\u201cDistancing, the pulling back from \u2018reality\u2019 in order to see it better, is perhaps the essential gesture of [science fiction]. It is by distancing that [science fiction] achieves aesthetic joy, tragic tension, and moral cogency.\u201d – Ursula K. LeGuin<\/p>\n
It\u2019s time for a date \u2013 a real date during the month of Valentine\u2019s Day and during the era of social distancing \u2013 it\u2019s time for our annual Blind Date with a Book. Each staff member has picked out some of their favorite books. Most of the ones I picked are Science Fiction, or affectionately called SciFi.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t let the genre of SciFi intimidate you. You may actually find the stories to be a wonderful escape into imaginary worlds and situations, and surprisingly thought-provoking. Perhaps when my mom first read Dr Seuss\u2019s Horton Hears a Who<\/em> to me the seed (pun intended) for a lifelong passion for SciFi was planted. Dr. Seuss used a Microscopic world to encourage us to look at how we deal with people who are different from ourselves. What a great introduction to the world of SciFi.<\/p>\n You may not have liked Star Trek \u2013 too farfetched.\u00a0 But, I bet many of you remember the Jetson\u2019s.\u00a0 They lived 100 years in the future \u2013 when there were things like smart homes and video calls. Impossible!\u00a0 Hmmmm, anyone heard of video chatting, programmable crock pots, talking refrigerators? Go figure. And which came first? Star Trek or reality? Star Trek\u2019s world of fantasy has, in many cases, become a reality \u2013 from CAT scans and smartphones to 3D printers. I wonder if today\u2019s inventors were, at one time, kids hooked on SciFi? I am still waiting for my meal to appear out of thin air.<\/p>\n SciFi authors, are often the visionaries of a different tomorrow. They write about fantastical worlds that could exist one day – for better or for worse – depending upon the decisions we make today. Every action in their worlds causes some type of reaction. Their fantasy often serves as a strong reminder that every word we speak, every action we take, can change our world.<\/p>\n SciFi asks us to look deeper and ponder things that we\u2019ve often never thought about. Some of my favorites include:<\/p>\n So, let me encourage you to take a look at our collection of SciFi books or ask me for a recommendation.\u00a0 You may just discover that SciFi is something you find interesting and engaging. And it may very well prove to be one of your most memorable blind dates ever!\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cDistancing, the pulling back from \u2018reality\u2019 in order to see it better, is perhaps the essential gesture of [science fiction]. It is by distancing that [science fiction] achieves aesthetic joy, tragic tension, and moral cogency.\u201d – Ursula K. LeGuin It\u2019s time for a date \u2013 a real date during the month of Valentine\u2019s Day and…<\/span><\/p>\n\n