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Neal Stephenson
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Some Remarks: Essays and Other Writing Kindle Edition

by Neal Stephenson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 188 ratings
Editors' pick Best Nonfiction
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#1 New York Times bestselling author Neal Stephenson is, quite simply, one of the best and most respected writers alive. He’s taken sf to places it’s never been (Snow Crash, Anathem). He’s reinvented the historical novel (The Baroque Cycle), the international thriller (Reamde), and both at the same time (Cryptonomicon).

Now he treats his legion of fans to Some Remarks, an enthralling collection of essays—Stephenson’s first nonfiction work since his long essay on technology, In the Beginning…Was the Command Line, more than a decade ago—as well as new and previously published short writings both fiction and non.

Some Remarks is a magnificent showcase of a brilliantly inventive mind and talent, as he discourses on everything from Sir Isaac Newton to Star Wars.

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  1. Print length
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  2. Language
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  4. Publisher
    William Morrow
  5. Publication date
    August 7, 2012
  6. File size
    808 KB
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From the Publisher

More classic nonfiction from #1 New York Times bestselling author Neal Stephenson
Some Remarks by Neal Stephenson In the Beginning...Was the Command Line
Some Remarks In the Beginning...Was the Command Line
Customer Reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
188
4.2 out of 5 stars
473
Price $13.54 $14.71

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

One of the most talented and creative authors working today, Neal Stephenson is renowned for his exceptional novels—works colossal in vision and mind-boggling in complexity. Exploring and blending a diversity of topics, including technology, economics, history, science, pop culture, and philosophy, his books are the products of a keen and adventurous intellect. Not surprisingly, Stephenson is regularly asked to contribute articles, lectures, and essays to numerous outlets, from major newspapers and cutting-edge magazines to college symposia. This remarkable collection brings together previously published short writings, both fiction and nonfiction, as well as a new essay (and an extremely short story) created specifically for this volume.

Stephenson ponders a wealth of subjects, from movies and politics to David Foster Wallace and the Midwestern American College Town; video games to classics-based sci-fi; how geekdom has become cool and how science fiction has become mainstream (whether people admit it or not); the future of publishing and the origins of his novels. Playful and provocative, Some Remarks displays Stephenson's opinions and ideas on:

  • The Internet, our dwindling national attention span, and the cultural importance of books and bookishness
  • Waco, religion, and the cluelessness of secular society
  • Metaphysics and the battle between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
  • The laying of the longest wire on Earth—and why it matters to you
  • Technology, freedom, commerce, and the Chinese
  • How Star Wars and 300 mirror who we are today and what that spells for our future
  • Modern Jedi knights, a.k.a. scientists and technologists, and why they are admired and feared by both the left and the right

By turns amusing and profound, critical and celebratory, yet always entertaining, Some Remarks offers a fascinating look into the prismatic mind of this extraordinary writer.

About the Author

Neal Stephenson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the novels Termination Shock, Fall; or, Dodge in Hell, The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (with Nicole Galland), Seveneves, Reamde, Anathem, The System of the World, The Confusion, Quicksilver, Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age, Snow Crash, Zodiac, and the groundbreaking nonfiction work In the Beginning . . .Was the Command Line. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0078XFRM8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow (August 7, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 7, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 808 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 341 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0062024434
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 188 ratings

About the author

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Neal Stephenson

Neal Stephenson

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Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer, known for his speculative fiction works, which have been variously categorized science fiction, historical fiction, maximalism, cyberpunk, and postcyberpunk. Stephenson explores areas such as mathematics, cryptography, philosophy, currency, and the history of science. He also writes non-fiction articles about technology in publications such as Wired Magazine, and has worked part-time as an advisor for Blue Origin, a company (funded by Jeff Bezos) developing a manned sub-orbital launch system.

Born in Fort Meade, Maryland (home of the NSA and the National Cryptologic Museum) Stephenson came from a family comprising engineers and hard scientists he dubs "propeller heads". His father is a professor of electrical engineering whose father was a physics professor; his mother worked in a biochemistry laboratory, while her father was a biochemistry professor. Stephenson's family moved to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in 1960 and then to Ames, Iowa in 1966 where he graduated from Ames High School in 1977. Stephenson furthered his studies at Boston University. He first specialized in physics, then switched to geography after he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university mainframe. He graduated in 1981 with a B.A. in Geography and a minor in physics. Since 1984, Stephenson has lived mostly in the Pacific Northwest and currently resides in Seattle with his family.

