Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 229

Latinandgreek · 01-05-2010, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badandy

Did you find Lord of Light in ebook form? If so, where?

No, I borrowed it as a p-book from a friend, sorry.

omk3 · 01-05-2010, 06:53 AM

I finished Fahrenheit 451 last night.

Powerful story, nice ideas, some dialog worth quoting to all those people that go on about "real" books - who would have thought that a book written in 1953 would provide such a clear argument for ebooks. For a book written because of the author's love for books, there's nothing about paper itself in there, the joy of smelling it or of touching it or anything. Just that it was a pleasure to burn

Ultimately it was a book about taking life easy, taking time to enjoy things and think about them. Creating rather than destroying, preserving past knowledge without putting it on a pedestal. For all that I would recommend the book to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

However, I hate to admit, I didn't actually enjoy reading it. Something about the writing style made me impatient, and I found myself wishing it would end already. I even thought of giving up after the first few pages - after the first powerful sentence, it felt a bit contrived, a bit forced. Maybe it's just me. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I will reread it.

kennyc · 01-05-2010, 07:03 AM

OMK3. Despite it's power, I wouldn't say F 451 is Bradbury at his best writing-wise. He is an incredible short story writer though. If you get a chance try "The October Country" or "S is for Space" (if they are even still available). One of my all-time favorite short stories -- #1 for a long, long time but still in the top few is "Frost and Fire" which is in the S is for Space collection.

Other work where he shines is - The Martian Chronicles.

Enjoy!

Edit: just check because I was thinking this started as a short story and was right. Here's the wikipedia entry:

"The concept started with Bradbury's short story "FireMan," written in 1947 but first published in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1963.[4] The original short story was reworked into the novella The Fireman, and published in the February 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction. The novel was also serialized in the March, April, and May 1954 issues of Playboy magazine.[5] Bradbury wrote the entire novel on a pay typewriter in the basement of UCLA's Powell Library. His original intention in writing Fahrenheit 451 was to show his great love for books and libraries. [6] He has often referred to Montag as an allusion to himself.[citation needed]"

Often I find the short stories or novellas much more engaging than the expansion to novel size (as was the case with Nancy Kress's Beggars in Spain). Sort of like movies from novels they are rarely as good or better than the book.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 01-05-2010, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omk3

I finished Fahrenheit 451 last night.

Powerful story, nice ideas, some dialog worth quoting to all those people that go on about "real" books - who would have thought that a book written in 1953 would provide such a clear argument for ebooks.

Especially given the author is no fan of ebooks...

kennyc · 01-05-2010, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Especially given the author is no fan of ebooks...

He's not?

omk3 · 01-05-2010, 07:15 AM

@kennyc
So it was short story first? That explains it! It should probably have stayed that way. Thanks for the recommendations, I might look them up and see.

@ShortNCuddlyAm
I didn't know that! That certainly is ironic. And another great argument for books (e-, paper and otherwise): they have a life of their own. I obviously did not get from the book what the author intended, but that doesn't make it any less valid.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 01-05-2010, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

He's not?

Quote:

Originally Posted by omk3

@kennyc
So it was short story first? That explains it! It should probably have stayed that way. Thanks for the recommendations, I might look them up and see.

@ShortNCuddlyAm
I didn't know that! That certainly is ironic. And another great argument for books (e-, paper and otherwise): they have a life of their own. I obviously did not get from the book what the author intended, but that doesn't make it any less valid.

I don't know if he's changed his mind recently, but in 2008 he said:

Quote:

There is no future for e-books, because they are not books. E-books smell like burned fuel.

(From here)

omk3 · 01-05-2010, 07:36 AM

!!! The smell of ebooks! I was not aware they smelled of anything in particular!
But why on earth are we reduced to comparing smells when we are talking about books?

kennyc · 01-05-2010, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

I don't know if he's changed his mind recently, but in 2008 he said:

(From here)

Interesting. I think he may change his mind soon.

We'll see.

You know Asimov never flew on a airplane. Traveled always by train or car.

MickeyC · 01-05-2010, 07:52 AM

Is Fahrenheit 451 available as an eBook? The only one I could find was in the Sony site and they want $45 for it. No way that is going to happen!

