Seldon.”
Foundation’s Edge is a sequel to the original series written by Asimov many years later, in 1982. The book was welcomed by both fans and critics; it won Hugo Award for “Best Novel” in 1983. “At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations had come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation had proved victorious; and now they retum to Hari Seldon’s long-established plan to build a new Empire… “ Another sequel, Foundation and Earth, was published in 1986; chronologically, it’s the last in the Foundation series.
Prelude to Foundation (1988) and Forward the Foundation(1993) are prequels to Foundation Series. Though not as popular as the original trilogy, they still may be interesting to staunch Isaac Asimov’s fans.
I, Robot is a collection of short stories first pulished in Gnome Press in 1950. They all share the same theme of interaction between humans and robots; the famous Three Laws of Robotics are mentioned in the story Runaround. “Here are stories of robots gone mad, mind-reading robots, robots with a sense of humor, robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world, all told with Asimov’s trademark dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction. “
Many books by the famous science fiction writer, Robert Anson Heinlein, are available now in Kindle edition.
One of my favorite is “Double Star”, narrating a story about a talented, yet destitute actor Lawrence Smith hired to double for a prominent politician Bonforte, whose views he, by the way, opposes. As the impersonation continues, Lawrence takes not only Bonforte’s appearance, but also his personality traits, which eventually suppresses the actor’s “previous” identity. First published in 1956, the novel became the Winner of the Hugo Award a year later.
“Glory Road” is a interesting mixture of science fiction and fantasy about a war veteran who has been discharged from the army and, not seeing any better alternative in his own world, embarks on an adventure in another universe. “Heinlein proves himself as adept with sword and sorcery as with rockets and slide rules and the result is exciting, satirical, fast-paced, funny and tremendously readable — a favorite of all who have read it.”
“Red Planet”, originally written as juvenile fiction, may be enjoyable for adults, too. It is a story about two boys and a Martian pet that help prevent disruption of the relationships between colonists and Martians. “Jim Marlow and his strange-looking Martian friend Willis were allowed to travel only so far. But one day Willis unwittingly tuned into a treacherous plot that threatened all the colonists on Mars, and it set Jim off on a terrifying adventure that could save–or destroy–them all!”
“Podkayne of Mars” can also be considered as fiction both for youth and adults. It is written as a diary of a 17-year-old girl who goes on a journey with her brother and uncle to visit Earth. “Her first space trip – and not just to Venus but to Terra as well, that most improbable of planets. It was a place where the natives had to go wrapped and protected against their own environment, a place where the gravity was too powerful for her species.”
 Kindle - Robert Heinlein
If you followed the Academy Awards ceremony this year, you must have heard about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button nominated for Best Picture. The movie was inspired by a short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, another prominent author among American classics.
Now available in Kindle edition, the story was first published in 1921 in Colliers Magazine and then included in F. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s anthology, Tales of the Jazz Age, which is sometimes titled The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Jazz Age Stories. They say, the story was written after Mark Twain had remarked that it was a pity that the best part of life came at the beginning and the worst part at the end.
If you’re willing to read or re-read Mr. Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, you may download it in the Cambridge edition from Amazon. First published in 1925, the novel found success only twenty years later; now it is ranked second in the Modern Library’s list of the 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century, yielding only to Ulysses by James Joyce. “A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author’s generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology.”
Tender is the Night is ranked #28 on the same list. In the story a young bright psychoanalyst married his patient to help her overcome her illness; while his wife gets stronger, he is eventually destroyed by the marriage – emotionally and professionally. The book seems very personal and tragic – when the author was working on the book, Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda was diagnosed and hospitalized with schizophrenia. As the writer himself said, “Gatsby was a tour de force, but this is a confession of faith.”
Genius is the ability to put into effect what is on your mind.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
In the previous post of this series, I wrote about American classical literature, commenting on Mark Twain’s books and works about him available in Kindle edition. Today I’ll continue with the classics, namely, Ernest Hemingway, popular not only in the USA, but also through out the world.
The Old Man and the Sea written in Cuba in 1951 brought the Pulitzer Prize to the writer in 1953. The novella recounts a battle between an aging fisherman Santiago and a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. The story is told in a simple manner, which is quite typical of Hemingway. Still, the seeming simplicity only emphasizes the complexity of ideas the story brings to the surface – about a strong spirit and courage of a man, who fights the fish with the limits of his body and mind. “Using the simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of defeat and personal triumph won from loss and transforms them into a magnificent twentieth-century classic.”
