Book Review Wishlist

The Journal is looking for Book Reviews! Reviews must be of books on science fiction and philosophy. (JSFP does not review science fiction narratives per se; only books that provide a philosophical analysis of SF as a genre, or of specific SF narratives, or books that analyze the ideas and legacy of an SF author or movement.) Because there is some “catching up” to do, there is not at present a limitation on how new a publication should be; JSFP accepts new reviews of “old” books, as long as the review is original and previously unpublished. (See Section Policies for more information.)

Don’t know where to start? The following is a “wishlist” of books that we would like to see reviewed in the Journal. It is not exclusive, and it is listed either alphabetically or by order in a series (i.e., not in order of importance).

(If you are interested in a particular book, contact the Editor. In some cases we may be able to help you obtain a review copy free of charge.)

Assorted Books:

Barad, Judith and Ed Robertson. 2000. The Ethics of Star Trek. Harper Collins.
Burton, James. 2017. The Philosophy of Science Fiction: Henri Bergson and the Fabulations of Philip K. Dick. Bloomsbury Academic.
Carrington, André M. 2016. Speculative Blackness: The Future of Race in Science Fiction (3^rd ed.). Univ. of Minessota Press.
Carrol, John W. 2014. A Time Travel Dialogue. Open Book Publishers. You can read and download it for free at https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/256
Cowan, Douglas E. 2010. Sacred Space: The Quest for Transcendence in Science Fiction Film and Television. Baylor University Press.
Csicsery-Ronay Jr., Istvan (2011) The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction. Westleyan.
Graham, Elaine L. 2002. Representations of the post/human: Monsters, Aliens and Others in Popular Culture. Manchester University Press.
Haney III, William S. 2006. Cyberculture, Cyborgs and Science Fiction: Consciousness and the Posthuman. Amsterdam: Rodopi.
Indman, Leo. 2017. Concept Progress: A Science Fiction Metaphysics. www.conceptprogress.com
Johnson, David Kyle. Sci-Phi: Science Fiction as Philosophy. (Lecture Series). The Great Courses. www.thegreatcourses.com/sciphi
Lavender III, Isiah. 2011. Race in American Science Fiction. Indiana University Press.
Lavender III, Isiah. 2016. Black and Brown Planets: The Politics of Race in Science Fiction.
Lisboa, Maria Manuel. 2011. The End of the World: Apocalypse and its Aftermath in Western Culture. Open Book Publishers. You can read and download it for free at https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/106/
Little, Judith A., ed. Feminist Philosophy and Science Fiction: Utopias and Dystopias. Prometheus Books.
McKee, Gabriel. 2007. The Gospel According to Science Fiction. London: Westminster John Knox Press.
Nichols, Ryan, Nicholas D. Smith and Fred Miller. 2008. Philosophy Through Science Fiction: A Coursebook with Readings, 1^st ed. Routledge.
Panshin, Alexei and Cory Panshin. 1989. The World Beyond the Hill: Science Fiction and the Quest for Transcendence. Los Angeles: Tarcher
Rieder, John. 2008. Colonialism and the Emergence of Science Fiction. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press.
Rogers, Brett M. and Benjamin Eldon Stevens . 2015. Classical Traditions in Science Fiction. Oxford University Press.
Sanders, Steven, ed. 2009. The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film. Univ. Press of Kentucky.
Telotte, J.P. 1995. Replications: A Robotic History of the Science Fiction Film. University of Illinois Press.
Vervaeke, John, Christopher Mastropietro and Filip Miscevic. 2017. Zombies in Western Culture: A Twenty-First Century Crisis. Open Book Publishers. You can read and download it for free at https://www.openbookpublishers.com/product/602.

Science Fiction and Philosophy Series:

CRITICAL EXPLORATIONS IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY (McFarland Books)

This is a very prolific series, though many of its titles focus on fantasy, or historical (rather than philosophical) introductions to the genre. The collection is too long to is here, but possible titles include 1, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 53, 54, 55, 57, 65.

PHILOSOPHY OF POPULAR CULTURE (University Press of Kentucky)

This series focuses on “popular culture” in a much broader sense; fewer of its titles focus on SF. Among them:

The Philosophy of J.J. Abrams
The Philosophy of The X-Files
The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film

THE BLACKWELL PHILOSOPHY AND POP CULTURE SERIES (Blackwell)

This is one of the best known series of philosophy and popular culture, and keeps very current with the most popular series and franchises. SF titles abound:

Alien and Philosophy
Avatar and Philosophy
Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy
Bioshock and Philosophy
Ender’s Game and Philosophy
Heroes and Philosophy
The Hunger Games and Philosophy
Inception and Philosophy
(The Ultimate) Lost and Philosophy
(The Ultimate) Star Trek and Philosophy
(The Ultimate) Star Wars and Philosophy
Terminator and Philosophy
Walking Dead and Philosophy
Watchmen and Philosophy
And many more!

Open Court’s POPULAR CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY SERIES

Another long-running, up-to-date series, featuring over a hundred titles. Interestingly, many of them overlap with Blackwell’s series (and are distinguishable only by their subtitles, or by writing “The Ultimate” into the title). It may be an interesting exercise to contrast similar titles from both collections.

The Matrix and Philosophy
More Matrix and Philosophy
Star Wars and Philosophy
Superheroes and Philosophy
Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy
Star Trek and Philosophy
Supervillains and Philosophy
Doctor Who and Philosophy
More Doctor Who and Philosophy
Inception and Philosophy
Philip K. Dick and Philosophy
The Walking Dead and Philosophy
The Ultimate Walking Dead and Philosophy
Futurama and Philosophy
Ender’s Game and Philosophy
Jurassic Park and Philosophy
Divergent and Philosophy
Orphan Black and Philosophy
The X-Files and Philosophy
Mr. Robot and Philosophy
The Man in the High Castle and Philosophy
1984 and Philosophy
Scott Adams and Philosophy
Rick and Morty and Philosophy
Stranger Things and Philosophy
And many more!