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[rlbell]

Originally posted by swiss@Feb 11 2006, 04:21 PM


what is this "1984" book about? what was so special with 1984 ?

1984 was written in 1948, Orwell reversed the digits. It was a vision of what could happen in a totalitarian state where every activity that was not compulsory was forbidden. The population is kept under control by invasive observation and total information control. History was continuously re-editted to match what the rulers wanted to be known. To prevent dissent, the vocabulary was restricted to make it impossible to express treason.

A new edition of the novel was printed in 1984, but a typesetting error left out one character of type from the novel. The screenplay of the movie, also released in 1984, used the flawed edition of the book. As it totally changed the ending of the book, Orwell's estate sued.

In the diner, Winston Smith writes in the dust "2 + 2 = 5". When you leave out the "5", you get the impression that Winston's capitulation to Big Brother is incomplete and there is a wellspring of future rebellion hidden deeply in his soul, but 1984 is a dystopia, so there is no happy ending to be salvaged. Winston believes two plus two equals five, because that is what Big Brother told him, and he loves Big Brother.

[PrejudiceSucks]

Yeah, exactly.

[Gelfo]

Originally posted by Neon Knight@Feb 11 2006, 03:50 PM
Ever tried reading Fundation by Isaac Asimov?. I don't like fiction either, but with this saga I was hooked.

Sorry for the long delay I feel asleep again

Thanks for the suggestion, I have a huge queue of books that I gotta get through, and Asimov generally bores me, but I'll try and check this out, thanks for the recommendation.

And I'll have a look for "Ten days that shook the world" too, I done a lot on the russian revolution/s at school, so it'll be cool to remind myself and gain another perspective on it.

[Iron_Scarecrow]

Well good news for me.

I managed to start reading Truckers just two days ago. Slow progress only 60 pages in or so, but at least I'm reading again.

kthxbye

[Modeus]

*Ignore this post, i had some error coming up*

[Modeus]

Just finished reading "Kane & Abel", by Jeffrey Archer, and now reading "Crime and Punishment", by Dosoevsky. Just have to read the classics.
BTW, to any Russian-speaking people here who are interested in detectives, i highly reccomend to try Boris Akunin's "Azazel", and the rest of the books from that category. They are EXTREMELY addictive.
You can read some of them here

[TheGiantMidgit]

Originally posted by Neon Knight@Feb 11 2006, 03:50 PM
Ever tried reading Fundation by Isaac Asimov?. I don't like fiction either, but with this saga I was hooked.

The Foundation series just kicks.

[SirPeter]

The inner game of tennis.

[rlbell]

Originally posted by TheGiantMidgit+Feb 19 2006, 06:54 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (TheGiantMidgit @ Feb 19 2006, 06:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Neon Knight@Feb 11 2006, 03:50 PM
Ever tried reading Fundation by Isaac Asimov?. I don't like fiction either, but with this saga I was hooked.

The Foundation series just kicks. [/b][/quote]
YMMV, but the only must read books in the Foundation series are the original three (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation). Later, Asimov tried to tie many of his books into one universe. While the novels are worth reading, the new novels that tie things together are second rate. Prelude to Foundation was especially disappointing (this from a reader who went out of his way to read everything penned by Asimov, at least once).

Caves of Steel, Under a Naked Sun, and Robots of Dawn are the SF mystery novels featuring Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw. Pebble in the Sky, Stars Like Dust, and The Currents of Space are set before the rise of the Empire that is collapsing in the Foundation trilogy. I would recommend these books without the linking novels of Robots and Empire, Prelude to Foundation, or Foundation and Earth (which tries to bring the series full circle).

[Ioncannon]

After hearing about Discworld from a bunch of ppl on Abandonia, I took a look, and I love it. I already finished Thief of Time, Colour of Magic, and The Light Fantastic. Gonna get the next 2 Rincewind books.