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Tom Doherty Associates
Description
"As any reader of Jo Walton's Among Others might guess, Walton is both an inveterate reader of SF and fantasy, and a chronic re-reader of books. In 2008, then-new science-fiction mega-site Tor.com asked Walton to blog regularly about her re-reading--about all kinds of older fantasy and SF, ranging from acknowledged classics, to guilty pleasures, to forgotten oddities and gems. These posts have consistently been among the most popular features of Tor.com. Now this volumes presents a selection of the best of them, ranging from short essays to long reassessments of some of the field's most ambitious series. Among Walton's many subjects here are the Zones of Thought novels of Vernor Vinge; the question of what genre readers mean by "mainstream"; the underappreciated SF adventures of C. J. Cherryh; the field's many approaches to time travel; the masterful science fiction of Samuel R. Delany; Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children; the early Hainish novels of Ursula K. Le Guin; and a Robert A. Heinlein novel you have most certainly never read. Over 130 essays in all, What Makes This Book So Great is an immensely readable, engaging collection of provocative, opinionated thoughts about past and present-day fantasy and science fiction, from one of our best writers"--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member sturlington
A compendium of blog posts about Walton's rereads of books, not necessarily all science fiction and fantasy.
I won't say that I read this entirely in one afternoon. I did skip the sections on books I hadn't read yet, because spoilers abound. (Walton includes the name of each book discussed in the
Read in 2015.
I won't say that I read this entirely in one afternoon. I did skip the sections on books I hadn't read yet, because spoilers abound. (Walton includes the name of each book discussed in the
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title of the essay so the spoiler-y ones are easily avoided.) These are blog posts originally published on Tor.com, so they are short, breezy, and quick to read. Walton is such a prodigious reader, averaging a book or more a day (I wonder that she finds time to write!). She shares many interesting insights into the whole act of reading, as well as the genres of science fiction and fantasy here. For instance, she talks about the phenomena of I Want to Read It, which I call immersion, and the Suck Fairy visiting once beloved books, particularly children's books. Particularly enlightening for me was the idea that people who grow up reading science fiction and fantasy have internalized over time the special rules of the genre, while primarily mainstream writers may feel at sea when they try these genres; the flip side is authors who try writing genre who haven't read a lot of it, and fail miserably. I also used the table of contents to discover new-to-me books to read. I'm sure I'll return to this to check Walton's take on these books once I've read them. All of this content is available free online if you want to hunt it down, but it's handy to have it in book form, and it's of special interest to anyone who loves reading, whatever they may read. She's certainly convinced me that rereading your favorites (and not-so-favorites) is worthwhile.Read in 2015.
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LibraryThing member Cecrow
I almost never buy a book on impulse, but I snapped this up at a discount price. If I'd looked more closely, I would have known I'd already read most of the contents through following Tor.com updates. Many of the individual entries are good so it's nice to have them conveniently together, and some
The content rates four stars. It's a book aimed squarely at fellow readers about what they may not have appreciated yet, offering a rounder sense of today's genre fiction (mostly sci-fi) and its antecedents. She is sharing her subjective opinions, not offering literary critique, but given her track record that still counts for something. The cover calls this "re-reading the classics", but many of the titles are out of print so she's using the term loosely - or else she is making a point. Many examples do sound like very good quality despite not having found a market when they were published, and I've noted several I may look for second-hand. Other entries propose helpful concepts. I very much like her four categories for series, and I wish publishers used these as identifiers (although it's clear why they don't.) The 'suck fairy' concept is locked in memory since I first read that one online. I wish she'd taken this opportunity to expand on some of the topics, especially where some entries feel unfinished. There's still a lot to reflect on here if you enjoy thinking about your reading as much as the reading experience itself.
