Stanisław Lem - Forum

English => Forum in English => Wątek zaczęty przez: Socrates w Maja 18, 2004, 01:08:20 am

Tytuł: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Maja 18, 2004, 01:08:20 am
Anybody know if Bradbury was counted amongst the few sf writers Lem though highly of?  

Cheers, Socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: bio w Maja 23, 2004, 05:35:28 pm
Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to this question, but how can't one appreciate the author of "The Martian Chronicles" :)
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: negative_dragon w Maja 24, 2004, 03:25:35 pm
I don't know exactly about Bradbury but if you go to the FAQ on lem.pl you'll find that Mr Lem is critical on sci-fi literature in general. That's the only related source on the topic I could find.

www.lem.pl should publish a listing with Mr Lem's ratings for SF writers. ;)

http://www.cyberiad.info/english/faq/faq.htm#sfwa

What might he think about Douglas Adams?
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Maja 24, 2004, 05:34:04 pm
Cytuj

What might he think about Douglas Adams?


I think Lem's mind is too serious to like D. Adams. Never the less I'm deeply in love with his (Adams') books. They're so happily senseless ;]  
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Maja 27, 2004, 05:23:47 am
I've read his Microworlds, but he doesn't mention Bradbury in it.  Anyway, I never heard of Adams.  Anybody read Herbert?

Cheers, Socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: negative_dragon w Maja 27, 2004, 08:58:40 am
You definitely should read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. If you like it, read the other books in the right order. They are a trilogy consisting of four books.

In some respect they are similar to the Star diaries. Adams also develops a number of funny situations that develop out of unconventional logical relations. They are definitely worth reading. Make sure you don't hurt yourself or your family if you burst in laughter. If you don't burst in laughter, well, Adams might not be the right author for you. Most like it, some don't.

Try his shorty on pedants to get a feel for his style: http://www.douglasadams.com/dna/pedants.html
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: bio w Maja 27, 2004, 09:32:42 pm
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...  Anybody read Herbert?

Probably everybody who has something in comonn with this very forum ;)
("Dune" at least)
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Maja 28, 2004, 03:36:10 am
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 Anybody read Herbert?

Cheers, Socrates



Oh sweet God... have I?

(IMHO Dune deserves another forum :))
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Maja 28, 2004, 03:42:24 am
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I never heard of Adams.

Cheers, Socrates


Wow, I envy you :) If I  never heard of Adams I wouldn't have to look for my head after I once laughed it off while reading his books. HE"S BRILLIANT (hilarious, at least :) Not too serious (gosh, he's not serious at all! Imagine the "Improbablity engine" he is writing about : the idea is based on a fact, that "THe probablity that the given spaceship is placed in a given point of a space is 0 <=> the ship is everywhere at the same time (so the navigators need just to select the desired destination point and the ship is already there (as it was before, hehe))  ;] )

Reading Adams is a big laugh. (And that's all, to be honest, but what so....) :]

cheerZ
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Maja 29, 2004, 09:39:34 pm
Hey, if it comes so highly recommended, I'll jump to it as soon as I'm done with the current batch of novels I've doomed myself to read.  
If Dune was already read by all here, how about the "Destination Void" serries?  It's also great.

Cheers, socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Ritch w Lipca 21, 2004, 03:57:29 am
Lem mention Bradbury by name in an essay from Microworlds. I promise look for the exact page. (Its not very praise about him)
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Lipca 22, 2004, 03:22:27 am
Please do, i would be much obliged.  I must have missed it myself...
Cheers, Socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Ritch w Lipca 23, 2004, 09:44:35 pm
Microworlds
Harcourt & Brace, 1984

In the last pages (158 and ss.) of the essay Time travel... of Microworlds, Lem refer to R. Bradbury and J.G. Ballard. While he recognize the skills and artistry of these authors, he is very critic whith their aproach to the genre of s.f.

Lem says that B. limit himself to pointing out the mistakes and the worst of the science an reason (a hopeless pessimism), but fails to explore the outer limits of the rational; the option to a bad knowledge (according to Lem) is more and better knowledge, but Bradbury cancels or dont see this option.

To sum-up, Lem dont says Bradbury is a bad writer (to the contrary), but says he is a SCI-FI flawed author.

I dont know if I did explain me very well, my english is terrible when --trying-- going complex. If I have time I will trascript extracts of the essay, is worthwhile --as all from Lem  ;).
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Lipca 24, 2004, 09:50:39 pm
Thanks a lot!  I'll go and read it myself today.  Appreciated greatly!  Plus - your english is fine; much better than you think it is.

Cheers, Socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Października 18, 2004, 03:20:31 am
What are those Bradbury's "Martian Chronicles" about? Should I read it?

I'll welcome answers:]
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Października 19, 2004, 12:25:30 pm
Read away; they're not bad at all.  Let me know what you think about them once you do.
Cheers, Socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Bio w Listopada 09, 2004, 09:30:41 pm
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What are those Bradbury's "Martian Chronicles" about? Should I read it?

I'll welcome answers:]


Read it :) . In my opinion it's very special novel, containing some kind of poetry. I'm very curious about your reception of it.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Listopada 22, 2004, 05:16:45 pm
As for now, I haven't been truly succesful in finding the "Martial Cronicles". But I've found "Farhenheit 415" and I started readin' it. It's quite interesting. Bradbury has a poetic style.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Grudnia 05, 2004, 07:22:05 pm
...and now, after finishing ,Fahrenheit 415' i confirm that Bradbury is brilliant.
I especially enjoy his style, whis is so reminding of poetry; meanwhile the narration doesn't get flawed; which is very impressive.

