Plowing the dark
Plowing the Dark (2000) is a novel by American writer Richard Powers. It follows two narrative threads; one of an American teacher held hostage by Lebanese Shiite terrorists, the other the construction of a high-tech virtual reality simulator.
Stats for nerds
3recommend
6mentions
5people
2007–2026years
67% recommend33% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I will admit I never expected to open the front page of HN in 2021 and read a comment about someone who had read The Overstory. Richard Powers is the preeminent American novelist of our time. With respect to all his works, HN types will especially enjoy Plowing the Dark and Galatea 2.2.
There is no better way to dig deep into the effects of modern technology on society than to read Richard Powers. It is no exaggeration to say that reading Powers fundamentally changed the course of my life. Reading his work is absolutely worth your time.
- I've found the success of a work Science Fiction as a work of literature is closely correlated to how far removed it is from present day society. Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World are both fairly close to society today, as far as Science Fiction goes. Richard Powers has had great success writing about things like virtual reality (Plowing the Dark) and artificial intelligence (Galatea 2.2), but his works are even closer to present day than Bradbury or Huxley. The Foundation Series, while not quite on Powers's level, are still incredible books that might just belong in the class of real literature. I don't think it will ever get there though because its world isn't coupled closely enough with the one we know.
- When I recommend books I make a coffee shop recommendation and an airport recommendation. Both books are excellent, but the coffee shop book requires slower reader and more mental effort to get the benefit.
Coffee shop:
Plowing the Dark by Richard Powers. The book follows to parallel stories: one of a company that invents virtual reality and another of a teacher that gets taken hostage by terrorists. It's an incredible book and the reason why I decided to study computer science.
http://www.amazon.com/Plowing-Dark-Novel-Richard-Powers/dp/B...
Airport:
Moving Mars by Greg Bear. Mars is a colony of Earth and the book follows a struggle for Martian independence. Also an incredible book.
http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Mars-Novel-Greg-Bear/dp/0812524...
- Snow Crash, Cryptonmicon. Both are by Neal Stephenson.
Another pair of good fiction novels are Plowing the Dark and Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers.
Sometimes you need good fiction to inspire you.
- In Plowing the Dark (2000), Richard Powers suggests that a globe-based visualization would give you a lot more if you could put your head inside it. Nice topological idea -- can I suggest you add it?
- Plowing the Dark-Richard Powers
I have tried to finish this book three times, but I have had to start at the beginning each time. The plot is dense and I can't jump back in after ~150 pages and a month of not reading it.
