Bill gates recommends neal stephensons seveneves business. Neal stephenson books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography. A gripping and pageturning thriller that explores themes of power, information, secrecy and war in the twentieth century. In 1942, lawrence pritchard waterhouse mathematical genius and young captain in the u. He was first published in 1984, but it was not until the publication of his third book snow crash that he became widely known. Neal stephenson is a popular speculative fiction author whose books feature mostly in the cyberpunk sciencefiction and technothriller genre. Since ive advocated for the use of treadmill desks in some remarks and evangelized it to people i know, i thought it behooved me to publish some data and some reflections on it, born of experience.
The following are summaries of each of the best neal stephenson books, with reasons why i chose them. These later works are a lot harder to get into and are not recommended unless you enjoy historical fiction. Neal stephenson, the author of snow crash and the baroque cycle series, is one of the most acclaimed science fiction writers of. Hopefully, itll help you decide which neal stephenson book to read first. Or, a young ladys illustrated primer is a science fiction novel by american writer neal stephenson. Neal town stephenson born october 31, 1959 is an american writer known for his works of speculative fiction. He has also written novels with his uncle, george jewsbury, under the collective ps. Ill add that stephenson is the single most important genre author of the last thirty years. Stephenson studied at boston university, first specializing in physics, then switching to geography after he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university. Get the best deals on neal stephenson 1st edition books when you shop the largest online selection at ebay. His novels involve subjects such as mathematics, philosophy and science.
Neal stephenson is an american penman who doubles up as a game designer. With this extraordinary first volume in what promises to be an epochmaking masterpiece, neal stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century. I have been using a treadmill desk for a few years, but in midjanuary of 2014 i. Neal stephenson books list of books by author neal stephenson. Neil stephenson released snow crash back in 1992, and its still regarded by many people as his. Cyberpunk as written by a computer scientist that alone would make it a very good book, but the reveal of the plot.
Stephenson s work explores subjects such as mathematics, cryptography, linguistics, philosophy, currency, and the history. Neal stephenson books list of books by author neal. Neal stephenson is best known for his writing style which covers a fictional universe that ordinary people finds really odd. As for neal stephenson, snow crash and diamond age are stand alone you can read them in any order, ive not read the cryptonomicon but im lead to believe that a lot of the concepts in it lead into the baroque cycle books so you would probably want to read it before them. When bill gates released his five recommended summer reading books for this year, there was a fun surprise neal stephensons science fiction epic seveneves, the first scifi. Stephenson imagines, in realistic detail, the onthefly construction of an adhoc space ark with a diverse population of human beings as well as overlapping chaos and turmoil back on earth. It is a work of great art, thought and creative daring. In his legendary, sprawling masterpiece, neal stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling. A decade after novelist william gibson coined the term virtual reality, neal stephenson burst onto the science fiction scene with snow crash, his own manic take on the interface between man and machine. I had read one of stephensons earlier books, snow crash, and thought this new one would be a good way to get back into scifi.
This critic a stephenson fan and admirer of long standing has read most of stephensons novels. Neal town stephenson is an american writer known for his works of speculative fiction. Stephenson studied at boston university, first specializing in physics, then switching to geography after he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university mainframe. Top 9 books recommended by the leader neal stephenson. With books like snow crash, cryptonomicon, and his baroque cycle series, the author has become an icon for all those readers who enjoy treaties on topics like cryptography, mathematics, history of. Cryptonomicon by neal stephenson, snow crash by neal stephenson, the diamond age.
Neal stephenson talks about his new book, seveneves, and. Listen to thousands of best sellers and new releases on your iphone, ipad, or android. Get cozy and expand your home library with a large online selection of books at. From the author of the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle and seveneves. Stephenson, who is a quinquagenarian, was born on october 1959 and his place of birth is fort meade upon maryland, in the us. I have been using a treadmill desk for a few years, but in midjanuary of 2014 i began keeping. He gained further notoriety in 1999 with the publication of cryptonomicon which would later go on to earn the prometheus hall of fame award in. When stephenson released cryptonomicon back in 1999, it was widely regarded as one. Discover book depositorys huge selection of neal stephenson books online. Neal stephenson is the author of the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle quicksilver, the confusion, and the system of the world and the novels cryptonomicon, the diamond age, snow crash, and zodiac. Sep 25, 2011 this critic a stephenson fan and admirer of long standing has read most of stephensons novels. Signed by author neal stephenson at the title page.
Seveneves was one of only five books recommended by bill gates as must reads for summer 2016. Neal stephenson books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. Neal stephenson is an american author primarily of speculative fiction, but also of other subgenres of science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk and several other genres. Top 10 books by neal stephenson best book recommendations. Stephensons work explores subjects such as mathematics, cryptography, linguistics, philosophy, currency, and the history of science. Author neal stephenson bio and signed books vj books. So when a friend recommended neal stephensons most recent novel, seveneves, i thought i would give it a try. Showing he is more than capable of turning any technology into a gripping. Bestselling author neal stephenson has added a couple dozen books to the manual for civilization. His novels have been categorized as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, postcyberpunk, and baroque.
