San Francisco Science Fiction Short Story Reading Group

What

We get together every other Tuesday and discuss a short science fiction story.

When

Every other Week
Tuesday Evenings, 7:30-8:30 pm Pacific Time USA

Where

Back to in-person meetings!
Email for location confirmation: ernestfrench@gmail.com
Kaffehaus, San Mateo
92 E 3rd Ave San Mateo, CA 94401
Between SF & Palo Alto
37.564032, -122.324278
torch.brand.food
Free parking
Caltrain 5 minutes walking

Why

Science fiction explores the effect of technology* on the human condition.
* scientific, social, economic, political.

Reading List

DateStoryAuthorYearLinkLength (words)Number
August 3, 2021The Call of CthulhuHP Lovecraft1926HTML11900133
July 20, 2021All TomorrowsAltShiftX & CM Kösemen2012Video40 minutes132
July 13, 2021Love Is the Plan the Plan Is DeathJames Tiptree, Jr.1973HTML6600131
June 22, 2021The Trojan GirlN. K. Jemisin2011HTML6500130
June 8, 2021Mountain WaysUrsula K Le Guin1996HTML9500129
May 25, 2021
combined in-person and online meetup!
Dave ScumIan Duncan2019GDoc Complete16000128
May 11, 2021Dave ScumIan Duncan2019GDoc (Through chapter 10)26000127
April 27, 2021Dave ScumIan Duncan2019GDoc (First 3 chapters)10000126
April 13, 2021Truth Plus
Own Goal		Jamie Wahls
Dennard Dayle		2019
2020		HTML
HTML		4500
3600		125
March 16, 2021Time In AdvanceWilliam Tenn1956HTML12500124
March 2, 2021The Dying ManDamon Knight1957HTML14500123
February 16, 2021The Way of Cross and DragonGeorge R R Martin1979Youtube Audio59 minutes122
February 2, 2021Madness Has Its PlaceLarry Niven1990HTML9500121
January 19, 2021Writing Event 3US2021Write one short story and share120
January 5, 2021Permutation City extractGreg Egan1994HTML4700119
December 22, 2020Predictions for 2040USEmail for link118
December 8, 2020Stream of ConsciousnessRobert J Sawyer1997Html4000117
November 24, 2020The Crystal SpheresDavid Brin2018Html6700116
November 10, 2020A Walk In The SunGeoffrey A. Landis1995Html6600115
October 27, 2020The Girl-Thing Who Went Out for SushiPat Cadigan2012Html8800114
October 13, 2020Lighthouse
Cool Neighbor (Bonus Story)		Michael Shara & Jack Mcdevitt
Michael Shara & Jack Mcdevitt		2006
2007		Html
PDF		6500
7200		113
September 29, 2020ArenaFrederic Brown1944Youtube Audio
PDF		67 Minutes
9500		112
September 15, 2020The Evening and the Morning and the NightOctavia Butler1987PDF8500111
September 1, 2020The Passage HomeLocalroger2013HTML7200110
August 18, 2020Manifest LogicCrispin Cooper2019HTML5900109
August 3, 2020BitterbloomsGeorge R R Martin1977Youtube Audio80 minutes108
July 21, 2020Brooklyn ProjectWilliam Tenn1947HTML4100107
July 7, 2020The Phantom of KansasJohn Varley1976HTML15000106
June 23, 2020We Can Remember It For You WholesalePhilip K Dick1966Youtube Audio51 minutes105
June 9, 2020Zima BlueAlistair Reynolds2006PDF7500104
May 26, 2020The Face of the DeepFred Saberhagen1966HTML3400103
May 12, 2020The Fermi Paradox is Our Business ModelCharlie Jane Anders2010HTML4000102
April 28, 2020CORDYCEPS: Too clever for their own good (Chapter 11-26)Benedict_SC2016HTML16100101
April 14, 2020CORDYCEPS: Too clever for their own good (Chapter 1-10)Benedict_SC2016HTML14000100
March 31, 2020And Seven Times Never Kill ManGeorge R. R. Martin1975900099
March 17, 2020Out of All Them Bright StarsNancy Kress1985HTML700098
March 3, 2020The Giving PlagueDavid Brin1987HTML700097
Feb 18, 2020The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani FamilyUsman T. Malik2014HTML600096
Feb 4, 2020The VeldtRay Bradbury1950PDF560095
Jan 21, 2020At Any PriceDonald S. Crankshaw and Matthew Bailey2019HTML560094
Jan 7, 2020Collateral
And finishing up discussing predictions!		Peter Watts2019HTML930093
Dec 17, 2019We write stories Round 3!US201992
Dec 10, 2019Predictions Night!
