Science Fiction del Rey, Lester: Police Your Planet. v1. 23 July 07

[Dr. Drib]

Released under a Creative Commons license
http://www.munseys.com/book/22883/Police_Your_Planet
(Reformatted by me to my specifications.)
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I read Lester del Rey's Sci-Fi writings as a kid, about the same time I was discovering Heinlein and Asimov [French]. I was at the right age, at the right time. This was long before I discovered deconstructionism, the tenents of New Criticism, along with Saussarian and Derridian sign/signifier theories couched deep within the metaphysics of language theory and semiotics. It was a time of high adventure, a time when whole cities hovered miles above the earth[James Blish]; when space ships spent centuries travelling the uncharted regions of space [A. E. Van Vogt]; when the simple things in life could have profound meanings, especially when the those words came from shapes quite different than ours [Clifford D. Simak]. It was also a time, shortly thereafter, when the poetics of language soared with wings into new worlds and new sensibilities of meaning [Ray Bradbury]. It was, for me, an age of innocence, discovery, and sheer fun.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to find an original typescript of a short story by Lester del Rey - one that is NOT a carbon copy, I might add.

Here's a quote about the book:

"Often better-remembered for his short fiction, Lester del Rey's novels are fast-paced stories that capture the true spirit of 1950's, "Golden Age" science fiction -- stories that attracted so many young readers during their time. Police Your Planet is set on a future Mars where cities are built fast, slums are endemic, and crime is rampant. This is a Mars with cheap grifters, unwashed bums, and "Marsweed" -- smoke it fast, before it kills you! Police Your Planet is pulp fiction for the rocket ship generation -- more back alley action than space-ship battles. Lester Del Rey's fast-paced story gives the same thrills today as it did when it first fell into the hands of its young, enthusiastic readers."


This is the way they wrote them in the early years, not so long ago, in a world quite different than today.

I hope you enjoy it.

Don

[tsgreer]

Ohhh, I may have to move this up to the top of my must-read list! I have sooo many books that are that list! lol But this sounds like a very good read. Thanks for posting!

[JSWolf]

Sounds good. Just downloaded it. I'll have to put in my to be read pile. I'm just starting the last Harry Potter book.

[Robert Marquard]

Creative Commons? It is a PD book available from Project Gutenberg.

[Dr. Drib]

Thanks for all the comments on this. I know what it means to put YET another book at the top of one's reading list. There are so many books to read, and not just on the Reader.

I also want to read these new books by Haruki Murakami (his two latest books), John Updike, Bonato [spell?], and Pynchon's newest book which is sitting on my coffee table right now.
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True, this title is available from Gutenberg, but this copy that I manipulated to turn into a form that is acceptable came from CC, so I thought I would acknowledge that.

Don

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I also want to read these new books by Haruki Murakami (his two latest books),

The latest release isn't that good compared to his other works, but Kafka on the shore is great.

[Dr. Drib]

I've read these titles (and have them in First U.S. Editions):

1.) Kafka on the Shore
2) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle [his masterpiece, in my opinion.)
3) A Wild Sheep Chase
4) Sputnik Sweetheart
5) Norwegian Wood [paperback original - U.S.]
6) South of the Border
7) Hear the Wind Song [Kodansha International First Edition - paperback]

I also have a Reader's Guide to the "Wind-Up Bird," as I was contemplating teaching that book in an English II Lit course I was teaching at Miami University.

Addtionally, I have a nice critical work on him and his writings, entittled "Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words," by one of his long-time translators, Jay Rubin.

I MUST buy those two missing books while they're still available in hardback, or I jeopordize the integrity of my collection.

Don

Originally Posted by Hadrien

The latest release isn't that good compared to his other works, but Kafka on the shore is great.

[silkpag]

Yeah, that Police is a PG title originally (says so in the text, or as much as it can without, you know, using PG's trademarks in a modified text...)

Oh, and should add:

For Murakami, his first two books, Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball, 1973, are both better than what he's come out with lately. He hasn't agreed to let them be made available stateside, which is kinda weird, considering the translations were made and Pinball was the prequel to a Wild Sheep Chase, (Hear the Wind is something of a precursor to Norwegian Wood) but if you're not near a Kinkokuniya or the Wise Owl in Ikebukoro, ya can probably find both on the web...

Just agree to buy his next one, even if you vowed never to do that again after Kafka on the Shore...

[Dr. Drib]

I have "Hear the Wind Song," and enjoyed it. But I still love "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle."

I purchased "Hear The Wind Song" from a web source.

Don

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I've read these titles (and have them in First U.S. Editions):

1.) Kafka on the Shore
2) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle [his masterpiece, in my opinion.)
3) A Wild Sheep Chase
4) Sputnik Sweetheart
5) Norwegian Wood [paperback original - U.S.]
6) South of the Border
7) Hear the Wind Song [Kodansha International First Edition - paperback]

I also have a Reader's Guide to the "Wind-Up Bird," as I was contemplating teaching that book in an English II Lit course I was teaching at Miami University.

Addtionally, I have a nice critical work on him and his writings, entittled "Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words," by one of his long-time translators, Jay Rubin.

I MUST buy those two missing books while they're still available in hardback, or I jeopordize the integrity of my collection.

Don

You should read "Dance Dance Dance" too, I really loved it !

[Dr. Drib]

I did read that , and loved it, but forgot to mention it because I don't own a First Edition. That's a wonderful book.

I actually read that before "The Wild Sheep Chase."

I'm just amazed by Murakami, by his metaphysics and also by the way he constructs his stories.

Every book he writes astounds me in some way.

Here's what really makes me sick to my gut: About 20 years ago, I had a hardback First Edition of "The Elephant Vanishes." I tried to read the first story and couldn't get into it, so it lanquished on my bookshelf. I eventually traded it to a friend for an obscure hack named A. Merritt [I'm joking!!!!] Anyway, I lament the loss of that book and always look for it locally here. I think I'll eventually buy it from a reputable used book dealer in M/M condition before it goes too far past the $100 mark.

Don