You are not logged in.
I'm not neceassarily christian but the idea of the crucifiction is that jesus became a man he was no longer a heavenly being so he could bleed he could feel pain so that he chose the horrors of the cross knowing this was what make it extraordinary
Offline
I just finished a little tour of Vonnegut. Cat's Cradle and Slaughtehouse Five (The Children's Crusade). Oddly appropriate given the times...
Some others had dumped a huge collection of books near a comunnity darbage bin, cleaning out out a personal library started in the 50's. Such treasures were discovered among them! The entire series of Oz books, Vonnegut, Tolkein, compedium's of short stories based on the fantastic, with literary icons from around the world in the last century (Quoting Pablo Neruda, "Anyone who dosen't read [Julio] Cortazar is doomed, not to read him is a serious invisible disease which in time can have a terrible consquences. Something similar to a man who has never tasted peaches, He would become sadder, noticeably paler, and probably, little by little, he would lose his hair."- I myself am inclined to agree.), Lovecraft, 20,000 leagues under the sea, and other works both great and small.
Oscar Wilde's short story "The Fisherman and his Soul," is especially vivid and beautiful.
Offline
I finished 20,000 leagues under the sea- a Vernes classic! The writing is a bit more prosiac than more contemporary books (it was written in the earlier part of the 20th century) so it may be a bit off-putting, but it is well worth the journey. Vernes let's the imagination marvel with a world unseen by man, journeying from the North pole, to the Pacific, to the Atlantic, the Indian sea, and even through some underwater passages. Fights with giant squids, and a man tortured by some unknown past and unparrelled genuis make for a great read. The ending is rather open ended, but it makes for a great segue into your own meanderings of what might have happened to Nimo and his ship.
If you're into oceanography, this is a definite must read. Atlantis makes an appearance too! :;):
I'm now reading through some Lovecraft... "Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos," basically a bunch of short stories by other authors (with some Lovecraft) that are based and expand upon the Mythos of Cthulhu developed by Lovecraft. Horror and mystery are not usually my cup of tea, but I find the rather disturbing aspects of the forbidden knowledge and dealing with powers man cannot quite comprehend interesting. This makes for great Halloween fare!
Was that the wind in the trees or Windigo.... oowwooo.
Offline
I'm currently at the last chapter of 'A Short History of the United States,' by Franklin Esher Jr.
Can hardly wait to reach the end, to see who has won ( :;): )
Kidding aside: it's a good read, printed in 1954, so 'boring,' i.e. absolutely no babbling, lots of numbers, facts, no dumbing-down, thourough , but still a compact read. (158 pages in paperback format)
Great introduction for an European who wants to know a little bit more about the roots of the current political systems, polemics, etc...
I'm sure there are a gazillion histories in print, some more authorative, and modern, but I got this one for pennies (water damaged)
Again: interesting read, esp. when you keep current stuff in the back of your head, to make links etc...
And wow, American history has been a real roller-coaster...
Offline
I finished "Trail of Cthulhu" by August Dereleth (after finishing the two volume short story anthology of Cthulhu Mythos by various authors). I must say, I was readily impressed with this latest addition of the Mythos (if a book written in the early part of the 20th century can be labled 'latest' ). It involved a series of stories that followed along one another to develop the overall quest to defeat the dread Cthulhu and save humanity from his inevitable coming. Through the twists and turns, the reader is kept in suspense as the band of men who actively seek out and destroy Cthulhu's avenues of ingress to Earth and his evil followers, grow to a full compliment that use the limits of aracane mystics and the full brunt of science to win the day. I won't tell you the ending, but suffice it to say, ultimate evil has a way of enduring, no matter what you do. :;):
I also recently finished "She", by H. Ridder Haggard (more well known for his "King Solomon's Mines and "Allan Quatermain" novels). The setting is in the deep shroud of dark Africa ( a favorite setting of Haggard) where intrepid Englishmen make their way on a quest passed down by heredity to discover 'She', a white Queen who rules over the darker natives. Cannibals, love, breathtaking beauty, ambiguity of morality, the cycles of civilization, lost science, and lost religions all play a great part in this story. It's simply a great adventure story and has a little of everything as the adventures make their way and discover ancient forgotten cities and a source of eternal life.