So it's a keeper, but I'm glad I didn't pay full price because the format is three stars at best. Transposing blog entries introduces several problems. What reads well in a blog becomes disjointed in a continuous volume. No extra trouble was taken to link entries that touch on the same topic, and there's no index. They're simply presented in the chronological order they were written, and like any blog the focus wanders to wherever whim takes her. Several in a row may latch on to a theme (e.g. time travel) or offer sequential reviews of books in a series, but with any entry the subject can change entirely. Book reviews are randomly interspersed with entries more broadly exploring a concept. The April Fools entries feel out of place and should have been dropped. There's a thematic emphasis on the value of re-reading but it doesn't amount to much; really it's a package of random thoughts that even the title doesn't summarize. Expect a blog, not a book.
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salient points arise thanks to reading them all as a set, but these arise chiefly by accident. The author made no attempt to categorize or organize her random thoughts for this new format, add any analytical depth to the material or ease the transitions between pieces. You could assemble this book yourself through cut/paste from the website (her closing thanks indicate it was done in a weekend), with the sole exception of the tiny introduction and conclusion. The content rates four stars. It's a book aimed squarely at fellow readers about what they may not have appreciated yet, offering a rounder sense of today's genre fiction (mostly sci-fi) and its antecedents. She is sharing her subjective opinions, not offering literary critique, but given her track record that still counts for something. The cover calls this "re-reading the classics", but many of the titles are out of print so she's using the term loosely - or else she is making a point. Many examples do sound like very good quality despite not having found a market when they were published, and I've noted several I may look for second-hand. Other entries propose helpful concepts. I very much like her four categories for series, and I wish publishers used these as identifiers (although it's clear why they don't.) The 'suck fairy' concept is locked in memory since I first read that one online. I wish she'd taken this opportunity to expand on some of the topics, especially where some entries feel unfinished. There's still a lot to reflect on here if you enjoy thinking about your reading as much as the reading experience itself.
So it's a keeper, but I'm glad I didn't pay full price because the format is three stars at best. Transposing blog entries introduces several problems. What reads well in a blog becomes disjointed in a continuous volume. No extra trouble was taken to link entries that touch on the same topic, and there's no index. They're simply presented in the chronological order they were written, and like any blog the focus wanders to wherever whim takes her. Several in a row may latch on to a theme (e.g. time travel) or offer sequential reviews of books in a series, but with any entry the subject can change entirely. Book reviews are randomly interspersed with entries more broadly exploring a concept. The April Fools entries feel out of place and should have been dropped. There's a thematic emphasis on the value of re-reading but it doesn't amount to much; really it's a package of random thoughts that even the title doesn't summarize. Expect a blog, not a book.
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LibraryThing member isabelx
When I re-read, I know what I'm getting. It's like revisiting an old friend. An unread book holds wonderful unknown promise, but also threatens disappointment.
I have always enjoyed reading books that I have read before, so a whole book about re-reading science fiction and fantasy seemed just the
I have always enjoyed reading books that I have read before, so a whole book about re-reading science fiction and fantasy seemed just the
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job, but I found out to my cost that this is a very dangerous book, as I kept adding more and more books to my wish list, especially when it got to Jo Walton's re-read of Steven Brust's ridiculously long Vlad series (now even longer as he has written more books since then). Luckily I didn't have the same reaction to the not quite so long Vorkosigan Saga, as military sf is not my thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member bragan
This collection of essays, which originally appeared as blog posts at tor.com, feature author and compulsive re-reader Jo Walton talking, usually in happily enthusiastic terms, about whatever she happens to be re-reading lately, including many recognized classics of science fiction and fantasy and
The individual essays are all very short -- usually somewhere around three pages -- which means that they don't really have time to go into anything in huge amounts of depth. Mostly they're the sort of thing that works just fine when you read it on a blog, but perhaps feels less substantial than you might hope for once it's printed and bound. Also, there are times when she sets off to re-read entire long series, discussing them one book at a time, often with considerably more detail and considerably more spoilers than she usually employs, which can be a little annoying if you haven't read the series in question. (I ended up skipping or skimming over a lot of pages about Steven Brust's Dragaera series. I did read a couple of them, ages ago, and have always meant to get back to them, so I definitely wanted to avoid spoilers.)
