"God, I love science fiction!"

[icepixie]

So they say stealing is the best method of teaching, and I'm starting to think what I can, er, "borrow" for my classes next year. "Aha!" I think. "I took an entire course on science fiction at Kenyon! Granted, it was in the biology department, but still. What can I steal from that?"

Ladies and gentlemen, I think Norgol will be making an appearance in my classroom next spring. Mwhahahaha.

(I was searching for other courses on SF, and I found this course, which teaches literary theory through sci-fi TV and movies. HOLY CRAP, YOU GUYS. I WOULD TOTALLY TAKE A THEORY COURSE IF IT MEANT WE WERE GOING TO WATCH EPISODES OF STAR TREK AND THE X-FILES.)

Speaking of that course, here are things I've been thinking about putting on the syllabus. The concentration will likely be on space travel and alien worlds/cultures, just because otherwise I'd go crazy with the amount out there.

- Bradbury's Martian Chronicles
- Dune
- Excerpts from Margaret Cavendish's The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World
- War of the Worlds?
- Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- Movie version of Contact (the book is arguably better, but if I taught the book it's all we'd get through in a semester)
- Various TV episodes: B5--"Believers" in particular, perhaps--Farscape, Futurama, the "Darmok" episode of TNG, Stargate?, BSG?, X-Files? (TV will feature heavily, I think. Hey, if B is doing an entire class on TV this semester...)
- Serenity?
- Short stories: maybe Willis's "The Soul Selects Her Own Society" for giggles (or Yolen's "Sister Emily's Lightship"? What is it about sci-fi writers and Emily Dickinson, anyway?), uh...my short story-fu is weak. I tend to prefer my reading material in novel-length chunks. There does appear to be a Norton anthology of them, though, so I must check that out over the summer.

I'd sort of like to do Frankenstein, but that doesn't fit my self-imposed theme, and I know most kids read it in high school. (There's some steampunk I'd like to do as well, so I may chuck the subtheme of space opera and alien interaction and just do a mishmash.)

Suggest things to me! If you were a freshman taking this course, what would you like to read? Anything science fiction-related will be considered; don't feel the need to stick to space opera.

*

Speaking of science fiction, I watched more B5 lately. Thoughts:

Oh, IVANOVA. You make me laugh so hard it HURTS.

I watched "By Any Means Necessary" last night, and "Signs & Portents" at dinner today. "Any Means" had the hilarious bit where Sinclair tells her to escort to the brig if they aren't out of C&C in ten seconds, and she starts shouting a countdown and marching on Londo and G'Kar all menancing-like. [I think this is also the episode with, "You will resist, I hope."] And S&P has the following exchange:

Ivanova: "I've always had a hard time getting up when it's dark outside."
Sinclair: "But in space, it's always dark outside."
Ivanova: "I know. I know." *sigh of defeat*

I had to pause the player, I was laughing so hard. (Much of the humor's in the delivery. Claudia Christian is awesome.)

I'm also enjoying the fact that technology in the Bab5 universe obeys the laws of physics much of the time! That's rather exciting. The artificial gravity generators or gravity plating or whatever mojo the Star Trek folks used to keep the budget down always bugged me a bit, and even the first time I watched this show, I recall admiring the use of actual centrifugal force to simulate gravity. (Although I was looking it up last night, and I came across an artist's conception of the interior of a real rotating space station, and whoa. That would mess with my mind like nothing else, seeing plants and buildings and people walking on the ceiling.) They even make an effort at showing how the areas of the station closer to the center of rotation are low gravity! (It does seem to break down on some of the ships, though. I noticed no rotating parts on the raider ship in S&P, but everyone's feet were still firmly on the ground. But E+ for effort on the station!)

The starfuries, weird-looking as they are, are also much more suited to maneuvering in zero gravity than the more airplane-based designs out there. I also think the jumpgates are, you know, more believeable than warp drive--I guess that's why they caught on for every other space opera out there since--and the gates themselves are very nifty when they light up in preparation for making a wormhole. (The wormholes themselves are not as cool-looking, but I've been spoiled by the pretty that are wormholes on Farscape.) Plus, dramatic tension abounds when there are long travel-times between jumpgate locations!