Again, these stories were written prior to 1950, so the writting is a bit more prosaic than the modern day novels we generally avail ourselves of, but it is well worth it.
I'm onto King Solomon's Mines and then perhaps I shall take to a translation of Torquato Tasso's, "Gerusalemme liberata" ( know, the english translation has none of his wit and beauty that is captured in the actual Italian, but I don't read Italian, so what do you do? )
Of course, I don't think I will try his Jerusalem conquered (the redit he drove himself mad doing of his original, Jerusalem liberated) as that is generaly considered a poorer work. [sigh] Tasso's life story is a good warning on why an author must sometimes let the demons of perfection rest, lest they consume him. :;):
Offline
Well, if any of you are into adventure stories, I suggest you try Allan Quartermain (the main hero in King Solomon’s Mine) goes on another adventure into the dark heart of Africa after the loss of his son. If you like long-odd battles, mystery, action, quests of ascension, royal feuds, love that causes a nation to burst into flames... well, you'll like this book.
I took a small detour and read a rather anachronistic book that was written in 1984. Warday, by Whitley Strieber & James Kunetka that recounts two journalists traveling through the aftermath of a nuclear war ravaged America where a limited nuclear war between USSR and USA has brought famine, devastation, radiation, and the end of the way of life in America as once known.
It intrigued me to revisit the mind set that consumed America only a few decades ago, at the height of the Cold War and the ever present danger of nuclear Armageddon.
I had mixed feelings when the book referenced "ground zero" (nuclear blast) and recounted how the Twin Towers were being stripped of wiring and steel (New York is abandoned due to fallout and chemical toxins). The story is set in 1994 (the war occurring in 1988) and i found it a bit disjointed (lots of praise was given to the book during the time it was written).
It's funny the way the book talks about computers, which were in their infancy then, compared to where we are now. And there is even reference to an earthlike planet that was recently found in another system (basically contrasting the hope of the future that exsisted in the late 80's with the current situation caused by the brief nuclear war).
Well, enough fluff for now, onto some bigger mountains.
Offline
Well, I recently finished Torquato Tasso's, "Gerusalemme liberata", an epic poem about a Crusade to liberate Jeresuelm from the infidels. I read an english translation and it was well worth the read!
It features Godfrey, the chosen champion by God to lead the various European nations in a crusade. They all unite under his banner and make way for the Holy Land. The story is full of battles turning this way and that, adventurer's way laid by love, doubt, redemention, and other assorted wonderment that would put any of the best war films or adventure stories to shame.
If you like violence, it is rather graphic- touching too in many scenes. Anyway, I also finished Quentin Durward by Sir Walter Scott. It is another adventure story where Quentin Durward, a scottish merceneary, in love with the idea of chivalry, takes on the mission to protect a lovely Countess from the machinations of Princes and Kings in France and Flanders. It has a very happy ending, but be forewarned, written in the 1800's, the language and refrences may be a bit oft putting.
Sir Walter Scott made popular the form of historical fiction where he used actual history to set and tell his tales. Many of the characters and events dipicted in the stories acrtually occured (though some have been slightly altered to fit within the telling of the story).
On to another classic, Robinson Cursoe!
Offline
Just finished "Deception Point" by Dan Brown. I quite enjoyed it though when you've read other DB books you start to become used to the plot twists.
Graeme
There was a young lady named Bright.
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
in a relative way
And returned on the previous night.
--Arthur Buller--
Offline
I just read "Booty Call Unforgiven" it is a story about how African American males realy like back. I think that the waynes brothers are gonig to make a movie out of it. Like booty call 1, the best movie of the 20th century. Not realy but I kid. I did read Rain of gold, Canery row that was good, one about small indian and cow boy coming to life in a magical box and key, wrinkle in time, Boxcar Kids, and others. Thats going back in time to grade school, I dont count text books but I read though western history, Bio book, and many others. Can you name all the book that you read though?
