A Chronology of Ideas So Far
One of the many points of this here blog is to follow the throughline of ideas in the science fiction genre. As I’ve mentioned before, the chronology and evolution of ideas is important to me because it helps me understand the thing as a whole. If I can’t see the forest for the trees, I get real confused real fast.
If you’re like me in this regard (yay!) then understanding the order of ideas brings a calming, warming effect to your heart.
In this vein, I wanted to write a post that sets my thoughts and essays alongside The List of books I’ve read so far, the order of ideas of this blog.
Here goes!
1. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley — 1818
-Who’s the Real Monster? The Tragedy of Frankenstein’s Creation
2. Journey to the Center of the Earth – Jules Verne – 1864
3. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Jonathan Swift and Robert Louis Stevensen – 1886
4. The Time Machine – H. G. Wells – 1895
–The Mad Scientist Narrative Arc
5. The War of the Worlds – H. G. Wells – 1897
6. R.U.R. (play) – Karel Capek – 1921
7. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley – 1932
8. Lost Horizon – James Hilton – 1933
9. At the Mountains of Madness – H. P. Lovecraft – 1936
10. Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy) – C. S. Lewis – 1938
Voyage to Venus: Perelandra (Space Trilogy)
That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy)
11. Reason (short story) – Isaac Asimov – 1941
12. Foundation (Foundation Trilogy) – Isaac Asimov – 1942
13. 1984 – George Orwell – 1949
14. Red Planet – Robert A. Heinlein – 1949
–Humanity, Black Mirror, Utopia
-What Makes Great Science Fiction
15. Space Cadet – Robert A. Heinlein – 1949
16. I, Robot – Isaac Asimov – 1950
–Zombies & the Loss of Control
17. The Martian Chronicles – Ray Bradbury – 1950
–Ray Bradbury on Writing Science Fiction
–Ursula K. Le Guin on Writing Science Fiction
–Some Thoughts on Near Vs. Far Futur Science Fiction
18. Farmer in the Sky – Robert A. Heinlein – 1950
-The Definition of Science Fiction
19. The Demolished Man – Alfred Bester – 1952
As you can see, sometimes I posted about an idea in the genre only much later than I read the actual book pertaining to that idea. Sometimes things take a while to simmer and form connections. The list above of my thoughts and essays is not exhaustive, but they are the main posts that relate to the books I’ve read so far and the ideas they’ve generated.
I’m currently re-reading Fahrenheit 451, book 20 on my list, and I can’t wait to post about it.
Ciao!