+ all of the above

I’ve only given it a cursory perusal but so far this book is a steal at $40. It’s huge, hardcover and full of some amazing work. I was at the book launch last night and had it signed by a bunch of the artists, including Elbow Toe and WK Interact. Check it out.

Do yourself a favour and what all five of these. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favourite writers and if you haven’t read him then you’re in for a treat. I particularly love the anecdote about his joke at Asimov’s funeral.

“We are here on earth to fart around and don’t let anyone tell you different.”- Kurt Vonnegut

via kottke.

Written by Terry Jones and illustrated by Michael Foreman, the saga of Erik the Viking was a favourite book from my childhood. It’s easy to see why from the imagery. via Sci-Fi-O-Rama

This will make more sense if you’ve read Voltaire’s “Candide”, which is an utterly fantastic book. It’s been one of my favourite books since my fantastically mad english teacher gave me a copy many years earlier than she probably should have.

via ffffound

via Sci-Fi-O-Rama

“[...] Tell me straight out, I call on you–answer me: imagine that you yourself are building the edifice of human destiny with the object of making people happy in the finale, of giving them peace and rest at last, but for that you must inevitably and unavoidably torture just one tiny creature, that same child who was beating her chest with her little fist, and raise your edifice on the foundation of her unrequited tears–would you agree to be the architect on such conditions? Tell me the truth.”
“No, I would not agree,” Alyosha said softly.
“And can you admit the idea that the people for whom you are building would agree to accept their happiness on the unjustified blood of a tortured child, and having accepted it, to remain forever happy?”

Penguin is reprinting the Bond books, all with newly illustrated covers. They’ve been doing it a lot to older titles and I think it’s a great idea.

Published in 1963 and still beautiful, are the macabre illustrations by Edward Gorey in The Gashlycrumb Tinies.

Asimov kicks it with god and wins.
Twice.

Also Sci-Fi is the last bastion of Philosophy, Wired affirms. Finally, my pre-teen years of sneekily reading instead of sleeping are vindicated.

In other geek news, the queen geek thespian herself, Milla Jovovich, has a music career and has recorded with the likes of Maynard Keenan and The Crystal Method. However her early stuff has dated a bit (thanks to Mariya for the tip)

Your moment of zen

Photoshop Express is online and free, right now!

And lastly, an excuse to link to Ashley Wood’s blog and to post one of his illustrations:

Miranda July has a great idea and makes the website promoting her new book on a white-board. Not only is it quite funny, but it endears you to her writing style before you even think about the book. If nothing else it’s a perfect example of how simple and easy a great idea is on the interwebs.

Check it out: Miranda July – No One Belongs Here More Than You