The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
kingsnation, I assume you sent the pm?
Yes
I don't think Kenna's been on today.
Dave Barry is a humor columnist. For 25 years he was a syndicated columnist whose work appeared in more than 500 newspapers in the United States and abroad. In 1988 he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. Many people are still trying to figure out how this happened.
Dave has also written a total of 30 books, although virtually none of them contain useful information.
Dave plays lead guitar in a literary rock band called the Rock Bottom Remainders, whose other members include Stephen King, Amy Tan, Ridley Pearson and Mitch Albom. They are not musically skilled, but they are extremely loud.
I am absolutely not making this incident up; in fact I have it all on videotape. The tape is from a local TV news show in Oregon, which sent a reporter out to cover the removal of a 45-foot, eight-ton dead whale that washed up on the beach. The responsibility for getting rid of the carcass was placed upon the Oregon State Highway Division, apparently on the theory that highways and whales are very similar in the sense of being large objects.
So anyway, the highway engineers hit upon the plan — remember, I am not making this up — of blowing up the whale with dynamite. The thinking here was that the whale would be blown into small pieces, which would be eaten by sea gulls, and that would be that. A textbook whale removal.
So they moved the spectators back up the beach, put a half-ton of dynamite next to the whale and set it off. I am probably not guilty of understatement when I say that what follows, on the videotape, is the most wonderful event in the history of the universe. First you see the whale carcass disappear in a huge blast of smoke and flame. Then you hear the happy spectators shouting “Yayy!” and “Whee!” Then, suddenly, the crowd’s tone changes. You hear a new sound like “splud.” You hear a woman’s voice shouting “Here come pieces of… MY GOD!” Something smears the camera lens.
Later, the reporter explains: “The humor of the entire situation suddenly gave way to a run for survival as huge chunks of whale blubber fell everywhere.” One piece caved in the roof of a car parked more than a quarter of a mile away. Remaining on the beach were several rotting whale sectors the size of condominium units. There was no sign of the sea gulls, who had no doubt permanently relocated in Brazil. This is a very sobering videotape. Here at the institute we watch it often, especially at parties. But this is no time for gaiety. This is a time to get hold of the folks at the Oregon State Highway division and ask them, when they get done cleaning up the beaches, to give us an estimate on the US Capitol.
an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted into films. In 1994, Crichton became the only creative artist ever to have works simultaneously charting at #1 in television, film, and book sales (with ER, Jurassic Park, and Disclosure, respectively).
His literary works are usually based on the action genre and heavily feature technology. His novels epitomize the techno-thriller genre of literature, often exploring technology and failures of human interaction with it, especially resulting in catastrophes with biotechnology. Many of his future history novels have medical or scientific underpinnings, reflecting his medical training and science background.
All the Crichton books depend to a certain extent on a little frisson of fear and suspense: that's what kept you turning the pages. But a deeper source of their appeal was the author's extravagant care in working out the clockwork mechanics of his experiments — the DNA replication in Jurassic Park, the time travel in Timeline, the submarine technology in Sphere. The novels have embedded in them little lectures or mini-seminars on, say, the Bernoulli principle, voice-recognition software or medieval jousting etiquette ... The best of the Crichton novels have about them a boys' adventure quality. They owe something to the Saturday-afternoon movie serials that Mr. Crichton watched as a boy and to the adventure novels of Arthur Conan Doyle (from whom Mr. Crichton borrowed the title The Lost World and whose example showed that a novel could never have too many dinosaurs). These books thrive on yarn spinning, but they also take immense delight in the inner workings of things (as opposed to people, women especially), and they make the world — or the made-up world, anyway — seem boundlessly interesting. Readers come away entertained and also with the belief, not entirely illusory, that they have actually learned something"
— The New York Times on the works of Michael Crichton
an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction.
Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead were both awarded the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, making Card the only author (as of 2011) to win both of science fiction's top prizes in consecutive years. Card continued the series with Xenocide, Children of the Mind, Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, Shadow Puppets, "First Meetings in the Enderverse", Shadow of the Giant, the 2007 release of A War of Gifts, and the 2008 release of Ender in Exile, a book that takes place after Ender's Game and before Speaker for the Dead.
Can't say I argue with you selecting my Avatar, but I do wish he would have fallen to me later on. Him and Crichton were both direct hits to my list in the upcoming rounds, well played!Good picks, all.
Next, the author of one of the best books I have ever read.
Orson Scott Card, also writing under several pseudonyms for short stories and articles over the years.
