[floatingslowly]

I've always meant to read his books since you recommended long ago, but never got around to it. Spatial-inventory is at a premium for me these days, maybe I need a Kindle.

That said, I find it funny that he lives so close (in Bastrop, I believe).

[demonrail666]

Yeah, I can definitely see you liking Moorcock's fantasy stuff. His Elric books, for sure. But you're right: he's a one man justification for kindles.

[floatingslowly]

I'm dealing with an impending current change, and am shy about buying new electronic devices.

I'll make a point of getting something at the used book store soon.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Severian

I like you.

I have a lot to say in response to this, but not a lot of time. I just want to ask one thing, regarding your understandable cynicism about SF:

Have you ever read Gene Wolfe? Specifically the "Book of the New Sun" (which is actually four books, plus a "coda" fifth volume, all of which lead into a second four part, distantly linked sequel (Book of the Long Sun) which itself leads to a three part finale, (Book of the Short Sun) ?

If you haven't, it's imperative that you do so immediately. I did a minor in philosophy for my undergrad, and I think New Sun should be required reading for any philosophy program. It's the greatest work of speculative fiction I've ever encountered.

(Ps, The only philosophy that I enjoyed in the presence of the dullards in my program, was religious philosophy. I loved it, and that plays a role in my interest in SF. More later, hopefully)

i'm not at all cynical about the genre-- on the contrary, it's one of the few places where anglosaxon writers allow themselves the gift of imagination. i much rather read science fiction than shit like, eh, david eggers or that fucker who killed himself, what was he called, another mcsweeney fucker.

nah, i take that back. was just spewing hate.

but yeah-- fuck and blast bland navel-gazing middle-class-goggled first-world-problems "realism"

anyway, i'll check out the dude you say because i haven't read him. in fact, i'm planning a trip to the bookstore this week thanks to this thread.

also, cheeto recommended rudy rucker-- i'd second that. and did you know he's a descendent of hegel? chuckle-worthy but true.

anyway when you have time please write back etc. since some things your post hints at appear to be interesting (though i really don't care about religion, except as a subgenre of fantastic fiction)

anyway, back to work, ufffff....

[floatingslowly]

Yeah, ol' cheebo knows his sci-fi. Like that time he insisted there were 9 years in a decade.....science FICTION!

lolol

[floatingslowly]

Hey, why don't you fuck yourselves with those 40k books while you're at it!!!

C'mon mumur, let's cuddle.

[floatingslowly]

Of course; hand-made with love, by the score.

[Rob Instigator]

One of the most philosophically meaningful sci-fi novels I ever read is the Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson.

It is a mindfuck.

After 200 pages I was like, "what is happening here? This book is telling 40 separate stories, then after about 500 pages, I was like "Oh man, This is getting more and more complex, and I do not know how it will all tie together," and then by the end I was thinking, "Jesus fuck these two guys have rewritten my brain's software.

I have never been the same.

[EVOLghost]

mmmmm soft brainz....

[Severian]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

One of the most philosophically meaningful sci-fi novels I ever read is the Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson.

It is a mindfuck.

After 200 pages I was like, "what is happening here? This book is telling 40 separate stories, then after about 500 pages, I was like "Oh man, This is getting more and more complex, and I do not know how it will all tie together," and then by the end I was thinking, "Jesus fuck these two guys have rewritten my brain's software.

I have never been the same.

Ok, I really don't want to sound prickish, but come on... Of course I've read Illuminatus. It's a great suggestion, but I guess I would rank it (along with "the Man in the High Castle," "the Difference Engine," and pretty much everything by Jules Verne and Wells) among the books that people should simply take for granted that long-time SF fans have read.

It's a great book, absolutely. If there's a Hitchhiker's guide for alt-history fans it's Illuminatus.

[floatingslowly]

The Difference Engine would have been better off remaining a tree. What a giant bore.

[Trama]

Stanisław Lem. His Master's Voice, etc.

[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by Severian

Ok, I really don't want to sound prickish, but come on... Of course I've read Illuminatus. It's a great suggestion, but I guess I would rank it (along with "the Man in the High Castle," "the Difference Engine," and pretty much everything by Jules Verne and Wells) among the books that people should simply take for granted that long-time SF fans have read.

It's a great book, absolutely. If there's a Hitchhiker's guide for alt-history fans it's Illuminatus.

did not know obscurity was a factor here.