How well can you predict the scientific and technological future?
Dec 10, 2019Sunken GardenBruce Sterling1985PDF570091
November 26, 2019ExhalationTed Chiang2008HTML650090
November 26, 2019Awards Ceremony for 2019!
Pick the best and worst story of 2019.
Custom awards too!
November 19, 2019In the House of the WormGeorge R R Martin1976Youtube Audio116 minutes89
November 5, 2019Ad AstraJames Gray2019Movie Theater124 minutes88
October 22, 2019ZeitgeberGreg Egan2019HTML1040087
October 8, 2019The Children's CrusadeRobert Reed2002HTML1080086
September 24, 2019The Voice of the DolphinsLeo Szilard1961HTML (click html)1600085
September 10, 2019The Wonderful Story Of Henry SugarRoald Dahl1977HTML (6 parts)~1400084
August 27, 2019Twilight Zone
Season 1 episode 8 - Time Enough At Last
Season 3 episode 24 - To Serve Man
season 5 episode 3 - Nightmare at 20,000 feet		Rod Sterling1960(Netflix)1:3083
August 6, 2019The Jaguar HunterLucius Shepard1985HTML1040082
July 23, 2019ZiggarutGene Wolfe1995HTML2700081
July 9, 2019The Matter of SeggriUrsula K. Le Guin1994HTML1600080
June 25, 2019The Gold at the Starbow's EndFrederik Pohl1972HTML2130079
June 11, 2019The Woman Who Destroyed UsS. L. Huang2018HTML1120078
May 28, 2019Song for LyaGeorge R.R. Martin1976HTML2410077
May 14, 2019TaklamanBruce Sterling1999HTML1560076
April 30, 2019Meat And Salt And SparksRich Larson2018HTML740075
April 18, 2019Dune, third chapter: The ProphetFrank Herbert1965Audible5:20 hours74
April 9, 2019Dune, second chapter: Maud'dibFrank Herbert1965Audible7:00 hours73
April 2, 2019Dune, first chapter: DuneFrank Herbert1965Audible7:03 hours72
March 19, 2019Blood, Bone, Seed, SparkAimee Ogden2018Html970071
March 5, 2019Solution UnsatisfactoryRobert Heinlein1941Html1600070
February 19, 2019Mika ModelPaolo Bacigalupi2016Html430069
February 5, 2019The Door in the WallHG Wells1910Html690068
January 22, 2019The Library of BabelBorges1941Html300067
January 8, 2019Beyond the Black RiverRobert Howard1935Html2190066
December 18, 2018We need to talk about fifty-five
SCP-55
Introductory Antimemetics		The Internet2010s Html
Html
Html 		2600
900
3400
65
December 4, 2018When We Were StarlessSimone Heller2018Html1320064
November 20, 2018Beyond BedlamWyman Guin1951Html2150063
November 6, 2018Second VarietyPhilip K Dick1953Html1530062
October 23, 2018Flowers for AlgernonDaniel Keyes1959Html1200061
October 9, 2018Guest LawJohn C Wright1997Youtube Audio
pdf		45:00
7700		60
October 2, 2018Of Mist, and Grass, and SandVonda McIntyre1973Html740059
September 25, 2018SandkingsGeorge R.R. Martin1979Pdf
Youtube Audio		15000
2h 4m		58
September 18, 2018Fondly FahrenheitAlfred Bester1954Html680057
September 11, 2018On the Orion LineStephen Baxter2007Html1300056
September 4, 2018The State of the ArtIain M Banks1991Youtube Audio45 minutes56
August 28, 2018Legions in TimeMichael Swanwick2004Html930054
August 21, 2018Steve FeverGreg Egan2006Html620053
August 14, 2018Houston, Houston, Do You Read?James Tiptree, Jr.
aka Alice Sheldon		1969Html2190052
August 7, 2018Stories by group members - come if you've written oneUs!2018One day's worth!51
July 31, 2018Johnny MnemonicWilliam Gibson1982Html570050
July 24, 2018Planning our next writing eventUs!201849
July 17, 2018Wings
The Mountains Of Sunset, The Mountains Of Dawn		Vonda McIntyre
Vonda McIntyre		1974
1974		Html
PDF		5600
5000		48
July 10, 2018By His BootstrapsRobert Heinlein1941Html2050046
July 3, 2018Tower of BabelTed Chiang1990Html814545
June 26, 2018Yellow Card ManPaolo Bacigalupi2007Html1450044
June 19, 2018Weaponized MathJonathan Brazee2017Docx1000043
June 12, 2018SwarmBruce Sterling1983Html970042
June 5, 2018Wind Will RoveSarah Pinkster2017Pdf1460041
May 29, 2018Glimwarden prologue & chapters 1-2Alexander Wales2016Html1260040
