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6charlong · 06-14-2008, 01:43 PM

Most people will know the movie because it's considered one of the 100 best films made in the 20th Century, but I'd never seen the book version until I stumbled on it at Fictionwise. They have it as both a DRMed and DRM-free, (multiformated) eBook. Without DRM it costs less than 4 USD.

The author is listed as "Peter Bryant" but his real name was Peter Bryan George. He was an active officer in the RAF when the book was published, so speculate all you want about the author's name: the book is great! And it's quite different than the movie.

The original title of the book was _Red Alert_. Originally it was a Cold War thriller which Stanley Kubrick turned it into a satire for the movie. The original thriller reads well. The changes they made to turn it into a satire are interesting and the contrast between book and film help highlight those differences. Just the changes in the character's names are amusing in a Freudian sort of way. Some are obvious: General Jack D. Ripper, Colonel Bat Guano ("bat shit" is American slang for crazy), President Merkin Muffley (reference to a sort of wig worn by certain ladies), Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, etc., etc. The final solution in the film as suggested by Strangelove (who changed his name from Merkwurdigliebe when he left Hitler's service): every man in the President's administration is to go underground with a ratio of 10 women to every man, something Strangelove claims is necessary to preserve the species.

These characters had normal names in the book, which is written using realism. As a result it is both darker and more ominous than the film. Peter George opposed the very idea of a nuclear war: something he thought that no one can win.

I'm confident in recommending this book. At 3.99 to 2.43 USD (for club members) I think it's a bargain.

06-14-2008, 01:43 PM	#1
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	Doctor Strangelove Most people will know the movie because it's considered one of the 100 best films made in the 20th Century, but I'd never seen the book version until I stumbled on it at Fictionwise. They have it as both a DRMed and DRM-free, (multiformated) eBook. Without DRM it costs less than 4 USD. The author is listed as "Peter Bryant" but his real name was Peter Bryan George. He was an active officer in the RAF when the book was published, so speculate all you want about the author's name: the book is great! And it's quite different than the movie. The original title of the book was _Red Alert_. Originally it was a Cold War thriller which Stanley Kubrick turned it into a satire for the movie. The original thriller reads well. The changes they made to turn it into a satire are interesting and the contrast between book and film help highlight those differences. Just the changes in the character's names are amusing in a Freudian sort of way. Some are obvious: General Jack D. Ripper, Colonel Bat Guano ("bat shit" is American slang for crazy), President Merkin Muffley (reference to a sort of wig worn by certain ladies), Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, etc., etc. The final solution in the film as suggested by Strangelove (who changed his name from Merkwurdigliebe when he left Hitler's service): every man in the President's administration is to go underground with a ratio of 10 women to every man, something Strangelove claims is necessary to preserve the species. These characters had normal names in the book, which is written using realism. As a result it is both darker and more ominous than the film. Peter George opposed the very idea of a nuclear war: something he thought that no one can win. I'm confident in recommending this book. At 3.99 to 2.43 USD (for club members) I think it's a bargain.