Monday, January 17, 2011

Daniel H. Wilson

Daniel H. Wilson is an engineer who earned his PhD in robotics at Carnegie Mellon University. His books include Bro-Jitsu, How to Survive a Robot Uprising, Where's My Jetpack? and How to Build a Robot Army.

His latest novel for readers age 9-12 is A Boy and His Bot.

Not so long ago I asked him what he was reading. His reply:
I'm reading three books right now. First, The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. This is widely regarded as a sci-fi classic, yet it slipped past my radar screen for all these years. Reading it now, I can see why so many people love it. Reading this book is like eating candy, and I've found myself slowing down as I realize that I'm nearing the finish. Next, I'm reading an advanced reading copy of Ready Player One by Ernie Cline. It's a crazy adventure into a future that is obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s -- and I mean all the pop culture, from Family Ties to MechaGodzilla. Incredibly fun. If this book were a living room, it would be faux wood panelled. Last, I'm reading Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution by Francis Fukuyama. This is for research on the novel I'm writing, called AMP. New technology is starting to creep into our bodies, and the ethical consequences are striking. Like thinking about whether you are willing to upgrade your child before it's born so that it will be able to compete in a society of super-humans. Neat!
Visit Daniel Wilson's blog.

My Book, The Movie: A Boy and His Bot.

--Marshal Zeringue