3 ms·
Like so many scientific pursuits, this one has its roots in science fiction. A terrific trashy futuristic novel from the 70's by Lawrence Sanders called The Tom
by dtagames 2y ago
Like so many scientific pursuits, this one has its roots in science fiction. A terrific trashy futuristic novel from the 70's by Lawrence Sanders called The Tomorrow File[0] features preserved heads that are kept around to spout ideas in the future, when they might become useful, among many other Brave New World-type concepts.
[0] https://archive.org/details/tomorrowfile0000sand_t5i1 https://archive.org/details/tomorrowfile0000sand_t5i1
- PaulHoule 2y agoWay older https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Van_Winkle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Van_Winkle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sleeper_Awakes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sleeper_Awakes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Door_into_Summer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Door_into_Summer and for anything fantastic you can find it in mythology and ancient literature https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sleepers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Sleepers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muchukunda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muchukunda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Immortals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Immortals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranka_(legend) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranka_(legend) A good recent book series is https://bobiverse.fandom.com/wiki/Bobiverse_Wiki https://bobiverse.fandom.com/wiki/Bobiverse_Wiki might be the most optimistic story of the genre.
- adamc 2y agoSeveral other books pop into mind, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Live_Forever https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Live_Forever
- PaulHoule 2y agoI oughta read this one again https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21617.Buying_Time https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21617.Buying_Time particularly since my esteem for Haldeman has gone up (https://sff180.com/reviews/h/haldeman/worlds.html https://sff180.com/reviews/h/haldeman/worlds.html changed my life)
- speed_spread 2y agoI also liked David Brin's Kiln People. Very creative and fun.
- sandworm101 2y agoIf we are talking about preserving heads, Futurama is the final word on the subject.
- sevensor 2y agoPersonally I think the head of Vecna https://www.rpglibrary.org/articles/storytelling/headofvecna.php https://www.rpglibrary.org/articles/storytelling/headofvecna... is the ultimate head transplant story.
- selimthegrim 2y agoI was really hoping this was gonna have one of those so bad it’s good science-fiction cover artworks
- dtagames 2y agoThat internet archive version is particularly boring, isn't it. The novel is his best, if you ask me. His detective fiction didn't ever rise to that level and this was the only one he wrote in the sci-fi genre. Perhaps being relegated to the dime store novelist category in his other books prevented this from getting the attention it deserves, but it was wonderfully smarmy and prescient.