Author Archives: Henry Gee

About Henry Gee

Henry Gee is an author, editor and recovering palaeontologist, who lives in Cromer, Norfolk, England, with his family and numerous pets, inasmuch as which the contents of this blog and any comments therein do not reflect the opinions of anyone but myself, as they don't know where they've been.

Life, Death and Tolkien

Posted on 17 November 2024 by Henry Gee

My recent post on Tolkien got me thinking about some more current issues. There are others who are better guides to Tolkien’s moral philosophy than I. However, the person who finally convinced me, many years ago, that capital punishment was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Tolkien and Loss

Posted on 16 November 2024 by Henry Gee

I’ve argued elsewhere that one of the most important themes in Tolkien’s work is loss. Loss of technological ability, loss of lifespan, loss of population, loss of — well, let’s not put too fine a point on it — grace, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Man In The White Suit

Posted on 11 November 2024 by Henry Gee

I had to write something down on my blog or I’d explode. It’s all about built-in obsolescence; the rate of technology increase; and how technology manufacturers use their customers as free beta-testers rather than taking time to release products that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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What I Read In October

Posted on 3 November 2024 by Henry Gee

Robert Harris: Precipice This exponent of the well-researched historical and occasionally alt-history thriller, often set in Nazi Germany (Fatherland) or Ancient Rome (Imperium, Pompeii, etcetera) sometimes steers very close to actual reality, dramatising  real events that happened to real people … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Shape of Life: An Educational Resource

Posted on 25 October 2024 by Henry Gee

I’ve long been a fan of Alaskan artist Ray Troll, so imagine my pleasure when I was asked to guest on his PaleoNerds podcast (which you can find here). And more than that — Ray asked me to script and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Bright Side of Life

Posted on 13 October 2024 by Henry Gee

It’s always a thrill to get a celebrity endorsement, especially as they don’t happen very often, so I am unreasonably tickled with a review of A (Very) Short &c &c in the book blog of Eric Idle. Just mosey over … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Objects In The Rear-View Mirror, Part 2

Posted on 10 October 2024 by Henry Gee

The mid-eighties were very busy for me. I have recorded in these annals how a photograph sent me by a well-wisher cast me back to the end of 1987 when I suddenly left Cambridge to join the staff of Nature. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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What I Read In September

Posted on 29 September 2024 by Henry Gee

Alastair Reynolds: Aurora Rising I’m always on for one of Alastair Reynolds’ space operas, tinged as they are with a certain gothic menace, so imagine my delight when I came across two that I’d never seen before, Elysium Fire and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Wonder of Life on Earth

Posted on 20 September 2024 by Henry Gee

One of the criticisms of my book A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth was that it lacked illustrations of the many creatures mentioned therein. To fill what seems to be a yawning chasm lacuna hole I’m pleased to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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It Has Not Escaped Our Notice

Posted on 17 September 2024 by Henry Gee

This one kindly sent in by our Correspondent of all things Chthonic, Mr C. D. of Leeds. I think it speaks for itself. What it is saying, though, is less clear.

 
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