I loved Diamond Age, but I'm a bit of a Stephenson junkie. Working my way through Quicksilver (bits at a time, in the bathtub) at the moment. I suppose I always have mixed feelings about favorite books being turned into movies, but Clooney's a good old sock and Good Night, and Good Luck was fantastic, in my book... but then I am a Strathairn junkie, too. Guess my judgement is just a bit less than objective.
I am on my fourth 900+ page Stephenson tome in a row. I cannot possibly read another one until I have at least tried to reduce the very large pile of books by my bed by other authors. But if George is involved I might just have to.
Read Diamond Ageinstantly, Patroc! It's my favourite Stephenson even giving my undying passion for Snow Crash, (which has survived three years of me teaching it to university students remarkably well). Nanotech! Neo-Victorians! you can't go wrong.
I'm going to take a crack at The Baroque Trilogy this year. Im a fan of Clooney as a matinee idol but the news of any George Clooney produced tv/film fills me with an ennui and a torpor I cannot describe - they are uniformly worthy and dull. Good Night And Good Luck made me feel sorry for McCarthy.
Fair point, Tim, fair point. I'm a fan of Clooney as a matinee idol but the news of any George Clooney produced tv/film fills me with an ennui and a torpor I cannot describe - they are uniformly worthy and dull with the exception of Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind which is odd, patchy and badly structured.
Stephenson's endings are notoriously bad. Fortunately, they usually only take up about half a page, leaving 899.5 pages of meandering, arcane joyousness.
I think I'm in the wrong blog. The last book I read was 'Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons' by Bill Watterson. It did not have 900 pages. It did have lots of pictures.
I loved Diamond Age, but I'm a bit of a Stephenson junkie. Working my way through Quicksilver (bits at a time, in the bathtub) at the moment. I suppose I always have mixed feelings about favorite books being turned into movies, but Clooney's a good old sock and Good Night, and Good Luck was fantastic, in my book... but then I am a Strathairn junkie, too. Guess my judgement is just a bit less than objective.
ReplyDeleteI am on my fourth 900+ page Stephenson tome in a row. I cannot possibly read another one until I have at least tried to reduce the very large pile of books by my bed by other authors.
ReplyDeleteBut if George is involved I might just have to.
If it wasn't for this blog I wouldn't know who Neal Stephenson was. I haven't read any of it though.
ReplyDeleteMy flatmate loves Neal Stephenson, but she always buys hardbacks and they're just too heavy.
ReplyDeleteMmmm... George... (sigh)
ReplyDeleteYou haven't read Diamond Age? But I've read Diamond Age! You haven't? Really?
ReplyDeleteOK, so the ending left me completely confused, so what? No big deal.
Have you come across 'Interface' by 'Stephen Bury', half of whom is Neal Stephenson? It's a cracker.
Ooh, good call, Mangonel. I loved Interface and also recommend it.
ReplyDeleteBTW Diamond Age is shorter than some of NS's other work. Still has his trademark problem with semi-lame endings, though. But still good.
Read Diamond Age instantly, Patroc! It's my favourite Stephenson even giving my undying passion for Snow Crash, (which has survived three years of me teaching it to university students remarkably well). Nanotech! Neo-Victorians! you can't go wrong.
ReplyDeleteCrikey! Quick! To the Amazon machine!
ReplyDeleteAnd I haven't even *heard* of 'Interface'. Call myself a Neal Stephenson fan? I hang my head in shame.
I'm going to take a crack at The Baroque Trilogy this year. Im a fan of Clooney as a matinee idol but the news of any George Clooney produced tv/film fills me with an ennui and a torpor I cannot describe - they are uniformly worthy and dull. Good Night And Good Luck made me feel sorry for McCarthy.
ReplyDeleteConfessions of a Dangerous Mind, Wyndham? Odd, patchy, badly structured, but hardly worthy, surely.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of Mr Stephenson's oeuvre, either. Does that make me sound like a judge who asks "What is a Jade Goody"?
Fair point, Tim, fair point. I'm a fan of Clooney as a matinee idol but the news of any George Clooney produced tv/film fills me with an ennui and a torpor I cannot describe - they are uniformly worthy and dull with the exception of Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind which is odd, patchy and badly structured.
ReplyDeleteValerie - 'semi-lame endings'! Spot on. And, of course, phew - I thought it was just me.
ReplyDeleteStephenson's endings are notoriously bad. Fortunately, they usually only take up about half a page, leaving 899.5 pages of meandering, arcane joyousness.
ReplyDeleteI like the endings, like life they just sort of fizzle out.
ReplyDeleteNo.
ReplyDeleteReading rots your soul.
So does having a soul.
I know Kieran, I've lived in Reading.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm in the wrong blog. The last book I read was 'Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons' by Bill Watterson. It did not have 900 pages. It did have lots of pictures.
ReplyDeletei red the GOOLAG ARSHIPERLARGO by ALEAXANDER SALT N ITCHIN
ReplyDeletetheres no pichers
Ooh! Love Bill Watterson! And he does terrific endings too.
ReplyDelete