Two Upcoming Events of Interest

Here’s a couple of things you might want to think about over the next couple of days:

1. Tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Carl Sagan, who aside from being a personal hero of mine and the namesake of one of my favorite characters, was probably the single greatest popularizer of science (particularly of astronomy) in the last quarter of the 20th century. To note the anniversary, a number of bloggers and other online writers are declaring a Carl Sagan blog-a-thon, in which they will discuss Sagan, his life, his work, and his impact on science and the popular apprehension of the same.

Naturally, I will be participating. And you can, too. Joel Schlossberg has the details, and Nick Sagan, Carl’s son, has additional comments. If you have any thoughts on or appreciation for Carl Sagan, tomorrow’s the day to air it.

2. A little birdie tells me that the New York Times Sunday Book Review will be having a full-page article on me and my work (specifically Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigades and The Android’s Dream) this upcoming Sunday. So that’s something you might want to be on the lookout for. Because, honestly, it’s not like there’s anything else going on this weekend. The end of December? It’s totally devoid of notable events!

16 Comments on “Two Upcoming Events of Interest”

  1. Chang:

    “Whatever happened to the science fiction column they were doing.”

    Well, next Sunday, apparently I will be what’s happening to it.

  2. Congratulations on the full page of the Times Book Review.

    I remember first watching Cosmos (checking IMDB ..egads) over 20 years ago and became a fan of Carl Sagan.

  3. Damn, that’s a mighty fine and full page you got there, Mister. And on Xmas Sunday! Woohoo! Double wordscore with a “Z”! Way to go, man.

    My favorite Sagan quote was from Contact. Something about prehistoric man looking up at the night sky and being so intimidated that he created the industrial revolution to obscure it from his vision. It was one of those quotes that cause me to close the book and say, “that’s it, I’m full.” My wife loved the movie, especially the part where the first machine buys it along with the dicky PhD advisor of the main character. She was finishing up her own PhD at the time. I wonder if there was a conenction?

  4. > My favorite Sagan quote was from Contact.

    That ~was~ a great scene Steve, but not the best line… This gets me choked up every time I see it:

    “They should have sent a poet. So beautiful. So beautiful…I had no idea”

  5. Wow. Congratulations on the NYT piece. That’s fantastic, man. I’d be envious if I weren’t so freakin’ happy for you. I look forward to checking it out.

  6. Just freaking wonderful… Now I suppose I’m going to have to pay through the nose to get you to sign my copy of The Android’s Dream.

    Anyway, congratulations (what is that? The fifteenth time I’ve congratulated you this year?). I look forward to reading the spread.

  7. Dan:

    “Now I suppose I’m going to have to pay through the nose to get you to sign my copy of The Android’s Dream.”

    You’re under the impression I want mucus-covered money?

  8. I guess this is good news. I heard this NYTBR thingie doesn’t sell books. It’s just a myth. Don’t think about it. I mean, nobody reads it.

    Congrats (scuttles off to call editor)

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