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#161
Another excerpt from Hans Camenzind, on William Röntgen. He received the first Nobel for Physics, bequeathed the prize money to his university only to see it evaporate in the hyperinflation.
His hometown then issued emergency money with Röntgen's face on it, banknotes with a face value of 1 billion Reichsmark.
He stipulated that on his death, all his unpublished work to be burned unopened.

Jan
 
#168
I only say this because I want you to be a better person, PRR. Don't take offense. It's one thing to say you like something, but a better task to say WHY.

English language is NOT the same subject as English Literature. My old English teacher explained it EXACTLY to me. A hard task-master, but truthful.

They are entirely different things. 🙂

Because we live in a Quantum Universe, in which nothing is certain, either forwards or backwards, I prefer to keep hard copies.

I have read and absorbed A.E.Van Vogt and Phil K. Dick. Especially Phil's 1950's non-Sci-Fi Novels which are my absolute favourites. "Mary and the Giant" and a few others which were only published later.

I am not sure Phil was an entirely good man, but respect him.

Anywhoo, I have a bit of revisionist readng to do. Two classic books for a fiver at HMV! I know Raymond Chandler like the back of my hand. I wonder if Isaac Asimov still holds water?
 

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#169
system7 said:
I am not sure Phil was an entirely good man, but respect him.
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I wonder if Isaac Asimov still holds water?

I think Phil was a little crazy...
"In September 1974, the FBI received a letter. The accusations in the letter were shocking – it told of a communist conspiracy aimed at the hearts and minds of America through propaganda in the subtle guise of science fiction. Major science-fiction publishers and organizations had been infiltrated, and their agents, notable figures in the genre, were abroad in the West. The orchestrator of it all was a communist committee, acting under the name... Stanisław Lem.
dick_p_east_news_1.jpg

Philip K Dick, photo: Leemage / East News
The unveiler of such an insidious subterfuge was none other than Philip K. Dick, himself a legendary science-fiction writer. According to his letter, fellow science-fiction great Stanisław Lem, didn’t even exist, except for as a figurehead for the purposes of disseminating propaganda. He was ‘probably a composite committee rather than an individual’."


I think Phil was a little paranoid, unhinged and perhaps used a little too much recreational drugs. Stanislaw Lem was a great writer, one of my favourites. I got a first edition copy of Fiasco when it came out, loved it. But his best book of his that I've read is Black Rain. Solaris is worthy of reading too.

I found a copy of Theodore Sturgeon's More than Human in the public library a couple of years ago. Classic SF from the golden age.

One last recommendation. Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. I also watched a Soviet movie based on the book called Stalker (also seen a Soviet film version of Solaris that's quite good.)

Loved Asimov when I was a teen, not sure it'd be quite as enjoyable now. Reread some old Bradbury recently and was not impressed....
 
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#170
I finished rereading Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" a couple of days ago. I breezed through it.

Firstly, I have to say it was very weak on female characters. Bit like Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings".

Asimov was an excellent Scientist. A man of his time.

How the World has changed. But there is a long way to go. My honest view is there is no chance of me telling you what is really going on just yet. You are not ready for it.

Know what I am sayin'. 🙂
 
#172
Did I mention this previously, "Shattered Sword" by Parshall and Tully -- a very comprehensive tome on the Battle of Midway which discusses Japanese and American movements in minute detail. Battle of Midway took place just before my dad arrived in the Pacific theatre.

memo to combatants -- don't extend your lines of supply beyond which you can conveniently supply.
 
#174
"Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by T.E.Lawrence

1962 "Lawrence of Arabia" is one of my favourite movie classics. I allways wanted to read the book, so I finally took some time for it. I got it from internet archive. Its written in a century old "Oxford" English, so Iam struggling a bit beacuse its not my native language.
I'am surprised, even a bit dissapointed, to find how many facts and events are changed in the movie. I didnt expect so much difference.
The book is much more interesting. Especially Lawrence's descriptons of the desert, various human characters he met and the flow of his thoughts.
Another curios thing is, He mentions the rain many times, usually in a form of passing rain-stormes. I know that conversation about rain is a feature of good Englishmen, but I didnt expect so much of it in the desert. I guess it was different century ago before this global warming.

Iam not a fan of literature, 99% of my books were technical stuff or something about science and nature. But I really like this one.
 
#179
Does anyone else share my enthusiasm for the John Connolly "Charlie Parker" Novels?

https://www.johnconnollybooks.com/

Who could not like Angel and Louis? Funny as anything. The Fauci brothers have certain goonish strengths too.

Don't know how this Noir bloodbath will turn out. Charlie and Jennifer Parker are taking a back seat so far. I am gripped. His Darkest Novel so far.

After this, it is back to Physics. 😀
 

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#180
A little quote which had me laughng out loud:

And here they came now, Mr. Louis and Mr. Angel, these two men whom she adored like errant sons, the first tall and black, the second short and, well, whiteish. He had lately been so ill, her Mr. Angel, and he had already suffered so much; this, Mrs. Bondarchuk had always intuited from his face and eyes. He was recovering, though, even if he was now slower than before. His partner, too, regarded him differently, as if the sickness had reminded him that, in no time at all, one of them must inevitably be parted from the other, and whatever days remained to them were better spent in accord.
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But at least they were not alone. They had friends. There was the private detective, Mr. Parker, who brought her candy from Maine; and the two brothers, Tony and Paulie Fulci, who were so gentle for such big men, and whom she could not imagine hurting a fly—other people possibly, perhaps even probably, but not a fly.
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