Despite that, though, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Even if the individual entries are mostly pretty slight, the book as a whole has a pleasant more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts feel to it, and Walton's love of the genre shines warmly through it all. I finished it surprisingly quickly, too, for a book of over 400 pages. Those short little chapters were as easy to keep on munching through as a bag of tasty potato chips.
Also, she has caused my already ridiculous reading wishlist to swell even further. Which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it.
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more than a few works she regards as sadly neglected gems. Some of the pieces just talk about the book in question in a fairly broad way, while others address more specific points. There are also a few that aren't about particular books at all but more about the experience of reading (or re-reading) or about the SF field in general.The individual essays are all very short -- usually somewhere around three pages -- which means that they don't really have time to go into anything in huge amounts of depth. Mostly they're the sort of thing that works just fine when you read it on a blog, but perhaps feels less substantial than you might hope for once it's printed and bound. Also, there are times when she sets off to re-read entire long series, discussing them one book at a time, often with considerably more detail and considerably more spoilers than she usually employs, which can be a little annoying if you haven't read the series in question. (I ended up skipping or skimming over a lot of pages about Steven Brust's Dragaera series. I did read a couple of them, ages ago, and have always meant to get back to them, so I definitely wanted to avoid spoilers.)
Despite that, though, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Even if the individual entries are mostly pretty slight, the book as a whole has a pleasant more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts feel to it, and Walton's love of the genre shines warmly through it all. I finished it surprisingly quickly, too, for a book of over 400 pages. Those short little chapters were as easy to keep on munching through as a bag of tasty potato chips.
Also, she has caused my already ridiculous reading wishlist to swell even further. Which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it.
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LibraryThing member jen.e.moore
The cover says "Re-Reading the Classics of Science Fiction & Fantasy," but that's not really true. The vast majority of these books aren't considered "classics" (although maybe they should be) and a few of them aren't science fiction or fantasy at all. Mostly it's just rereading, some older books,
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some newer ones, a couple of series, and some talking about book-related things. I'd read more than half of these essays on Tor.com as they were posted, but I was perfectly happy to read them again. (Why not - I reread her Bujold essays every time I reread the Vorkosigan saga, after all.) And yes, I will be reading a great many new books as well, now that I've seen them so enthusiastically recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member SylviaC
A fascinating collection of blog posts. Most of them are about different science fiction and fantasy books that she likes to re-read, a few are about other books (Gaudy Night, for instance), or just about reading in general. I didn't always agree with everything she said, but it was always worth
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reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member SESchend
Amazing collection of Jo Walton's columns from tor.com on rereading old classics and stories or books that she'd recommend new readers find and enjoy.
In all, I think this book has now added dozens more books to my to-read pile.
Full confession--it's got me reading 9 authors I'd not before read
And as this is the 3rd book of Walton's I've read this year, I suppose that puts her on my automatic to-read/buy pile too.
If you've ever wondered what people see in certain books or series, this collection of short pieces could give you that answer...and introduce you to many good books in the process.
In all, I think this book has now added dozens more books to my to-read pile.
Full confession--it's got me reading 9 authors I'd not before read
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(and a collective 36 books) and another two dozen books beyond that to explore. And as this is the 3rd book of Walton's I've read this year, I suppose that puts her on my automatic to-read/buy pile too.
If you've ever wondered what people see in certain books or series, this collection of short pieces could give you that answer...and introduce you to many good books in the process.
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LibraryThing member sturlington
A compendium of blog posts about Walton's rereads of books, not necessarily all science fiction and fantasy.
I won't say that I read this entirely in one afternoon. I did skip the sections on books I hadn't read yet, because spoilers abound. (Walton includes the name of each book discussed in the
Read in 2015.
