American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Part two of my review of Philip K. Dick's "The Cosmic Puppets".

Part one of my review of "The Cosmic Puppets" by Philip K. Dick, a great novel exploring the shifting realities in our towns and cities.

As we enter into the second half of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pioneers" we find the most clear expression of Cooper's thoughts on the realtionship between pioneer society and the environment. We also find our good friend Natty in some legal trouble.

In the second quarter of "The Pioneers" by James Fenimore Cooper, we get a closer look at the emerging settler society in Templetown and learn more of the deep conflict between the ethos of Leatherstocking and that of the pioneers.

In "Pay For the Printer," Dick explores the challenges of a world of technological post-scarcity as it relates to our skills and knowledge. And he imagined a 3D printer. Some really great and relevant questions are raised in this short piece.

In "To Serve the Master", Dick explores the internal conflict between the work ethic and technological leisure. Which side are you on?

Part one of my series on James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pioneers," the first of the Leatherstocking Tales to be written. It shows Natty Bummpo as an old trapper in Templetown, a growing frontier community. What is the place of a man like Natty in a place like this?

"The Minority Report" is a bit of a Rorschach test for us. We will invariably see it as a story on police powers and survelliance, but maybe all Dick was doing was writing a tale of Cold War institutions at war.

My final look at James Fenimore Cooper's The Pathfinder. We say goodbye to Natty for a while, but he will be back as old man Leatherstocking in The Pioneers.

Part 4 of my review of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pathfinder".