libertarian sci-fi

[godemp]

I'm about a third of the way into Stranger in a Strange Land--the 1961, cut edition. Is it worth it to switch to the 1991, uncut version? I read a bit of both at where I'm am in the novel. The 1991 version has more detail, but it seemed cluttered. I understand that there was no real damage to the story, only wordiness and some "objectionable

Comments

[lizzie_borden]

Have you seen the movie "Naked Lunch"? I might suggest, that if you haven't, you find a dvd of it and watch it first. The movie can't even BEGIN to portray the absolute.. insanity of the book, but I think it'll possibly give you a bit of an inoculation to prepare you for all that is the literary Naked Lunch.

[godemp]

Naked Lunch is one of my favorite films. I first saw it when I was about 10 or 11 (when the movie first came to Showtime/HBO/Cinemax), which was long before I first understood the movie. I've watched the movie at least ten times since then. I need to watch it again, it's been a few years.

I've tried to read the book, but it's really insane. I keep trying to listen to the audio book (as read by the man himself, Mr. W S Burroughs). It's only three hours... But, what a three hours. It's like The Junkie's Christmas, he's not really intelligible. But, it's more than amazing to listen to him read; it's close to what I would call a religious experience.

[lizzie_borden]

I'm gonna have to find it on audio.

Nec hasn't read or seen it yet. I keep trying to sort of explain what a bizarre ride it is, but, I'm just gonna have to drag him in to watch it.

[godemp]

Here's the audio book, so you don't have to scour the library or out of print shops.

[necrophonic]

I'm in the middle of Farenheit 451 and it's pretty good. It's an abrupt, odd start, in the first chapter, but after that it's a good read. I've seen the movie so I know the ending but, to borrow the tired cliche, the book is better than the movie.

Oh, and if you haven't read "Time Enough For Love", THAT is required reading.

[godemp]

I've never seen the movie, so I don't even really know the story. I've made it in the first chapter or so. What seems to be the main character is back at his house, and is questioning the comments the girl made to him. That's as far as I made it. I'll try again.

Time Enough For Love is on my mental list of read-this-asap. It was right after Stranger in a Strange Land. Well, that or Heinlein's Methuselah's Children.

I kinda wanted to re-read Illuminatus again (actually listen, the audio book is fantastic with full cast), before anything else. That is one of my favorite book (all three together). But, it'll wait.

[ogda9871]

I've been Ayn-Rand free for 7 years now and am doing great...

We is far superior to Anthem both as an entertainment and a work of art. It is so perfectly made that nothing in it could be left out without ruining the whole. Not to mention it contains something Rand never achieved for all of her "objectivism"--psychological subtlety.

[godemp]

I enjoyed Anthem. The we/our/us to I/my/me was interesting, even if expected. It was like reading 1984, only with a happy ending.

I feel like I should read Atlas Shrugged. It influenced a lot of fiction I like. It's heavily referenced to in a lot of other places. And, the tea-bag douches are espousing the glory that is Atlas Shrugged. I feel I need to read it to understand the culture surrounding it. If it's as heavy-handed as Anthem, I doubt I'll finish it.

I'm going to read We, I keep hearing about it and you keep talking about it (I know, it's your project). Just downloaded the pdf and audiobook.

[ogda9871]

Actually, The Fountainhead is still a decent book that I have respect for. Her earlier work was tolerable and interesting, but by the time she got to Atlas Shrugged she had become so dogmatic she was more of a cult-leader than a writer. Heavy handed? Every character in the book seems to be a miniature Ayn Rand mouthpiece. But you're right, it may be worth reading just for the cultural understanding, even if the book does try to moralize cruelty.

[dukkhaboy]

I really enjoyed Fahrenheit 451, as mentioned after the first chapter. while the introduction meanders a bit and seems to grasp at straws of meaning and purpose, it becomes an effortless read that just sort of does the work itself.

I don't re-read books that often, but I've read Brave New World at least 3 times now. Aldous definitely isn't a pretentious writer, which can be a huge no-no for me. All I'll say is it's a great book, and hauntingly accurate.

I'll leave you with my favorite quote from that book:
"People believe in God because they've been conditioned to believe in God."