If you haven't read Ender's Game, do so. Now. GREAT book. From wiki:
His works:
The Ender saga
Main article: Ender's Game series
Ender's Game (1985) – Hugo winner, Locus SF Award nominee, 1986; Nebula winner, 1985
Speaker for the Dead (1986) – Hugo, and Locus SF Award winner, Campell nominee, 1987; Nebula Award winner, 1986
Ender's War – Omnibus of Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide (1991) – Hugo and Locus SF Awards nominee, 1992
Children of the Mind (1996)
First Meetings (2002) – short story collection
"Mazer in Prison" (2005) – short story published online
"Pretty Boy" (2006) – short story published online
"Cheater" (2006) – short story published online
"A Young Man with Prospects" (2007) – short story published online
"The Gold Bug" (2007) – short story published online
"Ender's Stocking" (2007) – short story published online
"Ender's Homecoming" (2008) – short story published online
"Ender in Flight" (2008) – short story published online
A War of Gifts: An Ender Story (2007)
Ender in Exile (2008)
Earth Unaware (2012)
[edit] The Shadow saga
Main article: Ender's Game series
Ender's Shadow (1999) – "parallel" novel to Ender's Game – Locus SF Award nominee, 2000
Shadow of the Hegemon (2001) – Locus SF nominee, 2002
Shadow Puppets (2002)
Shadow of the Giant (2005)
Shadows in Flight (January 2012)
Shadows Alive (forthcoming)
[edit] The Tales of Alvin Maker
Main article: The Tales of Alvin Maker
"Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" (1989) – poem
Seventh Son (1987) – Locus Fantasy Winner, Hugo and World Fantasy Awards nominee, 1988
Red Prophet (1988) – Locus Fantasy Award winner, Hugo Award nominee, 1989; Nebula Award nominee, 1988
Prentice Alvin (1989) – Locus Fantasy Award winner, Hugo Award nominee, 1990; Nebula Award nominee, 1989
Alvin Journeyman (1995) – Locus Fantasy Award winner, 1996
Heartfire (1998) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1999
"Grinning Man" (1998) – short story
"The Yazoo Queen" (2003) – short story
The Crystal City (2003)
[edit] The Homecoming Saga
Main article: Homecoming Saga
The Memory of Earth (1992)
The Call of Earth (1992)
The Ships of Earth (1994)
Earthfall (1995)
Earthborn (1995)
[edit] Pastwatch series
Main article: Pastwatch series
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus (1996)
"Atlantis" (2008), short story found in the collection Keeper of Dreams
Pastwatch: The Flood (proposed)
Pastwatch: The Garden of Eden (proposed)
[edit] Mithermages series
"Sandmagic" (1979) – short story
Stonefather (2008)
1 The Lost Gate (2011)
2 The Gate Thief (forthcoming)
[edit] The Mayflower trilogy
[edit] The Worthing series
Main article: The Worthing series
Capitol (1978)
Hot Sleep (1978)
The Worthing Chronicle (1983)
The Worthing Saga (1990)
[edit] The Empire series
Main article: The Empire duet
Empire (2006)
Shadow Complex (2009) – Video game, bridges the two novels
Hidden Empire (2009)
[edit] Pathfinder series
Main article: The Pathfinder series
Pathfinder (2010)
Ruins (October 2012)
[edit] Laddertop series
Laddertop (2011)
[edit] Miscellaneous novels
A Planet Called Treason (1979)
Songmaster (1979)
Hart's Hope (1983)
Saints (1983) – aka: Woman of Destiny
Wyrms (1987)
Treason (1988) – revised edition of A Planet Called Treason
Lost Boys (1992)
Treasure Box (1996)
Stone Tables (1997)
Homebody (1998)
Enchantment (1999)
Magic Street (2005)
Invasive Procedures (2007) – with Aaron Johnston
[edit] Assorted short story collections
Unaccompanied Sonata and Other Stories (1980)
Cardography (1987)
The Folk of the Fringe (1989)
Maps in a Mirror: The Short Fiction of Orson Scott Card (1990)
The Changed Man (1992)
Flux (1992)
Monkey Sonatas (1993)
Cruel Miracles (1992)
Waterbaby (2001) Published in Leading Edge
Doorways (2002)
Keeper of Dreams (2008)
[edit] Anthologies edited by Card
Dragons of Light (1980)
Dragons of Darkness (1981)
Future on Fire (1991)
Future on Ice (1998)
Masterpieces (2001)
The Phobos Science Fiction Anthology Volume 1 (2002)
The Phobos Science Fiction Anthology Volume 2 (2003)
Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show (2008)
[edit] Other works
Eye for Eye / Tunesmith (1990) – Tor double novel with Lloyd Biggle, Jr.
Magic Mirror (1999) – children's book
Robota (2003) – illustrated book
An Open Book (2004) – collection of poems
Ultimate Iron Man (2005) – comic book series
Red Prophet: The Tales Of Alvin Maker (2006) – comic book series
Wyrms (2006) – comic book series
The Space Boy (2007) – YA novel
Bully and the Beast (forthcoming) – YA novel
Hamlet's Father (2011) - novella
[edit] Plays
Posing as People (2004) – three one-act plays based on short stories by Card
Clap Hands and Sing – adapted by Scott Brick
Lifeloop – adapted by Aaron Johnston
Sepulchre of Songs – adapted by Emily Janice Card
Taming of the Shrew (2007) - translated and updated from Shakespeare
Merchant of Venice - adapted from Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet - adapted from Shakespeare
A Dixie Christmas Carol (2000) - adapted from the Charles Dickens' classic
Bubble Gum
[edit] Works Based on Other Media
The Abyss (1989) – novelization of the movie with James Cameron
Getting Lost (2006)
Shelter (Based on the I Am Legend movie chronology- 2007?)
