Books!

[AmishSamurai]

http://flavorwire.com/494377/are-you-an ... g-in-2014/

Interesting.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Before I opened the first page, I had no idea that Burroughs was the creator of John Carter, a character I only knew previously as "the title character in that lame-looking movie I didn't see and that flopped". After reading the book, I don't know how that movie ended up being lame or how Burroughs' stock characters, well-described worlds, and violent action sequences didn't translate well to the big screen. I found the book to hold my attention and interest throughout, even if the writing itself lacked complexity and the story was generally predictable. Maybe I should see the movie?

The movie is good, and I enjoyed it for what it was (i.e., a pulpy science-fiction film with insanely high production values). IMO, it is on par with The Chronicles of Riddick and Return of the Jedi, and it is better than either The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones. (Moreover, copies of the film on Blu-Ray are practically free.) It greatly exceeded my low expectations, but I am certain it deviates from the source material in significant ways. Accordingly - and having read Princess of Mars - you may not enjoy it as much as I did.

[fastbilly1]

Before I opened the first page, I had no idea that Burroughs was the creator of John Carter, a character I only knew previously as "the title character in that lame-looking movie I didn't see and that flopped". After reading the book, I don't know how that movie ended up being lame or how Burroughs' stock characters, well-described worlds, and violent action sequences didn't translate well to the big screen. I found the book to hold my attention and interest throughout, even if the writing itself lacked complexity and the story was generally predictable. Maybe I should see the movie?

The movie is good, and I enjoyed it for what it was (i.e., a pulpy science-fiction film with insanely high production values). IMO, it is on par with The Chronicles of Riddick and Return of the Jedi, and it is better than either The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones. (Moreover, copies of the film on Blu-Ray are practically free.) It greatly exceeded my low expectations, but I am certain it deviates from the source material in significant ways. Accordingly - and having read Princess of Mars - you may not enjoy it as much as I did.

There are many rumors that the movie was torpedoed internally to fuel the Lucasarts acquisition.

[marurun]

There are many rumors that the movie was torpedoed internally to fuel the Lucasarts acquisition.

How exactly would that work? How would sinking that film help drive acquiring LucasFilm? I mean, the Star Wars franchise alone is pure money, especially from the perspective of licensed goods.

[fastbilly1]

There are many rumors that the movie was torpedoed internally to fuel the Lucasarts acquisition.

How exactly would that work? How would sinking that film help drive acquiring LucasFilm? I mean, the Star Wars franchise alone is pure money, especially from the perspective of licensed goods.

It has been awhile since I read the rumors, but if I remember correctly it was more of a "if this flops, we will up the ante in buying Lucasfilm" situation, so someone high up made changes that set it up to fail.

[Blu]

The Martian by Andy Weir was a great time and a very fun read. I feel like many of our members would enjoy the humor, science, and overall story of the novel. I'd say 4.5/5 for me.

[dsheinem]

Books Read 2015:
1. Slavoj Žižek - The Year of Dreaming Dangerously
2. Edgar Rice Burroughs - A Princess of Mars
3. Jonathan Crary - 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep *new*

Total: 3

Previously: 2014 2012 2011



Jonathan Crary is one of the few modern thinkers who writes so sparingly and densely that every sentence of his books seems like a well crafted, imminently quotable insight into the relationship between life and media. Both Techniques of the Observer (1990) and Suspensions of Perception (2000) were key to my graduate work. 24/7 (2013) was his first book in more than a dozen years, and it was well worth the wait.

24/7 is a biting commentary on the role of habituation and attention in the erosion of many of the core components of human experience and interaction. More than a simple critique of how life's rhythms are increasingly shaped by technology, the book provides strong arguments about the historical context for those changes, who and what benefits and suffers because of them, and what many of their social, cultural, and psychological effects are. I'd recommend the book to anyone who's done some graduate-level coursework in media studies, philosophy, history, art, political science, etc. - it is not easy reading, but it is lucid and revelatory.

[Opa Opa]

Children of Húrin - Tolkien

Not gonna devote a lot of time to thoughts today, but I enjoyed this. Very Beowulf-ish storytelling. You really need to be an active reader to catch all the names (especially since some are elvish and all that jazz).

also, spoiler*****

Turin marries his sister?? lolwut.

[Pulsar_t]

Previously: 2014 2012 2011



Jonathan Crary is one of the few modern thinkers who writes so sparingly and densely that every sentence of his books seems like a well crafted, imminently quotable insight into the relationship between life and media. Both Techniques of the Observer (1990) and Suspensions of Perception (2000) were key to my graduate work. 24/7 (2013) was his first book in more than a dozen years, and it was well worth the wait.

24/7 is a biting commentary on the role of habituation and attention in the erosion of many of the core components of human experience and interaction. More than a simple critique of how life's rhythms are increasingly shaped by technology, the book provides strong arguments about the historical context for those changes, who and what benefits and suffers because of them, and what many of their social, cultural, and psychological effects are. I'd recommend the book to anyone who's done some graduate-level coursework in media studies, philosophy, history, art, political science, etc. - it is not easy reading, but it is lucid and revelatory.

So basically me among potentially others on the forum I suspect it's going to be similar to Present Shock in some ways, but that's great since I'm a fan of this particular subject matter.

[Pulsar_t]

Ah love those tidbits of wisdom that you come across in random books. Sounds like a lot of people I know/knew haha. Zhuang Zhou, even if he's just a moniker, did nail it on the head.