George Orwell - 1984

George Orwell - 1984

(1949, 642pg, ro)

1984 este un roman politic scris de George Orwell în 1948 și tipărit în 1949. Acțiunea romanului are loc într-un viitor distopic și prezintă o parte din viața intelectualului Winston Smith sub opresiunea guvernului totalitarist al Oceaniei. 1984 a imprimat foarte mulți termeni și idei în cultura contemporană, și mai ales în limba engleză, de exemplu Fratele cel Mare, dubla gândire, poliția gândirii, ingșoc. „Fratele cel Mare stă cu ochii pe tine” este un simbol al controlului excesiv, iar adjectivul orwellian este folosit pentru a descrie acțiunile și organizațiile Oceaniei.

Andrew Thompson - What did we use before toilet paper?

Andrew Thompson - What did we use before toilet paper?

(265pg, en, 2010)

It's not information anyone needs to know. There are no answers to important test questions. There's nothing that'll make anyone better at their job. And that’s exactly why these facts are so much fun! This weird and wonderful collection of trivia captivates and surprises readers with funky revelations like: Why is New York called the Big Apple? Did the Romans have toga parties? Why don't you ever see baby pigeons? Why are yawns contagious? Did Nostradamus predict anything accurately? Witty, informative, and compulsive, What Did They Use Before Toilet Paper? is an indispensable companion for any lover of knowledge. From the everyday to the fantastical — it's all here.

Jon Butler and Bruno Vincent - Do Ants Have Assholes?

Jon Butler and Bruno Vincent - Do Ants Have Assholes?

(194pg, en, 2007)

Do Ants Have Assholes? is a hilarious, over-the-top parody of bestsellers like Do Men Have Nipples? John Butler and Bruno Vincent have dreamed up a venerable, historic (and imaginary) newspaper.

(Sourcebooks, 9.99$)

J.J.Luna - How to be invisible

J.J.Luna - How to be invisible

(308pg, en, 2004)

It's hard to say how private investigators would react to books like J. J. Luna's How to Be Invisible--while it makes their jobs a lot harder, most of them are paid by the hour. If you want to withdraw from the snooping eyes of the government, corporations, stalking ex-boyfriends, or practically anyone else, this practical, down-to-earth guide will help you and your family vanish. It's not a glamorous James Bond life Mr. Luna is inviting you to take part in; it's probably much like the life you're living right now. Spending much of the early part of the book frightening the reader with tales of stalkers and mistaken identities, the author successfully makes his case that a few adjustments to an individual's personal information flow can make a life-or-death difference. While getting his plan off the ground will take a bit of planning and effort (you have to move at least once to clear your trail), it is sustainable and worthwhile even for those who think they have nothing to hide. Learn about anonymous travel and purchase, using trusts and corporations to keep your assets private, and how recent laws significantly affect older methods of guaranteeing privacy. Luna makes no claim to know the law where you live and suggests that you consult a trusted local attorney before implementing most of his advice. Just knowing how easily a criminal can learn about and exploit your personal information will make you want to do just that. --Rob Lightner

Isaac Asimov - Soarele gol

Isaac Asimov - Soarele gol

(1957, 374pg, ro)

Pe planeta Solaria, populată de un grup de coloniști ce trăiesc izolați unii de altii (nevoile lor fiind satisfăcute de servitori roboți), are loc o crimă care sfidează toate Legile Roboticii, șocînd comunitățile Lumii exterioare. Dezlegarea misterului acestui asasinat revine detectivului new-yorkez Elijah Baley, ajutat de asistentul său, robotul R. Daneel Olivaw

Nancy Kress - Foc încrucișat

Nancy Kress - Foc încrucișat

(203pg, ro, 2003)

O nouă creaţie strălucită a scriitoarei Nancy Kress, laureată a premilor Hugo şi Nebula.

Crossfire este povestea întemeierii unei colonii umane pe o planetă îndepărtată, la iniţiativa lui Jack Holman - un bărbat care încearcă să fugă de trecutul său întunecat. Dar pe măsură ce miile de membri ai acestui grup pestriţ îşi organizează viaţa în noua lor lume, ei fac o descoperire surprinzătoare: pe planetă există nişte extraterestri umanoizi primitivi. Aceştia trăiesc în câteva cătune izolate şi dovezile par să sugereze că nu sunt originari de pe planetă, chiar dacă locuiesc în colibe cu acoperiş de stuf şi posedă doar unelte primitive. Când oamenii află, în sfârşit, adevărul
despre aceşti extraterestri, se trezesc prinşi într-un război interstelar. în cele din urmă, un mic grup de colonişti va trebui să aleagă de care parte vor lupta. De hotărârea lor depinde foarte mult: nu doar soarta noului lor cămin, ci soarta întregii omeniri.

