As the scientist of the world try to capitalize on genetically engineered crops, large conglomerates begin creating genetic viruses to destroy natural crops, thus eliminating competition from the markets. The book opens as one of these Calorie Companies takes aim at one of the last countries free from their domination, the Kingdom of Thailand.

What follows is an entertaining series of parallel plots.This book has everything from algae to zeppelins. When geneticists or gene-hackers can tweak any creatures genetic code, we have to ask questions like: "what does it mean to be human"?

I enjoyed the book however I had to take to shots at it. When I first tried it, it lost me. If this happens to you just drive on, the technical stuff is not that important to the plot. I realized that a lot of the jargon in the beginning is there to give the illusion of depth and texture to the futuristic distopia. To truly enjoy the flow of The Windup Girl, I advise you to read it expecting the aesthetic of a comic book or graphic novel. With this in mind it becomes a dark, brutal, and graphic story about karma betrayal and honor.

If you’re unfamiliar with Libertarianism it can be summed up as the belief that: People have the right to do as they wish, as long as they do not infringe upon the equal right of others to do the same. The book Libertarianism is essentially an examination of how this philosophy might be applied to government and civil societies.

It begins with an examination of the role of government in the nation established by the U.S. Constitution.

• The primary purpose of government is to protect the right of people to do as they wish, subject to the condition that they must not infringe upon the equal rights of others.
• By extension, government must ensure that people meet the obligations they voluntarily assume. This is the basis of trade.
• Also by extension, government must protect the property rights of the people. That is they must protect the right of an individual person to determine the disposition of their personal property. (to sell, destroy or improve it)

The book argues that private persons are far more competent at providing services to the public. It goes so far as to debunk the popular thought experiment concerning Lighthouses. Typically an activist for government programs would argue that a Lighthouse is not a profitable enterprise and therefore would not be undertaken by private citizens. Thus, the government must run lighthouses to ensure safety on the ocean. David Boaz points out that lighthouses have historically been built, run, and maintained by private enterprise and paid for by port docking fees. He goes on to point out multiple examples of private endeavors being far more efficient than government ones. This leads to a Libertarian definition of economy. Specifically Economy is the means by which a civilization produces goods that are desired, through the most efficient means possible.

Libertarianism discusses the importance of civil society, that is groups of people who form voluntary associations for mutual benefit. Libertarians do not wish to do away with government, but to limit it to its essential functions as listed above. Non-essential functions will never be ‘one-size-fits-all’ and therefore they are best provided by decentralized non-coercive organizations. The book describes how these services were provided before the semi-fascist Wartime Socialism created during the threat of the World Wars, and makes a compelling case for returning to a less centralized authoritarian super-state.

If you have ever felt that you do not fit into either the Democratic or Republican party, perhaps you would enjoy Libertarianism. It might not convert you, but it will undoubtedly help you express you political position in the future.

Ender’s Game is light Science Fiction. Normally Science-Fiction asks a question about civilization as a whole. It generally operates within the existing laws of science, and makes one or two exceptions. It poses the question: If mankind developed a certain type of technology what implications would it have for human spirituality, psychology and sociology. Ender’s Game by contrast treats technology the way some Fantasy treats magic. It is simply a means to make the story flow, to get past logical obstacles.

Ender’s Game is about controlling other people, and the most important technologies in the book revolve around communication. Orson Scott Card seems downright prescient in his description of The Nets: an interconnected system of web pages where people can comment on the opinions of others. This is as good a description of modern blogging as any. It makes you wonder if the idea was an extension of current trends, or if Orson Scott Card helped to shape the progress of Web Software. Given when the book was published, (1985) either is quite possible.

The Big Idea of Ender’s Game is that it is fundamentally wrong to attempt to shift away personal responsibility. This is a theme echoed by Robert Heinlein among others. Orson Scott Card said that his book Speaker for the Dead was the far more serious and adult oriented book, which I think recommends it above Ender’s Game. I’ve put it on my list and hope to reach it soon.

Because so many people have read and loved Ender’s Game, I recommend reading it. It is a fine book to ease you into Science Fiction. I think many people have loved this book because it so closely resembles Fantasy. Orson Scott Card says that the difference between Fantasy and Science Fiction is that the former has trees on the cover and the latter has rivets. This is a dramatic over-simplification, but in the case of Ender’s Game it seems quite true.

