I've never read THE DEMOLISHED MAN, but I will. I finally found it about two months ago. It's weird how Bester does that special effects stuff. It really enhances the reading experience, but probably just a gimmick that wouldn't work if he did it ALL the time.

If you have the paperback of "CANTICLE" could you lay down that intro? I remember it being something about "are we destined to destroy ourselves over, and over again?" I "upgraded" to a handsome hardback edition and it does NOT have that intro, for some reason. I really love the intro, and the ending has a very cool moral dilema regarding assisted suicide and euthanasia which really hit me pretty hard. Keep in mind Miller ended up committing suicide.

The book I'm reading now (TAROT by Piers Anthony) is profound, profane, humorous, X-rated, Zen-like, spiritual, macho, and sacrilegious... and I think I like it.

Back is still tweaked, but I've recieved some Raiku therapy and other assorted voodoo-like faith healing, I think I just lack the faith. It's helping some (or, so I keep telling myself) Spouse is a Master Teacher and has some wicked healing touch. There really is some power in that stuff, however, I may be beyond that kind of help right now and might have to go to a clinic Monday morning.

How's life at the bookstore?

grass, i didn't see or haven't reached what you were talking about in canticle. here's what i was talking about, "a dedication is only a scratch where it itches-for anne, then in whose bosom rachel lies muselike guiding my clumsy song and giggling between the lines-with blessings, lass w". I forgot that he killed himself, wonder why? with regards to the bookstore, i really like it a lot. there is so much to learn, its unreal. my point of operations are history, political science, and science. when i'm not doing that or on register, i stock paperback fiction and historical romance. i am on green team, but i wish i was on orange team so i could stock and keep an eye on sci-fi. out of about twenty people who work there, i clash with one team leader. not bad, he just makes me nervous and is sarcastic, other than that i love it.

i hope your back gets better very soon!

Thanks, Robo. Having to stock the "Romance" section must suck. Is that the pink team?

The intro, or whatever it's called, to CANTICLE that I remember (kinda) so fondly was just one paragraph on the page just before the first part of the book. It mentioned many of the great societies which have been destroyed in Earth's past just when it appeared they'd reached the heighth of civilization. And questioned whether it was our fate to always repeat this sad, contradictory self destruction. We build to a certain point, and then we destroy it all.

Actually stocking the paperbacks is easier than the bigger science and history hardbacks. I especially hate dealing with the wall of current conflicts and political science books. We ran across a hilarious title the other day in hist. romance, get this no lie, "The Very Virile Viking". No, there is no pink section. The thing that I like about our store and company is that they promote individual uniqueness. We have all type and dispositions of people both working and shopping.

I looked at both my copies of Leibowitz and there is no such statement unless it comes later in the book. If it does, I'll let you know. Unless they only put it in the hardback version, but why?

I read it in the paperback edition which says on the cover something like "Over 8 million copies in print" and has dreary artwork depicting what looks like a bombed-out cathedral. Maybe some melting faces, too. It was brown and white. Too bad, I've had that book twice and gave one away, bought a second, then found the hardback and traded in my second one for book credit, which enabled me to buy that anthology with "Killdozer". Good trade.

That's strange that both my paperback copies do not have that in them. One is dated 1969 and the other is 1976. On another note, I was wrong about there not being a pink team. I thought it was the red team, but today I saw a memo directed to the pink team. (surprised me) Get this though, the pink team is partly responsible for the sci-fi(I wish) while green has romance. I like all the brief little stories I sometimes hear from people in the store. I had a lively conversation earlier with two little old ladies looking for books on serial killers. Then I talked with an older gentleman and we were discussing the library sales in our town(they're marvelous). He said he went to the first one back in 1974. He bought a box and left it in the trunk of his car when he got home hoping to sneak them in after his wife went to bed. His wife was watching the news and they were summarizing the library sale and when the camera panned out, there he was standing with his box of books on t.v. Busted! How funny. Everybody has a story, it pays to listen.

