Robin Sloan
Robin Sloan is an author, olive oil maker, and internet tinkerer known for his novels 'Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore' and 'Sourdough.' His work often explores the intersection of technology and creativity, as seen in his pieces on content frameworks and neural networks.
Recommendations
A representative example of the Japanese genre shin honkaku, known for its abstract approach and adherence to the rules of orthodox detective fiction. In its introduction, Shimada Shoji highlights the unique, almost robotic character depictions and a focus on storytelling over sophisticated writing.
Part of the shin honkaku genre, published in 1989 as a pillar of this movement in Japanese detective fiction.
A novel that Robin Sloan recently reread, described as nearly perfect and richly captivating, with its events unfolding in the run-up to the First Opium War.
A work of serious academic history that provides a picture of the 16th-Century Mediterranean World, recommended for its revelatory and thrilling depiction of Europe and the Ottoman Empire at the time.
A recent translation of the classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, which Robin Sloan has been reading and contemplates about its construction and the inimitable voice.
Editions
On detective fiction, "cold" storytelling, and the genre of shin honkaku
On composition, algos, and serendipity
On retrospectives, lies, and rainy days
On small business, cities, and making stuff
On Amsterdam, polluted islands, and ticking clocks
On newsletters, BoopSnoop, and the Brothers Grimm