Neal Stephenson already wrote Neil deGrasse Tyson into one of his novels — and Tyson hasn't read it
Neil deGrasse Tyson discusses being featured as a fictional character in Neal Stephenson's novel. Tyson admits he hasn't read the book yet but expresses embarrassment about this fact and acknowledges that Stephenson wrote something positive about him.
Summary
In this brief interview excerpt, Neil deGrasse Tyson is confronted with the fact that Neal Stephenson, an acclaimed author, wrote him into one of his novels. Multiple people have apparently pointed this out to Tyson, asking if he's aware of the reference. Tyson confesses that he hasn't actually read the book yet, expressing some embarrassment about not having done so. When asked if Stephenson said something nice about him in the book, Tyson clarifies that it was a fictional character based on or inspired by him, not a direct reference. Despite not having read the work, Tyson speaks positively of Stephenson, describing him as "a wonderful man" and noting that this fictional character serves as the main character of the story.
Key Insights
- Neil deGrasse Tyson has not read Neal Stephenson's novel in which he appears as a fictional character, despite multiple people informing him about it
- Tyson expresses embarrassment about not having read the book that Stephenson wrote featuring him
- Stephenson's inclusion of Tyson was in the form of a fictional character rather than a direct autobiographical reference
- Despite not reading the work, Tyson characterizes Stephenson as 'a wonderful man'
- The fictional character based on Tyson serves as the main character of Stephenson's story
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] He wrote about you in his book. I'm told by people who read your every word. They ask : “Did you see this?” Do you know? And I say, "No, I haven't seen it yet." I'm embarrassed because I have to make up for it. So you said something nice about me in the book? It was a fictional character, sir. But the answer was—yes. So, he is a wonderful man. He is the main character of this whole story.
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