On The Beach by Nevil Shute

This book was delivered to my work mailbox after my boss thoughtful acquired it for me. We were talking about scifi books, and I mentioned that I had never heard of this one when it came up. It deals with how humans might handle knowing that they would certainly die from the fallout of a nuclear world war. It is incredible and most definitely a product of the late 1950s. So good on so many levels.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Busy, busy, busy

Thanks to Russell for the loan of both the book and a pen. The book was to read; the pen was to write in the margins.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

I really like dystopia novels, especially when they are imbued with a healthy dose of satire. Atwood seems to be asking what happens when people keep trying to outdo nature and turn a handsome profit in the meantime. For every spliced gene and animal re-combination, the consequences cause more problems that keep the cycle circling closer to a fully unstable point. Do not get me wrong, I think scientific inquiry and invention are wonderful and have an incredible amount of potential. Still, I cannot help but think that at some point humans may go too far and be unprepared for the fallout.

"Why is it he feels some line has been crossed, some boundary transgressed? How much is too much, how far is too far."

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

I will freely admit that the only reason I picked up this book was because it was one of those books that I "should have read" (and it was easily accessible on Terry's bookshelf). I am learning more and more that that is the worst possible reason to read anything. This one is such a boy book. It is no mystery to me why every girl who saw me reading it winced when they recognized the cover.

Anthem by Ayn Rand

"For I know what happiness is possible to me on earth. And my happiness needs no higher aim to vindicate it. My happiness is not the means to any end. It is the end. It is its own goal. It is its own purpose."

It is interesting to read an author that has influenced so many people. I think she is dead wrong about collectivism though. Thanks to Terry for letting me borrow it.

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

A horrorshow experience reading this one. I thought the movie was twisted, but the novel may be even more messy. By now you might be able to tell that I enjoy reading authors that have the ability to create worlds and words that no one else could imagine, even if those worlds happen to be horrifically violent. From the introduction, Burgess makes it clear that he does not consider this his best work, but, for better or worse, it is the one with which everyone associates him. It has me wondering how Alex's society got to the point that it did and how quickly our own moves in that direction. Terrifying.