Comments

[wintercreek]

I do not have anything useful to say at this point beyond: "Hi! I would totally take your class!"

But I thought that was worth saying. :)

[icepixie]

That is totally worth saying. Thanks. :D

[wintercreek]

I lied! I have thoughts!

For some LeGuin, maybe The Telling?

And if you're willing to go there with an emotionally taxing but, IMO, completely amazing book, Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and its sequel Children of God are some fantastic looks at what could happen if we of Earth were to encounter intelligent extraterrestrial life in the near future, with bonus points for building upon the idea of historical missionary work to other continents that might as well have been other worlds given the travel abilities of the day. Basically I just want to plug The Sparrow, which I read every year and get something different from every time.

[icepixie]

The Sparrow sounds amazing. I keep seeing it in bookstores and such, but never quite got around to reading it. Unfortunately, Amazon says it's almost 500 pages--if I did it in class, we'd never get anything else done.

The Telling looks promising.

[wintercreek]

Unfortunately, Amazon says it's almost 500 pages--if I did it in class, we'd never get anything else done.

Back in my day, we read 500 pages before breakfast!

What level class is this? I actually do remember having massive reading loads, but I think they were for 300 and 400 level classes. We did Middlemarch in my Victorian lit class and that's 800-900 pages. But if this is a 100 or 200 level class, I totally take your point about not being able to do much else.

[icepixie]

This is the second semester of freshman comp, so the course number is 102. None of these kids are English majors, so I figure a 500-page book is a lost cause.

[wintercreek]

Ah, fair enough. They're lucky to have this as a freshman comp course - I would have killed to be in a class like this!

[nickless.livejournal.com]

I do a unit on War of the Worlds where they read an abridged version of the book (all we have time for or like you said, we'd spend the whole year on just that - but for different reasons *g*) listen to the radio play and watch the (original) movie and compare them. We talk about the adaptations made from one format to the other and the influence of the media and how both of those reflect society at different points in recent history. I don't know how much that fits with your focus, if at all, but there it is... :)

[icepixie]

I like that idea! One of the three assignments we have to give in 102 is a historical research assignment, so tracing the evolution of the story through different formats and time periods would be perfect background for that. (One of the other assignments is a "field research" type thing, for which I am totally ripping off my mentor this semester--he has them visit message boards of celebrity fansites and observe what the fans are saying. I'm going to do basically the same thing, but have it be about an SF movie or show. Sites with fanfic will be encouraged. :D)

[amaresu]

I have a copy of the original radio play I could upload for you if you want.

[icepixie]

That would be awesome!

[amaresu]

Uploaded.

[icepixie]

Thanks!

[nickless.livejournal.com]

so tracing the evolution of the story through different formats and time periods would be perfect background for that.

Woo-hoo! You can even incorporate "current" history with or without the newest version, simply by having them reflect on what changes they'd expect to see in a movie made of it today. Depends on if you want to suffer through the Tom Cruise version. ;)

I think my big honking binder is at school, but I'll poke through it and see if I have anything I can send you. Seems like I cobbled a bunch of it together from stuff I found on the web, some teaching materials specifically over the book, and crap I just made up. :) Which really, is what I always do... I do remember one really good site that focused on the hysteria when the radio play was broadcast, and whether it was really as widespread and crazy as the media made it sound. I'll see what I can find.

I'm going to do basically the same thing, but have it be about an SF movie or show. Sites with fanfic will be encouraged. :D)

*snerk* Awesome.

[icepixie]

Woo-hoo! You can even incorporate "current" history with or without the newest version, simply by having them reflect on what changes they'd expect to see in a movie made of it today. Depends on if you want to suffer through the Tom Cruise version. ;)

Heh. I think I can live without Tom Cruise. Maybe we'll just talk about the changes...as discussed on Wikipedia... ;)

I think my big honking binder is at school, but I'll poke through it and see if I have anything I can send you. Seems like I cobbled a bunch of it together from stuff I found on the web, some teaching materials specifically over the book, and crap I just made up. :) Which really, is what I always do... I do remember one really good site that focused on the hysteria when the radio play was broadcast, and whether it was really as widespread and crazy as the media made it sound. I'll see what I can find.

