Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Moderator: Moderators
Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Y'know, I'd forgotten just how good this novel was. Recently purchased for me to re-read, after having left my library years ago to sit on somebody else's bookshelf, probably unread... Stanislaw Lem's book still stands as one of the finest novels about the limits of human understanding, and the value of information, ever written.
I can't say a great deal about the book's premise and plot, without dealing in spoilers.
Suffice it to say that it's a novel about the construction of context- a novel that, like Kafka's works, or Orwell's 1984, explores what happens to the human mind when things just don't add up any more.
I highly recommend it, both as a literary masterpiece and as a philosophical exploration of the meaning humans create by their social activity. You can find it on sale in most bookstores in the U.S.A. right now- Lem's works seem to get re-printed every few years, and they're available again at a decent price. While his novels Solaris and Eden are quite interesting (I am a big fan of Eden, it's one of the best novels about humanity finally encountering Aliens ever written), Memoirs is probably my favorite of Lem's works. This is easily the most remorseless novel of all of Lem's work- grinding away at our perceptions, crushing our expectations, defeating our preconceptions. And the ending will give you much to think about.
I can't say a great deal about the book's premise and plot, without dealing in spoilers.
Suffice it to say that it's a novel about the construction of context- a novel that, like Kafka's works, or Orwell's 1984, explores what happens to the human mind when things just don't add up any more.
I highly recommend it, both as a literary masterpiece and as a philosophical exploration of the meaning humans create by their social activity. You can find it on sale in most bookstores in the U.S.A. right now- Lem's works seem to get re-printed every few years, and they're available again at a decent price. While his novels Solaris and Eden are quite interesting (I am a big fan of Eden, it's one of the best novels about humanity finally encountering Aliens ever written), Memoirs is probably my favorite of Lem's works. This is easily the most remorseless novel of all of Lem's work- grinding away at our perceptions, crushing our expectations, defeating our preconceptions. And the ending will give you much to think about.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
I borrowed 1984 from my school library not too long ago. I'll probably do a report on it if we have to do an independant novel study.
I havent got passed opening the book seeing how im bogged down with other crap. But from what I've heard from alot of people, 1984 is amazing.
I havent got passed opening the book seeing how im bogged down with other crap. But from what I've heard from alot of people, 1984 is amazing.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
I found 1984 pretty depressing tbh.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Most good literature is depressing.Harbinger wrote:I found 1984 pretty depressing tbh.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Isn't that ecstatic.neddiedrow wrote:Most good literature is depressing.Harbinger wrote:I found 1984 pretty depressing tbh.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
This book sounds interesting I may read the summary on Wikipedia later
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
sounds good. You into Philip K Dick? He also writes books that just f@ck your mind. multiple times.Argh wrote:
Suffice it to say that it's a novel about the construction of context- a novel that, like Kafka's works, or Orwell's 1984, explores what happens to the human mind when things just don't add up any more.
- Wolf-In-Exile
- Posts: 497
- Joined: 21 Nov 2005, 13:40
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Fixed.BaNa wrote:sounds good. You into Philip K Dick? He also writes books that just f@ck your mind. multiple times. In every orfice. Maybe even make new ones while its at it.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
really man cause i thought it was pretty uplifting and cheeryHarbinger wrote:I found 1984 pretty depressing tbh.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
I didn't find Beowulf or Grendel to be depressing.
Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was interesting to read and The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (about Merlin) was one of those books that was hard to put down.
I also still want to read the next Dune book.
Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was interesting to read and The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart (about Merlin) was one of those books that was hard to put down.
I also still want to read the next Dune book.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
***WARNING*** THIS POST WAS MADE WHILE ALMOST COMPLETELY ASLEEP: Dune goes off the deep end, 1984 is awesome, most literature is depressing but most literature SUCKS!
As a writer, that might sound strange, but lets face it, most literature is winding, dull claptrap that is about as dense and impenetrable as a granite vagina.
Maybe I'm just bitter about high school literature class, and pissed off by hoighty toighty intellectual pricks that sneer at "those silly science fiction books"
Bah...sci-fi has more good in it than...grumble...grumble..
As a writer, that might sound strange, but lets face it, most literature is winding, dull claptrap that is about as dense and impenetrable as a granite vagina.