Orson Scott Card - Ender 1 - Jocul lui Ender

Orson Scott Card - Ender 1 - Jocul lui Ender

(1985, 525pg, ro)

Extraterestrii au atacat Pamantul si aproape au distrus specia umana. Pentru a se asigura ca oamenii vor castiga urmatoarea infruntare, cea decisiva, guvernul terestru a creat in vitro genii pe care le antreneaza intensiv in arta militara.Instructia consta, nici o surpriza, din „jocuri“ de razboi. Ender Wiggin, un geniu printre genii, castiga intr-un timp record toate „jocurile“ si pare a fi eroul care va salva planeta. Dar va reusi sa stabileasca grani]a dintre real si virtual si sa inteleaga importanta ei cruciala?matoarea infruntare, cea decisiva, guvernul terestru a creat in vitro genii pe care le antreneaza intensiv in arta militara.


Instructia consta, nici o surpriza, din „jocuri“ de razboi. Ender Wiggin, un geniu printre genii, castiga intr-un timp record toate „jocurile“ si pare a fi eroul care va salva planeta. Dar va reusi sa stabileasca grani]a dintre real si virtual si sa inteleaga importanta ei cruciala?

Serge Brussolo - Febra

Serge Brussolo - Febra

(1983, 244pg, ro)

M-am convins înca o data ca Serge Brussolo e nebun. Si începuse “normal”, cu explorarea unui organism viu de marimea unei planete, pentru ca totul sa degenereze spre scabros si macabru.

Descrie cu placere bolnava mersul prin balti de sebuum, mirosul asfixiant de acid uric al boabelor de transpiratie de marimea unor portocale, desisurile de par cret, refugiul din pliurile unui rid, puseele de febra din preajma unui furuncul gigantic ce ridica temperatura solului la peste 150 de grade… Siliti sa manânce din carnea fiintei-planeta cercetatorii sufera diverse mutatii, alt prilej de enumerare bolnavicioasa a cazurilor de oameni-leucocite, batrâni-prunci, oameni decalcifiati…

Se organizeaza grupari expansioniste care malformeaza organismul pentru a-si mari teritoriul, separatisti ce vor amputarea membrelor pentru a parasi capcana muribunda sau radicali ce doresc pur si simplu extinctia ca sfârsit onorabil al acestei planete purtatoare de paraziti. Actiunile lor duc la un final apocaliptic cu un corp în dezembrare, mistuindu-si ocupantii în timp ce se mistuia pe sine, lasând în vidul cosmic un “monument congelat al prostiei umane”. Pamântul? (Sursa)

Serge Brussolo - Coşmar de închiriat

Serge Brussolo - Coşmar de închiriat

(2006, ro, 380pg)

CASA DE PE COLINA...
O fortareata cenusie, mohorata, cu ferestre deschise ca ranile necicatrizate.

ORASELUL...
O fortareata aparata de gratii, o gradina zoologica stranie, asaltata de vizitatori feroce si necrutatori.

PADUREA...
Un hatis infernal, plin de capcane ruginite, fatale cu un secol in urma, fatale si azi.

Casa inchiriata este poarta secreta catre alta lume, care creste ca o tumoare in carnea realitatii, transformand locurile si oamenii in ceva ingrozitor si strain.
Pentru David si parintii lui, casa de pe colina este un...
COSMAR DE INCHIRIAT...

Brussolo este enigma imposibil de clasat a literaturii franceze, creatorul ei baroc si unic.

Max Tucker - I hope they serve beer in hell BONUS STORIES

Max Tucker - I hope they serve beer in hell

BONUS STORIES

(2006, 338pg, en)

Asher Neal - Cowl

Asher Neal - Cowl

(2004, ro, 730pg)

The story focuses on Cowl, who was genetically engineered to be the pinnacle of human evolution but is now the nemesis of the Heliothane Dominion, the ruling body of humanity. The Heliothanes have genetically enhanced themselves to the point where they can barely be called normal humans anymore, being dramatically faster and stronger. Leading another branch of evolved humanity, the Umbrathanes, Cowl blows up Callisto and uses the energy released to fuel a time journey two billion years into the past. Upon discovering no living life on Earth, Cowl believes that he must avoid an omission paradox and jumpstart humanity's evolution, all the while waging war on the Heliothanes and trying to push them down a 'Probability Slope' so they will be unable to travel through time and leave him and his new empire at the top of the slope.

