Neal Stephenson |
Neal Stephenson (b. October 31, 1959 in Fort_George_G._Meade, Maryland) is known primarily as a science fiction writer in the postcyberpunk genre with a penchant for diverting into explorations of mathematics, currency, and the history of science. He also writes non-fiction articles about technology in publications such as Wired Magazine , and works part-time as an advisor for Blue Origin, a company (funded by Jeff Bezos) developing a manned suborbital launch system [http://www.well.com/user/neal/myrelationship.html].
Stephenson s family was composed of engineers and hard scientists. Stephenson went to college in Boston, first as a physics major, then, when he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university mainframe, Stephenson became a geography major. His first novel, The Big U , was published in 1984. The Big U was never popular, and for a while, was out of print. It has only recently been republished.
Although he wrote earlier novels such as the eco- to Cryptonomicon .
Though it can be argued that neither Cryptonomicon nor The Baroque Cycle constitute works of science fiction, booksellers have tended to classify these books as such.
With the 2003 publication of Quicksilver , Stephenson debuted The Metaweb, a Wiki (using the same software as Wikipedia) annotating the ideas and historical period explored in the novel.
=Style=
Stephenson, at least in his earlier novels, deals heavily in pop culture-laden metaphors and imagery, and in quick, hip dialogue, as well as in extended narrative monologues. The tone of his books generally is more irreverent and less self-serious than in previous cyberpunk novels, notably those of William Gibson (novelist). His novels are also notable in that they are usually written in the present tense.
Stephenson s books tend to have elaborate, inventive plots drawing on numerous technological and sociological ideas at the same time. This distinguishes him from other mainstream science fiction authors who tend to focus on a few technological or social changes in isolation from others. This penchant for complexity and detail suggests a baroque writer. His book The Diamond Age features neo-Victorian characters and employs Victorian-era conceit. In keeping with the baroque style, Stephenson s books have gotten longer as he has gained recognition. ( Cryptonomicon is nearly a thousand pages long and contains various digressions, including a lengthy erotic story about antique furniture and stockings).
A characteristic aspect of his books is the breakdown in events , an acceleration in plot development, typically about three quarters into the novel, accompanied by a marked increase in violence and general confusion among the characters (and often the readers), and abrupt endings without strong conclusions, which sometimes leave the reader hanging. While many readers consider this an annoyance, there is a contingent that admires the author s ability to tie up loose ends and transact a great deal of novelistic business within the space of 20 or 30 pages. This pattern holds for all of the Stephenson-penned books except perhaps Quicksilver . However, on the evidence of The Confusion (novel) (2004), that rule may still hold if one considers The Baroque Cycle as a single work.
Stephenson prefers to use the term Nipponese to refer to the Japanese people.
=Quote=
The science fiction approach doesn t mean it s always about the future; it s an awareness that this is different . - Neal Stephenson
=Bibliography=
*Fiction:
*Non-fiction:
=External links=
*[http://www.nealstephenson.com/ Neal Stephenson s official website] *[http://www.well.com/user/neal/ Neal Stephenson s older personal website] *[http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/3102/neals.htm Neal Stephenson Sees the Light ] – By David Chute, LA Weekly *[http://www.vanemden.com/books/neals/jipi.html Jipi and the Paranoid Chip] as it appeared in Forbes Magazine *[http://www.metaweb.com/wiki/wiki.phtmltitle=Stephenson:Neal:The_Great_Simoleon_Caper The Great Simoleon Caper] as it appeared in Time Magazine *[http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.10/spew.html Spew] as it appeared in Wired Magazine *[http://www.wired.com/wired/archive//2.02/mao.bell.htmlperson=neal_stephenson&topic_set=wiredpeople In the Kingdom of Mao Bell] 1994 Wired article *[http://www.wired.com/wired/scenarios/global.html Global Neighborhood Watch] article *[http://hyperdig.com/public/203 HyperDig collection of Neal Stephenson links]. *[http://slashdot.org/article.plsid=04/10/20/1518217 Slashdot interview with Neal Stephenson] *[http://www.sfsite.com/10b/ns67.htm A Conversation With Neal Stephenson] *[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/17/opinion/17stephenson.htmlex=1276660800&en=a693ccc4ec008424&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss Op-Ed Piece on Star Wars in the New York Times] *|
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