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I’ve been an avid reader of sci-fi for decades. From H.G. Wells to Cixin Liu, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading through different worlds, technologies, and fictional species. And yet, nothing has been as profound as Stanisław Lem. It’s a shame that I kept on delaying his books despite knowing about him for years. This weekend, I took the plunge and dove into his short stories. And it took me by surprise! These are not your run-of-the-mill sci-fi. It’s a unique blend of folklore, fairy tales, weird science, and philosophy. My favourite science fiction lives on the fringes of multiple disciplines rather than strictly in the domain of science. Every single story in Mortal Engines qualifies. I know this is not Lem’s best work. I’m yet to read Solaris. But what I read in this book felt more surreal and profound than anything else I’ve read recently. I highly recommend this book!

I completed “In search of memory” by Nobel laureate Eric Kandel. It took me two months! While it’s not an easy read, the book dives into what it takes to do science at the highest level. Talent is a small part of it. What matters is endless curiosity, risk-taking attitude, trusting your intuitions, persistence , and developing lifelong relationships.

The book is heavy on neuroscience, molecular biology and biochemistry. Honestly, I did not understand all of it. And most of what I understood, came from asking a lot of questions to AI. It was a very satisfying read, nonetheless!