Jo Walton’s What Makes This Book So Great: Re-Reading the Classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy was just published so it obviously isn’t a Forgotten Book. But Walton’s wonderful book explores plenty of forgotten books. This collection gathers 130 of Walton’s blog posts from Tor.com (July 2008 to February 2011). Walton writes about her favorite works of science fiction and fantasy in pithy, clever short essays. Of course, the result of reading Jo Walton’s What Makes This Book So Great is a big stack of forgotten books I want to read (or re-read). If you’re a fan of the science fiction and fantasy genres, Walton presents a great guidebook. Highly recommended!
SOME WRITERS DISCUSSED IN WMTBSG:
Daniel Abraham
Poul Anderson
Iain M. Banks
John Brunner
Steven Burst
Lois McMaster Bujold
Octavia E. Butler
C. J. Cherryh
Susanna Clarke
Pamela Dean
Samuel R. Delany
Lord Dunsany
George Alec Effinger
George Eliot
John M. Ford
John Fowles
Robert A. Heinlein
Ursula K. Le Guin
Tanith Lee
Ken MacLeod
George R. R. Martin
Maureen F. McHugh
Susan Palwick
Kim Stanley Robinson
Dorothy L. Sayers
Karl Schroeder
Francis Spufford
James Tiptree, Jr.
J.R. R. Tolkien
Vernor Vinge
Connie Willis
Robert Charles Wilson
Terri Windling
Jack Womack
The list contains many sf and fantasy writers I’ve never heard of. But then, I’m still finding my feet in the sf genre. Thank you for bringing this guidebook to my notice, George.
Must admit, would never have really considered Sayers as much of a fantasy author (even if you include her translations of Dante) …
Prashant, Jo Walton’s new book of SF essays will lead you to some Great Books! You can read some of the essays in this book at: http://www.tor.com/search?searchword=jo+walton&ordering=relevance&searchphrase=all&areas%5B0%5D=blogs&areas%5B1%5D=stories
Sergio, Jo Walton provides some interesting insights into established writers like Sayers. I learned something new in each of Walton’s essays.
I’ve read most of those essays on Tor.com, and they’re great. Walton can communicate her love of the books in a way that makes me want to grab them and read them immediately. I second your recommendation of this volume.
Bill, you alerted me to these wonderful blog posts some time ago. Many thanks! I’m happy to have them collected in one nice volume!
You and Carl Anderson both have this up as a must read, and I’m in line for it at the library. I may wind up with a print copy if it’s as good as I hope.
Rick, I suspect you’ll want to own a copy of WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK GREAT.
Prashant, you have a lot of reading to do, but everyone does…I have yet to read at least four to five of these writers, I think, and haven’t read much of a slew.
Thanks for the pointer! I’ve read a few columns, but was utterly unaware of the collection…
You had me with the title. This is going on my list.
Such a fun book. I’m enjoying savoring it as it sits here on my table next to my recliner. Gonna try to make this one last.