What we’re about
We meet to watch and discuss our favorite sci-fi TV programs, film, and go to conventions and other events. We also have a sci-fi book club which meets approximately every other month in Northampton.
Our sister groups are Dr. Who Club of Western MA, Western MA Movie Meetup, Western MA Star Trek Fans, and Pioneer Valley Geeks & Gamers. We are also on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/4SciFi
This group is about meeting people and creating community. Please include a picture of you in your profile and your full name.
If you respond that you are going to an event but can't come, please change your RSVP to no as soon as possible. New members who no show to the first event they RSVPd to will be removed right away. Generally two no shows (ie: you have RSVPd yes but don't show up) is enough to be removed from the group. Late or frequent cancellations are about half as bad.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Stories of Your Life and Others book discussionLilly Library Community Room, Florence, MA
ATTENTION: Please note we're meeting Thursday again this month and will be back at the Lilly Library in Florence!
For our April book discussion, we'll be reading the short story collection Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang. We'll meet to discuss it Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 6:00 pm.
Location: Community Room, Lilly Library
CLICK HERE for a list of what we'll be reading for the book group in 2025.
NOTE: The fourth entry this collection, 'Story of Your Life,' was the basis for the movie Arrival. Although we won't be meeting to watch the film adaptation together, attendees are welcome watch or rewatch the movie prior to the discussion. We'll reserve some time at the end to compare and contrast the book and movie.
Stories of Your Life and Others synopsis:
What if men built a tower from Earth to Heaven-and broke through to Heaven's other side? What if we discovered that the fundamentals of mathematics were arbitrary and inconsistent? What if there were a science of naming things that calls life into being from inanimate matter? What if exposure to an alien language forever changed our perception of time? What if all the beliefs of fundamentalist Christianity were literally true, and the sight of sinners being swallowed into fiery pits were a routine event on city streets? These are the kinds of outrageous questions posed by the stories of Ted Chiang. Stories of your life . . . and others.
Author bio:
Ted Chiang is an American science fiction writer. His work has won four Nebula awards, four Hugo awards, the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and six Locus awards. He has published the short story collections Stories of Your Life and Others (2002) and Exhalation: Stories (2019). His short story "Story of Your Life" was the basis of the film Arrival (2016). He was an artist in residence at the University of Notre Dame from 2020 to 2021. Chiang is also a frequent non-fiction contributor to the New Yorker, where he writes on topics related to computing such as artificial intelligence.***
*There is a limit of 12 attendees for this event, to make sure everyone has a chance to participate in the discussion. Please RSVP before it fills up! And if you have RSVPd but something has come up, please update your RSVP so someone else will have a chance.
If you have suggestions for future discussion group selections you can post them here on our message board (https://www.meetup.com/4scifi/messages/boards/thread/38262602), or just message me (https://www.meetup.com/4scifi/members/54187482/) directly.
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/4SciFi