I love plants!
Offline
I usualy always finish a book once I've started it... unless of course it's just so god-awfuly boring. Ann Rice comes to mind... I went through the entire Lestat series and only did so for a sense of completion. It was just so boring plodding through umpteen dozens of pages of mastabatory flare.
Had the same problem with many parts of KSR's mars trilogy. I would get to certain chapters, roll my eyes when it was a particular characters "turn" and try to fly through those passages as quickly as possible.
I just finished American Pastoral by Philip Roth. It is a well written, well done, and completely engrossing story of the illusion of the American dream and the frailty of human understanding and connections to one another. Roth's protaganist is an all american athelete, star of his home town, who lives the idealistic life of what is Americana. Successful, respected, beautiful wife and dedicated father.
Then it all comes crashing down around him as life changes from the romantized beginings of the 40's and 50's to the harsh dark reality of 60's and 70's modern day America and eroision of moores and beliefs.
It truly a tragic and despairing read, but utterly breathtaking in it's presentation and its style. I suggest any of Roth's works, as he is an excellent an American writer (Pulitzer Prize winner).
Offline
I read Rendezvous with Rama weekend before last... I wrote about it in my blog, here's what I wrote: It is basically about a group of scientists who land on an alien space ship that is passing through our solar system (which was named Rama by us humans, thus "Rendezvous with Rama"). I personally don't like that Commander Norton (the guy in charge) didn't try to truely find more out about Rama, though; throughout the book he refrained from using the tools at his disposal to open up various buildings, only on the very last day did they take the plunge and open up a building (coincidentially it was the "library," which of course told a lot about the Raman's, a very unlikely scenario given the number of buildings and potential uses for them). If a movie is made about Rama, I hope that Commander Norton doesn't follow procedure so tightly and is more aggressive. I can understand wanting to respect someones stuff, but damn, it's not our fault they covered everything in plastic wrap. IF they left the airlocks open and available for use, then why the heck not have the rest of the place open?
Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.
Offline
All your questions will be answered in the sequels...
They get a bit long-winded in the end, though...
ACC has this 'hands-off' approach in several of hs novels, the thinking is that if we'd break stuff, the superior aliens might see us as mere vandals, idiots etc. So giving a bad first impression... Better to be as gentle as we can, during first contact.
Makes sense.
We decry the damage done by explorers from centuries, decades past on for instance the pyramids, using dynamite to excavate chambers etc. Iy's not different...
Offline
Had the same problem with many parts of KSR's mars trilogy. I would get to certain chapters, roll my eyes when it was a particular characters "turn" and try to fly through those passages as quickly as possible.
I have this problem with KSR in general; IMHO, the Mars Trilogy is much less annoying in this regard than "The Years of Rice and Salt", which inspired that sort of reaction in record amounts. Another writer who inspires that reaction in me is Robert Sawyer.
The basic problem isn't really that they're bad writers; far from it, they both write beautifully and tend to develop interesting and well-thought out plots. The problem that both of them have (having not read anything by Anne Rice, I'm uncertain if she falls into the same trap) is that they like to incorporate pet ideas into their stories which are either uninteresting to the reader or which, if completely stated out, are objectively silly, and vigourously push these plot elements. The result is that my suspension of disbelief, essential for enjoying a novel, gets shaken up from time to time. I'll provide a few examples:
"The Years of Rice And Salt" is the KSR book I most recently read and is the most egregious offender in this regard. The biggest and most serious flaw, IMHO, is that KSR wipes out an entire chunk of the world (Europe) prior to the Renaissance, and yet technological progress somehow is not adversely affected by this. This flies in the face of all logic; if the area which (from the Renaissance on) is the main mover in terms of innovation and change is suddenly eliminated, you would expect to see... less innovation and change. Certainly not none, and I'd figure that the ball would have started rolling somewhere else sooner or later, but it's not unreasonable to expect that progress would be retarded about 100 years or so. "The Years of Rice and Salt" also featured KSR's love of Sufi mysticism, an annoyance in both this and "Red Mars" which severely destracted from both the alt-history of "Rice and Salt" and the SF "Red Mars".
