Category Archives: Books and Reading

I, too, grew up in Germany in the 1980s

Catapult: Children of ‘The Cloud’ and Major Tom: Growing Up in the ’80s Under the German Sky. “In the sky you could watch history happen as though on the world’s most massive TV, and history’s wreckage could rain down on you at the park with your friends.”

Even though I’m about five years older than the author, many of his descriptions reminded me of my childhood experiences.

Link via MetaFilter.

Stephen Hawking has passed away

NPR The Two-Way: Stephen Hawking, Who Awed Both Scientists And The Public, Dies.

“There aren’t very many scientists who achieved rock-star status. Stephen Hawking, who has died at the age of 76, family members told British media early Wednesday, was definitely a contender.

“He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years,” the family statement said, according to The Guardian. “His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world. He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him for ever.””

Link via Garret.

Many more links and stories about Hawking in this MetaFilter thread: A brief history of a man.

I read his most famous book “A Brief History of Time” (Eine kurze Geschichte der Zeit) years ago, but think I’ll re-read it now.

“Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to take you down to the bridge.”

The Guardian: Don’t panic! The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is back. “It’s the biggest thing to happen to the universe since the Vogons blew up Earth. Our writer grabs a babelfish and goes behind the scenes as the space satire returns.”

“The original cast has been reunited to record a new radio series of the intergalactic comedy that, from small beginnings in 1978 on Radio 4, grew into a juggernaut that spawned a TV series, a Disney film, a much-loved series of books, several stage shows and even a video game.
[…]
The new series combines unpublished material, dug out of Adams’ notebooks by archivist and superfan Kevin Jon Davies, and newer plotlines drawn from And Another Thing, Eoin Colfer’s book continuing the saga, which was commissioned by the Adams estate after the author’s sudden death at the age of just 49 in 2001.”

I’ve read the four-part trilogy and enjoyed the original radio play. Looking very forward to this!

Link via MetaFilter.

Der “Papa” des Sams

Mensch Otto – Mensch Theile: Mensch, Otto! – Mensch, Theile!
Paul Maar, Kinderbuchautor. (Podcast, 39min)

“Ein Pferd, mehr Taschengeld oder dass die Eltern sich wieder versöhnen: Kinderbuchautor Paul Maar kennt die Wünsche von Kindern und weiß, was sie fühlen und denken. Seit über einem halben Jahrhundert begeistert er Kinder mit seinen Büchern – rund 100 sind es mittlerweile. Seine berühmteste Figur: Das Sams. Paul Maar bekommt fast täglich Briefe von seinen kleinen Fans, die er handschriftlich beantwortet. […] Maar will Kinder unterhalten und sie natürlich fürs Lesen begeistern. Aber er will sie auch stark machen und ihnen Selbstvertrauen geben.”