“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. They are engines of change, windows on the world, lighthouses erected in the sea of time.” The above quote is one of my all-time favorites, spoken by the brilliant Barbara Tuchman, a celebrated American… Continue reading Saving the world, one book at a time
Tag: Lucifer’s Hammer
Slavery = Prisoners of War, Or Slavery ≠ Prisoners of War
The slavery of African-Americans cannot be compared to the slavery that was proposed in Lucifer’s Hammer after the Brotherhood had fallen. Some might say that slavery is slavery any way you slice it. I will argue that with the simplest of ease. The situation that occurred in the plot of this novel was extraordinary, catastrophic,… Continue reading Slavery = Prisoners of War, Or Slavery ≠ Prisoners of War
Slavery Versus Prisoner Labor
On page 606, Maureen has a moral and ethical dilemma about slavery. She says, “If all we can afford is slavery, then keep them as slaves. And put them to work so we can afford something more. Only we don’t call them slaves, either, because that makes it too easy to think like a slavemaster.… Continue reading Slavery Versus Prisoner Labor
No supply, all demands.
With a whopping 83 appearances within Lucifer’s Hammer, Id say the word, demanded, deserves a little notice. While the verb is used fairly regularly in this novel, that is to say, it preforms the same function as the word, said, (e.g. Tim said, he said, one said), it is interesting to notice the increase in… Continue reading No supply, all demands.
The Four Letter Word
“Fuck” can be pretty much any part of speech and indeed can be used for every word in a sentence, i.e. “Fuck the fucking fuckers.” Lucifer’s Hammer is a lesson in the uses of the English language’s most vulgar word, but its use is not meant for shock and vulgarity. Fuck is a very strong… Continue reading The Four Letter Word
shades of gray
I had a hard time deciding what word to write about in my blog this week. I finally decided to do a search on the terms “black”, which appeared 88 times; “white”, which appeared 85 times; and then, finally, “gray”, which only appeared 24 times. I found this interesting because so much of the book… Continue reading shades of gray
“Blood” In Lucifer’s Hammer
The word “blood” appears in the novel 28 times. While the meaning of the word does not change as the novel progresses, it does mean different things depending on the character we are focusing on. For example, when we are reading the scenes involving Alim Nassar, blood is associated with brotherhood (it also seems to… Continue reading “Blood” In Lucifer’s Hammer
Personal Ad: Harry Newcombe
Pre-Hammerfall: Ex-city boy with a penchant for the simple life and tasteful home accouterments. Nothing like a fine roast to brighten any day, no matter how heavy or lopsided the mail bag may be. Relaxed, steady job; government employed. Looking for a woman who appreciates a cheerful attitude and some beautiful, masterfully crafted facial hair.… Continue reading Personal Ad: Harry Newcombe
Personal Ad: Eileen Susan Hancock
Before: Single white female here, NOT seeking a single white male…or any male for that matter. Independent to the core, I am devoted to only my career and the ambitions I hold. Money is no object, as I clearly make my own. Employed with a plumbing company and working my way to the top—alone! Opened… Continue reading Personal Ad: Eileen Susan Hancock
Gordie Vance
I found it interesting to see Gordie Vance’s reaction to Hammerfall. We have so far seen plenty of pages filled with people acting irrationally or inappropriately because of the idea of the comet hitting Earth, justifying their actions with that “end of the world”-type inevitability. Fred, most obviously, has his (icky) way with Colleen, later… Continue reading Gordie Vance
The Characterization of the Comet and Other Solar Phenomena
If we are just a virus on a rock hurtling through space and there is nothing more, why do we choose to continue to live?
Dr. Malik vs. Maureen, and opposing forces
I’ve noticed that a couple of interesting points have been touched upon already in the earlier posts, but I want to try to link them together in a different way. First of all, for a number of classes, a lot of time has been devoted to inspecting and trying to understand a common theme within… Continue reading Dr. Malik vs. Maureen, and opposing forces