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Sneak Peek at Episode Seven: William Gibson
– October 5, 2007Posted in: Audio
Ever since novelist William Gibson broke out with the iconic cyberpunk novel, Neuromancer, he’s been sketching eerily prescient, near-future worlds that seem both uncanny and entirely believable.
His new novel, Spook Country, is set in the recent past. Even still, it points the way to the future, to the world just dawning now, where cyberspace has “everted,” pushed out into the real world.
William Gibson appears on our October 17th and October 20th show and podcast, but the entire interview is available right here for you to preview.
William Gibson talks about the way more and more of us are always connected to the internet through cell phones and other mobile wireless devices. How do you react when you can’t check your email for a long time? Do you check your email when you go to a friend’s house? Pop into a public library when you’re on vacation?
‘Fess up!
Hey Nora & co.,
Given the theme of your show and the fact you’re looking into cyberpunk, you should definitely take a look at the short novel “Feed” by MT Anderson, finalist for a national book award in the States.
The way the book looks at social implications of future technology is especially poignant and incredibly thought-provoking. It’s crazy that this “light” teen novel has stayed with me for so long. Perhaps it can provide some fodder for future shows or just be a book recommendation for listeners.
Have a very happy Thanksgiving, great idea for a show, and gobble gobble gobble!
Hmm, sounds intriguing. I’ll take a look. I’ve never been much of a person for fantasy novels, but I love sci fi!
Not to take anything away from Gibson, whose work I quite like, but if anyne out there is interested in some of his predecessors, feast your peepers on John Brunner’s The Sheep Look Up or George A. Effinger’s The Exile’s Kiss series.
As for your question, which I avoid getting a Blackberry (mostly from fear of checking e-mail which driving and killing others in the process), I do all the things you mention and resent the implication that there’s anything odd or obsessive about those like me.
I once went three days in the Himalayas without being able to check my e-mail, then followed the sound of a small generator to:
http://flickr.com/photos/dblackadder/7033660/in/set-191638/
Wow, Derek, that is a very cool photo!
I have to admit, I really am kind of obsessive about my email. There are some other communications tech that I’ve had short crushes on (Twitter, Facebook), but none can really stand up to my long term romance with email.