h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Neal Stephenson - Author - A2286001
Author: DudleySmith - U573323

I've concentrated more on the bibliography than biographical information. Thoughts?

Nice entry. Nicely written.

Though I must say that I'm surprised at the absence of the Stephen Bury books. If you don't know (I'd be amazed if you didn't though) Neal and his uncle wrote two books together using the name Stephen Bury as a pseudonym. The books are Interface and The Cobweb. Neal's distinctive voice isn't quite so strong in those books, but they must be worth a mention, I think.

Also, if you aren't including any biography elements, then it might be better to rename the entry to The Books of Neal Stephenson, or something along those lines.


Geggs

Thanks for your feedback, Geggs. I had forgotten about the Bury novels. I've now added them to the entry, and renamed it as you suggest.

Nicely done.

I really must get around to buying Quicksilver. Can't believe that I haven't yet.


Geggs

Yay! Neal Stephenson! Probably one of my favourite authors.

Good article, but some points:

"Interface" and "Cobweb" are out of order with the rest of the books - it would probably be better if they were inserted along with the rest of his non-Bury books, or listed at the end under a separate heading (e.g. 'Books written under the name Stephen Bury')

I'd probably have put 'professional asshole' in quotes, but that's a matter of style.

The Diamond Age isn't just about a 6-year-old Nell - perhaps it's worth mentioning that she grows up during the book. And yes, it's probably my favourite Stephenson as well

In 'Cryptonomicon', isn't it the Reimann Zeta Function rather than Rheimann? Nitpicking, I know.

Finally, under Quicksilver, the spelling is Qwghlm - easily done

Apart from these points, great article - look forward to seeing this in the Edited Guide (as I'm sure it will end up there)

Thanks for your feedback, stjarna.

I want to keep a consistent style, so I'll reorder the books in publishing date. The Big U is first, then Interface, then Cobweb. Is that correct?

Re: Nell, I mentioned that the book spanned more than a decade and that the central character was a 6 year old girl called Nell, thinking that would indicate her growing up. I'll make it more explicit.

Checking up, we're both wrong about the zeta function. Apparently it's Riemann.

And thanks for the correction on Qwghlm. I didn't have the book to hand and it isn't easy to remember off-hand!

I think that's the right order!

I can't think of anything that you might need to change or add now - More detail on the books themselves could end up making the entry a bit on the long side.

Hope to see this in the EG soon!

I was thinking about this entry while I was lying in bed this morning (could someone please supply me with a life? Much obliged).

I remember once seeing a webpage this might be Neal Stephenson's. IF it's not him then it sounds a lot like him. It's here: http://www.well.com/user/neal/

I also remembered that he is the only author who has has a short story published in Time Magazine. They were doing an issue on web tech and cyberspace and whatnot, and asked Neal to write something as an endnote. I actually read the thing at the time, though I don't possess the mag as it was a resident in my Dentist's waiting room. After a little hunting around, I think it can be found at http://web.gmu.edu/bcox/Outlaws/SimoleonCaper.html though I can't be sure as the firewall on my work PC won't let me access the page. I found it through this page http://www.filmdiva.com/mrd/diamondage/stephen.htm if it's of any use.

Don't whether you want to use any of this stuff, but I thought I'd mention it.


Geggs

I've read several articles by him. There's an absolute mighty tract in Wired about undersea cables. It's really informative, and very funny. I still chuckle about his definition of Dr Wildman Whitehouse.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.12/ffglass.html?pg=1

He also had a very good idea about a kind of global neighbourhood watch involving people checking other people's webcams whilst they were asleep to make sure nobody was skulking about. But it didn't work - due, as far as I can make out, because of the eternal non-altruism of modern man.

Apologies, I do not have, and have never had, a life.

I've read several articles by Stephenson. There's an absolute mighty tract in Wired about undersea cables. It's really informative, and very funny. I still chuckle about his definition of Dr Wildman Whitehouse.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.12/ffglass.html?pg=1

He also had a very good idea about a kind of global neighbourhood watch involving people checking other people's webcams whilst they were asleep to make sure nobody was skulking about. But it didn't work - due, as far as I can make out, because of the eternal non-altruism of modern man.

EDIT: Here's the description of Whitehouse:

"The Victorian era was an age of superlatives and larger-than-life characters, and as far as that goes, Dr. Wildman Whitehouse fit right in: what Victoria was to monarchs, Dickens to novelists, Burton to explorers, Robert E. Lee to generals, Dr. Wildman Whitehouse was to assholes. He achieved a level of pure accomplishment in this field that the Alfonse D'Amatos of our time can only dream of. The only 19th-century figure who even comes close to him in this department is Custer. In any case, Dr. Edward Orange Wildman Whitehouse fancied himself something of an expert on electricity. His rival was William Thomson, 10 years younger, a professor of natural philosophy at Glasgow University who was infatuated with Fourier analysis, a new and extremely powerful tool that happened to be perfectly suited to the problem of how to send electrical pulses down long submarine cables. "

Another terrific article by NTS that has actually been published in book form is called 'In the beginning...was the command line.' It's about the history of computing, his take on the present, and his thoughts on the future. Available at most chain bookstores / websites.

...and not to mention entirely free on his website:

http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html

I like this. I wish you’d use more dates for when each of the books was released, but it’s not a major issue.

Good luck

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Well done!

Definately well deserved.


Geggs

Wow! Thanks

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0380815931/102-4953513-3905760?v=glance