The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: The Finca Vigia Edition is a treasure for Hemingway’s admirers. “The Finca Vigia” refers to the home owned by the writer in Cuba from 1939 to 1959. The book is unique in the way that it contains not only The First Forty Nine Stories, but also additional 14 not included in the previous edition, as well as 7 others unpublished before.
Ernest Hemingway on Writing is a collection of the writer’s thoughts on the subject, compiled from his letters, interviews and an unpublished manuscript by Larry W. Phillips. “Sometimes ponderous, other times offhand, these thoughts form a portrait of a man driven to create not solely the best writing he could, but the best writing, period.” A nice book for Hemingway’s fans and writers.
A man’s got to take a lot of punishment to write a really funny book.
-Ernest Hemingway
And now, more good books that are available on Amazon Kindle…
When I’m thinking about American classical literature, the name of Mark Twain instantly comes to my mind (actually, it’s his pen name, his real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens). A wonderful combination of a writing talent, rich humor, keen wit and knowledge of colloquial language well served him in creating the array of works, which were popular during his lifetime and are no less enjoyed a century later.
One of my favorite books of his is Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I read it in childhood, reread it in youth, and I’m going to reread it again, many years later. “A seminal work of American Literature that still commands deep praise and still elicits controversy, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is essential to the understanding of the American soul.” Now the book is available in “full” edition, with omitted episodes, which help understand the novel better.
If you want to laugh your head off, give a try to Mark Twain’s short stories - funny, smart and thought-provoking. “For deft plotting, riotous inventiveness, unforgettable characters, and language that brilliantly captures the lively rhythms of American speech, no American writer comes close to Mark Twain.”
Those who are looking for “a different Mark Twain” may be interested in Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World. It’s a chronicle narration of a steamboat trip, which creates a very vivid picture of people Twain met and places he visited. A very enjoyable and educational book to read.
You may learn more about the author from Chapters From My Autobiography. As Mark Twain states in the introduction, “…this autobiography of mine does not select from my life its showy episodes, but deals mainly in the common experiences which go to make up the life of the average human being, because these episodes are of a sort which he is familiar with in his own life, and in which he sees his own life reflected and set down in print.” You may also like My Mark Twain written by William Dean Howells, who was Mark Twain’s friend for over 40 years. “Warm, compassionate, beautifully written work offers unparalleled perceptions of celebrated humorist’s faults, foibles, and personality, as well as insights into the spirit and style of his writing.”
A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
-Mark Twain
Good Kindle Books at a Glance is a series of posts I’m going to publish on this blog about books that have caught my attention and that are now available in Kindle edition. You are welcome to join in with discussions and comments.
I had a hard time choosing a book to start with and finally relied on the classics, Mr. William Shakespeare. Yet the books to be mentioned have not been written by him, but about him.
While I prefer to ‘watch’ Shakespeare in theater, not to read Shakespeare in a book, I’ve still admired a work by Marjorie Garber, “Shakespeare After All“. A professor at Harvard, she gives a critical analysis of each play in a way which is readable and enjoyable, no matter if you have a degree in English Literature or don’t. The author also pays attention to historical background of Shakespeare’s works; she draws a picture of a 17th-century England and a theater life of that time. “Supremely readable and engaging, and complete with a comprehensive introduction to Shakespeare’s life and times and an extensive bibliography…”
Another book on William Shakespeare has captured my attention. “Shakespeare” by Bill Bryson focuses on the Bard’s biography; though few facts are known about Shakespeare’s life, Bryson reconstructs the society of his contemporaries, with people’s mores and emotions, so that we could imagine what kind of person Shakespeare might be like. “William Shakespeare … left behind nearly a million words of text, but his biography has long been a thicket of wild supposition arranged around scant facts. With a steady hand and his trademark wit, Bill Bryson sorts through this colorful muddle to reveal the man himself…”
If you are looking for a work on historical background behind the Bard’s plays, you may like Shakespeare’s English Kings: History, Chronicle, and Drama by Peter Saccio. The author covers events and royal relationships during the reign of 9 kings referred to by Shakespeare in his works.The book is not a comprehensive academic research on medieval history, it is more of a guide that helps understand the correlation between true historical events and Shakespeare’s imagination and dramatization of reality. ”Including a new preface, a revised further reading list, genealogical charts, an appendix of names and titles, and an index, the second edition of Shakespeare’s English Kings offers excellent background reading for all of the ten history plays…”
Assume a virtue, if you have it not.
- William Shakespeare
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