In his book, Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein describes love from the perspective of brotherhood (i.e. Water-Brotherhood ). He agrees with Dr. Peck’s belief that we cannot love all comers expressed in his renown bestseller The Road Less Traveled. Both versions of love are based on the premise that we are all made of the same stuff as is God. That is , in loving our brothers & sisters we simultaneously love God; and ourselves. The two authors differ slightly on one subject, that of personal responsibility.

Stranger in a Strange Land is decidedly Anarchist in its treatment personal responsibility. The voice of wisdom embodied by Jubal Harshaw explains his household policy: This here is Freedom Hall, everyone does as he pleases… Then if does something I don’t like I throw him the hell out. The all-powerful spiritual miracle worker character would kill you with his mind if he thought you were evil, but would never lock you up. The entire philosophy of the book surrounds personal responsibility, the terrible defiant assertion that you and you alone are responsible for the world in which you live. Thou art God!

The Road Less Traveled having been written by a Psychiatrist, takes a different approach. Dr. Peck discusses how appropriately assigning responsibility is one of the basic skills of mental and spiritual health. I prefer this latter approach to Heinlein’s because it allows for real life complexities, though the former makes for better fiction. Peck generally believes that your authority is only over yourself, and that authority is absolute. To assume that authority over another person is to play God in their life. Heinlein’s Libertarian philosophy would reject this as intrusive, but Peck embraces the practice as embodying the relationship between God and Love. He says summarizes the philosophy rather poetically We arrive then at a paradox: Only through the humility of Love can humans dare to be God.

Does this bring us any closer to understanding Love? Heinlein’s Libertarian spirituality states that Love is the ultimate freeing force: Nothing you want to do could possibly be sinful… if it were you wouldn’t want to do it. Heinlein then comments It’s a fine system… For Angels. Dr. Peck says nearly the same thing, but describes it as an endless struggle to comprehend ourselves and our motivations. Is Love the catalyst by which man becomes God? Is Love a path to holy self-awareness? Is there really a difference?

What do you think?

The Road Less Traveled is possibly one of the best non-fiction books which examines the view of the world as being one where our psychology, spirituality, and physical health are closely tied together.

At its core this is a book about the Spiritual and Psychological basis for mental health. Dr. Peck discusses how various patience have failed to meet what he cites as the core disciplines of mental health.

• Acceptance of responsibility
• Willingness to delay gratification
• Dedication to the Truth
• Balancing

While most psycho-spiritual thinkers vaguely assert that "it’s all about love…" Dr. Peck approaches the subject analytically. As mentioned above he explains what is necessary to maintain health, placing love as the basic motivation for each of these disciplines. He does however directly define love as Love is the will to extend oneself for another’s spiritual growth.

From his discussion of Love, he transitions to a discussion of God. His image of God cites the image of the creator that made man in his own image. He silently champions the Modern Gnostic viewpoint that God made the world so as to challenge mankind to become like God.

The book begins with a the line Life is difficult. This is a great Truth, One of the greatest Truths. Most unnecessary suffering comes from a desire to escape the fact that some suffering is necessary. The universal fact of nature that There Ain’t No Such Thing as a Free Lunch. The acceptance of total responsibility for one’s self, allows us to see our true place in the world. Seeing ourselves as we truly are is a life-long challenge. But in the those precious moments of victory, we see not only ourselves… but through ourselves to our divine heritage.

When I tell people that this is my favorite book, they are likely to ask: "What’s it about". Anyone who has read Heinlein will understand that his writing style makes a question of this scope hard to answer, however at the simplest level Stranger in a Strange Land is about a man who was born on Mars.

Because Heinlein is normally associated with Science Fiction, and because of the reference to Mars and Martians, Stranger in a Strange Land is often though of as Science Fiction. It is not a work of stereotypical Science Fiction. Because it injects magical elements into an otherwise plausible reality, it is really a work of Magical Realism.

The major themes of this masterpiece are life after death, the power of the mind, the nature of mankind, and the responsibility of self awareness. It depicts a supreme ideal of the human existence that is possible if we accept the divine within ourselves. In the 1960′s, the book was absorbed into the free-love movement and got a reputation for contributing to the delinquency of the counterculture.

I stipulate that Stranger in a Strange Land depicts a "do as thou will" lifestyle, however it is misguided to read it as a "damn the consequences" manifesto. At the core of the work is a Libertarian approach to spirituality and a carefully thought out theory of the proper societal roles for politics and religion.