Ooooh, thanks!

[tarzanic.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, interesting course!

I preferred The Time Machine over War of the Worlds, but the former might not fit your idea as well. I've heard Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is good, but have not read it yet. Wow, I haven't read scifi in quite a while. I need to go to the library.

By the way, I don't know what would fit for books other than Hitchhiker's Guide, but humor captures my attention much better than many other things these days. Using books and other media that have a sense of humor about them would motivate me in such a class.

Also, Doctor Who or other non-American scifi tv might be nice too. Red Dwarf is fun.

I definitely want to hear more of your planning!

ETA: Oooh, almost forgot a book I am reading currently: Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.

[icepixie]

I preferred The Time Machine over War of the Worlds, but the former might not fit your idea as well.

I prefer Time Machine as well, but yeah, not so much with the theme. (Perhaps I should change my theme to time travel...) And I really like Sarah's unit on WotW above.

I've heard Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick is good, but have not read it yet.

Same here. It was made into Blade Runner, that I know.

Wow, I haven't read scifi in quite a while. I need to go to the library.

Yeah, I've been negligent lately as well. Stupid grad school.

By the way, I don't know what would fit for books other than Hitchhiker's Guide, but humor captures my attention much better than many other things these days. Using books and other media that have a sense of humor about them would motivate me in such a class.

Yeah, I can't think of another humorous SF novel either. (Connie Willis has some funny short stories, but that's all I can think of.) A doctoral student already does an Inquiry into Humor class, too, so...yeah.

Also, Doctor Who or other non-American scifi tv might be nice too. Red Dwarf is fun.

Yeah, I noticed the Americacentricity of it after I posted. (If I were doing dystopias, I would totally include Zamyatin's We.) I would like to include DW, but Rusty has pissed me off so much that I can't even look sanely at the new stuff, and the old ones would probably bore the kids to tears. (Although I might subject them to "Ark in Space" just for the green bubblewrap monster. Hee!)

Haven't seen Red Dwarf. Should I?

I definitely want to hear more of your planning!

Eeee. I will totally be posting more on this.

ETA: Oooh, almost forgot a book I am reading currently: Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions.

I've heard good things about that one. Hmmm...

[vallentine.livejournal.com]

Do Androids Dream is a good read. But there are no aliens. Just androids so I don't know if it fits what you're looking for. Though if you want to get some Philip K. Dick into the syllabus may I suggest some of his short stories? Total Recall, Minority Report, and Screamers are all based on Dick short stories. I can't think of any stories off the top of my head that would fit your class but I'm sure there are lots.

[icepixie]

Well, it's looking more and more like my theme will have to be opened up, so I'm open to PKD short stories.

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

If you're looking for short stories: LE GUIN. (Admittedly, she's my favorite sff writer period, so I'm biased, but.) Nobody does alien cultures--or the interpersonal/metaphysical underpinnings of space travel--like Le Guin.

[icepixie]

I am SHOCKINGLY unread in Le Guin. Which short stories would you recommend? I'm really interested in stories using alien cultures to talk about our own culture in ways you can't without aliens (that could be said better, but it's late).

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

I'm not as well versed in Le Guin's novels as I am in her short fiction (although, dude, for commentary on sex and gender: THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS), but for the short stories, I'd say go straight for the two collections The Birthday of the World and A Fisherman of the Inland Sea. I'm trying to remember specific stories that'd work especially well for your purposes...

Any one of the first four stories in Birthday will be useful if you want to do sex and gender. The latter four are more varied. "Solitude" (like many Le Guin stories) deals with the effect of the studied culture on the studying anthropologist, and also with the way we perceive introverts, which is one of the reasons I find it fascinating. (Basically it posits an alien culture where introversion is the norm.) "Old Music and the Slave Women" is another outsider-looking-in-on-a-culture story, and deals with slavery and the social system it supports, and may be my favorite of the bunch. The title story "The Birthday of the World" is loosely based on Aztec culture, where the rulers of a civilization are also its gods. And "Paradises Lost" is one of those generation-ship stories, about what it means to lead your whole life on a ship as a mere bridge for the generations that will reach the destination, and the role of religion in that kind of situation. Also an incredibly brilliant story.

