Thumbing Through Yesterday

Stranger in a Strange Land is perhaps R.A. Heinlein's most iconic novel. It's the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human baby born on Mars, raised by Martians, and returned to Earth as a young man. Possessed of superhuman abilities and a completely alien worldview, Smith struggles to understand our bizarre customs. Revisiting this after so many years was quite an experience for both Tony and Tom.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is a classic of science fiction. What happens when Charlie Gordon, a man with an intellectual disability, receives experimental surgery that grants him extraordinary intelligence? And what happens if it doesn't last? Flowers for Algernon exists in two forms, the original short story and an expanded novel. We cover both versions, exploring what each version gains and loses. If you've never read Flowers before, get ready for a real gut punch of a story!TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Contact is the only science fiction novel by Pulitzer Prize winner and renowned science communicator Carl Sagan. Through Ellie Arroway, a radio astronomer who discovers a radio signal from an extraterrestrial intelligence, Sagan draws us into humanity’s effort to decipher a message that could change everything. How does Sagan's scientific background translate into science fiction? Join us and see!TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Redshirts by John Scalzi is Tom's pick this time around. Although we both agree that Scalzi has written better, this is a fun book, more than a parody, that tickles Tom's sense of nostalgia. What happens when the red shirts became self-aware of their role? Can they find a way to fight back? Scalzi explores this with a depth and meta-awareness that really transcends simple satire. Every die-hard Trekkie should read this book! TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Tony has repeatedly claimed that Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang is "the best collection of single-author shorts ever." We decided to put that claim to the test! Chiang has an amazing collection here, replete with Big Ideas, each of which gets explored in depth. All eight stories are remarkable, and neither of us could decide on a single favorite. Maybe you can help us choose?TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

The Adolescence of P-1 by Thomas J. Ryan is Tom's pick. This was a hard book to find! It's a fantastic early look at the idea of a sentient AI, and the first ever written at a time when such a thing was plausible. Ryan effectively invents the idea of a computer virus years before the term was ever used, and his exploration of the costs and consequences of sharing our world with an emergent intelligence is insightful and thorough. Plus, if you learned computing on a mainframe computer, the nostalgia factor is through the roof!TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori is Tony's choice this time, and our first venture into manga. We read the first two volumes, and to say the artwork is breathtaking is an understatement. The story is delightful, the characters are charming, and the whole experience is something special. Join us as we journey into this remarkable tale.TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Reave the Just and Other Tales by Stephen R. Donaldson is Tom's pick. Donaldson has given us two collections of "short" stories so far, this being the 2nd. The book gathers 8 novellas, mostly fantasy, that showcase Donaldson's range and formidable worldbuilding. Not that either is in doubt! Join us as we explore the volume that won the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection in 2000.TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar is Tony's pick this week and continues his recent theme of stories with unexpected turns. A first read for Tom, the story follows 17-year-old Alton Richards as he assists his blind uncle in competetive bridge tournaments. There's a lot of family intrigue, some incredibly exciting bridge play, and a surprising helping of the supernatural involved.TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert Heinlein is Tom's pick this week. A Heinlein that, perhaps, has not held up as well as we would have liked. Tom picked it because it’s about as close as Heinlein ever came to writing a sequel to The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells is Tony's pick, and a first read for Tom. What happens when John Cleaver, a troubled teen determined not to yield to his dark impulses, stumbles across a serial killer operating in his neighborhood? Let's just say that this one takes a pretty radical left turn partway through!TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is a fun, standalone adventure set in her Vorkosigan Saga universe. It's a story of corporate greed, shady ethics, genetic engineering, and a little moral piracy. A first read for Tony, Tom was delighted to revisit this one!TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