On the other hand, Robert Sawyer seems less enamored of certain ideas than blinded by them. His Neanderthal stories depict a totally unbelievable civilization, and in general there is such a strong PC streak underlying the assumptions of his book that surely I can willingly suspend disbelief at how easy it is to travel to a parallel dimension because R. Sawyer obviously comes from one.
The king of all offenders in this category, however, is actually Arthur C. Clarke himself, who in a few of his books is *so* outrageously, illogically, and irrelevantly antireligious that it's like being mortally insulted throughout the whole story. "3001" was so hideously bad in this respect that I've basically sworn off his books entirely.
Offline
I'm one of those heathen sci-fi readers... I enjoy the fiction more than I enjoy the science. KSR versus Bradbury? No contest. One transplanted little mediterrian villa's to Mars, the other breathed life into Mars.
Bradbury, in my opinion, managed to take the reader to a world away, which was worlds away and tickled the imagination. Placing too much emphasis on the science of a story, and not enough on the fiction itself tends to make the story secondary- as a vehicle to explain technological theories and ideas.
Science in science fiction should play a supporting role to the story itself, yet so many authors seem to fail at it (IMO). I'm not surprised that sci-fi has continued to be a niche genre because of it.
Of course, I've read the Honor Harrington series, pure unadulterated pulp, but oh how I love it! I think Weber strikes a good balance between the science and the fiction in that series.
I finished Cursoe, and found it lacking the charm that I assumed would be there. I read a first edition, so the spelling and syntax through me a bit. Basically, Cursoe gets stranded on an island and lives there for 28 years, finds god, raises goats, and lives in perpetual terror of being eaten by cannibals. It ends with him returning to the island wealthy and visiting "his" colony, populated by other stranded people who stole some native women from the mainland (that's right!, so utterly insanse) and made a life for themselves.
I also finished Kafka's "Castle". Still trying to make sense out of it (it is unfinished... Kafka never finsihed it). It's something of a farce the way a stranger takes up residence in the Castle but is constantly confounded by interpretations of events among the various characters and the unending beuarcracy of the Castle. It's just weird, but I think I may have missed something due to the translation I read (Kafka wrote in German). Well, most of Kafka is like this anyway.
I'm now on Crime and Punishment!
Offline
Had the same problem with many parts of KSR's mars trilogy. I would get to certain chapters, roll my eyes when it was a particular characters "turn" and try to fly through those passages as quickly as possible.
* * *
"The Years of Rice And Salt" is the KSR book I most recently read and is the most egregious offender in this regard. The biggest and most serious flaw, IMHO, is that KSR wipes out an entire chunk of the world (Europe) prior to the Renaissance, and yet technological progress somehow is not adversely affected by this. This flies in the face of all logic; if the area which (from the Renaissance on) is the main mover in terms of innovation and change is suddenly eliminated, you would expect to see... less innovation and change. Certainly not none, and I'd figure that the ball would have started rolling somewhere else sooner or later, but it's not unreasonable to expect that progress would be retarded about 100 years or so. "The Years of Rice and Salt" also featured KSR's love of Sufi mysticism, an annoyance in both this and "Red Mars" which severely destracted from both the alt-history of "Rice and Salt" and the SF "Red Mars".
What annoyed me most about Red Mars was the lack of any plausible motivation for the human nations sending the First Hundred to Mars. Why did they write that big check to start out with?
In close second is KSR's depiction of child bearing as weird. No one wants to be a mother or father except that one whacked out scientist. Add longevity treatments and that means NONE of the characters are really adults.
Thus, KSR's Mars becomes a bunch of aging adolescents preoccupied with who is sleeping with whom.
Its an American high school writ large - - sex without kids, angst about "who likes who" and the abolition of the inevitability of death all wrapped up with rejection/rebellion against one's Terran founders.
= = =
Years of Rice and Salt?
