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This page lists selected new nonfiction books -- pertaining directly to science fiction, fantasy, and horror, as well as books of associational interest -- seen published this month, mostly via bookstores sightings (though all books received for review will be listed). For a comprehensive listing of new books pertaining to SF/F/H published each month, see Locus Magazine. Its Books Received listings are accumulated as the online Locus Index.
Key: * = first edition, + = first US edition. Date with publisher info is official publication month; date in parentheses at paragraph end is date seen or received.
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Seen in November
* Achenbach, Joel Captured by Aliens (Simon & Schuster 0-684-84856-2, $25, 415pp, hc, November 1999) ''The search for life and truth in a very large universe''. How contemporary society is obsessed by the idea of aliens and UFOs. Amazon has Kirkus and numerous newspaper reviews. (Mon 22 Nov 1999)
* Baxter, John Mythmaker: The Life and Work of George Lucas (Spike 0-380-97833-4, $27.50, 13+450pp, hc, October 1999) Biography of the Star Wars creator, from the author of Science Fiction in the Cinema (1970) and biographies of Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, and others. (Tue 9 Nov 1999)
* Bolles, Edmund Blair The Ice Finders (Counterpoint 1-582-43030-6, $24, 257pp, hc, December 1999) ''How a Poet, a Professor, and a Politician Discovered the Ice Age''. How scientists in the 19th century realized there was such a thing as the Ice Age, with the spin (judging from the book jacket) that scientists are thick-skulled sorts who must be hit over the head three times with obvious evidence before accepting the obvious truth. (Sun 21 Nov 1999)
* Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer Mother Nature (Pantheon 0-679-44265-0, $35, 19+723pp, hc, October 1999) Scientific study of maternal behaviors in human evolution. Amazon has highly-praiseworthy reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and its own Katherine Ferguson. One of Publishers Weekly's best books of the year. (Mon 1 Nov 1999)
* Irving, John My Movie Business (Random House 0-375-50368-4, $19.95, 170pp, hc, November 1999) Memoir by the noted novelist about his experience in seeing his novel The Cider House Rules to the big screen. Amazon has Booklist, Kirkus, and its own reviews. (Mon 1 Nov 1999)
* Jolly, Alison Lucy's Legacy (Harvard 0-674-00069-2, $29.95, 518pp, hc, November 1999) ''Sex and intelligence in human evolution''. Amazon has Kirkus and Booklist reviews. (Mon 29 Nov 1999)
+ Jude, Dick Fantasy Art Masters (Watson-Guptill 0-8230-1636-6, $24.95, 144pp, tpb, October 1999) First US edition (UK: HarperCollins/Voyager 1999). Locus magazine's New and Notable books: ''Brilliant full-color illustrations and revealing text combine in this lavish art book as ten artists discuss their techniques, from traditional to computer.'' Artists are Alan Lee, Don Maitz, John Howe, Brom, Jim Burns, Rick Berry, Chris Moore, Steve Stone, Fred Gambino, and Dave McKean. (Tue 30 Nov 1999)
* Manguel, Alberto, & Gianni Guadalupi The Dictionary of Imaginary Places (Harcourt Brace 0-15-100541-9, $40, 16+755pp, hc, November 1999) Latest edition of the book first published in 1980 and expanded in 1987, now expanded and updated again. Not principally a genre book, the scope is all of literature: Camelot, Oz, Middle Earth, Wonderland, Earthsea, even in the update Rowling's Hogwarts and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. With illustrations and maps. The rules exclude places in the future or off Earth, so Zelazny's Amber, for instance, isn't here. Still this is a vast, comprehensive work (far out-classing Brian Stableford's recent Dictionary of Science Fiction Places); recommended. (Sun 21 Nov 1999)
* McCaffrey, Todd Dragonholder: The Life and Dreams (So Far) of Anne McCaffrey (Ballantine Del Rey 0-345-42217-1, $19.95, 9+113pp, hc, November 1999, cover by Rowena) Brief biography of the author's mother. (Wed 24 Nov 1999)
* Robinson, Frank M. Science Fiction of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History (Collectors Press 1-888054-29-8, $59.95, 256pp, hc, October 1999) Massive history of SF in the format of Robinson's book last year, Pulp Culture: the Art of Fiction Magazines -- lots of magazine and books covers -- and with particular emphasis on the development of SF in the magazines; one entire chapter is about Astounding/Analog. Amazon has a mixed Booklist review and a statement from Robinson responding to it. (Fri 5 Nov 1999)
* Roszak, Theodore The Gendered Atom (Conari Press 1-57324-171-7, $21.95, 14+174pp, hc, November 1999) ''Reflections of the Sexual Psychology of Science''. An ''antiscientific tract'' about the sexual politics of science, according to the Kirkus review on Amazon. (Sun 21 Nov 1999)
* Sheffield, Charles Borderlands of Science (Baen 0-671-57836-7, $22, 367pp, hc, November 1999, cover by Patrick Turner) ''How to think like a scientist and write science fiction''. A brief discussion of science fiction is followed by a tour through the realms of modern science, with material adapted from articles first published in New Destinies, Analog, and Samsung Quarterly. Amazon has the Kirkus review. (Thu 4 Nov 1999)
* Stephenson, Neal In the Beginning...Was the Command Line (Avon 0-380-81593-1, $10, 151pp, tpb, November 1999) Long essay about the past and future of computer operating systems. It's been available on the web for several months; the success of Cryptonomicon led the publisher to issue it as a book. (Mon 8 Nov 1999)
* Voytilla, Stuart Myth and the Movies (Michael Wiese Productions 0-941188-66-3, $26.95, 11+300pp, tpb, October 1999) ''Discovering the mythic structure of 50 unforgettable films'' -- including Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Halloween, E.T., the Star Wars trilogy, and several other genre films. (Mon 8 Nov 1999)
