So, I bought my younger daughter’s Barnes & Noble gift card from her (she wanted cash) and now I find myself there, sitting in the adjacent Starbucks with a coffee, cup of soup, and a stack of books. Five books to be exact, only one of which I can afford. These are the titles in the stack:

• The Anti-Gravity Handbook (3rd Edition) by David Hatcher Childress
• Programing the Universe by Seth Lloyd
• A Vision of Future Space Transportation by Tim McElyea
• The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil
• Life As We Do Not Know It by Peter Ward
• Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku

I came here specifically to get Programing the Universe, but there are so many fascinating books in the Science section that I decided to pick up a selection and look through them before making a decision. And so now I’ll enjoy my soup before it gets cold then do just that.

One bowl of vegetable soup later…

I made my decision via process of elimination:

The Anti-Gravity Handbook: it turned out to be nothing but a rehash of UFO conspiracy theories, not anything to do with actual research, and so it’s just too kooky for my interests.

Programing the Universe: about the universe as a giant computer, which I find fascinating, but it’s too expensive … must wait for paperback edition.

A Vision of Future Space Transportation: rehash of information I have been reading about for years.

Life As We Do Not Know It: fascinating book about the search for extraterrestrial life, but also a rehash of information I have been reading about for years.

Parallel Worlds: about parallel universes, the possibility and proof thereof, all incredibly fascinating and it would have been my choice had it been more relevant to something I am already working on.

The Singularity is Near: about the impending merger of man and machine intelligence, incredibly fascinating and very relevant to a current project. The winner!

I’m keeping Kaku’s Parallel Worlds on my list, as well as Programing the Universe.

Now if that gift card I bought from my daughter turns out to be worthless I am going to be pissed.