A Fisherman of the Inland Sea also has a couple of the sex/gender stories--Le Guin likes to return again and again to a couple of cultures with odd sexual configurations, which I love but the interconnectedness of which may make them harder to teach alone. In general it's not as strong--it's an earlier collection--but "The Shobies' Story" and "Dancing to Ganam" deal with faster-than-light travel in really interesting and complex ways, and might be of use to you.

[icepixie]

I am totally into taking a gender studies approach with at least one text. I will totally look into all of those. ("Solitude" sounds amazing.)

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

I looooove "Solitude" with an unholy passion. I think there are one or two other stories in the collection that may be objectively better, but "Solitude" took the shortcut right to my heart. (In her introductory notes, Le Guin mentions being inspired to write the story because she found it strange that so many writers are self-identified introverts, and yet they buy into mainstream Western culture's heroizing of the extrovert. So she set out to fix that. I love her.)

[sleepingcbw.livejournal.com]

the "Darmok" episode of TNG

FTW.

Anyway: dude, Ender's Game.

[icepixie]

FTW.

Indeed.

Anyway: dude, Ender's Game.

I still need to read this. I've heard that Speaker for the Dead is actually much better; have you read it? Is it necessary to read EG first? (And do most kids read EG in high school now? I want to avoid assigning something most of them have read before.)

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

(1) Personally, I do think Speaker is better, and moreover would fit your theme more. EG really isn't about alien culture so much as how humanity reacts to the idea of alien culture; the aliens barely appear in the book. Speaker, conversely, is alllll alien anthropology (one of my major scifi kinks--see my Le Guin comment).

(2) I totally don't think it's necessary to have read EG to read Speaker. It makes the experience richer, sure, but they're entirely different books. EG is really just a loose prequel to the trilogy that follows, in my mind. Also, I suspect that EG (a) is so widely read by kids on their own (in my fourth-grade class, it was just assumed that you were familiar with it; it was like a cultural touchstone) and (b) has made inroads in enough middle/high-school curricula that a large proportion of your students will at least be familiar with the basic idea.

[sleepingcbw.livejournal.com]

EG really isn't about alien culture so much as how humanity reacts to the idea of alien culture; the aliens barely appear in the book.

I agree, and I think that's why I liked Ender's Game more. It's always refreshing to me, to see an author take the premise that all science fiction is about our understanding of humanity and run with it (yay Ray Bradbury!). I remember thinking that Ender's Game was just straight-up better written than Speaker for the Dead -- that Speaker was interesting as a representative of the genre but Ender's Game was interesting independent of genre -- but it's been a few years, so I don't have evidence for that.

My perspective on high school students is rather warped, so I don't know if your students will've read it before. But I doubt your students will have read it critically before, and I'm all about having students examine closely things they've taken for granted.

[icepixie]

My perspective on high school students is rather warped, so I don't know if your students will've read it before. But I doubt your students will have read it critically before, and I'm all about having students examine closely things they've taken for granted.

I like that idea as well, but at the same time, I don't want those who've read it before to just tune out and not show up. Hmmm...will have to read both and see which I like better...

[icepixie]

Speaker, conversely, is alllll alien anthropology

Ooooooh. YES.

[rowdycamels.livejournal.com]

Ladies and gentlemen, I think Norgol will be making an appearance in my classroom next spring.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Ooh, definitely Bradbury! I loooove "The Green Morning" from The Martian Chronicles!

Hitchhiker! Of course! Because it has so many things to say about sci-fi! And Futurama, for the same reasons!

Have you read any H.P. Lovecraft? Very excellent, but more horror-that-happens-to-be-sci-fi than real sci-fi.

Speaking of which, somebody mentioned Doctor Who Yes! Specifically, "Silence in the Library" (the latest one Moffat wrote) or "Midnight." Both non-Earth-centric!

I haven't seen Serenity yet (arg, must Netflix!), but definitely something Firefly-ish would be good, as an example of mixing genres.

Have you seen Hyperdrive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperdrive_(TV_series))? It's not uniformly awesome, but it's sci-fi satire (hits Star Trek pretty hard), and has many lols. Also, points for non-American.