Oh, and i like is the techgeekydatahavenrandywaterhouse story thread so more like this bit in particular. More recently, the cyberpunk visionary has turned his sights away from the future of technology, and toward the question of how and why it. He also writes nonfiction articles about technology in publications such as wired. Quicksilver is the story of daniel waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted puritan, pursuing knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of baroqueera europe, in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight it is a chronicle of the breathtaking exploits of half. His baroque cycle, a threevolume megatome about 17th and 18thcentury europe and. It is to some extent a bildungsroman or comingofage story, focused on a young girl named nell, set in a future world in which nanotechnology affects all aspects of life. Neal stephenson 1959 is an american author, futurist and game designer most well known for his works of speculative fiction. Neal stephenson is the author of reamde, anathem, and the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle quicksilver, the confusion, and the system of the world, as well as cryptonomicon, the. It tells the story of the planet arbre through the eyes of erasmus as he and his planet face a time of uncertainty and decisions. American writer neal stephenson was born october 31, 1959 in maryland. Neil stephenson released snow crash back in 1992, and its still regarded by many people as his finest work. Neal stephenson, the author of snow crash and the baroque cycle series, is one of the most acclaimed science fiction writers of his generation.
Neal stephenson is the author of the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle quicksilver, the confusion and the system of the world as well as the novels cryptonomicon, the diamond age winner of a hugo award, snow crash, zodiac, anathem and reamde. Author neal stephenson neal town stephenson born october 31, 1959 is an american writer, known for his speculative fiction works, which have been variously categorized science fiction, historical fiction, maximalism, cyberpunk, and postcyberpunk. Black and brown boards with gilt titling and decoration, very good with bumped spine tips and foreedge corners, few small pale scuffs to rear board. Peter andreas thiel is a germanamerican entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Neal stephenson books you must read cryptonomicon 1999 read description above snow crash 1992. Each of his baroque cycle novels is nearly 1,000 pages and very ponderous.
Riding a mechanical horse to an underwater rave cult that performs insanely complicated program compilation through turning people into sex zombies that participate in giant public sexual orgies that last months and culminate with someone burning to death in the heat of passion computation. Neal stephenson is the author of reamde, anathem, and the threevolume historical epic the baroque cycle quicksilver, the confusion, and the system of the world, as well as cryptonomicon, the more. Books recommended by neal stephenson the ceo library. This is a lovely first edition copy, signed by neal on the left page of the title spread. A profoundly strange novel from one of the best equally compelling to readers of speculative and mainstream fiction. Books recommended by neal stephenson bookadvice reading list. His baroque cycle, a threevolume megatome about 17th. May 19, 2015 seveneves was one of only five books recommended by bill gates as must reads for summer 2016. Now he imagines an alternate universe where scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians live in seclusion behind ancient monastery walls until they are called back into the. Have you ever read a book that is thriller plus romance plus mystery plus a hint of technology. Now he imagines an alternate universe where scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians live in seclusion behind ancient monastery. The personal website of author neal stephenson, unless its been hacked. Neal stephensons selected books for the manual for civilization.
American writer known for his works of speculative fiction include snow crash, cryptonomicon, and anathem. But neal stephenson also has his other styles of writing because he can also cater to those who are looking for a nonfiction books that they can read. It is our intent and purpose to foster and encourage indepth discussion about all things related to books press j to jump to the feed. The best neal stephenson books 1 snow crash neal stephenson. May 27, 2016 these later works are a lot harder to get into and are not recommended unless you enjoy historical fiction. Quicksilver is the story of daniel waterhouse, fearless thinker and conflicted puritan, pursuing knowledge in the company of the greatest minds of baroqueera europe, in a chaotic world where reason wars with the bloody ambitions of the mighty, and where catastrophe, natural or otherwise, can alter the political landscape overnight. Browse audiobooks written by neal stephenson sorted by. If snow crash didnt click with me at all, do you think ill like his other books.
I love audacious writing and books which really dig into an odd concept and even reading scientific papers on whackedout topics, but found the world of the book too cartoony, the narrative voice too direct and aggressive, and the lengthy egyptian segues really dull. The community erasmus belongs to values ideas especially philosophical and metaphysical ideas. The novel deals with themes of education, social class, ethnicity, and the nature of artificial intelligence. The birth name of the man of letters is neal town stephenson. Ranking author neal stephensons best books a bibliography. A novel by nicole galland and neal stephenson 2017, hardcover. There is a high number of people that can get involved with the books that neal stephenson writes, and most of them are scifi junkies, and these are the people who believe that the future is near, and everything will change drastically that in turn, people will get reliant on machines and. Neal stephenson is the bestselling author of the novels reamde, anathem, the system of the world, the confusion, quicksilver, cryptonomicon, the diamond age, snow crash, and zodiac, and the groundbreaking nonfiction work in the beginning. More recently, the cyberpunk visionary has turned his sights away from the future of technology, and toward the question of how and why it arose the way it did. All of this can be found in books of neal stephenson.
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