My son, Kid Zoom, turned 17 yesterday. I'd had no idea what to get him for his birthday, so last weekend I asked him what he'd like. His answer kind of blew me away, because what 17-year-old would ever say, "How about you give me a stack of books that you think it's absolutely essential for me to read"?
I read a lot of books, but keep very few. The following passed muster with my 20-year-old daughter, who's a bit Kid Zoomish herself:
For high-end lulz: Voltaire&#039;s <i>Candide.</i> Deep sci-fi fantasy: Gene Wolf, <i>&quot;The Shadow of the Torturer&quot;</i> (first in a series.) Science: Neil Shubin, <i>Your Inner Fish.</i> Philosophy: Lucretius, <i> De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things)</i> was important enough to Thomas Jefferson that he owned eight copies in four languages. You&#039;ll find the roots of the Declaration of Independence here. (The &quot;pursuit of happiness&quot; wasn&#039;t always approved of... and still isn&#039;t, in some circles.)
If he starts writing here again, we may be witnesses to the birth of a dynasty. Will Kid Zoom be the C.P.E. Bach to Dok&#039;s J.S., moving snark from its baroque roots to a more sensitive style? Or the P.D. Q. ?
Quite the complete liberal&#039;s library here. (And a Christofascist &quot;burn list&quot;.)
Dok, you&#039;ve raised The Kid right. Someday, he&#039;s gonna be an awesome President of the World. Happy birthday [future] Mr. President!
I read a lot of books, but keep very few. The following passed muster with my 20-year-old daughter, who&#039;s a bit Kid Zoomish herself:
For high-end lulz: Voltaire&#039;s <i>Candide.</i> Deep sci-fi fantasy: Gene Wolf, <i>&quot;The Shadow of the Torturer&quot;</i> (first in a series.) Science: Neil Shubin, <i>Your Inner Fish.</i> Philosophy: Lucretius, <i> De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things)</i> was important enough to Thomas Jefferson that he owned eight copies in four languages. You&#039;ll find the roots of the Declaration of Independence here. (The &quot;pursuit of happiness&quot; wasn&#039;t always approved of... and still isn&#039;t, in some circles.)
Oh, and anything by Faulkner.
I try to get old without ageing. Am I doing it wrong?
You should get Kid Zoom the annotated Wonket Award Winning Comments (first edition)
I hear there&#039;s some real good stuff in it
If he starts writing here again, we may be witnesses to the birth of a dynasty. Will Kid Zoom be the C.P.E. Bach to Dok&#039;s J.S., moving snark from its baroque roots to a more sensitive style? Or the P.D. Q. ?