Cowl uses his Torbeast, sending it travelling through time dropping its scales. Each scale is a self-contained organic time machine that bonds to a human dragging them back through time to Cowl as a sample. He uses these human samples to monitor the effect he is making on the future to conduct his research. Once tested, the human is of no use to Cowl and is dumped; left to die in the poisonous atmosphere of Earth's ancient past.

In the twenty second century, a prostitute named Polly is pulled into a scheme against the ruling government, U-Gov by a soldier, Nandra, who's squad was slaughtered by the tor beast for being near the tor it dropped. Nandra implants Polly with his military AI, his 'muse', and forces her to assist U-Gov agent, Tack, who is a cloned agent in arranging a transaction, a large sum of money for the tor. The transaction goes off, but then Nandra tricks Tack's team and Polly accidentally is bonded to the Tor, along with Tack, who is dragged through time with her, gaining a tor of his own. Tack is captured by Saphothere, a Heliothane who forces him to assist him in fighting against Cowl while Polly is sent through history back towards Cowl, with Nandra now stuck in the Muse AI, guiding her along the way.

Max Tucker - I hope they serve beer in hell

Max Tucker - I hope they serve beer in hell

(en, 2006, 267pg)

I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell is a freaking hilariously great book. Anyone who has a strong stomach and loves seeing a man’s disgusting lifestyle exposed for everyone else's amusement: Go out and read this book! You will literally laugh until you’re in extreme amounts of agonizing pain, crying tears of freaking hilarity, while not being able to catch your breath.

It’s that damn awesome of a silly read. Tucker’s adventures with rednecks, military assassins, and conversations with gay men about post-operations are hysterical, but very gross. This book was like a train wreck for me: It was so freaking horrible, but I couldn’t look away.

Tucker Max is indeed an asshole, dickhead, and a genuine shit bag, and he’s bluntly honest about his very flawed and screwed up life, which makes him oddly likable as a person. Go figure. That is, if your one of the few people who is actually able to include him in the human category or sub-category…most people would classify him as parasite, including my own mother when I told her about this book. (Source)

Robert A. Heinlein - Luna e o doamnă crudă

Robert A. Heinlein - Luna e o doamnă crudă

(1965, ro, 789pg)

„Luna e o doamna cruda” e o nuvela stiintifico-fantastica scrisa, in 1966, de scriitorul american Robert A. Heinlein. Are ca subiect revolta coloniilor lunare impotriva Pamantului. Nuvela pune in discutie diverse idei liberale ce sunt prezentate intr-un context speculativ.

Intriga povestirii contine 3 elemente ce contribuie la statutul ei de lucrare unica de science-fiction. Primul element e revolutia, unul dintre fundalurile excelente pentru orice opera de arta si care permite oportunitati multiple de a oferi cititorului emotiile fundamentale ale omului. Cel de al doilea element e abordarea subiectului Inteligentei Artificiale, dar intr-o maniera tulburatoare si profunda. Iar ultimul element e descrierea unui viitor posibil, dar care ar fi imposibil de comunicat daca nu ar exista cunostintele si expertizele tehnice ale lui Heinlein. Luat pe cont propriu, oricare dintre aceste elemente nu ar fi decat o simpla repetare a unor idei deja uzate de multi scriitori. (Sursa: descopera.org)

Nick Begich - Angels Don't Play This Haarp: Advances in Tesla Technology

Nick Begich - Angels Don't Play This Haarp: Advances in Tesla Technology

(en, 2004, 221pg)

From a rural location in Alaska, controlled by "Big Oil", the US government is blasting billions of watts of high frequency microwave energy at our protective ionospheric shell which surrounds the earth. Their offical reason is "to see what it does". Several acres of Alaskan land have been dedicated to the construction of the HAARP array (you can actually find a picture of it online...)but it's real purpose runs from the practical (earth tomography (X-ray the earth to look for enemy submarines and secret underground bases)) through the hard to believe (transmission of electrical power without wires (Tesla's idea) through the insane (the complete disruption of global communications and mucking with weather patterns by shifting the jet stream).

This book is so well documented, often citing documents published by the US government itself, that it is absolutely convincing and frightening.

(Amazon, 15$)

David Duke - Jewish Supremacism

David Duke - Jewish Supremacism

(en, 368pg, 2007)

I promise that this book will challenge you. Its amazing documentary evidence will confront some of your most cherished beliefs.

If you can put aside as best you can the prejudices you may have on this subject and even preconceptions you might have about me personally — you can more fairly evaluate the ideas and evidence in this book. That is all an author can ask of his reader; and I ask it of you. It is my earnest belief that if you endeavor to keep an open mind, what you read will surprise you.

