Hey, I think I'll write a book!

As most of you can probably tell, it's been eating away at my innards that Wmscott has a book and I don't. If Wmscott can write a book, then so can I. So I will.How about a book on the on-line Creation/Evolution debate? It's a topic that greatly interests me, I have some familiarity with it, I'm actually personally involved, and there's a lot on on-line material to draw upon.Okay, some ideas:

• The book will *not* be self published. If I can't find a publisher then I'll just post it at my website with a warning not to expect too much since I couldn't find a publisher.
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• Book should be light reading. Humor is good, but this may be my weakest area, so I'll need help.
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• Each chapter should be an episode centered on a particular debate, or on a particular incident, or on a website, or perhaps on a particular topic that has experienced many interesting incidents.
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• There'll have to be lot's of dramatic license to make each episode intelligible and interesting. It can't be a dry recitation, there has to be drama and movement.
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• Like this site, the book is going to attempt to be neutral. I want to point out the foibles of evolutionists as much as Creationists.
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• Help and suggestions from fellow inmates here would be much appreciated. Know of any interesting debates or people at other boards? What debates here do you think would make interesting reading?
  

First item of business: a working title. Doesn't have to be the final title. Anyone have any good suggestions? Some ideas:

Creation Wars (unoriginal, probably used already)
The On-line Battle for Creation
On-line Origins
Board Wars
Evolution/Creation: The On-line Debate

There! I think that's enough to safely say I've started my book. Just like Wmscott, I am now on my way to authorship stardom!--Percy

Maybe you could use it to sum up various topics, arguments you found powerfull, characters that made amusing gaffes... that sort of thing...Hey Brad and his fascination with Croizat has to be worth a (short) chapter all to itself.....Oh and in case you need it (copyright etc) here is permission to use any material I posted...If you get a publisher put me down for a copy...

Interesting characters! Yes! Excellent idea!To get me started, the first chapter I'll write (not the first chapter of the book) will be about Brad.Hope that's okay, Brad. You've had a lot of interesting things to say, but your writing style makes you an intriguing subject.Anyone have concerns about using their material? I was kind of assuming that attribution was sufficient, since discussion boards on the Internet are public and anyone can view them. I can promise anonymity to anyone who wants it, though I wouldn't grant that to those who already have well-known on-line personas, like Fred Williams.--Percy

Perhaps a poll of why people come online to argue their cases would be interesting/indicative to include? After all it takes a long time to reply (for some of us), so why do we do it? Perhaps putting both the evos & crets as people in perspective would be interesting?I for one love learning, am fascinated with "origins". Not just human, organismal, but universal as well, & like a bloody good row, (perhaps most importantly )Mark------------------
Occam's razor is not for shaving with.

Gosh, I didn't even think of a title yet?The Terydactly that exactly learned to fly-by the web.""That wont do.It would be nice to see Croizat get a start out of the "debate" if no Journal of Panbiogeography is ever established. It is possible my interest could go that way.'Wright' BROTHERS' Dactl.

That is a very good idea percipient, show us on your progress, i'll have to put it on my shelf. I'd be happy to critique anything you write (though others would be much better of course ). I have a massive urge to do the same, however, I do realize I have much more to learn, i'd rather write something that will make more sence than just rush into it.Something catchy such as: Abstract origins, onset of origins/evolution, or something along that line is what I would tend to have for a title.------------------

Somewhere along the line, I began to think that the idea was a serious one. So, is it a work in (real) progress?Moose

Wishing you well on this interesting project, Percy. Maybe too long, but for what it's worth, how about this or some revision of it: "Board Owner's Online Origins Debate Observations"

You can make references to me, but, for privacy issues, you should disguise my name - something to the effect of "Ier" or "Brei", or "Rei #2".

Percy,You have to include at LEAST a chapter devoted to Peter Borger and the marvels of the GUToB! And don't forget the Wollemi pine falsification-of-evolution, or the 26-million-year epicycle creaton particle-wave interactions with the Earth's morphogenetic field as the cause of speciation. No book of humor, erm, classic board debates would be complete without it.

I think it is a very good idea! Come to think of it, I happen to work for a publishing company, and I know several publishers too... but all are local publishers -__- You mind publishing your work in Indonesia? At least there are two people here who can find it in the bookstores that way.

Hi, all!The title of Brad's chapter will be "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". That's as far as I've gotten.Seriously, folks, its been over a year since I thought of trying to do this, and the more I thought about it the more I felt I wasn't really up to the task. I think such a book needs a light and humorous yet insightful and informative touch. I tend more toward the recitative and didactic: "You have violated the following laws of physics, etc..."This is the second book I've given up on in the past year. Early this year I thought I'd write a book on SystemC, and I actually composed a detailed outline, but in the end I gave that up, too.I'm in the middle of a book titled Feynman's Rainbow (I'm reading it, of course, not writing it ), and the author, Leonard Mlodinow, hits just about the right tone, one I'd like to achieve myself. Of course, having had the office just down the hall from Richard Feynman and having engaged in many conversations with Feynman, Moldinow has some great material, but he's also a pretty good writer, as he later proved when he pulled a major career shift, leaving Cal-Tech to become a script writer for Star Trek: The Next Generation. But EvC Forum has great material, too - I'm just afraid the author isn't worthy of the material.Sometimes persistance and effort can overcome lack of talent and ability, but the slogging approach requires vast amounts of time - not geologic, but lots nonetheless. If days were twice as long it might be something I could pull off.--Percy

I think this is a great idea; especially if you had a chapter or two dedicated to why people leave their particuliar faith to become free thinkers. Personal testimony does not, nor should it carry much weight in a debate setting, but in a book about the subject, it may prove beneficial. Of course the biggest challenge that I can see is remaining unbiased.
A friend of mine (a Messianic Jewish Christian) and I have been writing each other back and forth with the goal of publishing our questions/answers, and I am finding that it is difficult to remain open minded throughout the process.

not to sure about a book like this. But a Book on common things creationist try to argue against evolution with would be nice.... I mean the things we hear over and over again. the Book should explain in depth why these things are wrong and can't Disprove evolution

In the movie version, I demand to be played by John Cusak.