Conjunctions

Following up on my previous post on the significant political developments of the past decade, I am naturally drawn to indulge in a similar activity regarding my most consuming hobby of the decade – reading science fiction.  It was somewhere mid-2002, following a conversation with Roelie about how I have neglected reading since starting my IT career, that I’ve set myself the specific task to read as much science fiction as possible.  I guess being an expert of SF was about the only thing on the long list of unattainable dreams that still remained somewhat possible. 

Since then my natural compulsiveness have gone into overdrive, and I have read an extraordinary number of mostly SF novels.  And the more I read, the more I enjoy it and realize just how grateful a subject I have chosen. SF provides a window into every conceivable subject, and, among tons of genre works mostly interesting for their cultural and historical significance, I have found a few creative treasures that reminded me that good writing can transcend all the socio-political issues that usually interest me with an experience of the sublime.  As I’ve been unemployed throughout 2009, reading gave me the perfect escape from brooding over my life and trying to find a way of restoring my self-respect (a process that thankfully now seems to have culminated in my enthusiastic pursuit of a new career as social worker at a shelter for the homeless).

I am almost ashamed to give the exact figures, as it does seem to suggest that I have had nothing better to do with my time, and in truth the suggestion is not without any merit.  By querying my Oracle database (the ironic last vestige of my former career as Oracle DBA is that I run a full installation of Oracle 11 to host a few tables to keep track of my reading – if I refuse to work for a commercial company anymore, it does not mean that I have to act as if I no longer have the skills) I see that I have now read a total of 638 novels since 2002, of which a mind-blowing 169 this past year. That’s an average of about 3 per week.

So, flexing my almost redundant SQL skills, it is time for some analysis and overall recommendations, my very own ‘Best Of’ lists.

2009:  I have only read 4 works published in 2009, and based on this small selection I consider it to be one of the best years for SF since maybe the early 70’s. All 4 of these works are perfect in their own way, and most did inspire a Reading Report from me.  I will be disappointed if these works are not recognized among the upcoming awards nominations. I cannot say which is better, so in no specific order my recommendations for SF published in 2009 are:

• Cahtherynne M. Valente, Palimpsest.  A passionate fantasy masterpiece that already appeared on the last Tiptree awards list.
• Paul J. McAuley, Gardens of the Sun.  In conjunction with The Quiet War, my pick for the SF novel of the decade. See my review.
• Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days.  Containing my pick for the best short SF of the year - “An Eligible Boy” is astoundingly moving.  See my review
• James Morrow, Shambling Towards Hiroshima. Satire that stirs the heart. See my review.

The Decade: I have apparently read exactly 130 novels published during the past decade.  Looking at the list I am struck by the dominance, at least in terms of quality, of British authors, in complete contrast to previous decades that have always been dominated by American SF.  My list of 50 recommendable works for the decade contains multiple by Ian McDonald, Geoff Ryman, M. John Harrison, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Adam Roberts, Paul McAuley and Richard Morgan, with even old-timers like Brian Aldiss and Christopher Priest contributing to the splendor.  The American authors that made my recommendations list consist mostly of Ursula Le Guinn, James Morrow and Brian Francis Slattery, whose 2 brilliant novels have been largely and unjustly ignored. Apart from Vernor Vinge’s Rainbows End, the rest of the noteworthy American SF can be found on the Young Adult shelf.  If I have to limit it, the 10 novels of the decade I recommend wholeheartedly are:

1. Paul J. McAuley, The Quiet War/Gardens of the Sun (2008/9)
2. Ian McDonald, River of Gods (2004)
3. M. John Harrison, Nova Swing (2006)
4. Samuel R. Delany, Phallos (2004)
5. M. John Harrison, Light (2002)
6. Brian Francis Slattery, Spaceman Blues: A Love Song (2007)
7. Geoff Ryman, Air (2004)
8. Ian McDonald, Brasyl (2007)
9. Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (2006)
10. Cahtherynne M. Valente, Palimpsest (2009)

And then finally, via a completely intuitive combination of sum, avg and count functions, my SQL tells me that my 5 favorite SF authors of all time are:

1. Samuel R. Delany
2. Philip K. Dick
3. Ursula K. Le Guin
4. Gene Wolfe
5. Robert Silverberg

Hopefully that exhausted the urge for making lists for at least another year, and back to reading …

I suppose one of the few advantages of history is that it allows us mere mortals the hope that, at least at the collective level, we may be able to counteract entropy and produce and maintain something that actually gets better over time.  The flurry of retrospective analysis that dominate the media in December every year (and even more so with the – assumed – end of the decade this year) is more than merely a simple tested formula for a lazy corporate media that will sell any product no matter how stale and meaningless, it also responds to a natural need to account for the period and evaluate how effective a defense we’ve mustered against time’s lonely arrow.

And alas, what a terrible and wasted decade it has been.  I don't know what was the biggest disappointment, the immoral and illegal wars, the way islamophobia became an acceptable mainstream opinion in my adopted country, or how those that value truth and the hope of a better world have been vilified. Looking at the options provided in recent poll about the most significant political decisions of the decade (in The Netherlands that is) conducted by de Volkskrant Online, I am struck by the fact that you have to go back to 2001 for the last major event that improved justice and respect for humanity.  For those not following Dutch politics I’ll paraphrase / summarize the poll options (but note: I am expressing my own opinion in these summaries):

1. Gay Marriage (2001):  After being introduced in Holland, marriage equality have been implemented in places as diverse as Scandinavia and South Africa, and has become a major arena in the struggle for equality worldwide.
2. Military mission in Urguzan (2006 – ?): Never enjoying unanimous support, the ongoing Dutch participation in the American War Against Terror remains contentious.  I suppose the significant political aspect to this is that it demonstrated how inconsequential morals are in the face of pressure from the US.
3. Changes to the health insurance system (2006):  In a simplification of the system, the distinction between private and public health insurance plans was abolished. In practice this means that health insurance is now provided by a heavily regulated private sector. I can’t really say if it made things better or not.  At least, while I do have medical problems to worry me, I still do not have to worry about the affordability of care.
4. Forced assimilation (2007):  The Coalition of Shame’s greatest achievement, and the one political act that have made me feel the most unwelcome in Holland ever, the one that reminded me that I will always be an allochtoon and therefore never really be sure that my rights and dignity will be honored, after all, public opinion can change fundamentally at any populist raving and nothing is really off limits in the pursuit of political power. It’s major effect has been to make me less interested or concerned with Dutch politics and society.  Being what used to be called a ‘nieuw Nederlander’ I find it insulting and hurtful to be confronted with Odes to Wilders in the public discourse.  So I’ve stopped listening mostly.
5. Retirement Age increased to 67 (2009):  Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, making it slightly less comfortable for the passengers lest they mistake it for a joy-ride.

So yes, looking at these ‘accomplishments’ you have to go back to 2001 for a positive development that helped to balance the inevitability of decay on the personal level with an increase in equality and dignity on the collective level, something that will outlive us and still be judged just and good.  And even that was more the culmination of the progress made in the previous decade than anything characteristic of the first decade of the 21st century.  And no, to be sure, I could have been spared this decade, gladly.

There is a small ray of hope.  With a margin of more than 20% above its closest rival, Gay Marriage tops the vote as the most significant political development of the decade.  So I guess that even if we were remarkably unsuccessful in achievements, we have at least not lost our ability to recognize something positive and worthwhile.