Maybe I'm just bitter about high school literature class, and pissed off by hoighty toighty intellectual pricks that sneer at "those silly science fiction books"
Bah...sci-fi has more good in it than...grumble...grumble..
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
90% of everything sucks. However, most literature you read in class is actually good, and you probably like it a lot less because you were forced to read it.Zoombie wrote:***WARNING*** THIS POST WAS MADE WHILE ALMOST COMPLETELY ASLEEP: Dune goes off the deep end, 1984 is awesome, most literature is depressing but most literature SUCKS!
As a writer, that might sound strange, but lets face it, most literature is winding, dull claptrap that is about as dense and impenetrable as a granite vagina.
Maybe I'm just bitter about high school literature class, and pissed off by hoighty toighty intellectual pricks that sneer at "those silly science fiction books"
Bah...sci-fi has more good in it than...grumble...grumble..
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
I hope youre not dissing Dune hereZoombie wrote:Dune goes off the deep end
- KingRaptor
- Zero-K Developer
- Posts: 838
- Joined: 14 Mar 2007, 03:44
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451 = win
- HeavyLancer
- Posts: 421
- Joined: 19 May 2007, 09:28
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Nope, he is dissing Kevin J Anderson or whatever his name is. The original Dune novels are pure gold, but the later ones done by Brian Herbert and the aforementioned Anderson fellow are nowhere near as good.Comp1337 wrote:I hope youre not dissing Dune hereZoombie wrote:Dune goes off the deep end
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Gah avoid those like the plague.HeavyLancer wrote:Nope, he is dissing Kevin J Anderson or whatever his name is. The original Dune novels are pure gold, but the later ones done by Brian Herbert and the aforementioned Anderson fellow are nowhere near as good.Comp1337 wrote:I hope youre not dissing Dune hereZoombie wrote:Dune goes off the deep end
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Oh yeah, now that you say itBaNa wrote:Gah avoid those like the plague.HeavyLancer wrote:Nope, he is dissing Kevin J Anderson or whatever his name is. The original Dune novels are pure gold, but the later ones done by Brian Herbert and the aforementioned Anderson fellow are nowhere near as good.Comp1337 wrote: I hope youre not dissing Dune here
I picked up a dune book i hadnt seen before a while ago.. It was kinda boring, and i remember Brian Herberts name from the spine of it
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
IIRC by the last two original Dune books he is going off the deep end but they're ok if you really like them and the books with his son's name on them are utterly utterly awful and worthless
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
Read 1984 and found >> All Humans are mortal<< more depressing, but readworthy.
And Zoombie- a German Writer once stated in a Interview:
"Of course there is no good science Fiction. Because once SciFi is good, it is taken on the "HighLiterature" Column and all the Lasers, Spaceships and Inventions - are just a Odd Accident that happened to a really good novell." There are hundreds of really underrated Novells out there, kill the Critics.. ohiam tired..
However you got to admit there are also SciFi-Works that completely forget about there Charakters and fall in love with the Maschinery... and Millions of well selling "Dwarf-in-Reality, Giant-in-Fantasy/SciFi" Reality-Ejection-Seat-books. No need to burn them, they are good daily bread for most authors. Nobody can live from the Intellectuals praise, alone.
And Zoombie- a German Writer once stated in a Interview:
"Of course there is no good science Fiction. Because once SciFi is good, it is taken on the "HighLiterature" Column and all the Lasers, Spaceships and Inventions - are just a Odd Accident that happened to a really good novell." There are hundreds of really underrated Novells out there, kill the Critics.. ohiam tired..
However you got to admit there are also SciFi-Works that completely forget about there Charakters and fall in love with the Maschinery... and Millions of well selling "Dwarf-in-Reality, Giant-in-Fantasy/SciFi" Reality-Ejection-Seat-books. No need to burn them, they are good daily bread for most authors. Nobody can live from the Intellectuals praise, alone.
Re: Memoirs Found in a Bathtub
And yes, I love Phillip K. Dick. Great author, a little hard to get started on, but well-worth it, once you get going. Dune's a masterpiece, but The Dosadai Experiment is probably the cleanest rendition of Herbert's thoughts.