I won't say that I read this entirely in one afternoon. I did skip the sections on books I hadn't read yet, because spoilers abound. (Walton includes the name of each book discussed in the
Show More
title of the essay so the spoiler-y ones are easily avoided.) These are blog posts originally published on Tor.com, so they are short, breezy, and quick to read. Walton is such a prodigious reader, averaging a book or more a day (I wonder that she finds time to write!). She shares many interesting insights into the whole act of reading, as well as the genres of science fiction and fantasy here. For instance, she talks about the phenomena of I Want to Read It, which I call immersion, and the Suck Fairy visiting once beloved books, particularly children's books. Particularly enlightening for me was the idea that people who grow up reading science fiction and fantasy have internalized over time the special rules of the genre, while primarily mainstream writers may feel at sea when they try these genres; the flip side is authors who try writing genre who haven't read a lot of it, and fail miserably. I also used the table of contents to discover new-to-me books to read. I'm sure I'll return to this to check Walton's take on these books once I've read them. All of this content is available free online if you want to hunt it down, but it's handy to have it in book form, and it's of special interest to anyone who loves reading, whatever they may read. She's certainly convinced me that rereading your favorites (and not-so-favorites) is worthwhile.Read in 2015.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
A selection of the blog posts Jo Walton wrote for Tor.com about the books she was rereading, focusing on science-fiction and fantasy. Many of which I've read before. (But I expected that. I also expected that the book wouldn't include all of my favourite Walton posts, and it doesn't.)
It's
And I'm more likely to open a book at random, or turn a page and read the next reflection, even if the next reflection is about a book I've never heard of. It's harder to open a blog at random. I'm more likely to focus on what's new, and at times I have a tendency to skip posts unless they're about a book or author that I'm curious about.
This is the sort of book you dip in and out of, depending on what you are looking for. At least, there are reflections I don't want to read yet, because they're about books I intend to read and I wish to remain unspoiled. And sometimes reflections are only interesting if I have already read the book in question or if I'm considering reading the book.
It's
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interesting reading things again, though, in a book, and noticing the way the experience of reading a physical book is different to reading a blog. It's a... quieter experience, without the blog comments. Less cluttered. I love reading blog comment discussions, but sometimes less clutter is good.And I'm more likely to open a book at random, or turn a page and read the next reflection, even if the next reflection is about a book I've never heard of. It's harder to open a blog at random. I'm more likely to focus on what's new, and at times I have a tendency to skip posts unless they're about a book or author that I'm curious about.
This is the sort of book you dip in and out of, depending on what you are looking for. At least, there are reflections I don't want to read yet, because they're about books I intend to read and I wish to remain unspoiled. And sometimes reflections are only interesting if I have already read the book in question or if I'm considering reading the book.
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LibraryThing member Kaethe
This fulfills that same sweet spot as Hornby's writing for The Believer and Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris: I really enjoy reading what a devoted reader has to say about reading. (Forgive the recursion, please) In this case, Walton is an astoundingly prolific readers, and surely she is the most prolific
So, really, this collection of Walton's is rather like reading a whole slew of reviews by one of my online reviewer friends, including occasional discursions into where, when, and how one reads. Fun stuff.
Library copy
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re-reader the modern world has ever known. Her tastes aren't exactly mine, although there is enough overlap to make some of these reviews into "I must read this now" urgency. But even the titles I won't be adding to the List make for interesting thought. As a writer, Walton is able to explain what makes books work for her, as well as why they fail. So there's an informed look at mechanics (but not a primary focus; you don't have to want to write to appreciate her commentary) Further, as this past year has seen a lot of discussion of diversity in SFF as a genre and as a community, her take on intersectionality and on the sad disappointments of much classic work is insightful and heartfelt. We all love things we know have problems, whether from nostalgia or other reasons, and professional reviews don't usually address the issue.So, really, this collection of Walton's is rather like reading a whole slew of reviews by one of my online reviewer friends, including occasional discursions into where, when, and how one reads. Fun stuff.
Library copy
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LibraryThing member Shrike58
I read this collection of short commentaries a couple a day and that is probably the best way to approach this book. Apart from being a broad appraisal of the field, the thing that strikes me as a person who seldom rereads anything is what a ferocious reader Walton much be!