The 21st Century has scene an explosion of spiritual philosophies, nations around the world are likely to face new religious practices as technology, pharmacology, and philosophy continue to advance. In Stranger in a Strange Land Heinlein suggests that there is only one Truth, and while it is beautifully simple,there are many ways to express it. In the case of the Man from Mars, he the truth thus… Thou art God!

Who Controls the Internet rejects this belief categorically. Authors Jack Goldsmith and Tim Wu argue that the Internet has not made government irrelevant and that it never will. They contend that the Internet is destined to be bound to its territorial nation-states and that this is not such a bad thing. While earlier idealists believed the Internet would dissolve international borders, Wu and Goldsmith dismiss this view as Totalitarian. They argue that coercive government will always be needed, and they make some compelling points.

• Coercive government is needed to enforce contracts entered into on the internet. This is absolutely necessary to the growth of free and fair trade. Like it or not, the world has thieves in it.
• Differences in national values will result in laws that conflict. Australia might consider personal dignity of more importance than free speech; whereas the United States might hold free speech a higher priority. If territorial governments do not maintain sovereignty, then the global law will be that of the most restrictive governments.

They point out that no one-size-fits-all solution to communications law is likely to exist; that global society is simply to diverse. The book is an extremely interesting introduction to the Cyber Law issues that the world has seen recently, and will likely soon see. While the Authors are fairly openly indicting Libertarianism, they in some ways validate Libertarian precepts.

• That centralized all-powerful coercive government is less efficient than de-centralized parties acting in their own interest.
• That the central role of coercive government ought to be the protection of the individual’s rights (this is especially apparent in their assertion that government is needed to enforce contractual obligations entered into online)

Who Controls the Internet is a good read, especially if you are interested in the implications of the Internet on personal liberty and freedom. The book is full of detailed case studies of international legal bouts, while I recommend the audiobook if you’re getting it for research purposes, it might be worth owning a hard copy of this book.

The Inheritance Cycle consists of four books (originally three, before Paolini decided he needed more room). It is an epic tale implementing the Hero’s Journey, discussed by Joseph Campbell. It bears a similarity to Star Wars, however the purpose of the story is a complex examination of morality, ethics, and the power of self-awareness.

Classic Fantasy uses magic as a plot device (i.e. a way to get from point A to point B without to much explanation). Paolini uses magic more the way Science Fiction writers use technology. After reading Paolini, you cannot escape the philosophy behind his magical system. It is said that great writers tend to straddle genres, true-to-form The Inheritance Cycle could claim a seat in Fantasy, Science Fiction and even Magical Realism.

The first book, Eragon, Paolini wrote it at the age of 15. While critics say his writing was not fully matured until Eldest, you’ll feel your holding the world of a genius in your hands. Eragon is the part of the journey where the hero is in, Campbell’s words, called to adventure. Precisely following the Hero’s Journey, Eragon originally rejects the call. The first book is a masterful treatment of this human problem. It is appropriately written with a slightly juvenile style, as the hero Eragon is called to give up his youth and become a man.

While no movie can be measured by the standards of a book, the film version of Eragon is a particularly bad example, bordering on travesty.

I cannot adequately treat the second and third books without depriving you of some suspense. I will however tell you that you will be absolutely enchanted by Eldest and Brisingr. Departing slightly from the classic hero, Eragon does not get supernatural help in the normal sense. He becomes supernatural through discipline and hard work. During these times, Paolini weaves a cohesive philosophy into plot. He discusses the relationship between mind, body, and soul. He delves into complex ethical and moral principles. By using a storyteller’s version of Socratic Inquiry, he gives you the sense that you are solving the problems rather than his characters.

Language and Magic

The relationship between magic and language is one of the more creative aspects of The Inheritance Cycle. Throughout the series, Paolini’s use of language is beautiful. His writing style bespeaks his home-schooling and his obvious interest in linguistics. His system of magic is intimately tied to language. There are some specific rules that are important to the story, but the underlying philosophical concept is closer to Magical Realism than to Fantasy.

In The Inheritance Cycle, magic is a power that comes from mental discipline. It is defined variously throughout the story, but most simply it is the manipulation of energy using the power of one’s mind. Magic is however so powerful that untamed by discipline it will likely kill the magic user and others. So a language is developed by which people can learn to control their thoughts and thus control their power. The big idea here is that our ability to use language is directly proportional to our ability to think. This is a very spiritually and linguistically complicated notion. If we are our thoughts and our thoughts are our language, then the purpose of life might be defined as giving people time to develop their own style of language.

