Some Remarks

This meandering collection of short works by speculative/science fiction writer Stephenson (Reamde) compiles his published nonfiction and short stories from 1993 to the present, and includes two new pieces: “Arsebestos,” a pertinent and enjoyable essay about the dangers of sitting, and “Under-Constable Proudfoot,” a bemusing one-sentence opener to an unfinished work of fiction. The collection covers a diversity of topics and genres, ranging from long-form journalism about the wiring of transcontinental submarine cables and a foreword written for David Foster Wallace’s Everything And More to interviews with Salon and Slashdot and an essay on the ignorance of secularists in response to the 1993 Branch Davidian massacre in Waco. Selected shorter works such as “Locked In” and “Innovation Starvation,” which perform the unthinkable task of insightfully critiquing modern energy policy in general terms, provide concise and thoughtful arguments. Many pieces, however, are frustrating in their flimsy claims, such as his argument for the getting more respect from the literary world for science fiction. However, the collection’s range and the author’s lively voice keep it entertaining—despite the cumbersome selection “Mother Earth, Mother Board” —and Stephenson fans will surely find much to enjoy. Agent: Liz Darhansoff, Liz Darhansoff Agency. (Sept.)