I just finished Canticle. One of the best books I've read in years. Very thought provoking. Grass, I did come to a part in the middle section of the book just past part two that was very heavy and very similiar to what you described. You must find yours or another and read it. I cannot praise enough. Also the authors bio that I read online very interesting as well. I started to read Bradbury's Long After Midnight. Next up in the jukebox is Morgan's Altered Carbon. Take care bookleggars!

Oh man, you're gonna love it.

I'll look for that passage just past part two. But I really think it was just before the first page. I read that book while serving on a jury which convicted some poor guy on federal drug trafficking charges, "federal" simply because he was making transactions on his cellphone. I was an alternate but still had to be there everyday. It took three weeks of my life and I got paid $25.00 or $50.00 per day, can't remember. Next time I think I'll pour some whiskey on my shirt, or something, and get dismissed. I wonder if I could get in trouble showing up at the federal courthouse reeking like booze?

I hope I didn't just jinx myself...

Actually, it wasn't bad at all. I'd do it again. With the bad back I'm not able to work very many hours right now and sitting on a jury is pretty easy on the back. But I've heard they no longer validate your parking.

Finished Long After Midnight. Did not dissapoint at all, was crying and laughing simultaneously. I especially liked Blue Bottle (love the Mars stories) and Interval in Sunlight (love the Mexican stories too). I had stupidly started reading the first page of Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan while I was in the midst of Long After Midnight and then I could not stop. So, now I'm sixty pages or so into it and am totally enthralled by it, its spectacular so far. Next after that, I may read A Choice of Gods by Simak, not sure yet though. Good bye (God Be With You) and good night all.

Have you read STURGEON IS ALIVE AND WELL yet? It's a very special book to me and I'd love to hear what you think about it.

TAROT by Piers Anthony has changed my mind somewhat about the author. I always saw him as a "hack" writer who turns out book after book of gratuitous sex and corny puns. But this book, while still having those elements (dare I say *qualities*), is really deep on many levels--until he ruins it with what eventually became his signature highbrow/lowbrow witticisms and smut. It was a very early effort by him and it's too bad he changed directions on us. So, now I see Mr. Anthony as a "hack" who occasionally has something worthwhile to say. Or, at least did at one time.

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 08-03-2006).]

Oh man, that last post of mine makes me seem like a real arrogant straight-laced fuddy-dud. Let me explain a little. Piers Anthony often has his male characters acting very demeaning to women, and at the same time has another character pointing out how wrong it is to treat women in such a way. It's crazy. He'll coldly describe a brutal rape scene and then have the offender feel terrible about having done it, or even worse, feel no remorse what-so-ever. And these are often characters you're supposed to like, the male heroes acting like Vikings--having their way with the women, and his so-called "heroic" female leads liking it, submitting to it, and at times instigating it. He's very anti-feminist. Generally, I don't have a problem with sex, even gratuitous sex, in a story. It's glorified rape and the demeaning of women I have a problem with. Heinlein has gone a little too far at times for my taste, too. Stephen King also.

Know yer place, woman!

(JUST kidding!)
Actually, I don't read some authors any more after a few times enduring the reading of some things like those you've described.

Conversely,Some women have told Mr. Bradbury that he seems to understand them, though, and even

I've been reading several female authors lately including Rita Mae Brown, Diane Mott Davidson, Nevada Barr, and some others...
Mostly mysteries, I know, but it's good summer reading. I enjoy listening to audio books while picking blackberries very early Saturdays.
Am I a modern sensitive guy, or what?
(Ahem!) I do, however, enjoy smoking my pipe filled with a manly English blend as I do this! (Harrumph!)

Hey grass, I ordered and received Sturgeon is Alive and Well, but I have not read it yet. I will let you know. I am loving Altered Carbon, its a little racey as well. Speaking of vikings, at work, we try to discover the most outlandish historical romance titles. So far this one takes the cake, The Very Virile Viking! What a hoot!