Ben Holland
@0benkenobi.bsky.social
📚📖📽️🎥 🎵🎶🎮🎧📀🧬🖋️✝️🇮🇪
Biologist with a vinyl, film and book obsession. Peace and positive vibes to all.
Biologist with a vinyl, film and book obsession. Peace and positive vibes to all.
A Night in the Lonesome October (1993) by Roger Zelazny is a daily read 31-chaptered Halloween book for October. Loads of references to all things classical horror. Cast includes Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein's Monster, Rasputin, and talking animals. Snuff the dog narrates.
October 31, 2025 at 8:23 PM
A Night in the Lonesome October (1993) by Roger Zelazny is a daily read 31-chaptered Halloween book for October. Loads of references to all things classical horror. Cast includes Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein's Monster, Rasputin, and talking animals. Snuff the dog narrates.
Farewell Summer (2006) by Ray Bradbury, the sequel to Dandelion Wine (1957), follows Douglas Spaulding and his friends in Green Town who "war" on local elderly men who want them to grow up. The theme is that time is unstoppable and generations must learn to accept it. Finished 2nd October 2025.
October 3, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Farewell Summer (2006) by Ray Bradbury, the sequel to Dandelion Wine (1957), follows Douglas Spaulding and his friends in Green Town who "war" on local elderly men who want them to grow up. The theme is that time is unstoppable and generations must learn to accept it. Finished 2nd October 2025.
Heat 2 (2022) by Michael Mann & Meg Gardiner is both a prequel and a sequel to the acclaimed crime film Heat (1995). Heat makes the upper part of top 100 film lists. Heat 2 does that with action/crime novels. If you enjoyed Heat then definitely read this. Finished reading on September 30th 2025.
September 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Heat 2 (2022) by Michael Mann & Meg Gardiner is both a prequel and a sequel to the acclaimed crime film Heat (1995). Heat makes the upper part of top 100 film lists. Heat 2 does that with action/crime novels. If you enjoyed Heat then definitely read this. Finished reading on September 30th 2025.
The Robots of Dawn (1983) by Isaac #Asimov. This #sciencefiction #booksky is the 3rd book in the Elijah Bailey/R. Daneel Olivaw series, but the 4th book of the positronic brains series - I, Robot (1950). The three Laws of Robotics as Detective stories. Read all Jan. 2024 to Sept 2025.
September 6, 2025 at 3:52 PM
The Robots of Dawn (1983) by Isaac #Asimov. This #sciencefiction #booksky is the 3rd book in the Elijah Bailey/R. Daneel Olivaw series, but the 4th book of the positronic brains series - I, Robot (1950). The three Laws of Robotics as Detective stories. Read all Jan. 2024 to Sept 2025.
Finished Lord of the Flies (1954) by William Golding. A group of British school kids survive a plane crash as castaways on an island. At first they manage plans to stay alive and use smoke to get saved but neglect and leadership issues bring divisions so they descend into tribal savagery instead.
August 20, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Finished Lord of the Flies (1954) by William Golding. A group of British school kids survive a plane crash as castaways on an island. At first they manage plans to stay alive and use smoke to get saved but neglect and leadership issues bring divisions so they descend into tribal savagery instead.
A decade later (Aug 10th 2025) and I have finished reading Frank Herbert's #Dune series of 6 books with this last entry Chapterhouse: Dune (1985) a year before he died. There are more Dune books continued on by his son Brian but I felt this didn't end on such a cliffhanger as some say.
August 10, 2025 at 11:33 PM
A decade later (Aug 10th 2025) and I have finished reading Frank Herbert's #Dune series of 6 books with this last entry Chapterhouse: Dune (1985) a year before he died. There are more Dune books continued on by his son Brian but I felt this didn't end on such a cliffhanger as some say.
High-Rise by JG Ballard (1975) uses an apartment tower complex as a metaphor for class struggles in society as the lower, mid and upper floor residence deteriorate into a mix of ugly decadence, marauding clans, raiding parties and violent primitives when the tower utilities breakdown over time.
July 9, 2025 at 11:12 PM
High-Rise by JG Ballard (1975) uses an apartment tower complex as a metaphor for class struggles in society as the lower, mid and upper floor residence deteriorate into a mix of ugly decadence, marauding clans, raiding parties and violent primitives when the tower utilities breakdown over time.
Hell's Angels (1967) by Hunter S. Thompson was this journalist's first nonfiction book that introduced him to the masses due to its documentary style as he joined the shock group for 9 months studying them as post-WWII American youth rejected by the American Dream that lived their own dream instead.
June 13, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Hell's Angels (1967) by Hunter S. Thompson was this journalist's first nonfiction book that introduced him to the masses due to its documentary style as he joined the shock group for 9 months studying them as post-WWII American youth rejected by the American Dream that lived their own dream instead.
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction (2008) by Gabor Mate. A profoundly moving and also extremely informative self help type book about the urgent need to completely overhaul our understanding of drug addiction with a human need for compassion from the womb to the grave.
