david brin's official web site

david brin's official web site uplift novels other sf novels graphic novels young adult novels free short stories the transparent society the political lamp is lit! about fiction pop culture about science public speaking predicting the future giving back to the future downloads & podcasts i, blog games & music film options my recommendations freebies & offers fan sites photos & artwork my biography email me return home hot news! help deserving ostriches in a time of increasing political polarization, i have urged (in my most recent essay, "the ostrich papers") that we look past the simplistic and outdated "left-right political axis." yes, there is madness going on. but i suggest that the cure is not bitter "culture war." rather, moderate and decent citizens of the enlightenment need to reach out to other decent people -- even those who have swallowed nonsense. at stake is preserving a nation of modern confidence from a looming dark age. sky horizon debuts august 20 sky horizon is the first book in a new series for young adults -- and for adults who feel young. turning some sf cliches upside down, sky horizon starts with an alien visitor who is fought over by the cliques in a contemporary american high school. and from there, repercussions spread, encompassing the fate of both earth and a brand new colony world. one reviewer said this book "channels robert heinlein at his very best. a real tribute in his centennial year."      read a sample of sky horizon here. dire scenario-ists i consult often for companies and agencies, e.g. defense department, cia, air force, dtra and the us department of homeland security (dhs) about "unusual potential threats and opportunities." so do some of my colleagues in the futurist/sf game -- proving there are skilled professionals at the upper middle ranks who know the value of technologically-informed imagination. we even formed a "think tank" called sigma to do this at a larger scale. now, in a recent issue of usa today, read about the how some members explored dire scenarios for dhs, using those "lamps on the brow" to peer ahead for the greater good. august is science fiction month in asia starting august 30, the world science fiction convention will be held in yokohama, japan. (i am the featured international author.) it may be one of the most spectacular -- and generously hosted -- worldcons ever. and to add spice, there will be science fiction events in china a week before: first an academic conference in beijing and then a larger gathering in the exotic sechuan city of chengdu (near panda country), august 24-27, hosted by sf world, the largest-circulation science fiction magazine of all time. podcasts on a vast range of topics escape pod posted a podcast-reading (pretty good) of my short story "the giving plague." to see all my downloads and podcasts, visit my new page! a dark scenario swinging from optimism to pessimism, i started by posting a few thoughts about how the incoming u.s. congress might change the nation's way of doing business. (many of these unconventional proposals may sound good to both conservatives and liberals.) only now it's time for something much darker, more cynical, and maybe even a little paranoid! come take a look at a chillingly plausible way that powerful forces may try to affect our politics by using the age-old trick of blackmail. trailers to sci fi movies that "ought to be" the latest "computer graphics challenge" includes wondrous still images from artists around the world, plus, for the first time, stunning movie trailers for greg bear's epochal novel eon. they'll do one of mine, soon. check it out. sigularities and nightmares one of my biggest, boldest and most popular essays about our future destiny, "singularities and nightmares," is now available for free access. it explores a startling range of possibilities for humanity and the earth, from dangers all the way to opportunities that inspire others to think that we may soon become apprentice gods. weigh the possibilities for yourself. visualizing the 21st century in october, google invited me to fly up and give one of their company-wide tech talks on "visualization as a problem-solving tool in the 21st century." for this topic, i asked to bring along one of the most ingenious "visualizers," professor sheldon brown, my colleague in the exorarium project. the google talk (hosted by my friend, the appropriately named larry brilliant) stretched 90 minutes, but for those who are interested in the evolution of online tools, it should offer a few new perspectives. we also met with sims creator will wright, whose new game "spore" will knock you out of this world. my latest writings another reminder that those interested in a truly dynamic community of discussion are welcome to drop by my weblog where topics spiral about, from science to public affairs, from mass media to philosophy. or check out baen's universe magazine for my latest serialized novel! seti search intensifies did you think that seti (the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence) was benign and scientific, as portrayed in the movie contact? well that was back in the 20th century, when the programs, aims and goals were open and scientific. alas, things have been gradually changing in the cult-ridden 21st century. see an exposé of how a small and inward-looking community of radio astronomers aim to gamble with all of human posterity, based on a few questionable assumptions... without ever openly discussing their intention with colleagues or the world at-large. indeed, the world is taking notice. a recent editorial in nature presented a capsule summary of the problem and the very openminded and vigorously fun seti league (not to be confused with the seti institute) has posted a pdf version online. let there be no confusion. the request that is on the table -- for a wide-open and broad-based discussion of this important issue at some prestigious and eclectic venue like (say) the aaas -- is one that no reasonable person or group would refuse. will such an open discussion take place? allowing all perspectives to be heard and examined? stay tuned. the architechs the history channel show the architechs challenged "five geniuses" to solve impossible design problems in 48 hours. of two pilot episodes (i was in both), the first saw former fdny commissioner thomas von essen, one