Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!liverpool.ac.UK!KPURCELL
From: KPURCELL@liverpool.ac.UK (Kevin 'fractal' Purcell)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: A Futures Reading List: request for submissions
Message-ID: <9002112215.AA07264@encore.encore.com>
Date: 11 Feb 90 21:50:06 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
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Hi there,

After reading a few "futurist" books I came to the conclusion that there
must be some way of coming to the futures literature in a less haphasard
manner than looking on the shelves of the local bookstore.

I have expeienced this problem three times before: once in relation to
classical music (how do you sort out all the recordings, composers and
pieces in the record stores?), science fiction and "literature" (for
want of a better word). In the former case, the Penguin Guide to Records
and CDs was most helpful, combined with a couple of texts on the
evolution of music. For both the SF and classical literature I found the
Bloomsbury Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy and the Bloomsbury Good
Reading Guide. Both give a good grounding in the subject by bringing
together descriptions of the writers, thier biographies, and their major
works together with listings of books in similar genres or tackling a
similar topic.

So far I have found nothing for futurist writings. Hence this
communication.

I would like to assemble a list of authors, books and topics of interest
to the readers of this list. You could assist me by sending me your
ideas, suggestions and pointers to the literature.

Both non-fiction (for example, Future Shock by Alvin Toffler or Mind
Children by Hans Morevec) and fiction (for example, Wetware by Rudy
Rucker or Neuromancer by William Gibson) and books that talk about
futurism itself. Other forms of media might also be well worth looking
at (films, for example).

Summaries of major contributing authors would be most welcome.

I will post a digested version back to the net, for comments, additions and
cross-references. In this way we could iterate to a very useful document that
may help others find their way into thinking about the future in a
constructive way.

All assistance is welcome. Is anybody willing to act as a forwarding
station (preferably non-.uucp as we have to pay for the  transAtlantic
link via ukc!) for those that have problems mailing to the UK.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Kevin 'fractal' Purcell          "The people who make the changes are the
kpurcell @ liverpool.ac.uk        people who have the knowledge"
Surface Science                              James Burke, "Connections"
Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK