The schedule has been posted for Boskone 53, this coming February 19th through 21st, and I have several items on it! First, if you’re in the Boston area, I have a reading on Friday the 19th that is free and open to the public: Friday, 5:00 PM (free to public) Room: Independence Reading: John P. […]
I haven’t given up on the argument posts, don’t worry. My blogging has had to slow down due to a confluence of events: kitchen renovations, a lengthy bout with a stomach bug, and general business. I also picked up a copy of Stephen Toulmin’s original book on the philosophy of arguments in which he introduced […]
No, I don’t want bad SF. I want good SF — but about economics, the “dismal science.” As part of my side hobby of world-building, I’ve been collecting SF-oriented papers by economics like Paul Krugman and Robin Hanson. Hanson’s page (linked left) is a great starting point. There are some fantastic ideas there. But what […]
I’ve been spending some time and energy getting ready for Viable Paradise. I picked up a number of books by and recommended by the instructors. So far I’ve been very impressed: Steven Gould’s Jumper was fantastic, and Doyle and Macdonald’s Land of Mist and Snow is a fine piece of fiction, too. Scalzi’s recent short […]
So, in preparation for Viable Paradise, I’m catching up on stuff the instructors have written/recommended. All good stuff. (And I’m also improving my chess game!) But it occurred to me that a number of my future classmates have been published as well, and it would be nice to read some of their stuff before I […]
I’ve been looking for interesting books lately to help with my writing, particularly plotting. I found a great one not too long ago: The Official C.I.A. Manual of Trickery and Deception, by Keith Melton and Robert Wallace (though most of the text is by professional magician John Mulholland) Basically, back in the 1950s, the CIA […]
John P. Murphy 