April 30, 2025 at 10:15 AM
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction (2008) by Gabor Mate. A profoundly moving and also extremely informative self help type book about the urgent need to completely overhaul our understanding of drug addiction with a human need for compassion from the womb to the grave.
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 (1973) by Hunter S. Thompson is about the insanity behind political campaigns and the reporters covering them, which the author compares to drug addiction. A mix of astute political observations and raving pivots about anything. Finished Jan 30th 2025
April 6, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 (1973) by Hunter S. Thompson is about the insanity behind political campaigns and the reporters covering them, which the author compares to drug addiction. A mix of astute political observations and raving pivots about anything. Finished Jan 30th 2025
The first book I finished in 2025, Albert Camus - The Stranger (1942) takes a nihilistic view of a meaningless world where everyone will die and amount to nothing in the end. Bleak outcomes in an unguided universe that packs the same fate for all. Finished 2nd January 2025.
#Booksky #Philosophy
#Booksky #Philosophy
April 4, 2025 at 6:35 PM
The first book I finished in 2025, Albert Camus - The Stranger (1942) takes a nihilistic view of a meaningless world where everyone will die and amount to nothing in the end. Bleak outcomes in an unguided universe that packs the same fate for all. Finished 2nd January 2025.
#Booksky #Philosophy
#Booksky #Philosophy
I managed one last book before Christmas day 2024. Brave New World (1932) by Aldous Huxley influenced many utopian and dystopian books to follow. It is a story of planning society involving eugenics at the expense of freedom and choice including to be unhappy. #sciencefiction
April 2, 2025 at 5:47 AM
I managed one last book before Christmas day 2024. Brave New World (1932) by Aldous Huxley influenced many utopian and dystopian books to follow. It is a story of planning society involving eugenics at the expense of freedom and choice including to be unhappy. #sciencefiction
I had time before Christmas to read The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Roaring 20s with highs and lows amid romances that come with a price both financial and emotional. Finished on 18 December 2024. #Booksky
April 1, 2025 at 6:29 AM
I had time before Christmas to read The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Roaring 20s with highs and lows amid romances that come with a price both financial and emotional. Finished on 18 December 2024. #Booksky
Book 3 of the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons' ENDYMION (1996). It is every bit as good as the previous two. #scifibooks #booksky
Finished 13th December 2024.
Finished 13th December 2024.
March 31, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Book 3 of the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons' ENDYMION (1996). It is every bit as good as the previous two. #scifibooks #booksky
Finished 13th December 2024.
Finished 13th December 2024.
Greg Bear's sequel to EON and part of The Way series brings about a Tielhard conclusion. This is the hyper-imaginary ETERNITY (1988). #scifibooks #Booksky
Finished on 18 November 2024.
Finished on 18 November 2024.
March 30, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Greg Bear's sequel to EON and part of The Way series brings about a Tielhard conclusion. This is the hyper-imaginary ETERNITY (1988). #scifibooks #Booksky
Finished on 18 November 2024.
Finished on 18 November 2024.
Ray Bradbury - The Halloween Tree (1972) chronicles the history of Halloween using an adventure story with kids out on Hallows Eve and meeting Mr.Moundshroud. Finished 30th October 2024. #Halloween #Booksky
March 29, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Ray Bradbury - The Halloween Tree (1972) chronicles the history of Halloween using an adventure story with kids out on Hallows Eve and meeting Mr.Moundshroud. Finished 30th October 2024. #Halloween #Booksky
Cordwainer Smith - The Rediscovery of Man (1993). A fantastic read about the world of the #instrumentality. Inspired others with its peepers and thopters. Short story collections from the 50s and 60s mainly. Finished on 25 September 2024. #Booksky
March 28, 2025 at 5:29 AM
Cordwainer Smith - The Rediscovery of Man (1993). A fantastic read about the world of the #instrumentality. Inspired others with its peepers and thopters. Short story collections from the 50s and 60s mainly. Finished on 25 September 2024. #Booksky
Vampire horror becomes science-fiction in this last-person-on-Earth classic from Richard Matheson - I AM LEGEND (1954). Finished on 10 Aug 2024.
March 27, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Vampire horror becomes science-fiction in this last-person-on-Earth classic from Richard Matheson - I AM LEGEND (1954). Finished on 10 Aug 2024.
Three short science fiction stories that make for #Xenoanthropology.
Gene Wolfe - The Fifth Head of Cerberus (1972). Finished on 15 July 2024. #Booksky #Books
Gene Wolfe - The Fifth Head of Cerberus (1972). Finished on 15 July 2024. #Booksky #Books
March 26, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Three short science fiction stories that make for #Xenoanthropology.
Gene Wolfe - The Fifth Head of Cerberus (1972). Finished on 15 July 2024. #Booksky #Books
Gene Wolfe - The Fifth Head of Cerberus (1972). Finished on 15 July 2024. #Booksky #Books
