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Welcome to the weekend.  This week we saw the 50th anniversary of the publishing of Frank Herbert’s Dune.  Since then the franchise has grown somewhat, with all the spin offs, prequels and sequels.  I'm may be in the minority, but I enjoyed Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson's take of the prequels.  I would recommend you take a look at them, the writing style is quite different and more accessible than the originals.  Maybe you could read them with your favourite beverage, this week I am hoping to finish off Andy Weir's The Martian, while sipping on a tea called 'Ginger Iron Goddess'.  I bought it for the name alone, but it is surprisingly good, its an oolong and ginger mix. Enjoy!


  • Dune, 50 years on: how a science fiction novel changed the world
  • Not fade away... how robots are preserving our old newspapers
  • Why Libraries Are Even More Vital Than They Were Before the Digital Age
  • Top 5 e-readers for Summer 2015
  • The Problem with Time Travel



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Dune, 50 years on: how a science fiction novel changed the world


theguardian.com - It has sold millions of copies, is perhaps the greatest novel in the science-fiction canon and Star Wars wouldn’t have existed without it. Frank Herbert’s Dune should endure as a politically relevant fantasy from the Age of Aquarius.  Read more...




Not fade away... how robots are preserving our old newspapers


theguardian.com - In a Yorkshire outpost of the British Library, archivists using the latest conservation technology are racing to digitise 300 years of newspapers before they crumble to dust – and that’s just for starters. Read more...




Why Libraries Are Even More Vital Than They Were Before the Digital Age


alternet.org - Libraries are at risk because we have forgotten how essential they are. In the era of Google and Amazon, those with means can access information with greater ease and speed than ever before.  Read more...



Top 5 e-readers for Summer 2015


goodereader.com - It’s summertime and the living is easy! Many people are looking to buy a new device to read e-books at the cottage or just to bring with them to the beach.   Read more...



The Problem with Time Travel


mcellistrem.com - Time is an interesting concept. We know it as the fourth dimension, yet it behaves differently than the other three. We can move up or down, right or left, forward or back without interference. But we cannot move backward in time – only forward. This is one reason I struggle with time travel stories. Read more...



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