A Smoother Pebble, A Prettier Shell: Art & Facts from a Computerised Expedition into the Surreal Land of Science

Ken Stange

6 X 9 inches, 72 pages
contains 52 "constructions" and an introductory essay

ASSIMILATION AND INTEGRATION are themes that have always interested Ken Stange, informing his passion for both art and science. He calls all his books "hypotheses" in acknowledgement of the role the principles of science play in his literary explorations and experiments. Bushed, his "multigenre novel," assimilated into the main narrative everything from lists of indigenous mammals of Northern Ontario to impressionistic poems; and his numerous books of poetry have frequently mined the rich metaphors of science.

Although originally, and primarily, a writer, for over a decade Stange has also been creating visual art that integrates both science and literature. A Smoother Pebble contains explications of 47 of his works as well as an essay discussing the relationship of art and science—and the potential of the computer to bridge the gap between the "two cultures."


"... at last there are unmistakable signs of artists finally 'assimilating' science into their work."

Ken Stange

Author, Artist

Without further ado, here is Ken Stange in his on-line glory:

Strangely Wired Eclectic Outlet

Introduction to A Smoother Pebble, A Prettier Shell