The real power of this book comes from its documentation from major sources. In fact, you will quickly discover that most of my documents about Jewish Supremacism are from Jewish sources. They argue more convincingly for my point of view than anything I could write. I encourage you to go to the sources that I quote and check them out for yourself. In this book I take you along with me on a fascinating journey of discovery in a forbidden subject. I urge you to courageously keep an open mind while you explore the topics ahead, for that is the only way any of us can find the truth.

(http://shop.davidduke.com/cgi-bin/dukecat2/00061.html, 30€)

Frank Herbert & Bill Ransom - Pandora 3, Factorul Înălţare

Frank Herbert & Bill Ransom - Pandora 3, Factorul Înălţare

(702pg, ro, 1983)

Pandora. Factorul Inaltare este ultima parte din Trilogia Pandora.


Pandora si desertica Dune, desi atat de diferite, se aseamana totusi intr-o privinta: lupta pentru supravietuire. Societatea este sfasiata de un conflict coplesitor, la finele caruia o asteapta fie transformarea benefica, fie pieirea.


Principalii actori ai acestei drame grandioase sunt sadicul dictator Raja-Flattery, anarhicele fantome, cu existenta incerta, si fermecatoarea Gally, mult asteptata mantuitoare. Omenirea cucerise stelele si imblanzise nenumarate planete. Acum, prin ultimii sai reprezentanti, se avanta din nou spre cer. Insa, de data aceasta, omul nu pleaca singur...

Kelly Fisher Lowe - The Words and Music of Frank Zappa

Kelly Fisher Lowe - The Words and Music of Frank Zappa

(280pg, en, 2007)

The Words and Music of Frank Zappa moves beyond the details of Frank Zappa’s life (1940–93) toward a focused treatment of the rock and pop songs of this great American composer. Today Zappa’s music can be appreciated as a whole, emerging as a coherent, thoughtful, and innovative—if somewhat daunting—body of work. Author Kelly Fisher Lowe has left no aspect of that work unexamined, from Zappa’s role as a satirist of the highest order to his place in the genre of “progressive rock” and his importance as an influential critic of American culture and society.

The volume begins with discussions of Zappa's role as a satirist and his musical style, then proceeds to an in-depth examination of his albums. Through this extended engagement with Zappa’s music, a surprisingly clear perspective on his personal views emerges, shedding light on his treatment of such topics as the falsified notion of love in popular culture, the compromising influence of money on popular music, and the concept of freedom in a systematized society. The book includes an official discography and an up-to-date bibliographic essay.

(University of Nebraska - 19$)

Tatsu Takeuchi - An Illustrated Guide to Relativity

Tatsu Takeuchi - An Illustrated Guide to Relativity

(2010, en, 263pg)

Aimed at both physics students and non-science majors, this unique book explains Einstein’s special theory of relativity pictorially, using diagrams rather than equations. The diagrams guide the reader, step-by-step, from the basics of relativity to advanced topics including the addition of velocities, Lorentz contraction, time dilation, the twin paradox, Doppler shift, and Einstein’s famous equation E=mc². The distinctive figures throughout the book enable the reader to visualize the theory in a way that cannot be fully conveyed through equations alone. The illustrative explanations in this book maintain the logic and rigour necessary for physics students, yet are simple enough to be understood by non-scientists. The book also contains entertaining problems which challenge the reader’s understanding of the materials covered.

Philip K Dick - Ubik

Philip K.Dick - Ubik

(403pg, ro, 1969)

Ubik este o poveste fascinanta, in care timpul regreseaza, mortii viseaza viii, iar un neutralizator de telepati se imbarca intr-o misiune... la capatul realitatii, al vietii si al mortii.

Criogenie, deriva temporala... dificultatea lecturii poate fi depasita pentru a plonja in meandrele unei fantezii cat se poate de logice.

Frank Herbert - Pandora 2, Efectul Lazăr

Frank Herbert & Bill Ransom - Pandora 2, Efectul Lazăr

(789pg, ro, 1983)

Raja Flattery, un preot-psihiatru a contribuit decisiv la dezvoltarea unei vaste constiinte artificiale – nava – menite sa conduca omenirea catre stele. Dar nava isi faureste propriul ei destin demiurgic. Astfel, Raja va fi trezit din somnul criogenic pentru a-si asuma rolul mantuitorului si pentru a participa la ultimul si etern repetatul act al evolutiei umane: adorarea navei, adorarea unui creator...

(nemira.ro, 21 ron)