Neal Stephenson is the author of the three-volume historical epic "The Baroque Cycle" (Quicksilver, The Confusion, and The System of the World) and the novels Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age, Snow Crash, and Zodiac. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
188 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Chris S
5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, this is worth your time!
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2021
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There are 2 types of people in the world. The first type are people who love Neal Stephenson's writing and then eventually die. The second type are just people who just eventually die. Be the first type! This collection of stuff I had previously not read is full of gems. Some of the gems are the individual articles themselves. Others are one liners and paragraphs that either describe my reality in a way I had not quite pieced together on my own or describe reality in a way that I was previously ignorant of. Going through this collection has improved my life, as good writing can do. My only knock on this is that Neal is not the aurator if the audiobook. If anyone reads this, and also happens to have a line of communication open with Mr Stephenson, can you please tell him that some random guy on the internet would like for him to read for the audiobook! Thanks in advance!
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Neodoering
4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Collection of Short Stories and Essays
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2012
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I didn't realize when I bought this book that in addition to the dozen plus essays, there are several short stories. I don't think of short stories as Neal Stephenson territory, so I was pleased to get them. They turn out to be pretty good stories, too, quite enjoyable and for once not overly long.

The heart of this collection, though, is the essays, which range from a couple of pages long to over a hundred pages, novella-length in its own right. Stephenson covers many subjects here, from introducing other writer's works to metaphysics at the Royal Society, to describing the laying of trans-oceanic telecommunications cable to discussing the state of science fiction today. As one would expect from Stephenson, he writes intelligently and with humor about all these subjects and many more. I never would have thought that an essay on laying telecom cable would be interesting, but I was sucked into this article and read it in a single sitting, over a hundred pages of it.

I really liked the fact that these pieces covered such a broad range of subjects and were of such varied lengths. I didn't know Stephenson could write anything under 300 pages long, so the shorter pieces were a pleasant surprise. Sometimes I wished he would expound more on the shorter bits, such as his discussion of "Anathem", and the interviews with Slashdot and Salon were also pretty interesting and easily could have been longer.

Overall, this is a thoughtful collection that should please and reward you with chuckles and the occasional, "Huh, I didn't know that." I was particularly interested in Stephenson's take on the state of science fiction today, which he brings up in several of these pieces. I wanted to hear him talk more about his own books, though, which doesn't much occur herein, and I could have used a couple more short stories. This book is a strong work that doesn't disappoint, and it should give you a dozen hours of reading enjoyment.
22 people found this helpful
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Alan L. Chase
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Collection of Non-Fiction Pieces By One Of Today's Most Thoughtful Writers
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2014
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I first became a fan of Neal Stephenson's writing when I discovered his brilliant fiction: "Cryptonomicon," "Reamde" and his Baroque Cycle novels. I was delighted to learn that he had pulled together a collection of previous published essays and other non-fiction pieces in "Some Remarks."

Mr. Stephenson is the rare writer who combines deep technical domain knowledge with a literary style that is both erudite and refreshing. Understanding and enjoying his level of communication takes a bit of work, but it is well worth it - like savoring a delicious steak that requires some savory chewing. In this far-ranging collection, the author tackles The Internet, Metaphysics and the battle between Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz, scientists as modern Jedi knights, a deconstruction of the movies Star Wars and 300 - and a whole lot more.

I always get to the last page of a Stephenson book, and then jump on Amazon to order something else by him to read.
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Patrick J. Kelly
3.0 out of 5 stars I found the History of Undersea Cables the best part
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2022
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I liked the discussion of the people and institutions that make up the undersea cable-laying business. There is not so much a plot, as a tour with Neal Stephenson as your tour guide, and he is a very knowledgeable one. This book is for you if you like reading about how highly technical creations like undersea cables actually get designed and built, how companies make decisions (some badly) to risk billions on a project, and the unusual characters who make a living in a high-risk industry. Neal Stephonson wrote this yarn in a rather less verbose manner than Seven Eves which I read before this.
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grumfellow
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read if you love his novels and want more
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2022
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This collection of essays and short stories gives nice insight into the mind of a brilliant author. I wondered why there are so few interviews of him available, and reading the last item in this collection helps me understand why. I appreciate this author even more having read this collection. Highly recommend for any fan of his work!
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Richard Seltzer
4.0 out of 5 stars A little bit of everything
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2022
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I enjoyed most the essays related to his trilogy of historical novels set in the time of Newton.
"Metaphysics in the Royal Society 1715-2010" and "The Salon Interview".