of the heroes of 9/11, call upon the team to innovate more than a dozen new fire rescue and evacuation tools for skyscraper disasters. this episode briefly aired last october (2006). copies can be ordered from the hc web site. in the second pilot, a four-star general asked the designers to sketch a way-cool 21st century replacement for the humvee. a pictorial interview here's a 360 degree view of me in my study... and... wait! who's that other guy! a ditto?... it should be basic once again, i had the weekly cover article on salon, the greatest online magazine, and it stirred even more controversy than with my infamous star wars essay, or my appraisal of technological secrecy/privacy in the future. this time it wasn't intentional! in "why johnny can't code" i point out that the simple programming language basic used to be on every computer a child touched -- but today there's no easy way for kids to get hooked on programming. they cannot even do the little exercises that are still in many classroom textbooks. what i didn't expect was the flurry of intensely passionate replies! back in spanish although science fiction novels don't seem to stay in print in spanish very long -- most of my novels have dropped out of print -- there is a lovely new edition of glory season issued by edicionesb. people can always write to the publisher and demand they bring the others back! ;-) uplifting origami i've had some of my characters dramatized in unusual media over the years. an australian fan made magnificent plush toys of the "noor" or "tytlal" characters in brightness reef and even a tower of hanoi game in which successive rings get piled up to make a wise old traeki sage. now, in the run-up to the 2007 worldcon, i have been given a cd showing details how to make origami figures of various uplift species, from urs and hoon to traeki and even the wheeled g'kek! all by expert kazuo sumiya. star wars on trial shipping in june 2006, star wars on trial: science fiction and fantasy writers debate the most popular science fiction films of all time (smart pop series) by david brin and matthew woodring stover, with two dozen wonderfully articulate authors "testifying" either for the prosecution or the defense. is sw fantasy disguised as science fiction? does the series spread doom-pessimism about democracy? has it been a let-down since "the empire strikes back"? does it even make any sense? pick up a copy and be prepared for a wild, extravagant "trial" -- brash and entertaining and downright fun! intelligent designers my full essay on "other theories of intelligent design" appears in skeptic's online edition. new at amazon shorts see new essays, articles and stories available at trivial cost. my latest reveals many pros and cons of "human transformation" in singularities and nightmares: the range of our futures. another popular item suggests a simple exercise to overcome the vile modern habit of cynicism. also in the nonfiction category are older pieces on "beleaguered professionals vs. disempowered citizens" about a looming 21st century power struggle between average people and the sincere, skilled professionals who are paid to protect us. " the power of proxy activism" tells how busy people, distracted by daily life, may still help make a better world. another offers a controversial solution to the problem of a mississippi river that's rebelling against human control. thanks to these popular articles, amazon ranked me along with stuart woods, david niall wilson and james lee burke, as one of the top ten short-subject writers of 2005. politics? should i keep to topics i'm paid to talk about, like the future? given the times, can i be forgiven the occasional opinionated rant? take the problem of gerrymandering, which i examine from a dozen fresh perspectives. another in-depth essay reappraises newt gingrich's 1994 contract with america, considering how this masterful piece of 20th century political polemic might be used by the other side, in the 21st. also, is it prudent to overstretch our military reserves in a war that is, at best, a case of international elective surgery? these viewpoints are not classically partisan, but seek a broader view. whether you agree or not, i promise to be interesting! popular culture seems i'm making appearances in a number of surprising pop-cult venues. see a recent spread that features a novel by yours truly, in a popular literary comic strip... the "unshelved book club." i've also been interviewed for several episodes of a podcast "the future and you." of course some of this is in reaction to the wildly popular-culture book king kong is back!: an unauthorized look at one humongous ape! (smart pop series) -- a fun and smart collection of 21 essays examining king kong from every angle. (some will surprise you.) but if you think that was something, just keep your eyes open for the next brash offering - star wars on trial: science fiction and fantasy writers debate the most popular science fiction films of all time (smart pop series)! start wiki'ing i long ago predicted that the net would enable self-published and mass-collaborative projects like the wonderful wikipedia. (that's just one of fourteen predictive hits in my novel earth. (i wish been i'd proved wrong about drowned new orleans.) now there is a wikipedia entry for yours truly. start wiki'ing, and remember, you have the power to contribute or vote to change it! the war on science will the first decade of the 21st century be known as the time when our scientific age came to a whimpering end? the one trait shared by anti-modernists of both left and right appears to be disdain for our ability to learn and do bold new things. my review of chris mooney's the republican war on science (published in the san diego union-tribune), explores how partisanship can explain much of this collapse of confidence... and why partisan interpretations don't cover everything. on a related note, two recommended books that tout assertive problem solving are the past and future of america's economy: long waves of innovation that power cycles of growth by robert d. atkinson, and ray kurzweil's the singularity is near. the first explores measures that would allow us to play our roles better in the world economy. the latter pursues kurzweil's argument that our scientific competence and technologically-empowered creativity will soon skyrocket, propelling