Here here. You'd think at a movie theatre, they would respect great actors that are their mainstay. It kind of upset us all and I told them but they laughed. Definitely in bad taste. Although, not too sure about our antics either, this morning, my daughter and I got my two boys. Mom was at work. We told boys that their mother sprained her hand typing at work, couldn't drive and we'd have to get her to immediate care. My daughter couldn't hardly keep from laughing. We all got into car, drove out onto main highway and then back into neighborhood from another side street. My oldest son asked what we are doing, and not wanting to give it away yet, I said I forgot my smokes. Then when we pulled into driveway, April fools! Then they wanted to get their grandparents who live near a train track. I suggested a bio-hazard scenario, which they liked. They call them up and said a train leaked a bleach cloud and that the news said all residents were asked to go to the basement! They were on the way downstairs to basement when kids yelled A.F.D. Then my parents had to call my sister and her husband and get them, my sister in turn called my other brother and got him too, my parents also got some friends. They told their friends that a funnel cloud was heading their way. This on a chrystal blue spring day, and the people have a weather radio, but they still sought cover. Too much! This thing now is spiraling out of control. Not even sure if the stroke of midnight can stop this madness.

Remember what happened when the Martians landed in New Jersey.

By the way, Robot Lincoln, I noticed on a thread over in the Ghost Town that you’ve read Heinlein. I’ve read the same. Great stuff, but have you read Bester's first two novels, “The Demolished Man” and “The Star’s My Destination”? The “Guly Foil is my name and Tera is my nation” verse is actually taken from Dicken’s “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”. Happy reading.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chapter 31,

No I haven't, thanks for the nod on that. The best way to find new stuff to read is from word of mouth. I have everything just about that Heinlein wrote.

Have you heard of the Hugo Awards that were first presented in the early ‘50s? The first award was presented BECAUSE of “The Demolished Man”. It starts with “Explosion. Concussion.” You can imagine the rest. Each novel has it’s own, strong baseline. “Demolished’s” is mind reading and “Destination’s” is teleportation.

Writers I intend to read a lot more of are Isaac Asimov, Robert Bloch, and Jack Finney, all contemporaries of Bradbury's whose work has some parallels to his.

Others who remind me of Ray are Zenna Henderson and Cliford D. Simak.

Hey, Chap, speaking of "Edwin Drood", which Dickens never finished; was it you whom I urged to read the last book that Dickens Did finish, "Our Mutual Friend" ?

Tis I, and I have it on my shelf waiting. Immersed in verse(you like?) and Bradbury. Its on my short list. After reading Grassstains post, I ordered some Robot books of another persuasion, I Robot. Making list of poets too. Speaking of poets, if I may put my two cents worth in, I do like R.B. poetry very much. It is unique, however, he's a much better poet when he is writing stories and novels. The poetry shines in those. Whatch y'all thing?

Braling II,
Thanks, yes, ‘tis I also methinks, and I’ve placed a special paperback reading copy on top of the hard-bounds so I can grab it when I’m ready to start. It will be a commitment of time once I do for I will spend all of my free time reading it. It’s one of the few I still have to read, “Barnaby Rudge” being another. Did you know that Poe got the idea for “The Raven” from “Barnaby Rudge”? Am reading “John Paul Jones” now. Exciting stuff. He’s just on his way to save Colonial prisoners from certain death working in the coal pits in Nova Scotia in the winter of ’76.

I, too, have yet to read "Barnaby Rudge" and I did not know of its influence on Poe.
Who wrote the "John Paul Jones" you're reading? I enjoyed Alan Villiers' "Captain Cook".

John Paul Jones: Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy by Evan Thomas.

Will post the particulars about the Dickens/Poe link in a few hours.

Braling II,
As promised, the stuff about Dickens/Poe. My impression that Poe “got the idea” for “The Raven” from “Barnaby Rudge” stems from a short statement on the dust jacket of the Oxford University Press edition of 1994 listing some of the characters: “…and Grip, the raven who inspired Edgar Allen Poe’s poem.” This is certainly possible as “Barnaby Rudge” was written in 1841 and “The Raven” was published in “The New York Evening Mirror” on January 29, 1845.

Thanks, Chap!
As Arte Johnson was wont to say, "Veeeery interesting!"

For which, if my memory serves me, EA received his one and only monetary gain (for the one of the most famous poems of all times): $10!

Although Poe was paid poorly, and sometimes not at all, for his writing, he certainly earned more than $10 writing in his lifetime and was at least at times making his living by writing.