LibraryThing member john.cooper
Each of the chapters, originally blog posts, takes up a book that Walton has just re-read, and suggests an idea about it. The idea, often as not, has little to do with what makes the book great. Many of the books are not great. And these aren't essays, just notes: Walton takes no trouble to examine
So this collection serves poorly as an introduction to books, and series of books, that the reader hasn't read. It certainly doesn't match its title. All this said, if you're willing to put up with some frustration, there are many interesting points on offer. I loved the chapter on James Blish's Catholicism-themed A Case of Conscience, in which she yields her forum to an actual Jesuit to explode the book's surprisingly unorthodox theology. And in a collection of posts this big, there are exceptions to all the complaints I've made. A few of the chapters, such as one about the mental toolkit that SF fans develop for reading SF, do qualify as essays, and a few others, such as most of the chapters on Delany, really do explain what makes the books so great. I respect Walton's mind; I just wish she'd written an actual book instead of gathering a loose collection of online columns and putting them together under a title that misrepresents them.
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her ideas from various directions, or put them in context. She makes her point, either at the beginning of the post or at the end, and lets it sit there without examination. Sometimes, when I haven't read the book myself, it's impossible to discern exactly what she's talking about. She mentions many times in the early chapters how the Singularity has taken over science fiction to its detriment, but she never defines what the Singularity is. Those who know are probably better served by this book than I am.So this collection serves poorly as an introduction to books, and series of books, that the reader hasn't read. It certainly doesn't match its title. All this said, if you're willing to put up with some frustration, there are many interesting points on offer. I loved the chapter on James Blish's Catholicism-themed A Case of Conscience, in which she yields her forum to an actual Jesuit to explode the book's surprisingly unorthodox theology. And in a collection of posts this big, there are exceptions to all the complaints I've made. A few of the chapters, such as one about the mental toolkit that SF fans develop for reading SF, do qualify as essays, and a few others, such as most of the chapters on Delany, really do explain what makes the books so great. I respect Walton's mind; I just wish she'd written an actual book instead of gathering a loose collection of online columns and putting them together under a title that misrepresents them.
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LibraryThing member quondame
A book about books, obviously/ As it happens, the vast bulk of my reading is covered by the subjects in Walton's chapters. Walton writes about many of my favorites, CJ Cherryh, Tim Powers, Lois McMaster Bujold but not all (If she mentions Gene Wolfe, I didn't record it, and I spent a lot of time
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recording the authors and books she wrote about.) I found new and new old authors here, and need to get a copy of my own so I don't keep the local libraries copies out for 5 months again. Show Less
LibraryThing member antao
Intertextuality in SF: "What Makes This Book So Great" by Jo Walton
I've been reading SF for more than 30 years.
I've probably read everything worth reading in the field, and I’ve been always intrigued by the two questions:
1 - What makes a SF book a good example of its kind?
2 - Why is SF relished
Walton's book tries to answer the above-mentioned questions. Walton is clearly a SF devotee (on top of being a SF writer as well, which I've never read in fiction mode by the way).
One crucial factor is that SF is written in a kind of code, which must be learned by apprenticeship. This necessity, of course, intensifies the skeptic's bewilderment at the bother taken by those who learn it in the first place. I learned all of the SF narrative codes when I was very young.
You can find the rest of this review on my blog.
I've been reading SF for more than 30 years.
I've probably read everything worth reading in the field, and I’ve been always intrigued by the two questions:
1 - What makes a SF book a good example of its kind?
2 - Why is SF relished
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by practiced readers, while others hate it?Walton's book tries to answer the above-mentioned questions. Walton is clearly a SF devotee (on top of being a SF writer as well, which I've never read in fiction mode by the way).
One crucial factor is that SF is written in a kind of code, which must be learned by apprenticeship. This necessity, of course, intensifies the skeptic's bewilderment at the bother taken by those who learn it in the first place. I learned all of the SF narrative codes when I was very young.
You can find the rest of this review on my blog.
