To Say Nothing of the Dog
by Connie Willis · first published 1997
78% recommend22% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A light, very funny time travel comedy. It is a fun read that works as a standalone despite being part of a trilogy, suiting those who want a cheerful science fiction novel.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Connie Willis' entertaining comedy inspired by Jerome K. Jerome's [Three Men in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog)][1]. [Robert A. Heinlein][2] mentioned the earlier work in [Have Spacesuit will Travel][3] as Kip's father's favorite. [1]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1793164W/Three_Men_in_a_Boat_(to_say_nothing_of_the_dog) [2]: https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL28641A/Robert_A._Heinlein [3]: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL59727W/Have_Space_Suit_Will_Travel
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Three books I enjoyed this year: this census taker, China Mieville To Say Nothing Of The Dog, Connie Willis The Possibility of an Island, Houellebecq If you enjoy science-fiction, it is quite possible that you wouldn't enjoy any of the books above or even classify them as science-fiction (I…
on “Ask HN: What is the best sci-fi you read this year?” ↗…Butler, but I see she is already on the list. The whole Xenogenesis trilogy is good, not just Dawn (first in the series). Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents likewise. And Connie Willis' To say nothing of the dog is hilarious! It will brighten anyone's day. I'll just have to starting working through that list, now.
on “One of the greatest science fiction magazines is now available online (2017)” ↗forgot Time Travel Connie Willis (To Say Nothing of the Dog, Doomsday Book) both great. anything by Ursula K LeGuin as well.
on “Ask YC: What's the most inspiring sci-fi book you've read?” ↗I'm in the middle of To Say Nothing Of The Dog by Connie Willis. It is the most hilariousest of the time travel paradoxes, at least that I've ever read. It won a Hugo and was nominated for a Nebula.
on “All You Zombies— The most craziest of the time travel paradoxes” ↗To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis is a fun time-travel novel. It’s the middle volume of a trilogy but works as a standalone novel. The Ancillary series by Anne Leckie is also pretty great. It’s a bit of dystopia but…
on “Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read?” ↗My candidates are largely fiction, such as _To Say Nothing of the Dog_ (Connie Willis) and _Door Into Summer_ (Heinlein). But I do re-read Jerry Weinberg's _Secrets of Consulting_ every so often.
on “Ask HN: What books do you re-read every decade?” ↗Some comedy works have endured, like Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (though it is helped by its huge influence on To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis).
on “What Lasts and (Mostly) Doesn't Last” ↗To Say Nothing of the Dog won the Hugo for best novel in 1999. That probably makes it science fiction.
on “Ask HN: What is the best sci-fi you read this year?” ↗Perhaps they're the time traveller in https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Say_Nothing_of_the_Dog?