Books: Mindscan, Expansion, and Tufte Times Two

[woodwardiocom]

Mindscan by Robert J. Sawyer

One of Sawyer's older novels, in which the technology to scan minds into robot bodies has been perfected. Our hero has a clot of weak blood vessels in his brain, and an inherited fortune, so at the age of 40-something he gets scanned. The downside is that the scan is a non-destructive process, so his original body is still around. Mindscan Inc.'s contract obliges "shed skins" (the original people) to immediately transfer their personhood to the new body, and go live in their Lunar Farside retirement home, permanently. The old body isn't too happy about this (despite having signed the contract in good faith). Then the new body discovers his legal status may be in doubt... This is not Sawyer's best, and it tends towards lectures about consciousness, but they're good lectures, and I'm a sucker for discussions about personhood and duplication (as in Trek transporter accidents and that movie with Wolverine and Batman in it). Mildly recommended.

What To Expect When Your Wife Is Expanding: A Parody by Thomas Hill

A fun little book about the difficulties of being an expectant father. Best read in excerpts to your unamused wife. The most dangerous part was the list of things not to say during labor ("You don't look like you're having fun!" "Look, the baby! Just kidding!"), many of which seemed like things I might blurt out. [snicker]

Envisioning Information and Visual Explanations by Edward R. Tufte

These two were gifts from my brother, companions to The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, all of which I think are must-reads for anyone in the business of communicating information in any medium but radio. (Especially scientific papers and user interfaces, but fine art gets in here, too.) Copiously illustrated, wryly written, and full of gorgeous charts, graphs, maps, and art. Highly recommended.

Comments

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that they warned you about "Look! The baby! Just kidding!"

If anyone had tried that on me, I would have killed someone. I was strapped down with monitors and my legs weren't working, and they'd have *died*.

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

Thank you again for recommending Downton Abbey. B. and I finished watching it today. I can't decide whether to feel sorry for Mr. Bates or smack some sense into him.

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

I've only seen episode 1. Finding time is hard. Don't you dare spoil it for me.

(But Mr. Bates and Anna, amirite?)

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

But Mr. Bates and Anna, amirite?

I'm sure I couldn't say, milady.