William Gibson's Burning Chrome is a collection of his early cyberpunk short stories, and a favorite of Tony's. Or is it? Does this book, and its revolutionary vision of a tech-impregnated future, survive the passage of the decades? Regardless, there are some gems in its pages.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle is one of Tom's favorites. In it, Tim Hamner, an amateur astronomer, discovers a new comet! How exciting! Until his comet, "the hammer," actually hits Earth. The story turns survivalist, and then post-apocalyptic. With a wide range of characters and myriad intertwined storylines, Lucifer's Hammer is both a fun and complex read. So how does a story about cometary impact written in 1978 hold up in the 21st century? Let's find out!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card is Tony's pick, and a first-read for Tom. This is one of those quietly unsettling novels that sneaks up on you. It starts out grounded, domestic, almost ordinary — a young family trying to navigate work, school, faith, and a son who doesn’t quite fit in. But as the pages turn, a slow, uneasy strangeness settles over everything, and the story becomes something far more haunting than it first appears.TTYPodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke is pure, distilled classic science fiction — wide-eyed wonder, cool-headed astronauts, and mysteries big enough to swallow a planet. This one looms large in both Tom and Tony’s memories as the benchmark for hard sci-fi done right.A giant alien cylinder drifts into our solar system. Humanity pokes its nose inside. What we find is both awe-inspiring and maddeningly enigmatic. Clarke gives us a story that stops short of first contact… and somehow that makes it even better.And are there parallels to the imaginings of Clarke and the reality of 3I/Atlas, the interstellar visiter even now approaching the Earth IRL? Join us and find out!TTYPodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is a favorite of both Tom and Tony, and a real page-turner. Dinosaurs run amok in the 20th century... what's not to love? Join as as we scale the heights and plumb the depths of this fantastic story, and of course, poke fun at the things the film definitely got wrong. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Conan the Barbarian is Robert E. Howard’s iconic swordslinger, the gold standard of sword-and-sorcery heroes. It’s hard to imagine a more quintessentially pulpy world than the one where Conan makes his living with steely thews, panther-like reflexes, and a well-documented appreciation for fair-skinned women in diaphanous gowns. Young Tom kept these books on his shelf—dog-eared, tattered, and worn thin from countless rereadings. But will the tales still enchant young-at-heart Tom the same way today? Let’s find out.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Among Others by Jo Walton is Tony's pick for this episode. This is the first Walton we've featured, which seems like a terrible oversight. What happens when you're a 15-year-old who lost your twin sister while stopping your insane witch mother from taking over the world? You run away, end up in a boarding school, and lose yourself in science fiction novels. At least, while the fairies don't need you.

In Conquest Born is the first novel by C.S.Friedman, one of Tom's favorite authors, and marks her fantastic appearance in the realm of published sci-fi. There are so many Big Ideas crammed into this book that it's hard to give a meaningful summary, but suffice to say it's mighty fine space opera.

Marooned in Realtime is Tony's pick, and wraps up our Vinge Binge for now. A first read for Tom, this is a direct sequel to The Peace War, set a mere 50 million years after those events. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft is Tom's choice this time. Mountains is perhaps the most objective look into Lovecraft's universe of cosmic horror. When an Antarctic expedition from Miskatonic University discovers the remains of a sprawling alien civilization from pre-Cambrian times, what horrors will be unearthed? It's best we hope never to find out!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge is the (pre) sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep, which we visited in episode 91. Although a first read, Tom chose this because he couldn't bear to abandon Vinge's Qeng Ho series. And what a worthy prequel! Typical Vinge, with lots of Big Ideas, compelling plots, and characters he clearly wants you to like.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg is Tony's pick this time. A lengthy science fantasy tome, it follows the adventures of Valentine, an amnesiac juggler, as he uncovers the mystery of his identity and his destiny. The first novel in the Majipoor series, this was quite a read!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Peace War, by Vernor Vinge, is a favorite that Tom hasn't revisited in decades. Talk about dusting off a long-forgotten classic! Turns out that "forgotten" really applies in this case. Other than bobbles, neither of us remembered much about this book. But what a fun read!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Podkayne of Mars is one of Robert Heinlein's juvenile series and Tony's pick for this episode. Join us as we explore Heinlein’s take on growing up in the stars, the clash between idealism and cynicism, and whether this “juvenile” novel has more bite than expected. Is Podkayne a proto-feminist hero or a relic of her author’s era? And what’s up with that ending?TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lord of the Flies, the debut novel of William Golding, is something you probably encoutered in grade school. Tom did, and it stuck with him over the decades. Join us as we visit this iconic vision of youth gone wild! TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis is Tony’s pick this time around, and definitely not Tom’s usual fare. This insider look at the world of 1980s Wall Street is fast-paced, brash, and unapologetically chaotic. Lewis takes us deep into the bond trading boom, where arrogance and ambition collide in a game that’s part strategy, part swagger. Did Tom survive the ride? Tune in and see.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Moby Dick by Herman Melville is Tom’s pick for this episode, and let’s just say… the whale wasn’t the only one dragging. Tony hadn’t read it since his English Lit days and didn’t make it to the end this time, while Tom powered through on deadline. The result? Probably not our most polished review, but a fun and honest one nonetheless. Join us as we harpoon what we can from this literary leviathan.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge is Tony’s pick this time; a long-time favorite of his and a first read for Tom. And wow… mind blown. From galaxy-spanning civilizations to pack-mind aliens and zones of thought, this book throws big ideas at you from page one and never lets up. Join us as we explore one of the most ambitious space operas ever written.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Dream Park by Larry Niven & Steven Barnes is Tom’s pick this time around, a favorite from his high school days. What brought it back to mind? A parody of the Beatles’ Norwegian Wood, of all things. (Yes, he still sings it.) This early blend of LARPing, sci-fi, and mystery takes us into a futuristic amusement park where the games are immersive, the stakes are high, and the lines between play and reality blur fast. Does it hold up? Join us and find out!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Magicians by Lev Grossman is Tony's pick this time, the first of a trilogy about some of the worst people you'll ever encounter. Brilliant, bitter, and brimming with magic, this book asks what happens when power isn’t given to heroes… but to real, damaged, deeply flawed humans. A tough read for Tom, this one made both hosts ask: What happens when you strip fantasy of its wonder and fill it with people you wouldn’t want to share an elevator with?TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton is Tom's pick. Is it really "the least Crichtony Crichton novel?" Maybe. But both Tom and Tony love this, Crichton's response to a dare to make the epic poem Beowulf entertaining. Does he succeed? Not, perhaps, in the way you might expect.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling is Tony's pick this time around. The third book in the series, this one shows a depth and complexity that was missing from the first two. Plus, we begin to dance with some actual darkness. A first read for Tom, Azkaban starts to explore some of the potential the earlier books ignored.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