You'd be surprised how many scfi fans I run into have not read any RAW

[floatingslowly]

Don't worry, Rob, I haven't read it; nor do I intend to. You see, I've blackballed every book in this thread (except for murmur's, which I intend to snuggle up to), in the name of pretentious cuntestry.

RAW is for wrestling, and my cock. And by my cock, I mean Moorecock, which I also intend to read, because, let's face it, demonraill666 is NEVER a prick.

Good day to you, sir.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Murmer99

Sure, just ignore the one I posted even though it's by far the best book mentioned in this thread so far.

Seriously don't even bother responding just read it you arrogant fucks

by the way, when you're finished with it kill yourself

you posted a picture without explanation. with tiny fucking letters.

after you cried, i looked at the tiny fucking letters & saw "jonathan lethem" on the cover.

i've read his essays and he's a boring navel-gazing fuck. i also tried reading a couple of his novels and couldn't make it past page 3. fuck him. fuck you too!


haaaa haaaaa haaaaaaa

but seriously, i don't like lethem. don't take that personally.

[Toilet & Bowels]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

you posted a picture without explanation. with tiny fucking letters.

after you cried, i looked at the tiny fucking letters & saw "jonathan lethem" on the cover.

i've read his essays and he's a boring navel-gazing fuck. i also tried reading a couple of his novels and couldn't make it past page 3. fuck him. fuck you too!


haaaa haaaaa haaaaaaa

but seriously, i don't like lethem. don't take that personally.

To be fair too the guy who cried that book he posted a picture of if the collection of Philip K Dick's philosophical ramblings, that's merely edited by Jonathan Lethem. I've not read it, but apparently it's worth a read if you're a pkd fan.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Toilet & Bowels

To be fair too the guy who cried that book he posted a picture of if the collection of Philip K Dick's philosophical ramblings, that's merely edited by Jonathan Lethem. I've not read it, but apparently it's worth a read if you're a pkd fan.

oh... i might take a look...

Originally Posted by Murmer99

I hope no one actually took my post seriously.

you're from georgia! who knows what to expect?

Originally Posted by Murmer99

But yeah it hardly has anything to do with Lethem and is a collection of notes Philip K Dick wrote over the course of eight years (I think this is right, correct me if I'm wrong). He had a lot of bizarre experiences that many have described as dick's life turning into one of his novels. I find PKD to be one of the more interesting writers I've ever heard of. I do find the book a challenge but I'm ok with that and highly recommend it if (as toilet mentioned above) you're interested at all in PKD. I love Dick myself.

i hear loving dick in georgia is hard if you're a man. though i understand mississippi is worse. fuck the whole south, really. except for new orleans and maybe (maybe) the research triangle.

in any case, i just read up some stuff on this and it looks like it was his private journal. i do have a bit of a problem looking into a person's private journal because, eh, it's fucking private, ha ha, but hm, okay.

btw, have you ever read borges?

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Murmer99

Is that the poet from Spain or whatever? I honestly haven't. Anything in particular I should start with?

Also, I'm not from Georgia! I was born in Florida and have lived here all my life. I'm not very fond of the south either, though.

Borges was Argentinian! And yes he wrote poetry but he is most famous for his short stories which are pretty fucking amazing mind-altering stuff. Definitely not a hippie so don't go looking for that. I'd start with his book "Ficciones" and go from there-- his essays are also incredible.

Anyway, GO GET IT NOW. You won't be disappointed I fucking swear.

[Toilet & Bowels]

it's borges similar to calvino?

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Toilet & Bowels

it's borges similar to calvino?

more the other way around but yes they are similarin the sense that their fictional worlds are often constructed from philosophical ideas--the OULIPO i think really followed after borges. borges was born in 1899 and his really good writing started around 1935 so he's a couple of decades ahead of calvino at least.

borges is perhaps less famous outside of latin america for 2 reasons: 1) he was politically conservative and that kept him from winning a nobel prize, 2) he never wrote a novel, in part because he was of teh conviction that one didn't need so many words to tell a story, in part i suppose because he was blind and that would make the revision process quite hard.

anyway, he was fucking brilliant, and has had many imitators-- i'm not saying that calvino was one of them by the way (calvino was great on his own merit), but i'd say calvino learned a more than a few things from borges-- he wrote about him in his posthumous "memos for the next millenium."