humanity into an entirely new age. i don't entirely agree. but boy, what a ride. an open letter to researchers in the fields of addiciton, brain chemistry, and social psychology i often meddle in my old professional stomping ground of science (see about science). and yes, i opine about modern politics (see the political lamp is lit! and i, blog). these two areas have meshed in recent years -- a good thing, when disinterested science informs public policy. and bad, when political fanaticism warps or ignores science. all parties in the passionate "culture war" are guilty of trumping evidence to serve dogmatic will. can we ever return to an era of confident problem-solving? not so long as indignation remains the worst addiction. but then, might that be a clue? could a single scientific breakthrough help get us past a rising mass frenzy of self-righteousness? i've long corresponded with experts, trying to find out. now, i'll post my suggestion online, hoping to interest more of the right people. "an open letter to researchers in the fields of addiction, brain chemistry, and social psychology" talks about the worst "drug addiction" -- one that crosses all political and social boundaries, warping our ability to negotiate like adults or solve problems for the sake of our children. being human in a technological world audio transcript is now available for a panel discussion on "human rights, technology & the humanities," at a conference hosted by humanitech at the university of california, irvine, (may 2005). also, an excellent audio talk about the future "surveillance panopticon" by tech pundit jamais cascio is very worthwhile. armageddon time! other brash new websites? try armageddon buffet. "eat while you can"! society's collapse? when it comes to earth's future, we tend to be offered two simplistic choices, either guilt-ridden pessimism or a pollyanna faith in market forces. too much planning or too little. here i reprint my lengthy review of jared diamond's new book, collapse: how societies choose to fail or succeed. no society ever succeeded using the prescriptions we hear touted from today's left and right. but history does offer some alternatives. the surveillance society see my cover story in the august salon magazine, about new surveillance technologies and some of the stark choices we face in the years ahead. some fun interviews here are some interviews that originally ran on national public radio (and elsewhere). one is about 'video surveillance' -- deriving from the transparent society. also -- npr has archived a discussion of "the science in science fiction" with william gibson and one about "science fiction writing." listen also to technological nightmares renowned futurist economist paul streetn offer wise perspectives about future threats and opportunities, including insights to the transparent society. then, in june 2004, i talked about the future on a special "npr talk of the nation: science friday with ira flatow," at the grand opening of the new science fiction museum in seattle. downloadable speeches get audio from a talk i gave (11/04) at the institute for accelerating change about "exploring horizons," or how people peer ahead, spotting errors and opportunities, not hobbled by crippling assumptions. (this was saved at the it conversations website. folks seemed to find this one "laugh-out-loud funny at times.") help for new authors after typing countless answers to requests for advice from would-be writers, i finally put it all together in this essay. mine it for whatever wisdom you may find. (also, the new website science news for kids has a section devoted to encouraging middle schoolers to read and write science fiction. special signed bookplates signed bookplates are available for kiln people, the life eaters, and gurps uplift. see offers (part of the freebies & offers menu item) for instructions where to send a self-addressed, stamped envelope. where does 'news' go when it is no longer hot, but still potentially interesting to visitors who want to browse through davidbrin.com? for plenty more about events, music and other recent (but not very recent) happenings, click here to see warm news! (or just browse some of the other menu categories, where you can read some of my short stories, or learn more about my other activities. have fun!) i still do science, but civilization seems more interested in my perspectives on the future. (who am i to argue with civilization?) let's face change with agility and hope, and meet the challenges ahead. newest david brin book! advice to aspiring writers request special books & autographs download a free short story the meme wars we will watch the watchers! citizens are competent philanthropy & hope transparent society disputation & accountability jrr tolkien vs. the future infamous star wars articles ...and the matrix ...and the postman. the real culture war neoconservatism, islam and ideology war in the 21st century the libertarian dilemma the liberal dilemma homeland security vs privacy technological nightmares literature & the future video surveillance science of science fiction writing science fiction sf that teaches holocene chat! speeches & future/tech consulting visit my blog the "brin-l" discussion group i answer some emails  want to start your own online discussion based on one of these topics? let me know what you set up. i may link from the article. this science fiction and fantasy writers of america net ring link is maintained by david brin. previous 5 sites skip previous previous next skip next next 5 sites random site list sites leaving? read my parting thoughts.       return to the top of the page fiction:    uplift novels    other sf novels    graphic novels    young adult novels    free short stories nonfiction:    the transparent society    the political lamp is lit!    about fiction    pop culture    about science talk about the future:    public speaking    predicting the future    giving back to the future    downloads & podcasts    i, blog bonus materials:    games & music    film options    my recommendations    freebies & offers    fan sites    photos & artwork    my biography    email me    return home copyright © 2001-2007 by david brin. all rights reserved. questions or comments on the web design? email the web designer or visit the runaway serf.

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