Robert A. Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel is Old Skool YA sci-fi, cute and thoughtful and a quick read.

[icepixie]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Princess of Earth! You will not defy NORGOL THE GREAT!

Ooh, definitely Bradbury! I loooove "The Green Morning" from The Martian Chronicles!

Yes. If nothing else, those stories stay.

Hitchhiker! Of course! Because it has so many things to say about sci-fi! And Futurama, for the same reasons!

Metaaaaaaa....

Have you read any H.P. Lovecraft? Very excellent, but more horror-that-happens-to-be-sci-fi than real sci-fi.

I haven't read much, but I've heard that it's more horror, yes. Still...potential...

Speaking of which, somebody mentioned Doctor Who Yes! Specifically, "Silence in the Library" (the latest one Moffat wrote) or "Midnight." Both non-Earth-centric!

Ooooh! Although it might be difficult getting them in ways students can view. I think the department tends to frown on class materials from sketchy internet sources...

I haven't seen Serenity yet (arg, must Netflix!), but definitely something Firefly-ish would be good, as an example of mixing genres.

Yeah, I like the mixing genres aspect. And also it would be good as a counterpoint to Star Trek--the ideas aren't completely dissimilar, but what a difference fifty years can make. (BTW, the movie is better than the show. Rent it!)

Have you seen Hyperdrive? It's not uniformly awesome, but it's sci-fi satire (hits Star Trek pretty hard), and has many lols. Also, points for non-American.

That sounds magical. But again, legal ways of grabbing it...

Robert A. Heinlein's Have Spacesuit, Will Travel is Old Skool YA sci-fi, cute and thoughtful and a quick read.

I remember reading that not long ago and being kind of "eh." But that was probably because of his ever-present overtone of pedophilia. *shudder*

[alto2.livejournal.com]

Ivanova rocks. But we knew that. ;)

Yes, you should watch Red Dwarf (how the hell have you not already??). Especially the first two series. (They beefed up the budget/effects after that and I never liked it as much afterwards.)

The Left Hand of Darkness is great for alien cultures--the details and mythology she uses to build/back them up/foreshadow are amazing (and were the subject of my long paper last summer).

I've only read two Philip K. Dick novels but they both deal pretty heavily with the idea of reality/unreality. I think I liked Ubik slightly better, but The Man in the High Castle is about a world in which we didn't win WWII, and what happens to the US culturally (we get broken into several pieces that are ruled by the assorted winners, sort of like Berlin was after the war)

How about Brave New World? Not alien culture so to speak, but if future = alien, it could work, especially since it contrasts that future with the "present" so nicely.

I've only just started A Canticle For Leibowitz, but the basic premise is that there's been a nuclear holocaust, and centuries later, someone comes upon this shopping list left by a guy named Leibowitz, and it becomes the central/founding document of this monk-like religious brotherhood. Definitely the basis for some commentary that couldn't be done otherwise, along with some history of the 1950s ("Fallout Shelters and the Fears That Created Them" or some such!).

How about A Wrinkle in Time? Very much a product of its time (Cold War), but short and a commentary on human nature that probably wouldn't work any other way.

Hmm. Not sure if The Golden Compass would work, though elements of it sure are alien. And it definitely contrasts with our own society, if you want to emphasize that. (If you think I'm looking through my grad school bibliography for things that might work, you'd be right!)

Zelazny? Lord of Light? Humans who have figured out how to "reincarnate" into new bodies (Cylons, anyone?) and take on the roles and attributes (via technology) of the Hindu pantheon, re-creating that culture and limiting the growth of technology for their followers because "they're not ready for it"--read: they might steal our power. Until the Buddha comes along... lots of great myth stuff, especially because Sam, aka the Buddha, is such a fabulous trickster hero. And yes, it's QUITE funny.

Well, I seem to be at the end of my list. Dunno how much of that might really apply, but there it is for whatever it's worth.

[icepixie]

Ivanova rocks. But we knew that. ;)

*hearts Ivanova so hard*

Yes, you should watch Red Dwarf (how the hell have you not already??). Especially the first two series. (They beefed up the budget/effects after that and I never liked it as much afterwards.)

Hmmm...

