Broadening One's Horizons

Slightly
After all, it wouldn't do to be excessive about things, would it?
     What am I talking about here?  Typically, books; and the two genres I tend to read to the exclusion of all others (bar murder mysteries) - science fiction and military history.  Yes yes yes, I know you're supposed to call it "speculative fiction" now.  Once again, whose blog is it?

This chap's.  

     Okay, someone over on The Flop House page on Facebook posted a question about what books by non-American authors or LGBTQ authors were out there that fellow Flopsters could recommend?
     Here we backtrack a good few decades, back to when Your Humble Scribe was a lot younger and thinner, and you could pretty much guarantee that 98% of all science fiction authors were Anglo-American WASP men, frequently with a background in science or engineering.  Charles Harness's legal background and Roger Zelazny's literary qualifications were very much the exceptions.

Thus
(I've not read it)

     So, because I am both a dinosaur and irritatingly pedantic, I hied up notebook and pen and made a list of suggested authors that the Flopsters put forth, because any broadening of contributing authors can only be a good thing.  Well, that's my opinion; there will of course be other afficionadoes out there who will jib and complain that "all these girls writing science fiction are ruining it".  I notice that only one of these new authors is present on that list of 51 Best Evah Sci-Fi Novels so far (Ted Chiang).
     That's the sci-fi out of the way.  Now for TANK!  Almost.  Art?

Featuring Jim (to port)

     The essential podcast for those interested in the Second Unpleasantness.  This one featured a solo set from Jim, at the National WW2 Museum in South Canada, interviewing a military historian I've not heard of before: Robert Citino*.  Rob ("Bob" is just being too familiar) had much of import to say.  He and Jim both agreed that the concept of "Blitzkrieg" was an invention created by the Allies early in the war, and that what the Wehrmacht practiced was in fact "manoeuvre warfare", which the Teutons had carried out  successfully for centuries.  I have heard this concept put across before, but because Rob is so immensely respected and influential, Your Modest Artisan is going to have to buy some of the relevant books by him.  He is, in fact, so prominent in his field that Conrad is a bit embarrassed to only just finding out about him.  Art?

On my Abebooks list already

     Another crack that Rob takes at established military history is the over-emphasis skating close to worship on Teuton military effectiveness, especially the memoirs of officers.  These, he accurately criticises, were written to exculpate the author as much as create a reliable historical narrative.  He cites Von Manstein's "Verloren Seig" or "Lost Victories" as being probably the most influential in this sense.  
     Anyway, I now have another wallet-emptier to check out on Abebooks.  Thanks for that, Jim.
     Motley, bring me the horizon!

So You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star Spy
For Lo! we are back to that Reddit Ask Me Anything from our ex-CIA spook.  One correspondent asked how one would join the CIA and what skills you would need?

James Bond at CIA Headquarters
Wait - what -

     In terms of academic achievement, you need a degree.  Our spook recommended studying - out of left field here - anthropology, sociology and foreign area studies.  Computer sciences would mean you stayed at HQ rather than being out in the field.  In terms of useful skills, short-term memory training, the better to see what is out of place, or what should be there and isn't.  Also conversational dynamics; how to steer a talk to where you want it, without seeming to.
     Interesting stuff!

     There will now be a short pause as I go for a shave, as I look like a complete scruff at the moment.  Bear with me.

     Ah, much sleeker!  Where were we?  O yes -

51 Of The Greatest Sci-Fi Novels Evah
I'm not sure how far along this list we are since I've not been keeping track.  Have you?  Answers in the Comments, please.  Also, any Comment would be nice.  Just so you know.  Okay.  Art?

Another Nope

     Never heard of it or the author, so I take it this is a relatively recent novel <Googles> ah yes, the English translation only came out in 2014.  What's interesting is that the author is from the Populous Dictatorship, and the novel appears to have very negative depictions of the Cultural Revolution, yet wasn't censored or banned.  The plot is based around an alien invasion, but from what I've read on Wiki, is rather different from your average Western trope of same.  Part of a trilogy.  Your Modest Artisan will keep an eye on this chap.
     In line with my policy of doing a brace of these, let us now have the next one.  Art?

Kind of Nope

     No, I haven't actually read this one.  The synopsis sounded verrrrry familiar, so I believe I've looked it up on Wikipedia in the recent past.  Another post-apocalypse tale of survivors, which bothers to set up the apocalypse and take you through it.  The protagonist survivors in this one being a band of travelling thespians.  Conrad not mad keen on it, as it probably lacks Things Exploding, which as all true literary critics know is one of the rules of drama.

Finally -
Getting towards the end of "Neuromancer".  I remember a couple of scenes from it, but only vaguely as it's been a few decades since I read it, and I cannot remember how it ends.  Which is a good thing; suspense, you know?  Nor am I one of those cheats who looks at the last page to find out how it does end before getting there.  Once I have completed, don't doubt that I will come back and inform you about Interesting Things, probably without spoiling the plot**.



*  Excellent first name there.
**  But don't count on it.  I am evil, after all