Buffistas

Now I did a job. I got nothing but trouble since I did it, not to mention more than a few unkind words as regard to my character so let me make this abundantly clear. I do the job. And then I get paid.

Mal ,'Serenity'

Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.

Discussion Threads

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."

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Noumenon - Nov 15, 2008 7:17:13 am PST #7908 of 28414

No other candidate is asking the hard questions, like "Did geophysicists assassinate Jim Henson?" or "Why is there hydrogen in America's water supply?" --defective yeti

Also? What IS with naming fictional whales after the penis?

It can be done the other way around, too. It was the Pinocchio movie that first inspired me to name mine Monstro.

Anyway, I came around to ask the hive mind or whatever you're calling it these days if anyone has ever read a book about "noens." They were little telepathic glowing lights. The children saw them out their plane window and the noens came to their dining room and took them away to another planet, and that's all I remember. Google knows nothing.

sj - Nov 15, 2008 8:56:18 am PST #7909 of 28414

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

This may be a stupid question, but is there an easy way to tell if a science book geared toward adults is appropriate for a 7th grader? He is probably reading on the 9th grade level, but I don't want to get anything that is too over his head theory-wise.

Hil R. - Nov 15, 2008 8:58:21 am PST #7910 of 28414

Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

What book, sj? I'd guess that most pop-science books would probably be OK, but ones geared toward a scientific audience probably wouldn't be.

sj - Nov 15, 2008 9:06:41 am PST #7911 of 28414

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

I don't have a specific book in mind. I just want to get something for my nephew that isn't a gameboy game and he loves science. I'd be happy to take suggestions.

Barb - Nov 15, 2008 9:25:15 am PST #7912 of 28414

“Not dead yet!”

sj, why don't you check out the Simon Basher books: [link]

Abby has the physics and periodic table books and loves them, they're a lot of fun. (She's in sixth grade, BTW)

Hil R. - Nov 15, 2008 9:51:53 am PST #7913 of 28414

Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

I'd also recommend Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feinman to any science-loving middle-school kid. Or high school kid or adult, for that matter.

sj - Nov 15, 2008 12:47:31 pm PST #7914 of 28414

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

Thanks, Barb and Hil! Those are wonderful suggestions. The older nephew is a wonderfully bright math and science geek. Which I love to encourage, but they are very much not my subjects. The younger one loves stories of all kind and craft projects which are so much easier for me.

Typo Boy - Nov 15, 2008 1:32:02 pm PST #7915 of 28414

Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.

Noumenon, can't answer your question, but good to see your electrons.

meara - Nov 15, 2008 1:55:19 pm PST #7916 of 28414

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman

Oh, TOTALLY!!! I loooved this book. He's so interesting, both in his personal and scientific lives.

Hil R. - Nov 15, 2008 2:03:07 pm PST #7917 of 28414

Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

It also amuses me to no end that he treats the dean's wife's horror at him asking for both lemon and milk in his tea as some silly social convention. Very good reason not to do that -- milk + lemon = cheese.

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