Books and Essays
Click on the image to learn more about Uyless Black's books and essays
Digital Societies and the Internet: What the Present is Bringing to the Future
This book is written for the Internet layperson, as well for the IT professional. It lays the groundwork to enable you to control the Internet, and not for the Internet to control you. How we deal with the Internet now will determine how the Internet will deal with us in the future.
Excerpts
The Internet has become an integral part of the societies of practically everyone and everything on earth.
Using the term The Cloud to identify a computer network is a relatively new trend. The expression, however, has been in use since the 1970s.
The Internet is neutral about the identity of its users, as well as to the kinds of traffic they are sending and receiving. This idea is called Net Neutrality.
Readers’ Comments
"Your work is like a breath of fresh air.”
-- Mark, Sand Point
“I am enjoying all your work.”
-- Caroline, Hayden
“Thank you for providing great content in your Internet descriptions.”
-- Mike, Coeur d’ Alene
2084 and Beyond
2084 and Beyond positions the reader into the future, looking back to the early years of the twenty-first century: today’s world. The reader learns how humans, facing dangers to their existence, decided to make accelerated changes to their genetic and mental makeup. They had begun to use weapons of mass destruction on themselves. If left undone, the humans were racing toward a world of chaos and destruction.
Excerpts
The pace of development of the human’s use of tools for destruction outpaced the human’s possible hesitations about using them. Humans never discovered all the secrets of the universe. On the scientific side, it came down to mathematical verification. On the religious side, it came down to faith. Our behavior is embedded deeply into our souls, chiseled onto our genome and gray matter with the imprints of ancient human tribal hierarchies.
Readers’ Comments
"I was overwhelmed by your insights and philosophical musing on the past, present, and the possibilities of what the future holds for the planet earth and its current inhabitants." -- Spencer, Long Beach
"2084 and Beyond is truly a great creation." -- Sylvia, Vernon
"I am getting a little deeper into the book. My first impression is astonishment." -- Rob, San Francisco
The Light Side of Little Texas
The rural country of southeastern New Mexico serves as the backdrop for a young boy’s adventures on his father’s ranch and in his small community. Later years recount his teenage experiences. The book’s concluding chapters tell of his returning to this childhood home as an adult; about how things have changed but have also remained the same.
Excerpts
Some Texans claim Lea County is more like Texas than Texas is like Texas.
Rodeo dances seemed to invite brawls. I suspected the fighting cowboys had been watching too many western movies.
A few men lingered around the campfire, telling tales in Spanish. Occasionally they tried English, in deference to their eight-year old guest---who was captivated by the strangeness of the Mexicans, their music, and their plaintive flamenco yells. He was grateful for their kindness and attention.
Readers’ Comments
"Black’s 'Confessions of a Southern Baptist' was hilarious. I practically spit hot chocolate all over my office when I read the story."
-- Pat, Carlsbad
"Loved Black’s 'Lost in Lea County'…Very nicely done."
-- Bill, Arlington
"Once again, Black has drawn some great mental pictures for all of us to enjoy."
-- Barbara, Kennewicki
The Nearly Perfect Storm: An American Financial and Social Failure
The Nearly Perfect Storm examines the financial, political, and social factors that led to the 2008 financial meltdown in America. It documents the corrupt behavior of many financial institutions, the venal actions of Congress, the excessive influence of Super PACs and K Street on political elections, and the greed of both consumers and sellers of real estate. All of which contributed to the most serious social and financial crisis in America since the Great Depression.
Excerpts
Where does the financial meltdown witches brew and its toxic seasonings leave you and me? We must look after ourselves. Uncle Sam is too inept to do it. Wall Street is too selfish to care. Benjamin Franklin gives us the answer: “Distrust and caution are the parents of security.”
Moral sense and self-interest, when taken together, can take us across any financial or social abyss. They are not only compatible, they jointly reinforce ideas that can lead to a fairer society, as well as a more humane and affluent life for all.
Readers’ Comments
"I'm afraid there will be a sequel to this, removing “Nearly” from the title."
-- Ron, Arlington
"In my view the banks (and I include AIG here) should not have been "bailed out" by the USA."
-- Patrick, Falls Church
"Keep up the flow of information about this subject. Someone needs to be explaining this to the public so that we can write our Congressional delegates."
-- Mike, Washington
Swimmer's Odyssey: From the Plains to the Pacific
This book takes the reader on the author’s life journey filled with adventure, adversity, and achievement. Uyless Black’s belief that putting in the time with effortful study and sustained motivated practice would give him access to the career he passionately sought: That of the life of an Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) frogman.
Excerpts
The dive marked his passage from a world of noise and heat into a sphere of cool translucent silence. The next few seconds---coasting from the dive’s momentum, gliding underneath the water’s surface, flexing no muscles---left the swimmer with a sensation of an effortless soar though a chilled quiet ether.
As I entered the grotto, I slowed my swim stroke. I surfaced to find myself in a world far removed from anything I had experienced in my life. I was inside an ancient rock cave, a ceiling of antediluvian stone, layered with a carpet of the clearest water I had ever seen.
Readers’ Comments
"Thank you for your service to our country. I was extremely interested in your observations about outliers, perseverance, work ethic, and the stick to it attitude."
-- Dave, Coeur d’Alene
"Black presents an intelligent discussion of historical events that were happening during his time in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Whether writing about his ideas of acquiring and using good teaching methods, attitudes toward his duties in the Navy, what it takes to be successful in the field of computer software development, his admiration of certain individuals in his life, he keeps the reader interested in what he's saying."
-- Doug, blog reader, physical location unknown
Communications Networks - Technical Books
Uyless has written 35 books on the subject of communications networks, including writings on cellular systems, Voice over IP, and Internet architecture.