John F · 01-05-2010, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I just finished my first Diskworld novel, The Color of Magic. It was my introduction to the wonderful and imaginative writing of Terry Pratchett. (It was to have been my first Nook book, but that's another story.)

A special thank you to all the folks on this board who recommended Pratchett to me in the "Why go on reading in a world without Douglas Adams?" thread.

FYI:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Unsee...r4A/page1.html

(found in the bargins forum)

WT Sharpe · 01-05-2010, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

FYI:

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Unsee...r4A/page1.html

(found in the bargins forum)

Thanks, but I'm a bit ahead of you. I picked it up about a week ago.

Kudos to you for mentioning it, though! (And Karma!)

omk3 · 01-05-2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

Is Fahrenheit 451 available as an eBook?

Probably not, at least legally...

Sparrow · 01-05-2010, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

You know Asimov never flew on a airplane. Traveled always by train or car.

Wikipedia says he had a fear of flying, but flew twice during his lifetime.

kennyc · 01-05-2010, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Wikipedia says he had a fear of flying, but flew twice during his lifetime.

Thanks for the correction.

I used to fly.

01-05-2010, 07:03 AM	#3423
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,909 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	OMK3. Despite it's power, I wouldn't say F 451 is Bradbury at his best writing-wise. He is an incredible short story writer though. If you get a chance try "The October Country" or "S is for Space" (if they are even still available). One of my all-time favorite short stories -- #1 for a long, long time but still in the top few is "Frost and Fire" which is in the S is for Space collection. Other work where he shines is - The Martian Chronicles. Enjoy! Edit: just check because I was thinking this started as a short story and was right. Here's the wikipedia entry: "The concept started with Bradbury's short story "FireMan," written in 1947 but first published in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1963.[4] The original short story was reworked into the novella The Fireman, and published in the February 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction. The novel was also serialized in the March, April, and May 1954 issues of Playboy magazine.[5] Bradbury wrote the entire novel on a pay typewriter in the basement of UCLA's Powell Library. His original intention in writing Fahrenheit 451 was to show his great love for books and libraries. [6] He has often referred to Montag as an allusion to himself.[citation needed]" Often I find the short stories or novellas much more engaging than the expansion to novel size (as was the case with Nancy Kress's Beggars in Spain). Sort of like movies from novels they are rarely as good or better than the book. Last edited by kennyc; 01-05-2010 at 07:06 AM.

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01-05-2010, 06:53 AM	#3422
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	I finished Fahrenheit 451 last night. Powerful story, nice ideas, some dialog worth quoting to all those people that go on about "real" books - who would have thought that a book written in 1953 would provide such a clear argument for ebooks. For a book written because of the author's love for books, there's nothing about paper itself in there, the joy of smelling it or of touching it or anything. Just that it was a pleasure to burn Ultimately it was a book about taking life easy, taking time to enjoy things and think about them. Creating rather than destroying, preserving past knowledge without putting it on a pedestal. For all that I would recommend the book to anyone who hasn't read it yet. However, I hate to admit, I didn't actually enjoy reading it. Something about the writing style made me impatient, and I found myself wishing it would end already. I even thought of giving up after the first few pages - after the first powerful sentence, it felt a bit contrived, a bit forced. Maybe it's just me. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I will reread it.

01-05-2010, 07:15 AM	#3426
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	@kennyc So it was short story first? That explains it! It should probably have stayed that way. Thanks for the recommendations, I might look them up and see. @ShortNCuddlyAm I didn't know that! That certainly is ironic. And another great argument for books (e-, paper and otherwise): they have a life of their own. I obviously did not get from the book what the author intended, but that doesn't make it any less valid.

01-05-2010, 07:36 AM	#3428
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	!!! The smell of ebooks! I was not aware they smelled of anything in particular! But why on earth are we reduced to comparing smells when we are talking about books?

01-05-2010, 07:52 AM	#3430
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Is Fahrenheit 451 available as an eBook? The only one I could find was in the Sony site and they want $45 for it. No way that is going to happen!