The Left Hand of Darkness is great for alien cultures--the details and mythology she uses to build/back them up/foreshadow are amazing (and were the subject of my long paper last summer).

I think this one has gotten the most votes so far. I'm definitely going to check it out this summer.

I've only read two Philip K. Dick novels but they both deal pretty heavily with the idea of reality/unreality. I think I liked Ubik slightly better, but The Man in the High Castle is about a world in which we didn't win WWII, and what happens to the US culturally (we get broken into several pieces that are ruled by the assorted winners, sort of like Berlin was after the war)

Spiffy!

How about Brave New World? Not alien culture so to speak, but if future = alien, it could work, especially since it contrasts that future with the "present" so nicely.

I like BNW, and I've read it several times, so I'm not averse to putting it on the syllabus, but...I dunno. Everyone reads that. I kind of want to do stuff that isn't normally found in an English class, since this is my one opportunity to do so.

I've heard good things about Canticle. I remember trying to read it when I about twelve and being very lost, but perhaps it would be better now.

How about A Wrinkle in Time? Very much a product of its time (Cold War), but short and a commentary on human nature that probably wouldn't work any other way.

God, it's been forever since I read that. I'll have to look at it again.

Hmm. Not sure if The Golden Compass would work, though elements of it sure are alien. And it definitely contrasts with our own society, if you want to emphasize that.

I think the woman who does Inquiry into Fantasy teaches that one, so probably not. The Margaret Cavendish piece I posted is actually the precursor to Pullman's series, and I definitely want to include excerpts from it. (The link goes to the full text if you want to browse through. It was written in 1684, and is really prescient; the author was a noblewoman with a strong interest in science. Pullman stole liberally from it--alternate worlds reached via trips to the Artic, Dust, armored bears...it's all about women and female empowerment as well, which is AMAZING. Cavendish has some overlong descriptive passages, but I still really like it.)

(If you think I'm looking through my grad school bibliography for things that might work, you'd be right!)

Hee!

Zelazny? Lord of Light? Humans who have figured out how to "reincarnate" into new bodies (Cylons, anyone?) and take on the roles and attributes (via technology) of the Hindu pantheon, re-creating that culture and limiting the growth of technology for their followers because "they're not ready for it"--read: they might steal our power. Until the Buddha comes along... lots of great myth stuff, especially because Sam, aka the Buddha, is such a fabulous trickster hero. And yes, it's QUITE funny.

SWEET. Is this part of the Amber series, or something different?

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[alto2.livejournal.com]

The Left Hand of Darkness is fascinating. I have to confess that I enjoyed it more as something to dissect than as a good read (which it is, but there's something about it that's oppressive, which may be a by-product of what she's trying to do, so it's not necesssarily bad, it's just...difficult. But not so much so that I wouldn't recommend it, if that makes any sense?).

I hear you on BNW. I just love it to bits so I couldn't help but mention it :)

I hope to finally inhale Canticle on my way to FL next week, or shortly thereafter. I've been carting it around for weeks and never manage to get very far, probably because trying to read while eating lunch doesn't always work so well!

Had no idea that Pullman got so much of his stuff from somewhere else. Especially not something from 1684! Good grief! Will have to check that out at some point.

SWEET. Is this part of the Amber series, or something different?

It's a standalone novel, not part of any series. Helps to know some basics of Hinduism, I would think, but I got along just fine without reading the book on the daily life of Joe Hindu that my roommate told me I HAD to read before I read it. ;) Mostly, it's good to be able to remember who the different gods are. Anything else is a bonus.

You're quite welcome and I hope you get something useful out of my random list!

[icepixie]

Well, dissection is the name of the game in an English class, so I'm up for LHoD.

Had no idea that Pullman got so much of his stuff from somewhere else. Especially not something from 1684! Good grief! Will have to check that out at some point.

I was pretty surprised too. I read the Cavendish piece without knowing of the connection, and I kept thinking, "My GOD, this sounds like His Dark Materials! Pullman had to have read this!"

Helps to know some basics of Hinduism, I would think, but I got along just fine without reading the book on the daily life of Joe Hindu that my roommate told me I HAD to read before I read it. ;) Mostly, it's good to be able to remember who the different gods are. Anything else is a bonus.

