Category Archives: Book Notes

Heinlein’s STARMAN JONES (1953)

Posted on 20 October 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Starman Jones is the 7th of 14 novels that Heinlein published from 1947 to 1963, at annual intervals except for a four-year gap between the last two, that were called “juveniles” at the time — that is, designed for younger … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, science fiction | Leave a comment

Robert Sheckley, MINDSWAP (1966)

Posted on 12 October 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Robert Sheckley was a science fiction writer who debuted in the early 1950s, right about the time Philip K. Dick that did. They were both prolific short story writers through the ’50s, each publishing several stories a year, in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, science fiction | Comments Off on Robert Sheckley, MINDSWAP (1966)

PKD: The Man in the High Castle

Posted on 8 October 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

I am going to begin posting relatively *brief* comments about books I’ve read lately, to keep up with what I’ve been reading. My extensive book summaries with comments take a long time to set up; by waiting to post anything … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, science fiction | Comments Off on PKD: The Man in the High Castle

How to Read a Book

Posted on 29 September 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

I posted this on Fb last night, perhaps a bit intemperately and incompletely, upon publication of this book yesterday, Sept. 28th.

Posted in Book Notes, Personal history | Comments Off on How to Read a Book

Shankar Vedantam: USEFUL DELUSIONS (2021)

Posted on 23 September 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a book I read recently, just a week or so after returning from the hospital in late June, and which I’ve skimmed again in the past week to take notes and write up this summary. It’s one of two … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Psychology | Comments Off on Shankar Vedantam: USEFUL DELUSIONS (2021)

Michael Strevens: THE KNOWLEDGE MACHINE (2020)

Posted on 11 August 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Here’s a book I read a few weeks ago while in the hospital (so my notes on it are sketchier than usual). It was published last October, though I didn’t buy it until February. When I picked it up to … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Science | Comments Off on Michael Strevens: THE KNOWLEDGE MACHINE (2020)

L&C: The New Yorker on Cults and Narratives

Posted on 10 July 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

As if I had cued it with yesterday’s post about Why People Believe, particularly the final item by David Brooks, as well as the last of my four new provisional conclusions, the new issue of The New Yorker has a … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Changing One's Mind, Psychology | Comments Off on L&C: The New Yorker on Cults and Narratives

Lewis Thomas’ THE YOUNGEST SCIENCE

Posted on 1 July 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Subtitled “Notes of a Medicine-Watcher,” this is a 1983 collection of essays in an autobiographical structure by the author of three acclaimed books of essays, beginning with THE LIVES OF A CELL. (I reviewed the third one here). The startling … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Science | Comments Off on Lewis Thomas’ THE YOUNGEST SCIENCE

L&C: Steven Pinker on Steven Johnson

Posted on 30 June 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Sometimes a good book review can save you the trouble of reading the book itself — or propel you into reading a book you might otherwise pass over.

Posted in Book Notes, Science | Comments Off on L&C: Steven Pinker on Steven Johnson

Dole & Asimov’s PLANETS FOR MAN

Posted on 22 June 2021 by Mark R. Kelly

Stephen H. Dole and Isaac Asimov, PLANETS FOR MAN (Random House, 1964) Here’s an older book co-written by Isaac Asimov, based on a RAND study by Stephen H. Dole, called PLANETS FOR MAN, from 1964. It’s about consolidating available knowledge … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Isaac Asimov, Science | Comments Off on Dole & Asimov’s PLANETS FOR MAN