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LibraryThing member lightkensei
I am thankful I got my hands on this book when I did. It added more than 30 books to my to-read list but more importantly got me feeling more interested in and excited about reading. My enjoyment of reading has been one of the things depression has really disrupted in the last few years. Jo
10/10 would recommend to anyone else who is looking for motivation to read more.
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Walton's evident love for SF is infectious and she has a real knack for communicating "what makes this book so great" in a way that motivates me. Also, her descriptions of how ridiculously fast she reads made me extremely jealous, which is its own form of motivation.10/10 would recommend to anyone else who is looking for motivation to read more.
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LibraryThing member davisfamily
I really enjoyed this. Learned a lot about books and reading.
LibraryThing member Fiddleback_
Jo Walton is, I'm sure, the possessor of many fine opinions. Many of which, I am equally sure, relate to Science Fiction and Fantasy writings. She may even be a good Sci-Fi/Fantasy writer. I don't know. Outside of this book I've not read anything from her.
Which is a shame, I suppose, as it would
And she's not. Aside from a very, very few entries, she doesn't touch on much outside of the last 20 - 25 years. There are a few from the 50s and 60s, an odd one of two from the 70s and 80s, but most of it is post 1990. A better explanation of the book's contents might be "Re-Reading Jo Walton's Favorites of Science Fiction and Fantasy".
There's nothing wrong with that, of course. I AM sort of interested in what a given author enjoy's reading. Typically, I like to know something about that author first, to have some context around why I might be interested in their particular thoughts, but that's not the case here.
The word 'classics' conjures up certain books that one would expect to be discussed, providing the context for the discussions that is otherwise lacking. Inside of that framework the author can talk about favorites that derive from or contain elements of those classic stories. That's good discussion fodder and perhaps provides a different view of actual SF/F classic literature for one to consider.
But this? This is just a list of Jo Walton's favorites and her personal justifications for liking them. Which is fine. It's just not what it says on the tin.
Which is a shame, I suppose, as it would
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give me a much more clear idea of what she considers to be 'good' SF/F. As it stands though, I only have the assertion on the front cover that she is dealing with The Classics of the genres.And she's not. Aside from a very, very few entries, she doesn't touch on much outside of the last 20 - 25 years. There are a few from the 50s and 60s, an odd one of two from the 70s and 80s, but most of it is post 1990. A better explanation of the book's contents might be "Re-Reading Jo Walton's Favorites of Science Fiction and Fantasy".
There's nothing wrong with that, of course. I AM sort of interested in what a given author enjoy's reading. Typically, I like to know something about that author first, to have some context around why I might be interested in their particular thoughts, but that's not the case here.
The word 'classics' conjures up certain books that one would expect to be discussed, providing the context for the discussions that is otherwise lacking. Inside of that framework the author can talk about favorites that derive from or contain elements of those classic stories. That's good discussion fodder and perhaps provides a different view of actual SF/F classic literature for one to consider.
But this? This is just a list of Jo Walton's favorites and her personal justifications for liking them. Which is fine. It's just not what it says on the tin.
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LibraryThing member infjsarah
This was a book to dip in and out of if you had spare 5 minutes. I am generally not a rereader - too many new books. When I do reread it tends to be in audiobook as you know the story and if you zone out it doesn't matter. I have been having a nostalgia kick on some favourites recently by listening
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to the audiobooks of them - it has been great fun too. I know some of the books that are discussed here but a lot of the sci-fi ones were unknown to me as I now tend to read more fantasy than sci-fi. I am an equal fan of Bujold so they were interesting chapters. There were a couple of books discussed which I might pick up if I come across them but some I know I would never bother with. Interesting for dipping in to. I'm not sure why books about books are so fascinating but they are. Show Less
LibraryThing member raschneid
Greatly enriched my "to-read" list!
Awards
Locus Award (Finalist — Non-Fiction — 2015)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Non-Fiction — 2014)
Original publication date
2014-01
ISBN
9781466844094
DDC/MDS
| 813.0876209 |