May 22, 2018Blood ChildOctavia Butler1995Html760039
May 15, 2018Melancholy ElephantsSpider Robinson1982Pdf10 pages38
May 8, 2018The Night WhiskeyJeffrey Ford2007Html1000037
May 1, 2018Incarnation DayWalter John Williams2007Html1580036
April 25, 2018The Martian ObeliskLinda Nagata2017Html590035
April 18, 2018We write stories! (time limit 1 day)Us!2018Journal 4, Upper Reaches, Rat Race, Artificial Selection34
April 11, 2018The Seventh VoyageStanislaw Lem1957Html - Youtube Audio7000 / 31 minutes33
April 4, 2018For Want of a NailMary Robinette Kowal2011Html730032
March 28, 2018Tk'tk'tkDavid D Levine2006Html660031
March 21, 2018The Tenth MuseTad Williams2009Audio60 minutes30
March 14, 2018AnnihilationAlex Garland2018Movie120 minutes29
March 7, 2018Utopia, LOL?Jamie Wahls2017Html500028
February 28, 2018BirthdaysFred Saberhagen1976Html1550027
February 21, 2018ForgetfulnessDon A Stuart1937Html1070026
February 14, 2018The Tale of the WickedJohn Scalzi2013Html780025
February 7, 2018What Have I DoneMark Clifton1952Html680024
January 31, 2018Nine LivesUrsula K. Le Guin1969Html1070023
January 24, 2018ColosseumBlake Stone-Banks2017Html8500 / 35m22
January 17, 2018Blood MusicGreg Bear1983Html900021
January 10, 2018A Billion EvesRobert Reed2006Html2290020
January 3, 2018The Persistence of VisionJohn Varley1978Html2000019
December 13, 2018Second GameKatherine MacLean & Charles V De Vet1958Html1620018
December 6, 2017VideostarWalter John Williams1986Html1240017
November 29, 2017All the Birds of HellTanith Lee1998Html830016
November 22, 2017Take Your Time
The War on Yourself		Nicky Case
Nicky Case		2017
2017		Html
Html		3100
2400		15
November 15, 2017The ThingsPeter Watts2010Html - mp36800 - 53 minutes14
November 8, 2017Little FacesVonda N. McIntyre2010Html - Mp315300 - 93 minutes13
October 31, 2017
(First Contact)		Ambassador
The Game of Rat and Dragon		Peter Watts
Cordwaiter Smith		1954
2000		Pdf
Html		3500
5700		12
October 24, 2017UnderstandTed Chiang1991Audio109 minutes11
October 17, 2017I, RobotCory Doctorow2005Html1540010
October 10, 2017The Exterminator's Want AdBruce Sterling2010Html43009
October 3, 2017
(Two internet stories)		 And I Show you how Deep the Rabbit Hole Goes
The Egg		Scott Alexander
Andy Weir		2015
2009		Html
Html		6500
1000		8
September 26, 2017EquinoctalJohn Varley1977Html180007
September 19, 2017Maneki NekoBruce Sterling2011Html56006
September 12, 2017PalimpsestCharles Stross2009Html275005
September 5, 2017The Last AnswerIsaac Asimov1980Html26004
August 22, 2017The Last QuestionIsaac Asimov1956Html45003
August 8, 2017Blessed by an AngelPeter F Hamilton2007Html65002
July 25, 2017GloryGreg Egan2007Pdf 105001
Group calendar in ICS format
Direct google calendar link - click "+" in lower right to follow it
Send me your suggestions for group readings!

Contact


contact: ernestfrench@gmail.com

About

We get together every week in a coffee shop to discuss a science fiction story. We've been meeting for about 6 months and have had a good time covering a wide range of stories. My personal favorites are Charles Stross, Iain Banks & people like that, but we also read that weird 70s SF from John Varley, and go back to the 50s sometimes too.
Update: we now have meetings online in google meet. Contact me to info

The spot is basically a cafe with cakes, coffee, but it also has craft beers.

The earliest story we've read comes from 1937, and the most recent from 2020.

Story submissions are open - we want ones which are between 5 and 25k words, and have multiple things to discuss. It helps if there is some mystery in the intepretation of what the story means. Also, finding ones which deal with technology more specifically would be interesting, too! (rather than clearly sociological/biological ones)

Last modified April 19, 2021