Canadian author Robert J. Sawyer FACTORING HUMANITY

Quote from reading Factoring Humanity: "Maybe the reason we sleep so much is that that's when we interact most closely with the overmind. Maybe dreams occur while our daily individual experiences are being uploaded to the overmind. It can kill you, you know--not dreaming. You can get all the rest in the world, but if you take chemicals that prevent you from dreaming, you'll die; that contact 'is' essential." Plays with Roger Penrose's theories of consciousness and Michael Persinger's experimental neuropsychology. He also refers to Philip Lieberman, who questioned Noam Chomsky's theories, and who wrote EVE SPOKE. As with another of my favorite authors, Richard Powers, Sawyer has explored multiple disciplines and done the research to find the juxtaposition point between and wrapped it all in compelling narrative for his readers' delight.