Comments on: A Brief Biography of John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:31:04 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jed http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-195429 Jed Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:11:17 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-195429 Old Man's War arrived in the mail yesterday morning. Luckily, I had a 45min train commute - one way, and I actually went to and from work twice, yesterday. So, I read the book for 180mins my first day before getting home...and then another 2 hours before going to bed. I bought it because I am a fan of Heinlein's work. Now I'm halfway through (almost), and I'll likely finish it this weekend. I just can't help thinking that many of the ideas for the movie AVATAR came from the pages of this book...all except for the tail. So far, so good...keep it up! Old Man’s War arrived in the mail yesterday morning. Luckily, I had a 45min train commute – one way, and I actually went to and from work twice, yesterday. So, I read the book for 180mins my first day before getting home…and then another 2 hours before going to bed. I bought it because I am a fan of Heinlein’s work. Now I’m halfway through (almost), and I’ll likely finish it this weekend.

I just can’t help thinking that many of the ideas for the movie AVATAR came from the pages of this book…all except for the tail.

So far, so good…keep it up!

]]> By: Wayne http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-194919 Wayne Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:14:32 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-194919 John Nice blog Great that you reply to comments that is the only reason I wanted to comment comment your desk is messier then mine thank you question what are the furry faced things to the right of your monitor and what do they mean to you question two there is a silver pole of a sort just to the right the the fuzzy faced things that has what looks like a hat - what is the hat - the pole comment two your write wonderfully thank you and your welcome John
Nice blog
Great that you reply to comments
that is the only reason I wanted to comment
comment
your desk is messier then mine
thank you
question
what are the furry faced things to the right of your monitor and what do they mean to you
question two
there is a silver pole of a sort just to the right the the fuzzy faced things that has what looks like a hat – what is the hat – the pole
comment two
your write wonderfully
thank you and your welcome

]]> By: Mike B.-Cda http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-192862 Mike B.-Cda Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:30:49 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-192862 Oops, forgot (what else is new?) about finding this blog ... that was thanks to Amazon also. Based on my purchases, a new recommendation was for "Decade of Whatever", which I got and am now going through with interest (about 1/4 of the way by now). So naturally I had to come see for myself. If anyone happens not to have heard of that one, it's a reprint of the first 10 years of the blog, very interesting reading. Too bad it doesn't include, with the occasional exception of a reference to them, the comments from others which are obviously the bulk of the blog, essentially just a number of John's articles ... if comments and responses were included, it'd probably be bigger than the Britannica. Oops, forgot (what else is new?) about finding this blog … that was thanks to Amazon also. Based on my purchases, a new recommendation was for “Decade of Whatever”, which I got and am now going through with interest (about 1/4 of the way by now). So naturally I had to come see for myself.

If anyone happens not to have heard of that one, it’s a reprint of the first 10 years of the blog, very interesting reading. Too bad it doesn’t include, with the occasional exception of a reference to them, the comments from others which are obviously the bulk of the blog, essentially just a number of John’s articles … if comments and responses were included, it’d probably be bigger than the Britannica.

]]> By: Mike B.-Cda http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-192861 Mike B.-Cda Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:19:29 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-192861 Hi from a newcomer -- first visit to the blog, and only discovered your books recently (via Amazon, probably recommendations based on "I own it" tick-boxes). Finished OMW a short while ago, loved it, and naturally got them to ship GB and LC immediately. I was a little put off by the reviews there of ZT, since a great deal of it apparently retells LC, but based on comments here I should definitely give it a try after all. Like many others here, I grew up on the "old masters" (I'm in my mid-60's now) ... Heinlein and Asimov and Clarke, and later Niven and his various collaborators (best co-written ones were those teamed with Pournelle) ... and there seems to be widespread agreement, both here and elsewhere, that OMW (and its sequels) and Starship Troopers (my personal Heinlein favorite) are must-have companions for any collection. I also love Harry Turtledove's alternate-history stuff, especially the World War/Colonization sets, and just about anything from Spider Robinson especially the Callahan (and related) books. I'm totally disabled (in the context of employability, anyway), due to brain injury from a bad fall nearly 15 years ago. So these days the internet, books, and DVDs are pretty much my life. I've been told that, to an expert, rambling and having trouble staying on topic are dead-giveaways to my specific injury (right-frontal), so my apologies if I've too much of either or both. Best, and keep up the great work, Mike B. Hi from a newcomer — first visit to the blog, and only discovered your books recently (via Amazon, probably recommendations based on “I own it” tick-boxes). Finished OMW a short while ago, loved it, and naturally got them to ship GB and LC immediately. I was a little put off by the reviews there of ZT, since a great deal of it apparently retells LC, but based on comments here I should definitely give it a try after all.

Like many others here, I grew up on the “old masters” (I’m in my mid-60’s now) … Heinlein and Asimov and Clarke, and later Niven and his various collaborators (best co-written ones were those teamed with Pournelle) … and there seems to be widespread agreement, both here and elsewhere, that OMW (and its sequels) and Starship Troopers (my personal Heinlein favorite) are must-have companions for any collection. I also love Harry Turtledove’s alternate-history stuff, especially the World War/Colonization sets, and just about anything from Spider Robinson especially the Callahan (and related) books.