This work is available from his publishers, Pearson Publishing, McGraw Hill, the IEEE Computer Society, and SAMS publishers.
His most recent technical book is "Digital Societies and The Internet".
This book introduces networking concepts, and explains how to plan, design, and implement computer networks.
It is written for the beginning and intermediate level professional.
Your On the Street Reporter
Your On the Street Reporter is a collection of essays Uyless Black began writing in January, 2005. The first is a report on the Presidential Inauguration in the nation’s capital.
The Reporter travels to many parts of America and the world to keep you informed about subjects as varied as looking for Elvis in Memphis, Dick Cheney and Joe Biden at the National Press Club, the financial meltdown, and Michael Vick’s love of the canine world.
The reports are written in newspaper style, with short paragraphs and photos to hold your attention and keep you entertained.
Excerpts
Honey, I can’t wait ‘till tomorrow, ‘cause I’m getting richer every day!
-- A financial executive to his wife…just before the meltdown.
With so much plastic surgery, it becomes impossible to appreciate natural beauty, which is leading to the demise of beauty contests. All entries are equally beautiful, and everyone ties for first place.
Readers’ Comments
"I love Black’s dialogue and the way he connects so many ideas in his flow."
-- JoAnna, Albuquerque
"The reports on the financial crisis were great; fantastic research."
-- Greg, Washington
Cepee Dialogues: A Modern Fairy Tale
The Cepee Dialogues: A Modern Fairy Tale, This tale involves a quest for the common good told from the future while addressing the world's present societal issues. Dive deep to see the future individuals: A Cepee sage gently, but with wisdom, prepares a Cepee student, who is filled with curiosity and youthful bravado, to be a future leader in the society. The dialogues between the Sage and Student take the reader into the beauty and power of the intellectual exchange of truths between a young inquisitive mind and a mature advanced intellect about earlier societies' self-destructive penchants. Black's book is not just supposition. His scenario for peace is grounded in scientific research--a scenario for hope. Consider this, much of the scientific research is becoming a reality. Peace is possible.
Excerpts:
Student Cepee, "Sage, The Hologram informed me there was a message in the 'Vietnam Boogie' song. I suspect that the last line about 'Macs and Cokes' was the message. Maybe the Americans could have achieved their aims in Vietnam without going to war?"
Host, "Good evening to you all. Our show tonight will be based on the famous 'Name that Name' format. Here is the first question. 'Name a famous freedom fighter? U.S. panel contestant, 'George Washington.' Vietnam panel contestant, 'Ho Chi Minh.'"
Rules of Life:
The Herd Rule: "If enough people do it, it must be alright to do."
The Law of the Instrument: "Exemplified by a child who picks up a hammer and looks for something to pound."
Readers’ Comments:
I recently read The Cepee Dialogues: A Modern Fairy Tale, by Uyless Black. I feel compelled to thank him for this observations about our society from the future point of view. He masterfully details how we humans unwittingly and gradually change our present society, altering humanity as we think we know it.
Holly Waters, Idaho
In short easy-to-read chapters, Uyless Black highlights a greatly improved human species, called Cepees, programmed to end their pathological aggression by modifying their genetic and cerebral makeup. Readers will learn that scientific research is in process making these changes possible to modify humankind, to be freed of genetic issues, to enjoy life that could be akin to heaven on earth. The fear of creating monsters is put to rest as the scenario for peace dawns.
Sylvia Gann, Texas
I took Cepee Dialogues with me to a restaurant tonight because I was eating alone. I was sitting there reading, and I laughed out loud. I looked around to see what people thought. I wished that I had held up the book and said, "A book to laugh with."
Lesli Laughter, Texas
Comments:
"In a life of reading books and studying literature, I really have never read a book quite like this one. It's a book about the present, set in the future, but with a plot that focuses upon the 20th century and early 21st century. "Rather than writing a dystopian novel, popular today, Black has written a utopian fiction in the sense that the characters are happy. His Cepee Dialogues: A Modern Fairy Tale ought to be on American bestseller lists."
--Jim Harris, Lea County Museum, NM, Hobbs News-Sun, May 31, 2020
Read to Me with Eyes to See and Ears to Hear
Read to Me with Ears to Hear and Eyes to See is a collection of 32 stories about the social fabric of America with subjects such as war, a bull rider, choice of time to die, crypto suicide, PTSD, racism, child and nature.
Each story is self-contained and each can be read independently of others and in any order. The stories are from three pages to sixteen pages long.
Some of the stories are written with humor and satire. Others are of a more serious nature. The stories are fictional, but as said, "One writes about what one knows."
Excerpts:
"I was attacked by a bear. I ran away, but the bear caught up with me."
"Jim, our grandma warned us about this drover business. She told us about freedom of choice and all."
"After years of silence, his younger brother had come to know for certain."
"He then returned to the pasture where he placed the bird in the match box."
"The music, the Texans, and the one-hundred dollar bills made for amusing entertainment."
Readers' Comments:
Uyless Black's book, "Read to Me with Ears to Hear and Eyes to See" is a collection of 32 short stories about the social fabric of America. Black won the Navy Commendation Medal for actions in the Vietnam. Black writes with sensitivity, adept scene-setting and character development that sometimes lead where you wouldn't have expected to go."
--Editorial, Coeur d'Alene Press, Idaho
I finally got to your collected stories and I’m half way through the book. My gawd, your shift from nonfiction to fiction is remarkable. I have enjoyed every story honestly. I will hate to finish the book. I really find the stories all little parables or allegories.
--Sam, fraternity bro. Albuquerque, NM
Great reviews, Uyless! I am in the middle of your short story book now.
--Paul, McLean, VA