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Leila

Leila’s Bookshelves

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Leila is Currently Reading

Leila is currently reading

The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)

by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Aug 08, 2015 06:01PM

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Semmant

by Vadim Babenko (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Leila said: " I was immensely fortunate in winning this new sci-fi novel in a Goodreads give-away. Not so lucky: the postman marked it for return to sender. Because I live near the end of a hard-to-find cul-de-sac [whoa! a festival of hypens!], our substitute post I was immensely fortunate in winning this new sci-fi novel in a Goodreads give-away. Not so lucky: the postman marked it for return to sender. Because I live near the end of a hard-to-find cul-de-sac [whoa! a festival of hypens!], our substitute postal people work assiduously to keep me on my toes. This year, I have learned to order well before, or well after, the holidays. But it took me ONLY six weeks to clean up the mess and get a replacement for the printer that a well-known delivery company gave to my one-street-over neighbors. I do hope they are enjoying the first one.

Vadim Babenko kindly e-mailed me and sent the book again after verifying my address. I'm in the middle of it now--blame the holidays for the slow pace--and I'll have much more to say about it after I've finished it. For now, the story is well-written, as well as very well translated. That is a must, of course, for works originally presented in another language, but we are all aware that some translations are better than others. I am conflicted about the protagonist-narrator. It appears that that is the author's intention. This adds an element of suspense to the reading that I wasn't expecting.

If you are a dedicated techie or someone fascinated by artificial intelligence, you should run out and buy this book immediately. While I have not reached the end--the point at which judgments are appropriate and even desired--the book has already raised legions of questions for me: how does the creation of artificial intelligence in a mobile and independent being compare to Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' concept? Is madness sometimes merely the verdict of a society of more 'normal' individuals--and is genius, perhaps, somehow allied with madness? Do we owe our creations (robot or child) a sound moral code in which to swim bouyantly for a lifetime? If not, what DO we owe those we mentor? And are sentient beings created with so-called artificial intelligence to be treated as servants and possessions of those who created them, or set free to pursue the fulfillment of their potential?

It may be a fussy and old-fashioned habit to have and to honor a moral code. Yet most of us do, on both counts. I find that very good fiction always involves me on a moral as well as sympathetic level. With these questions and concerns in mind, I am eager to finish the novel. Will keep you posted. ...more "

Jan 25, 2014 01:42PM · see review

Leila is currently reading

Tinkers

by Paul Harding

bookshelves: currently-reading, deferred

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Sep 10, 2013 04:57PM

See all 4 books that Leila is reading…

Leila’s Quotes

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).”
― Mark Twain

tags: individuality, majority, minority, pause, reflect, wisdom

43891 likes

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
― Dr. Seuss

tags: fantasy

36838 likes

“There are two means of refuge from the misery of life — music and cats.”
― Albert Schweitzer

tags: attributed-no-source, cats, life, music

3075 likes

“In the beginning, God created the earth, and he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness.

And God said, "Let Us make living creatures out of mud, so the mud can see what We have done." And God created every living creature that now moveth, and one was man. Mud as man alone could speak. God leaned close to mud as man sat up, looked around, and spoke. Man blinked. "What is the purpose of all this?" he asked politely.

"Everything must have a purpose?" asked God.

"Certainly," said man.

"Then I leave it to you to think of one for all this," said God.

And He went away.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle

tags: creation, meaning-of-life, purpose

1658 likes