KSR seems deeply annoyed by the idea that Science (big S) is very much the product of Western civilization. Science as we know it historically arose from the intellectual struggles between the Hebraic world view (symbolized by Jerusalem) and the Greek world view (symbolized by Athens). Abolish either city from history and Science (big S) would not have evolved.
KSR's book seems determined to assert otherwise, simply by making that his storyline.
Edited By BWhite on 1101749000
Give someone a sufficient [b][i]why[/i][/b] and they can endure just about any [b][i]how[/i][/b]
Offline
I read parts of KSR red mars and noticed the same things, it seem like the first hunderd were all teens. With there unreal life times I quess thet could hold off growing up and raising a family. I think if we could live for a thousand years we might spend most of that time like living are 20 or teens fooling around sleeping all day. At the last hunderd grow up and have kids because your out of time. But we dont have that long to live so we grow up fast and become Adults, for many too fast. Then again living for that long you could have hunderds of kids, so maybe there were holding off until mars was ready for their kids. Also some of the seens were down right porngraphic in my view, Nigal being deflowered by his own sister was just sick in my view. They created a little west Virgina under the south pole, all the kids lefth handed sick too, and public unsex baths house were nothing at all. Sounds like a nudist camp to me. Just sick, I was hoping that the government in nothern mars would kill those degenerates. But it was the other way around, they flooded, blow up domes and kill peopled. It made me so mad and sick that I stop reading the book. Bunch of Liberal degenerates screwing each other and killing the good people that respected the Earths natural right to rule mars and to fully terrafrom mars into one big green rain forest. With lots of little starbuck every where!
I love plants!
Offline
Bunch of Liberal degenerates screwing each other and killing the good people that respected the Earths natural right to rule mars and to fully terrafrom mars into one big green rain forest. With lots of little starbuck every where!
:laugh:
Actually, not a bad description of the KSR Mars trilogy from a certain point of view.
On a more developed level, Bill makes some excellent points. I find it unfortunate that some in the pro-Mars community have taken to the series as a sort of bible. I enjoyed the books but some of the ideas presented in them were just absurd, and the characterization? Better not even get started...
I suppose that's why I stick to real history for the most part, there's enough absurd occurances and dysfunctional nutjobs in the real world to keep me entertained with stories far more convoluted than any single writer could conceive.
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Offline
Let me suggest "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoyevsky!
A classic, written by a Russian author, that deals with madness, love, murder, intrigue, the results of the dissolution of Russian slavery in the late 1800's, and redemption.
It is simply a masterful depction of the times and people- the characters come alive. It's a wonder that anyone survived the utter depravity and decline experienced during this point of Russian history.
I also read Treasure Island, little break from the darker images of Dostoyevsky. I found it entertaining, but then, it is something of a childrens book. I enjoyed getting into the salior lingo and the turns of advneture as a small boy outwits Long John Silver and his crew of pirates as they all seek the buried treasure, hidden by Capt. Flint on Treasure Island.
There are some strong parralles between Robinson Cursoe and Treasure Island (stranded islander, caves filled with treasure, fighting pirates, eating goats, etc.) Anyway, it was fun.
I am on to another Dostoyevsky, "The Brothers Karamazov". More murder, more Russian depravity, ah, but beautiful writing!
On a completely unrelated note, if you want something light and entertaining, you might check out Terry Pratchett. Try out his disk world series. I used to read them all, but he has been rather prodigous as of late so I have missed about 5 in the last series. They're great (he is a British author) and is full of wit, puns, and irony.
Offline
A week or so ago I finished reading Light This Candle, a biography of Alan Shepard. I can't say the book was excellent, but it was very good and was very enlightening on our first astronaut. Shepard truly was a truly amazing, dynamic person, and this book does justice to his full rich life. I would highly reccomend it to anyone interested in the people who lead the way into the high frontier.
A mind is like a parachute- it works best when open.
Offline
Disregard. Sorry.
We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...
--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)
Offline
I finished several books, some good, some less so.
If on a winter's night a traveller, by Italo Calvino. This is an odd story of a reader, you, who falls into the unfortunate situation of reading the first chapter of several books- all in the vain attempt to find an entire book... the narrative is truly unique and is hard to depict adquetly.