[edit] Books on writing
Characters and Viewpoint (1988)
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy (1990)
Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: Volume One First Contact (2007)
[edit] Columns
Civilization Watch (formerly known as War Watch or World Watch) for the Rhinoceros Times (an independent Greensboro, NC newspaper)
Uncle Orson Reviews Everything for the Rhinoceros Times (an independent Greensboro, NC newspaper)
pm sent
Can't say I argue with you selecting my Avatar, but I do wish he would have fallen to me later on. Him and Crichton were both direct hits to my list in the upcoming rounds, well played!
With my 6th choice, I select:
George Carlin
Not sure if writing his stand-up counts for the draft, but you can definitely find transcribed forms. That plus the books is good enough for me!
John Angus McPhee (born March 8, 1931) is an American writer, widely considered one of the pioneers of creative nonfiction. He is a four-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in the category General Nonfiction and he won that award on the fourth occasion in 1999 for Annals of the Former World (a collection of five books including two of his previous Pulitzer finalists).
Unlike Tom Wolfe and Hunter Thompson, who helped kick-start the "new journalism" in the 1960s, McPhee produced a gentler, literary style of journalism by incorporating techniques from fiction. McPhee avoided the streams of consciousness of Wolfe and Thompson, but detailed description of characters and appetite for details make his writing lively and personal, even when it focuses on obscure or difficult topics. He is highly regarded by fellow writers for the quality, quantity and diversity of his literary output.
Since 1974, McPhee has been the Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University.
McPhee has profiled a number of famous people, including conservationist David Brower and the young Bill Bradley, whom McPhee followed closely during Bradley's four-year basketball career at Princeton University. The resulting book, A Sense of Where You Are, is a classic of non-fiction writing – a literary craftsman's admiring profile of a basketball craftsman. But some of McPhee's most memorable work describes people who work out of the limelight: a builder of birch bark canoes (Henri Vaillancourt), a bush pilot, and a French-speaking wine maker in the Swiss army.
Prophetess left me her picks so here goes.
With the last pick of the 5th round, Prophetess selects:
Shel Silverstein
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 8/9, 1999), was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books. Translated into more than 30 languages, his books have sold over 20 million copies. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shel_Silverstein
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Bibliography
Take Ten (Pacific Stars and Stripes, 1955)
Grab Your Socks! (Ballantine Books, 1956)
Now Here's My Plan (Simon & Schuster, 1960) (First collection of American magazine cartoons)
Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book (Simon & Schuster, 1961) (First book of original material for adults)
Playboy's Teevee Jeebies (Playboy Press, 1963)
Uncle Shelby's Story of Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back (Harper & Row, 1963) (First children's book)
A Giraffe and a Half (HarperCollins, 1964)
The Giving Tree (HarperCollins, 1964)
Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? (Macmillan, 1964)
Uncle Shelby's Zoo: Don't Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies (Simon and Schuster, 1964)
More Playboy's Teevee Jeebies (Playboy Press, 1965)
Where the Sidewalk Ends (HarperCollins, 1974) (First collection of poems)
The Missing Piece (HarperCollins, 1976)
Different Dances (HarperCollins, 1979)
A Light in the Attic (HarperCollins, 1981)
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O (HarperCollins, 1981)
Falling Up (HarperCollins, 1996)
Draw a Skinny Elephant (HarperCollins, 1998)
Runny Babbit (HarperCollins, 2005) (Published posthumously)
Don't Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies (HarperCollins, 2008 reissue)
Every Thing On It (HarperCollins, 2011) (Published posthumously)
Silverstein believed that written works needed to be read on paper—the correct paper for the particular work. He usually would not allow his poems and stories to be published unless he could choose the type, size, shape, color and quality of the paper. Being a book collector, he took seriously the feel of the paper, the look of the book, the fonts and the binding. Most of his books did not have paperback editions because he did not want his work to be diminished in any way.
And, to start off the 6th round, Prophetess is adding one of my personal favorites to her island:
Piers Anthony
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Piers Anthony Dillingham Jacob (born August 6, 1934 in Oxford, England) [1] is an English American writer in the science fiction and fantasy genres, publishing under the name Piers Anthony. He is most famous for his long-running novel series set in the fictional realm of Xanth.
Many of his books have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. He has claimed that one of his greatest achievements has been to publish a book for every letter of the alphabet, from Anthonology to Zombie Lover. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Anthony
Bibliography
1 Fiction
1.1 Novels
1.1.1 Aton/Worlds of Chthon series
1.1.2 Battle Circle series
1.1.3 Of Man and Manta series
1.1.4 Jason Striker series
1.1.5 Xanth series
1.1.6 Cluster series
1.1.7 Tarot series
1.1.8 Apprentice Adept series
1.1.9 Incarnations of Immortality series
1.1.10 Bio of a Space Tyrant series
1.1.11 The Adventures of Kelvin of Rud series
1.1.12 Pornucopia series
1.1.13 Mode series
1.1.14 Geodyssey series
1.1.15 ChroMagic series
1.1.16 Other
1.2 Short story collections
1.2.1 Relationships series
2 Nonfiction
3 Related works
4 References