I liked least the long and dated (1994) account about the technology of trans-oceanic communications cables, "In the Kingdom of Mao Bell".

A sampling of memorable passages:
"Matter, assumed by most to be the primary stuff of the universe, extended in space and time,is, in fact, unreal." p. 43
"... space and time, cause and effect, are not ultimate realities, but rather constructs of mental activity." p. 46
"... Leibniz's most fundamental assumption, namely tht the universe makes sense and that the human has the power to make sense of it and that, consequently, pure metaphysics is no waste of time, remains perhaps the central question of all science." pp. 56-57
"Leibniz actually thought about symbolic logic and why it was powerful and how it could be put to use. He went from that to building a machine that could carry out logical operations on bits. He knew about binary arithmetic." p. 240
"if you look at cellular automata, for example: Sure, each automaton can be explained as a unit, but that's not what's interesting. What's interesting is the really complicated emergent behaviors that you can get out of a whole bunch of these things acting at one." p. 249
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Jeremy Walton
5.0 out of 5 stars Quite remarkable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2014
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Neal Stephenson is a knowledgeable, idiosyncratic writer with an interest in not only current and future technology (which is standard-issue for other writers of science fiction), but also its history. The former was his sure companion when he wrote the classic  Snow Crash , and it was the latter which led him into writing his sprawling (but relentlessly fascinating)  Baroque Cycle . Here, he collects together a couple of short stories (one of which is his early cyberspace tale "Spew", previously only available (I think) in the 1996  Hackers  anthology) with several non-fiction pieces that have previously appeared in places like "Wired" magazine. These range from a learned discussion of the metaphysics of Liebniz and an introduction to  Everything and More , David Foster Wallace's book about the history of infinity, to Stephenson's musings on how important science fiction is (or isn't) as a genre and his view of geeking out (concentrating on arcane detail) and vegging out (letting the whole thing wash over you). In between, you get his lengthy travelogue about his efforts in the mid-90s to get a ringside seat for the laying of the so-called "longest wire on Earth" - i.e. the Fibre-optic Link Around the Globe, and other gems such as his (entirely persuasive) advocacy of why walking around (instead of sitting down) all day at the office is really good for you.

I greatly enjoyed this stimulating collection; its variety keeps things moving along, and Stephenson has the gift of carrying the reader with him on his journeys. For example, he opens his piece about the longest wire on Earth - which you might be forgiven for thinking an uninteresting or unpromising subject - with "Information moves, or we move to it. Moving to it has rarely been popular and is growing unfashionable; nowadays we demand that the information come to us." [p121], which provides an instant and intriguing justification for the importance of what he's going to be talking about. Highly recommended.
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RTG
4.0 out of 5 stars Muy entretenido e instructivo
Reviewed in Spain on January 12, 2013
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Recopilación de trabajos anteriores de maese Stephenson (artículos de Wired, prólogos de libros, relatos cortos...), con un capítulo añadido (Arsebestos) que es fantástico y habla sobre lo malo que es el sedentarismo y los métodos que ha empleado el autor para combatirlo. Su opción final, un escritorio elevado y una cinta de andar que encaje en él, para trabajar en casa caminando a no más de 1-2 km/h, me ha maravillado. Digna de echarle un par de pensadas.
Yo ya había leído algunos de los componentes del refrito (como el inmenso Mother Earth, Mother Board, sobre el tendido de cables transoceánicos de fibra óptica), pero siempre es un placer leer la estupenda prosa de este señor. Recomendable.
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Customer since 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting background autobiographical information on this brilliant author
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2018
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Essays and stories: I found the account of his visits to cable-laying facilities particularly interesting. It has also given me insight into the background to his fictional works. I found it helpful to have read a lot of his fiction first.
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Basil Challers
5.0 out of 5 stars Neal Stephenson - Class Act
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2014
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I have enjoyed all of his books apart from his very first which I have yet to read.

If you like his books you should enjoy this as well. By the way he is a writer!
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SB
5.0 out of 5 stars Christmas gift
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 23, 2013
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My brother-in-law always make a Christmas list so he always gets what he wants, so I'm presuming he's happy with all the gifts we got him
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