To put it succiently, this is a book for lovers of books, who understand the joy and horrors of the unfinished pages of a really good story that is suddenly cut short. I don't use this lightly, but the book is brilliant.
I also finished The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, finally! If one likes melodrama and soap opera intrigue, well, look no further. This wasn't precisely my cup of tea, but I was in one of those Great-Literature-let's-look-at-this-19th-century-Russian-fellow-I-hear-all-this-talk moods. There are some beautiful moments as the various characters tackle some heavy subjects like god and aethism, morality, family, love, belief, history, and the new age of intellecualism that lead to the suffarage of the Russian peasants (they enslaved their own people). Anyway, not for the faint of heart, and near the end, you're just going to wish the narrator gets on with it (he loves to tease).
I also read some Samuel Beckett, a prolific writer who is well known for his play, Waiting for Godot. That play was simply amazing (haven't seen it, just read the script). The characterization and sub-text conveyed via the dialogue is deep, and broad. I also read one of his last plays, Mouth... which was rather odd. This was written during his later years which featured just a mouth on stage.
There were a bunch of other stories of his that are a bit numerous to mention, but his characters are simply one of a kind!
Offline
*I'm reading 3 Manga books (yes, I realize Manga is the name of a company). Have always liked Japanese animation since first seeing it in the mid-80s. Vampire Hunter D was the first film I saw; Grave of the Fireflies is unique and I enjoyed it as well (apparently it's not gotten a lot of good reviews though -- I suppose because it lacks a lot of splashy and colorful effects, and is a serious storyline). Among a handful of others.
A lot of it is, IMO, geared toward a very young audience, so I tried to pick out 3 Mangas which might be for a more mature (-not- pornographic...I simply mean "older") audience. That was a challenge (understatement), and I'm not entirely sure I succeeded, but I picked up:
Hellsing Vol. 1 (I like vampire stories)
Legal Drug Vol. 1
Alichino Vol. 1 (this one may be more geared for a 20-and-under crowd...oh well, nice art work anyway)
There...I admitted it. And have always liked graphic novels anyway (J. O'Barr's "The Crow" was the first of such I've read; and the "Interview with the Vampire" graphic novel is a much more entertaining read than Anne Rice's boring regular novel).
Am starting off with Hellsing; so far so good. Very good. It's definitely different (and fun) reading from right to left -- including the conversation balloons going that direction. LOL.
--Cindy
We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...
--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)
Offline
Hnn....
Recently read about eight books by Jack McDevitt. I like his style; he tells a better story than KSR, that's for sure. The one thing I disagree with him about is his aliens; they're all 'people in funny suits', even moreso than, say, Star Trek, IMHO. However, the aliens aren't generally the main focus of his stories, so...
Also read 'Protector', by Larry Niven, which I rate ahead of all the Jack McDevitt books I read. Good book, classic Niven; I reccomend it for a short, quick read - it's only 217 pages, a very short book. The basic premise is complete nonsense, but you can suspend your disbelief and have fun with it. To reveal a little without telling all: This book portrays a species with 'The Selfish Gene' running amok.
Offline
a species with 'The Selfish Gene' running amok.
Is it referring to Dawkins laughingly or seriously?
The Selfish Gene blew me away when I first read it, still my favourite non-fiction book, by far...
Offline
Actually, I'm pretty certain that "Protector" was written *before* "The Selfish Gene" - checking on Google, it was - but Niven nailed the basic ideas put forth in "The Selfish Gene" on the head in this book.
I'm referring to the "Selfish Gene" literally here. The alien species in the book has three life stages: child (self-explanatory); breeder, where the species reproduces; and protector, which comes in their old age. The species is only intelligent in their protector stage, and as long as their family line is still around and kicking, they're pretty much ageless - they don't die of old age. The story is about first contact between humanity and this species. To say anything more would be to give away a good bit of the story.
This book IMHO is as good as Ringworld, ie, one of Niven's best books.
Offline