The message that I always liked the most from Christmas Carol was that Scrooge's spirit should be among his fellow men and warm their hearts with good deeds and fellowship at all times of the year, not just at Christmas. I have tried to learn that lesson and apply it my own life.

I have heard that Bewildering Press dot com has released a 'new' Poe book called 'Grim Legion' based on Poe's brief experiences as a cadet at West Point.

Poe? West Point? I can just see that one...

"Who's the new cadet?"
"Which one?"
"Him...the one with the raven on his shoulder all the time..."

No wonder he didn't last...the Poe man was Raven mad!

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
No wonder he didn't last...the Poe man was Raven mad!

Forry - is that you?

No, that was actually one of my dad's.

B-Two, hello. Yes, have been very busy as of late and have become a lurker of sorts. How does Robomurmurshiftersound grab you? Change is inevitable and good, right? Live in the bloom of the present moment I always say. Anywho, I couldn't help diving into Lord of the Flies. Never read it in school and someone at work highly recommended it to me. May try and read Christmas Carol to the littluns at bedtime...

Change is very good, it prevents dementia from setting in.

Right now I'm reading Asimov's THE REST OF THE ROBOTS. These robot stories don't treat the robots as humanely as the stories in I, ROBOT. These robots seem to be more troublesome and more machine-like than the cute ones from the other collection. Some of these stories were among the last ones Asimov wrote before he stopped writing SF in 1958 and there really does seem to be a different flavor and feel to these later stories. The stories just aren't as warm and fuzzy. But they're still really good. I really liked "Risk".

I always thought it was odd that Asimov, Clarke, and Sturgeon all took extended vacations from SF (all for different reasons) and all returned at about the same time (1970-ish), after the New Wavers had proclaimed it was bedtime for the old guard. SMACKDOWN!!! "Take your places at our feet, young upstarts."

Hugo AND Nebula Awards for Sturgeon in 1970--"Slow Sculpture"
Hugo AND Nebula Awards for Asimov in 1972--THE GODS THEMSELVES
Nebula Award for Clarke in 1972--"Meeting With Medusa"
Hugo AND Nebula Awards for Clarke in 1973--RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA

TAKE THAT, Mr. Ellison!!!

But, yes... I guess even Mr. Ellison's kind of change was good.

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Visible Sound? C'mon, now. (Though, it does rhyme with Mechanical Hound...) Have you settled into an identity for awhile?
Anyway, I believe I mentioned some time ago that there is an excellent recording of "Lord Of The Flies" available, both read and commented on by the author! Might find it at the library...

Simon and Small Simon, Lord of the Flies and Beelze(bub). Always intrigued by the bold imagery in Golding's LOF and the conjuring in Collier's TIRB.

Give this a quick read:
http://www.llywelyn.net/docs/greats/refute_beelzy.html

lol, I may end up resorting to using just plain old Greg, who knows, not me. Its become somewhat of an inner game to me, I don't expect anyone to get it. I hope its not too annoying. I'm a butterflying Chamelion in flux, I'm an enigma even unto myself...full of childish wonder and amazement still. So basically we are still trudging along admirably in the midst of all of this hustle and bustle of holiday cheer, mirth, anger, and depression, and doing it solvently, barely. I hope Santa(a.k.a. "whomever or whatever is your higher power") is good to you all this Christmas season and your whole family is well and happy with love!

Thanks B-Two, I would love to hear that. I always enjoy hearing the author read his or her work. Right now, I'm wanting to get James Earl Jones reading The Bible. I cannot help imagining Darth Vader at the podium, sorry...

Fjp451, interesting link, thank you. What strikes me most about Lord of the Flies is the vivid and raw imagery. I am there on that mountain when they lit the fire with Piggy's specks. A great book should pull you in to the point that a train could wreck right in front of you and you would be none the wiser(Ray's books always do that too). This book does that, it is one of the best books I have read in years although several people have been preparing me for a catastrophic and sad ending. Don't tell me...

Grass, dementia may not be a bad thing, they say that ignorance is bliss. Hope your doing well by the way.

If it is really that good I will read LORD OF THE FLIES in a month or two, as soon as I'm done with all these pesky robots. I'm reading the final short story in THE REST OF THE ROBOTS then there are the two novels starring robot/detectives Lije Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw, THE CAVES OF STEEL and THE NAKED SUN.

... or maybe I'll read something altogether different. So many books, so little time. I have room for approx. 3 more paperbacks stuffed underneath my bookshelf. Somebody should report me to Captain Beatty.

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For a while there, grass, I found myself being pulled in a thousand directions by well meaning people all over and their book recommendations. Finally, I said to myself that I'm reading whatever I happen to find in my hand at the moment. I mean, I'm not going by any list or trying to be all structured about it like I was, its more fun and free for me now. You will not be disappointed by Lord of the Flies. I'm a little over half way through and it is stunning.

I have done a "unit" on Animal Farm, F451, and Lord of the Flies with seniors. It is usually an eye-opening series of readings for youth who (so often) are more apt to seek out topics on glamour, fame, and instance gratification. In this day and age of world dilemmas on each front page and in every video clip, the topics of authoritarian and dystopian societies have never been more significant to address and discuss.

The scene of Simon's demise and his being lifted away by the phosphorescent and gentle surf is always extremely poignant when read aloud in class. I also include an oral presentation of the traverse Montag makes across the river on his way into the wilderness. He survives and his message later will be shared. Simon's, on the other hand, was never heard and he floats out to sea. Interesting twists in plot.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fjp451,

fjp, I just got past that part of the "dance" and it was very moving. When the beast was talking to Simon really creeped me out, I just knew something intense was about to occur.

If you haven't viewed the movie, definitely go with the original ('63) version. It is true to the novel. Black and white, stark!

http://lordoftheflies.org/