Excellent.

[vallentine.livejournal.com]

One of my new favorite sci-fi books is "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman. It starts in the 1990s and ends roughly 500 years later (if I'm remembering correctly) so it traces advances in science, space travel, technology and an interstellar war between humans and an alien race. It tracks one character who, by virtue of a LOT of near lightspeed travel, ends up living for all these hundreds of years. [It's also one huge Vietnam allegory but you can take or leave that aspect in class.]

[icepixie]

This is another one I've heard amazing things about. I'll check it out. Thanks!

[wildtiger7.livejournal.com]

I love Ray Bradbury - I did a year-long project on him in high school, it was a lot of fun. And I second The Left Hand of Darkness - that is an *awesome* book.

I am far more fond of science fiction short stories than I am of non-sci-fi short stories. I think they do a better job of pointing out aspects of human nature by using alien cultures to highlight or contrast certain aspects of humanity. A particular favorite is "The Road Not Taken" by Harry Turtledove which explores what humanities' reaction would be if we encountered a culture that was less advanced that ours with one glaring exception. I think it would fit your theme well.

"The Streets of Ashkelon" by Harry Harrison highlights the problems with trying to evangelize a species without bothering to try and understand them first.

“Double Dare” in The Cube Root of Uncertainty by Robert Silverberg. I love this story, it is about how humans can accomplish what they thought was impossible if they think they have to. It involves aliens.

“The Screwfly Solution” by Raccoona Sheldon (pen name)
How an alien species takes over Earth without having to fire a shot.

“Cloak of Anarchy” by Larry Niven
Why government matters. Though I don't think this one fits your theme of aliens and space travel.

I hope that helps!

[icepixie]

"The Road Not Taken" and "The Screwfly Solution" both sound very promising. All of them sound good--I'll check them out.

Thanks for the recs!

[pellmelody.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'd be ALL over that course!!

What might be interesting in that course is if they have a discussion on the difference between science fiction and sci-fi in literature, TV and movies.

Science fiction isn't necessarily about aliens, robots, or ships blowing up. Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and Outer Limits are examples. It is usually character driven, not action or plot driven. Star Trek has come close to science fiction (particularly with DS9), but it is still in the same league as Star Wars and both are sci-fi.

Babylon 5 is science fiction, though, at times, it veers into sci-fi territory, mostly with "fluff" or humor aspect. BSG is also science fiction. Completely.

[icepixie]

I've heard of a divide between "science fiction" and "speculative fiction" (and to be honest I still don't understand why some people get so up in arms about it), but never "science fiction" and "sci-fi." Is the main difference between character-driven and plot-driven elements? That seems like a division that could apply in any genre...

[pellmelody.livejournal.com]

True. You could use the example between a classic romance novel such as anything by Jane Austin or Charlotte Bronte, and today's paperback historical romance novels where the plots are nearly always the same, only the names, clothes and cities change.

Contemplative verses "brain candy". :) I've read and liked both.

Sci-fi is more thematic. Good verse evil. That stuff. "Space operas." Science fiction is more...for lack of a better word...about the human element: human intervention, expression.

Sci-fi, to me, is less about seeing the story through the eyes of the characters, and is more about the story as a whole. Science fiction gives different perspectives by each character on the story as it surrounds them. The story/plot is important, but how each character perceives it and his/her emotional development within the story, is more how science fiction is. You get into the characters' fears, desires, secrets, dreams, etc. For me, a perfect example of this are the Dune books by Frank Herbert.

There is room for both. I mean, if there wasn't, SW and ST wouldn't be as huge as they are. I've heard Harlan Ellison arrogantly rant about what he calls "talking animal" books where animals are anthropomorphized in SF/fantasy novels, but it's ridiculous to say that one writing style must be better than the other.

[icepixie]

That's an interesting perspective on it, but it seems like a rather arbitrary divide. BSG, for example, would fall into both for me--it gives equal weight to the characters and the plot, in my mind.

[tarzanic.livejournal.com]

Just remembered if you're [still] looking for short stories or novels, you may want to check the Hugo Award winners (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award).

[icepixie]

Yep. Been looking at those already and making notes. Thanks!