Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: hitchhikers guide to the galaxy

These novels prove that "humorous science fiction" is not a contradiction in terms. Fans of funny sci-fi, try these top 5 funniest science fiction books available from Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library:

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - After Earth is demolished to make way for a new hyperspatial expressway, Arthur Dent begins to hitchhike through space. This phenomenally popular book also has five humorous sequels, starting with The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
The Wizard of Karres - It just wasn't fair! Captain Pusart had foiled the deadliest of space pirates and eliminated the threat of the Worm World, yet his troubles kept piling up. There was only one thing to do - run away and join the circus! An interstellar traveling circus, that is.
Emperor Mollusk versus the Sinister Brain - Bored after retirement, Emperor Mollusk--former super-villain, mad genius, and intergalactic menace--finds himself defending, rather than attacking, Earth when the planet is threatened by assassins and an up-and-coming megalomaniac. Somewhat like the movie Megamind.
Shades of Grey - (don't worry, no relation to 50 Shades of Grey) - Color Control Agency employee and House of Red member Eddie Russet experiences discontent with his limited vision when he meets Gray Nightseer Jane, who suggests that their color-blind world was brought about by a disaster that nobody is allowed to acknowledge
The Android's Dream - (not to be confused with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which was the basis for the movie Blade Runner) - To avoid an interstellar incident, ex-cop and hacker Harry Creek searches for a rare type of sheep to be used in an alien race's coronation ceremony, following a trail that leads to pet store owner Robin Baker, whose genes contain traces of the sheep DNA.

Disagree with these rankings? Please leave comments or suggestions! For funny fantasy novels, try books by Terry Pratchett, Robert Asprin, or Christopher Moore.

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

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