Reich is a particularly distasteful character. I see there is a Lincoln in this story, did that have anything to do with the recommendation? There must be a Kennedy in it somewhere as well. So far, enjoying it. Thanks.

“The Demolished Man” was written in 1951 and Kennedy has nothing to do with the story. He wasn’t known on the national scene for another nine, ten years. The story was recommended because it won the first Hugo Award and it’s a very good science fiction tour de force. Just a good read.

"Well, now, uh, let me say this about that..."

Well, my perception of the national scene anyway, which was clouded by bubble gum and comic books.

Chapter31, I jested at the expense of your missing my point. My fault. I was surprised by a character called Lincoln in the story. I then joked that it must also contain a Kennedy, as in the Lincoln/Kennedy coincidences. I am on page 25 and am enjoying the book a lot. You are among my favorite posters on this board and I appreciated your suggestions on all books, they have all been right on the mark. On a different note, we watched two movies today and then we all went to the discount theatre and saw RV. Pretty funny. The two we watched at home were Ultra Violet, I liked it very much, and The Island. I like The Island okay but it did remind me of Logans Run. Interesting that there is yet another Lincoln in The Island. They're Here. haha

finished demolished man by bester(really enjoyed it especially how he wrote the peepers conversations on the page and the ending surprised me greatly, could that be where we are headed?) i started a canticle for lebowitz this morning and immediately had to look up a couple of words in the dictionary, a good sign. i'm already into it. next, i have decided to read bradbury's long after midnight. beleive it or not, i actually got this book in '85 and have never read it, better late than never.

If you would like your opinions/thoughts to appear in a very important book...go to Adventure Books of Seattle and see the Global Warming Project page. Two easy questions (your first name (last name optional) and your general area....and a text box to say whatever you wish. Your words will appear in the book, along with 999 others from around the planet!

Re-read "A Fatal Glass Of Beer", a Toby Peters mystery by Stuart Kaminsky - his best, I think.
Finished "Killer Pancake" by Diane Mott Davidson. Good series.
Just finished "Guru: My Days with Del Close" by Jeff Griggs, and followed that up by listening to "How To Speak Hip". So many people who specialise in humour have such sad lives.
Am now re-reading "Reflections On The Psalms" by C.S. Lewis.

Just listened to Fahrenheit 451 on unabridged audiobook whilst riding the metro trains to work this past week. Strongly considering adapting a screenplay version.

I just finished A Canticle For Lebowitz. I thought it profound food for thought and one of the best books that I've read in years. The main theme to me seemed to be that if history is not remembered and learned from, we are doomed to repeat our mistakes over and over again, which seems to be true. The religeous aspects of the book also very thought provoking. Some of it reminded me of Ray's writing with the booklegger's and the memorabilia, also it was beautifully stark like Martian Chronicles and the way the stories were tied together. I wanted to know more about Walter M. Miller Jr. the author, whom I had heard killed himself. Interesting story, he was a radio man and tailgunner on a bomber in WW2. He participated in the bombing of Monte Cassino in Italy which traumatized him greatly, but must have spurred the writing of Canticle. Later, he became clinically reclusive and five months after his wife died, he committed suicide. I started to read Ray Bradbury's Long After Midnight, next up will be Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon.

Groon, I have 451 on c.d. as read by Ray. I haven't listened to it all but is excellent along with Martian Chronicles. I am holding off listening to them fully as I want to listen to them when I drive to Waukegan this fall for Something Wicked Festival.

I just finished "Zen In the Art of Writing." Although I have no aspirations to be a writer (I'll leave that to some of the other more talented people on this board!), I had heard so many great things about this book I had to give it a try. I think it was a most wonderful and inspiring book and more about a whole philosophy for leading a joyful life, whatever your chosen occupation. I think I can use many parts of it, not only in my personal life, but in my classroom. And when I say my classroom, I mean both my English classes and in my homeroom lessons. (Twice a week we have extended homeroom for lessons on a variety of topics. I'm supposed to be somewhat like a guidance counselor in these sessions.) This book was just the shot in the arm I needed to rev me up for the next school year, which is rapidly approaching. For any of you who haven't read this book, I would strongly recommend it. It's a quick and easy read, although I found myself stopping and rereading many parts. But that's a normal Bradbury reaction for me--I enjoy his writing style so much I like to step back and admire it multiple times.

I agree Imskipper, Rays writing is like a diamond with many facets. Everytime I re-read one of his books, I come away seeing either something new or from a different angle. Mainly have I experienced this in 451, Martian, and Dandelion along with a few others. Zen is definitely a celebration of life and very positive, I too enjoyed it very much.

The October Country - again and again, since 1966....
"Tally! Oh Tally.... !
and "The Jar" - remember the Hitchcock adaptation? Creepiest show ever on TV!

Book_Review_The_October_Country.htm (34 Kb, 1 downloads) Review...

I remember Hitchcock did "The Life Work of Juan Diaz" as well.

Finished “John Adams” by David McCullough and am dipping into “The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew” by Margaret Sidney. I don’t want to read it all at once--just a little every once in a while--because its full of so much charm; and am now reading “Washington’s Spies” by Alexander Rose.