Recommend one sci fi book and why?

If you could only recommend one one sci fi book to an adult stranger interested in sci Fi, what would that book be?

Why would you recommend this book?

Do not get caught up with wanting to know the strangers interests or preferences. Just recommend a book and explain why you would recommend it

Thanks for your time.
Nightsmile.

 

I am going to risk being rude and answering this question with another one.

Has science fiction become a method (supported by governments worldwide), of drip feeding us the truth about life in the universe.
Making it official would be far too risky, since it would discredit religion and run the risk of world chaos.

I have raised this point with Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Peter Hyams and Gerry Anderson (who I worked with for many years) and all that I have been met with is a dry smile.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't read Neuromancer so I put that on my list.

I have read quite a bit of SF throughout my younger years. So I'm familiar with Asimov, Clarke, Poul Anderson, Blish, Heinlen and authors of that era. The foundation trilogy remains a favorite. Stranger in Strange Land opened up some new perspectives for me.

I'm thinking about my request, I'd like to modify it by modifying my request by asking what sci fi book, published in the last 20 or 25 years would you recommend.

RE: are governments using sci Fi to drop feed the truth? I think probably not. Having been acquainted with the workings of government, my perspective varies as to whether governments can keep secrets for extended time frames.

Maybe they already have contact with other beings, maybe they have evidence of other beings. There isn't enough information available at present.

I think governments would be hesitant to unequivocally state there is extraterrestrial, intelligent life if they don't know the details of what that life is and what intentions that life has for earth. How can governments answer the myriad of questions that would arise from such a statement. I think there has been a shift from outright denial to "we don't know."

Zen had a good afternoon nswer to your question.

Again, thanks for your time.

 

Perhaps we could have a forum, but I think that it is a subject that causes most people to run off and bury their heads in the sand.

Not with Gerry Anderson, his biggest worry was Sylvia divorcing him and losing the voice of lady Penelope.
I still remember the day when he bought a lorry load of the old valve television backs, due to a model change by Bush. I always laugh at all those narrow slotted windows in thunderbirds village.

That one always makes me ponder, It stands to reason that all other life does not originate from one planet, so perhaps they are not all friendly with each other.
Possibly earth is just an experiment, it would certainly explain our racial differences.

All my interests and doubts started at secondary school. By the end of WW2, our teachers were a mixed bunch of largely retired people. My biology teacher was the first person to teach us that from a timeline standpoint evolution made little sense. He was considered to be a world expert on radar and designed our south coast early warning systems.
One afternoon, he got out a huge map and pointed out how across the entire planet, everything from Stonehenge, to the pyramids, to Roman roads all lined up with EACH OTHER. He also explained how weakening the valent bonds in molecules could allow us to walk through brick walls.
My late mother thought that he was creepy and once said, "he must be from another planet". Perhaps what she said was true and these people are actually here among us.
What were the REAL secrets of the Knights Templar and the early Freemasons. This was a subject that he raised on more than one occasion, including that Masons built the pyramids.
He also mentioned that the shortcoming of the human race is our inability to comprehend infinity. I certainly believe that is true.

 

I would have liked to suggest "Woman on the Edge of Time" by Marge Piercy but alas it was published in 1976.

Sorry but what do you expect from an old hippy.

 

Thank you for the suggestion Spectacles. I cheated a bit and read the Wikipedia write up on the book. Many earlier sci fi writings were predictors of things to come in the future. It might not be that far off from where the world could be in the not too distant future. Much of groundwork for the dystopia in the story seems present today.

Reading about dystopian futures always makes me wonder why the human species is driven to conflict and conquest, through subjugation and destruction of it's environment and members of it's own species? My personal opinion is the evolution of consciousness needed to overcome the primal instincts that drive survival is not going to occur before we kill ourselves and much of the life on the planet. Yes it's a dark vision. However, life on this this planet has survived multiple mass extinctions. So, perhaps in the next 50 or so million years other species capable of mass manipulation of the global environment will arise to start the process over.

Geologic time is simultaneously a great eraser and a great incubator.

That is another thread I may start. Although being new to these forums, I'm not sure which forum would be appropriate for the thread topic.

Wow, I'm wordy.

Being an old hippy myself, I appreciate the suggestion.
Peace and joy.