I’m totally disabled (in the context of employability, anyway), due to brain injury from a bad fall nearly 15 years ago. So these days the internet, books, and DVDs are pretty much my life. I’ve been told that, to an expert, rambling and having trouble staying on topic are dead-giveaways to my specific injury (right-frontal), so my apologies if I’ve too much of either or both.

Best, and keep up the great work,
Mike B.

]]> By: Peter http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-190621 Peter Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:51:43 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-190621 Long time reader, first time commenter. On the recommendation of multiple friends, I picked up a copy of "Old Man's War." Fantastic read. It's sitting in my work bag right now, and were it not for the fact that employers tend to frown on such behavior, I would pick it up and read it in the relative privacy of my cubicle. I now wish I'd picked up one of your books sooner. On the bright side, though, I now have a number of novels to add to my reading list. I hope the issues between your publisher and Amazon are resolved quickly. Long time reader, first time commenter. On the recommendation of multiple friends, I picked up a copy of “Old Man’s War.” Fantastic read. It’s sitting in my work bag right now, and were it not for the fact that employers tend to frown on such behavior, I would pick it up and read it in the relative privacy of my cubicle.

I now wish I’d picked up one of your books sooner. On the bright side, though, I now have a number of novels to add to my reading list.

I hope the issues between your publisher and Amazon are resolved quickly.

]]> By: Dawn http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-190444 Dawn Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:33:00 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-190444 I thought I recognized your name. Used to read your articles in the Fresno Bee and then you up and disappeared. Enjoyed reading through your blog. I thought I recognized your name. Used to read your articles in the Fresno Bee and then you up and disappeared. Enjoyed reading through your blog.

]]> By: brit mcbride http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-186403 brit mcbride Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:59:02 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-186403 I've been an avid reader of sci-fi for(ever) and have been so blessed to discover you thru old mans war et al; finally got to read AttStars.Wonderful..such a rare gift for humor combined with hard hitting analysis of human nature. You go Scalzis!!!!! I’ve been an avid reader of sci-fi for(ever)
and have been so blessed to discover you
thru old mans war et al; finally got to read
AttStars.Wonderful..such a rare gift for
humor combined with hard hitting analysis
of human nature. You go Scalzis!!!!!

]]> By: Jeff Violette http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-185810 Jeff Violette Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:33:44 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-185810 John, Thanks for the great trilogy! I've been reading SF for 40 years, and have been a bit jaded lately. But I sorta picked up Old Man's War on a whim, and was promptly hooked. Got the other two for Christmas, and have just completed them. FWIW here's what I most appreciate: - Lack of fluff. Some authors would have easily turned each book into 700 page monstrosities-- most being needless "explanations". Bless you for not trying to "explain" every single nuance, technology, etc.,and taking a leap of faith that the reader just MIGHT not be a moron! - That wonderful dry sense of humor! - You absolutely pegged the behavior and interactions of bureacracies, all levels of the military (I've spent considerable time in both), and human nature in general (I'm also generally human). Thanks again! John,
Thanks for the great trilogy! I’ve been reading SF for 40 years, and have been a bit jaded lately. But I sorta picked up Old Man’s War on a whim, and was promptly hooked. Got the other two for Christmas, and have just completed them. FWIW here’s what I most appreciate:
- Lack of fluff. Some authors would have easily turned each book into 700 page monstrosities– most being needless “explanations”. Bless you for not trying to “explain” every single nuance, technology, etc.,and taking a leap of faith that the reader just MIGHT not be a moron!
- That wonderful dry sense of humor!
- You absolutely pegged the behavior and interactions of bureacracies, all levels of the military (I’ve spent considerable time in both), and human nature in general (I’m also generally human).
Thanks again!

]]> By: David Friedman http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-184768 David Friedman Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:00:34 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-184768 1. Many thanks for the Old Man's War trilogy. They are very good books, and different. 2. In the acknowledgments at the end of _The Last Colony_, you thank your copy editor for making it look as though you actually know grammar and spelling. There is a grammatical error on page 292; I do not know if it is your error or your character's error. "Beata keeping time with Jane and I." 1. Many thanks for the Old Man’s War trilogy. They are very good books, and different.

2. In the acknowledgments at the end of _The Last Colony_, you thank your copy editor for making it look as though you actually know grammar and spelling.

There is a grammatical error on page 292; I do not know if it is your error or your character’s error.

“Beata keeping time with Jane and I.”

]]> By: red http://whatever.scalzi.com/about/a-brief-biography-of-john-scalzi/#comment-184678 red Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:45:47 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?page_id=83#comment-184678 Hi John ; I just finished reading old mans war which I tripped over in the used bookstore I frequent and had to look you up. I was convinced that 1) you were at least my own age (62) and 2) you were a former Marine like myself, or at least in the armed forces. You hit the nail on the head both in the way older folks think and feel and theattitude of jarheads the world over. Congratulations on your amazing insight. Now Im gonna have to go to barnes and noble and spend full price to read the rest of your stuff. Keep up the good work. Red Hi John ; I just finished reading old mans war which I tripped over in the used bookstore I frequent and had to look you up. I was convinced that 1) you were at least my own age (62) and 2) you were a former Marine like myself, or at least in the armed forces.
You hit the nail on the head both in the way older folks think and feel and theattitude of jarheads the world over. Congratulations on your amazing insight. Now Im gonna have to go to barnes and noble and spend full price to read the rest of your stuff. Keep up the good work.
Red

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