I often go back and read older books by authors I admire. Sometimes I skip a new release because I think the subject will not interest me. More often than not, I later discover that I was wrong and regret not reading the book when it first appeared, while the science, technology, or cultural context was still fresh. Few nonfiction books about science or technology withstand the passage of time. This one does.
Some Remarks is a collection of Stephenson's essays, speeches, and introductions spanning subjects as varied as computing, cryptography, science, engineering, philosophy, history, literature, and the craft of writing. The essays share the same qualities that make his novels so enjoyable: intellectual curiosity, wide-ranging scholarship, and an enthusiasm for ideas that sends the reader down one fascinating rabbit hole after another.
I especially enjoyed the essays about Lord Kelvin, including his inventions, businesses, and extraordinary yacht, as well as Stephenson's discussions of Leibniz and the philosophical foundations of science and mathematics. The globe-trotting adventures of Stephenson as a hacker, engineer, and journalist are equally entertaining. Every essay contains some unexpected historical anecdote or intellectual detour that made me want to stop and learn more.
The collection is a little longer than it needs to be, but that is a minor criticism. This book is among the five best books I have read this year, and it reminded me why Neal Stephenson remains my favorite contemporary English-language author. 5/5 stars.
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