Check out this series! The final book isn’t written yet so you are sure to have months to enjoy the world of Alagaesia, crafted my Christopher Paolini. I fully and heartily recommend both the printed and audio versions of these books. The printed books are more of a private experience, but the audiobooks are second-to-none in their production quality. Consider buying the first book or two on audio, and you will be engrossed enough to read the other books; and be exposed to some truly wonderful language and ideas.

Let me know what you think

Eragon is the story of a boy, by the same name. Following the famous hero’s journey, Eragon is called from his former life to leave and become a Dragon Rider. Dragon Riders are an ancient order of peace-keepers and diplomats, similar in some ways to the Jedi Knights imagined by George Lucas. Riders are a magical race that are mentally bonded to a dragon, whence they can draw strength and and ancient wisdom. The dark king of the land was himself once a Rider; and enjoys virtual invincibility as a result. Eragon’s motivations begin with fear, then progress to vengeance, and ultimately to altruistic duty.

Eragon is followed by Eldest, Brisngr, and a yet-to-be titled Finale.

Magical Realism

Like most Fantasy and Science-Fiction, there are rules and concepts that govern the plot. The Inheritance Cycle stands out as having woven these rules deep into the plot. The rules themselves are explicitly stated throughout the cycle as Eragon (and others) learn the ancient craft of spell-weaving. Because the rules have such a logical basis in actual laws of physics, linguistics and psychology, it is possible to read The Inheritance Cycle as a work of Science Fiction. In order to have magical power over something or someone in The Inheritance Cycle, one must fully understand the true nature of it. The ability to say something’s true name, gives one power over it. Because of the magical system at work, the basis of the plot depends fundamentally on concepts of physics, linguistics, and psychology.

In traditional Fantasy a magician uses mysterious powers to change the world and thus establish an otherwise impossible plot. The Inheritance Cycle distinguishes itself by not treating magic as mysterious. Power is gained through discipline of thought and dedication to discovering truth. Eragon’s journey to power is, in large part, a journey to self-awareness. In this way, The Inheritance Cycle also reaches into the Magical Realism genre. Overall The Inheritance Cycle is a wonderful series which will appeal to adults and mature children alike.

Eldest follows three distinct plots: Eragon’s training, the rebellion against the empire, and the call of a new hero, Roran. Roran is Eragon’s cousin, and under the oppression of the Empire he is forced to lead a smaller rebellion from Eragon’s home town. While the two rebellions are politically interesting and a compelling story themselves, the best scenes in the book belong to Eragon’s training. These scenes are remarkable in two ways. First, as a reader we begin to learn the rules that govern the plot more deeply; this allows us to share Eragon’s slightly detached perspective of a Dragon Rider. Second, and more importantly, the scenes are packed with ethical discussions, philosophy, and thought experiments. In other books such as The Alchemist and The Celestine Prophecy the plot only existed to impart the philosophy, the plot itself was rather weak. The Inheritance Cycle however melds the two together, building a fictional mythology around notions normally held by Magical Realism.

Magical Realism

Like most Fantasy and Science-Fiction, there are rules and concepts that govern the plot. The Inheritance Cycle stands out as having woven these rules deep into the plot. The rules themselves are explicitly stated throughout the cycle as Eragon (and others) learn the ancient craft of spell-weaving. Because the rules have such a logical basis in actual laws of physics, linguistics and psychology, it is possible to read The Inheritance Cycle as a work of Science Fiction. In order to have magical power over something or someone in The Inheritance Cycle, one must fully understand the true nature of it. The ability to say something’s true name, gives one power over it. Because of the magical system at work, the basis of the plot depends fundamentally on concepts of physics, linguistics, and psychology.

In traditional Fantasy a magician uses mysterious powers to change the world and thus establish an otherwise impossible plot. The Inheritance Cycle distinguishes itself by not treating magic as mysterious. Power is gained through discipline of thought and dedication to discovering truth. Eragon’s journey to power is, in large part, a journey to self-awareness. In this way, The Inheritance Cycle also reaches into the Magical Realism genre. Overall The Inheritance Cycle is a wonderful series which will appeal to adults and mature children alike.