REVIEWS : NON-FICTION
To say Stephenson’s fiction demands commitment and attention from readers is a gross understatement. Consider the sheer volume of his novels, alongside the lofty ideas they contain. The Baroque Cycle is an epic alternate history narrative, split into three self-contained books – which use natural philosophy and the rise of financial systems as a backdrop for high adventure and political intrigue. Cryptonomicon and Anathem are over 900 pages each, and make extensive use of real-world cryptography and a (lovingly fabricated) rational monastic culture, as central themes for their otherwise straightforward genre plots. Even his more accessible early work – The Diamond Age and Snow Crash – used clever appropriation of Victorian ideals and hacker ethics, respectively, to codify what we now recognize as the steampunk and cyberpunk subgenres. On that score, Some Remarks establishes that Stephenson did not get to his current level of influence via flights of fancy alone – his work draws from extensive research, in the library and the field alike.
In one article, he cites the history of the US space program to discuss geopolitical “path dependence”. Elsewhere, he uses anecdotes from the Napoleonic wars and ancient Greek military campaigns to demonstrate the lack of foresight in the still-ongoing War on Terror. Most fascinating of all is his tech reportage: laying globe-spanning undersea fiber-optic cables, and witnessing the initial penetration of mobile phones into China. Overall, Some Remarks is a fascinating “b-sides” collection that introduces a lesser-known side of a cult favorite.
BYTE-SIZED TREATS
Cyberpunk pioneer Neal Stephenson switches gears for this snappy “b-sides” collection.
originally published by Fully Booked Zine, September 2012
Neal Stephenson’s Some Remarks comprises a mishmash of feature articles, Q&As, op-ed style pieces, and short fiction that covers his writing career to date. Many of his pet themes are represented, including the history of computers, the relationship between science and imagination, and the cultural effects of global telecommunications. What makes the content here so refreshing is how jarringly concise it is. According to the wordsmith’s own introduction, this uncharacteristic brevity was meant to be the point.To say Stephenson’s fiction demands commitment and attention from readers is a gross understatement. Consider the sheer volume of his novels, alongside the lofty ideas they contain. The Baroque Cycle is an epic alternate history narrative, split into three self-contained books – which use natural philosophy and the rise of financial systems as a backdrop for high adventure and political intrigue. Cryptonomicon and Anathem are over 900 pages each, and make extensive use of real-world cryptography and a (lovingly fabricated) rational monastic culture, as central themes for their otherwise straightforward genre plots. Even his more accessible early work – The Diamond Age and Snow Crash – used clever appropriation of Victorian ideals and hacker ethics, respectively, to codify what we now recognize as the steampunk and cyberpunk subgenres. On that score, Some Remarks establishes that Stephenson did not get to his current level of influence via flights of fancy alone – his work draws from extensive research, in the library and the field alike.
In one article, he cites the history of the US space program to discuss geopolitical “path dependence”. Elsewhere, he uses anecdotes from the Napoleonic wars and ancient Greek military campaigns to demonstrate the lack of foresight in the still-ongoing War on Terror. Most fascinating of all is his tech reportage: laying globe-spanning undersea fiber-optic cables, and witnessing the initial penetration of mobile phones into China. Overall, Some Remarks is a fascinating “b-sides” collection that introduces a lesser-known side of a cult favorite.