10 Futures by Michael Pryor

Michael Pryor has departed a bit from his recent magic and fantasy series.  This book introduces Sam and Tara, close friends, who are living, surviving, enduring, coping  with and enjoying ten different futures of our world.

There’s 2020, not far away and there are robots in a high-tech world;  there’s 2040 where genetic selection has become a reality; there’s 2090, not in our life time [as far as we know now, that is] and global warming is real causing many challenges.   There’s 2100 where artificial intelligence rules.

Each of the ten futures has a root in the present day – for example, Global Warming, Financial Crises, population pressures etc.  Michael gives us a snapshot of that future, through the eyes of Sam and Tara, best friends.  The book reads like a collection of connected short stories.Each snapshot is intriguing and thought provoking.Sam and Tara are cleverly the same people throughout, although affected by each of their futures in subtle ways.  This is highly recommended reading but also gives interesting points for discussion.

10 Futures Book Trailer:

http://youtu.be/NuEGayRwoIc

Lake Eyre: harsh beauty in the heart of Australia

Last year three familiar names to ABC watchers and listeners made the headlines for tragic reasons.  The helicopter piloted by Gary Ticehurst carrying cameraman John Bean and journalist Paul Lockyer crashed, and all three were killed.  The project they were working on was one dear to their hearts, a continuation of programmes they were producing about Lake Eyre.  They were also working on a book, Lake Eye: a journey through the heart of the continent which has just been published posthumously.  It may seem to be in slightly bad taste to have gone ahead with the publication of the book but the families of the three men were all adamant that it should go ahead.

The book is beautiful, with stunning photography of the spectacular Lake Eyre under many different conditions.  The story covers the history, ecology and lots more.   A lovely book to look at, and a fitting memorial for the three men.   Hardback, $60