Aga sagas

Martin Amis, a former bad boy of British literature, was interviewed last year by the New York Times about his reading habits. Asked which genres he enjoys and avoids, replied, “I confess I have never read an Aga saga or bodice ripper—or indeed western (though Hitler, incidentally, nothing else).”What, you might ask, is saga? The term coined in 1992 to describe novels Joanna Trollope, which, being set amid middle-class society countryside southern England, could be presumed feature type stored-heat cooker called AGA. By happenstance, my home library includes epitome sagas, Trollope’s A Village Affair (1989). Motivated one-up book. No AGAs appear within its pages, but thanks YouTube, spotted one trailer for 1995 TV adaptation.PPT|High resolutionThe acronym AGA stands Aktiebolaget Svenska Gasaccumulator (Swedish Gas Accumulator Limited). company has connection with physics. Its chief engineer inventor cooker, Gustaf Dalén, awarded 1912 Nobel Prize Physics “for invention automatic regulators use conjunction gas accumulators illuminating lighthouses buoys.”Dalén inspired invent after blinded acetylene explosion. Spending more time at home, noticed how much work wife, Elma, put into fueling running family’s stove. His solution create that ran continuously. When introduced UK 1929, stove became popular among rich owners large country houses.AGAs not only serve as cookers, they also heat water. hot enough it warms kitchen. In drafty old house, kitchen coziest room because AGA.But all well Agashire. Since Trollope wrote her first late 1980s, climate change nudged up mean temperature led frequent intense waves. run too some parts country. Indeed, without difficulty, found news story resident Aldeburgh east England who complained made “unbearably hot” during 2019 wave. If endures, genre’s name will become vestigial.A changed climate—invariably worse one—has been setting science fiction decades. Notable warmer worlds include Octavia Butler’s Parable Sower (1993), Peter F. Hamilton’s Mindstar Rising Kim Stanley Robinson’s Forty Signs Rain (2004), Sarah Hall’s Carhullan Army (2007).Climate showing literary fiction. Iain Banks’s Steep Approach Garbadale (2007), gamekeeper on estate Scottish Highlands laments, “Ah, it’s changing. We can see here. salmon brown trout, they’re mostly gone. And we don’t get winters used to. I’ve got clothes winter gear just wear—well, maybe day something—because milder time.”Banks himself increasingly alarmed change. 2007 sold fleet cars (BMW M5, Land Rover Discovery, Porsche 911 Turbo, Boxter S) replaced them Lexus RX 400 hybrid.© 2021 American Institute Physics.