Have to aim on ,,Martian Cronicles'' now...
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Jerzyab w Grudnia 06, 2004, 12:14:58 pm
The only Ray Bradbury novel I DON'T recommend at all is "Something Wicked This Way Comes"... I just didn't get the point of the book  :-/
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Socrates w Grudnia 06, 2004, 08:25:46 pm
Yeah, FH is pretty good; I liked his love of books.  "Wicked" is different, but still readable.  
Cheers, Socrates
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Grudnia 07, 2004, 02:35:27 am
..Something Wicked This Way Comes'' must, by the way, be some popular quote, as it was used as a slogan in ,,Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban'' the other day...

That doesn't quite honour Bradbury :) But anyway...
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Tihaja w Grudnia 07, 2004, 09:56:08 pm
It's really a good book! Something different from other Bradbury's books, but still deep and poetic! Probably it can seem a bit dull, but one shouldn't be at hurry while reading it- it is a rule for the books where plot is not very capturing:-)

I didn't read books about Harry Potter - just looked them through and surely didn't notice that quotation. Yet it's a curious fact. Do you mean that these words were not invented by Bradbury? And who is the author then?

By the way, "Harry Potter" is a nice thing. Especially the film (back to childhood...)

I personally like Lem a little more than Bradbury, but, in my opinion, their significance in literature is equal. Both are more than sci fi writers. Lem prefers intellectual games, Bradbury prefers emotions (but of course that's not enough to give them a complete characteristic).
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Jerzyab w Grudnia 08, 2004, 01:00:38 am
I think "Something wicked this way comes" is actually a line from Shakespeare (Macbeth?)...
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Tihaja w Grudnia 08, 2004, 07:47:46 pm
That's it! I checked, it's really from "Makbeth":-)
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Grudnia 09, 2004, 02:08:52 am
Well of course it comes from Shakespeare, it was just used as a song lyric an last Potter movie.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Rob w Stycznia 08, 2005, 11:23:05 am
Yes, you should read Martian Chronicles. Another moderately useful suggestion from an anonymous coward.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Stycznia 08, 2005, 05:57:55 pm
Thanks:)

We're all 'almost' anynomous here :) Don't hesitate to register :)
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: wetal w Stycznia 12, 2005, 12:42:16 pm
Hi TERMINUS ! People like Bradbury and I`m not an exception his FARRENHEITS 451 can`t leave anyone indifferent , it is the first book in SF I read. What is your favourite BOOK or SHORT STORY OF RAY DUGLAS BRADBURY ?
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Stycznia 12, 2005, 05:29:06 pm
I am sorry but I can't answer that, because as far as now I have only read 'Fahrenheit'.

(So its by far the best :)   )

I'll try to choose after I've read some more.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: wetal w Lutego 14, 2005, 11:35:39 am
R.D. Bradbury is mostly a short-story writer. He made a large number of stories about Mars. He had some occasion to publish a book but he had only this stories with himself.He united them in one book : <Martian Chronicles>. I found this book very interesting,and recommend it for reading.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: wetal w Lutego 16, 2005, 05:13:53 pm
One more thing of R .B. I want to advise is The Veldt. It`s not only philosophical but also pedagogical.  Read, and you will understand me.
Tytuł: Re: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Terminus w Lutego 20, 2005, 12:06:29 am
Ok I'll try ! (I mean I'll try to read it).
Tytuł: Odp: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Q w Lipca 29, 2020, 01:27:13 pm
In his earliest essayistic book - "Wejście na orbitę" ("Entry into orbit") Lem praises Bradbury.

Douglas Adams? According to "Lemistry" blurb he took inspiration from S.L. humoristic works.
Tytuł: Odp: Ray Bradbury
Wiadomość wysłana przez: Q w Maja 31, 2023, 11:39:02 am
Further to "Lemistry" blurb... Four-part interview with Adams:
https://www.darkermatter.com/issue1/douglas_adams.php
https://www.darkermatter.com/issue2/douglas_adams.php
https://www.darkermatter.com/issue3/douglas_adams.php
https://www.darkermatter.com/issue4/douglas_adams.php

Where we can read:

"/.../ Kurt Vonnegut, who I think is absolutely superb. I've read The Sirens of Titan six times now, and it gets better every time. He is an influence, I must own up. Sirens of Titan is just one of those books – you read it through the first time and you think it's very loosely, casually written. You think the fact that everything suddenly makes such good sense at the end is almost accidental. And then you read it a few more times, simultaneously finding out more about writing yourself, and you realise what an absolute tour de force it was, making something as beautifully honed as that appear so casual."
And the others, the usual suspects? Did he read Asimov, Arthur C Clarke and the rest?
"I have done. The SF writers I like best are the ones who are funny, and there are not many of them. Robert Sheckley. He's a very, very funny writer. He's also a stylist. Very few science fiction writers write English well. Robert Sheckley can.
So Sheckley... and another guy I'm very fond of is Stanislav Lem, a Polish writer who has been superbly translated into English. That's doubly impressive because it's a very densely verbal style, with lots of word play. Translating it into English must have been extraordinarily difficult, and in many cases it's been very well done."