On The Beach by Nevil Shute is an early,chilling tale of nuclear warning. After just 30 days of missles and bombs, the entire northern hemisphere is irradiated and lifeless. Radioactive dust drifts slowly south... and the rest of the world waits to die. A first read for Tony, this hauntingly beautiful and depressing book is a favorite of Tom's. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is a mind-bending blend of historical fiction and fantasy, where 20th-century scholar Brendan Doyle is unexpectedly transported back to 19th-century London. Amid a world of magic, time travel, and intrigue, Doyle must navigate a city brimming with strange powers and dangerous figures, all while trying to survive and find a way back to his own time. A favorite of Tony, Tom loved his first trip through this convoluted story. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Good Shepherd by CS Forester is a thrilling, tension-packed story set during WWII. Commander George Krause heads a 4-ship defense force escorting a convoy of 37 unarmed merchant ships across the Atlantic. They run afoul of a German submarine wolf pack, and are harried for days as Krause struggles to save both ships and lives for the Allies. A first-read for Tony, Tom loves this action-pack adventure. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Roger Zelazny's Roadmarks is a bizarre book about time travel. And magic. And dragons. And sentient AI. And cars. And dinosaurs. A favorite of Tony's, this is a first-read for Tom. What an adventure! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is one of Phillip K. Dick's best-known novels, and the basis for the Bladerunner film franchise. Tom loves this book, but what's Tony's take? And how do the big ideas from 1968 hold up in the 21st century? TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut is probably his best-known novel, a quasi-autobiographical account of the fire-bombing of Dresden mixed with a typically bizarre tale of alien abductions and time travel. What's not to like? TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Watchmen by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins, is one of the finest graphics novels ever made. Perhaps the best? A favorite to both Tony & Tom, revisiting this was an absolute joy! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Legacy of Heorot by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Steven Barnes, is Tony's pick this time around, a book that is also on Tom's list. We had very different experiences, revisiting this old friend! TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com#larryniven #jerrypournelle #stevenbarnes #nivenpournellebarnes #thelegacyofheorot #grendel #samlon #beowulf #thumbingthroughyesterday #podcast #books #scifi #scifibooks

Who Goes Here? by Bob Shaw is a quirky Sci-Fi adventure. Our protagonist, Warren Peace (yes, Warren Peace!) awakens in a doctor's office with literally no memory of who he is, why he's there, or anything about himself. The memory erasure is a "perk" of having enlisted in the Space Legion. Warren quickly realizes that the only way to survive is to regain his lost memory and flee the Legion. It's a fun tale, with a number of surprises and an unexpectedly complex plot. A favorite of Tom's, Tony had never heard of it before. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com#bobshaw #whogoeshere #oscars #spacelegion #savoryshrimpsauce #thumbingthroughyesterday #podcast #books #scifi #scifibooks

Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a Hugo Award-wining novel that Tony loves and Tom hasn't read before. It's structured like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but in space! Full of big ideas and complex characters, this book is a deep dive into an astoundingly well-built future. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne is often regarded as a classic of early science fiction, but is it any good? Tom has fond memories of reading this as a child, but what happens when we revisit this book so many decades later? TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Robert Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky kicks off our 4th year of continuous podcasting. One of Heinlein's juvenille series, this is a fast-paced page-turner about a group of high school students accidentally marooned on an alien world, left to survive on their own. One of Tony's favorites, this was a first-read for Tom.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

This episode, we talk a bit about making Thumbing Through Yesterday. No novel to discuss, just an exploration of the podcast itself. Why did we start it? How successful is it? What have we learned? What are its secrets? TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Michael Moorcock's Elric saga is one of the most influential bodies of work in early fantasy. Elric, the titular character, is the last emporer of a waning empire, one founded on sorcery, dragons, and cruelty. This novel, ELric of Melnibone, is actually a prequel, exploring Elric's origins, and his aquisition of the legenrady runeblade, Stormbringer. A favorite of Toms back when it was new, this is a first-read for Tony.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Arcadia by Tom Stoppard is a little bit of a deviation, being a play script instead of a novel. Still, it's a fascinating read, showcasing Stoppard's wit and esoteric bent. A favorite of Tony's, this is a new experience for Tom. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is one of his best novels, a story about the nobility of war. Or is it about the futility of war? It depends on whether you ask Tom or Tony! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com