History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Introspection at it's finest
White Wolf
White wolf needs more games like this all-accessible tragedy
Slipping into Oblivion
Wraith, so gothic it's dead

Wraith: The Oblivion, Second Edition
Jennifer Harshorn , Sam Chupp , and Richard E. Dansky
Manufacturer: White Wolf Games Studio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Wraith Players Guide (Wraith : the Oblivion)
Changeling: The Dreaming, Second Edition
Demon: The Fallen
Hunter: The Reckoning (Hunter: The Reckoning (Hardback))
Vampire : The Masquerade (Revised Edition)

ASIN: 1565046005

Customer Reviews:

Introspection at it's finest.......2005-04-16

Each of White Wolf's games, even the little ones, like mummy or freak legion, are beautiful efforts to focus play around a single role-played theme, and the effects of the gameplay, the character creation, and even the obscure little optional rules in the index act to support and strengthen those themes. Wraith is truly a perfect example of this. The game does not simply present a depressing setting, then ask players to "get in character". The character creation process is involving and requires deep thought. The rules effects that come into play from game one act to draw the players in, and the character's emotions out. And each successive twist and turn of the game builds depth and meaning into what started out as a very gothic and thoughtful environment. In wraith, there is horror and danger in every form you can imagine, from the slow, personal draw of your own mind turned against you, to the shrieking nightmares of Oblivion's spectres, to the opressive weight of the hierarchy of Charon, to the mind numbing immensity of Oblivion itself. 31 flavors of fear, served to order. If you like horror games, this is your ticket.

Simultaneously, I wholeheartedly agree with previous reviewers in stressing Wraith's role-playing aspects. This game will actively kill hack and slash gaming, not only the characters, but the game style itself. All power, healing, existance and ability rely on you acting out the deepset needs and passions of your character. All that stuff that you make up when you generate a character that usually winds up on the third or fourth page and gets ignored by the other players is now at center stage, guaranteed vital, and everybody cares. The interpersonal interactions are pushed to the limit, crying, raging, and even falling in love are totally believable results of this masterpiece of pole playing.

Pick up your copy before it fades away forever.

White Wolf.......2004-07-18

While I'm fond of Dungeons and Dragons, my heart has a special place for white wolf, and if you're any kind of white wolf fan, then you would know: this game was their destiny.

Every White Wolf game is all about being miserable, even though you're an awesome demon!

Well in Wraith, despite your very cool powers, there is a part of your brain trying to turn you to Shadow, and make you a servant of Oblivion, which expands greater everyday, threatening to destroy the underworld.

it's a very dark game. intense.

White wolf needs more games like this all-accessible tragedy.......2004-02-08

This RPG is, quite simply, the greatest of its kind. White Wolf went out of its way and beyond the call of duty to put this gorgeous piece of work on the shelves. The fact that it's out of print is just appalling. This book is beautifully written and the art is amazing, in every sense of either word. The atmospheric darkness and overwhelming despair of the book itself is oddly uplifting compared to the forced grittiness or plagiarism of most other RPG books. The great bits of this book (and game) are the humanist bits. The fact that you're playing a character who, regardless of race, creed, whatever he/she did in their life, they are all so uniquely (well, like real people, as unique as everyone else) and subtly damned, in a way the vampires and Werewolves of the rest of the WW world can't even dream of. This game's only fault is that running it requires an incredible amount of concentration, a huge degree of single-mindedness and very good knowledge on how to set an atmosphere. If you can find a truly good storytller (like we were lucky enough to)who can give his (or in our case, her) own touch to an already spectacular world and you're willing to possibly soil yourself from fear or break down crying from a role-playing game, then this is for you. This book follows the White Wolf traditions of actually being a fun and involving (if chillingly accurate and intensely personal) read. The art is all along the high-contrast black on white lines that a book like this demands, and it works perfectly. The writing has the somber feel of being so meticulously done that the writers mustn't have gotten sleep for weeks. The continuing story of the wraith writer separating each chapter is heartfelt and remniscient of the work of Neil Gaiman, and the long passages describing every aspect of the fleshed out land of the dead are so harsh and real that this book gives new meaning to role-playing. So, basically, if you're into a game that reallly, truly is a character driven game, this is the one for you. If only it were still in print...

Slipping into Oblivion.......2003-08-25

To this date I still have every original paperback release of every WoD games as well as their subsiquent hard back re-releases, but in all this time only one of these games was ever able to capture my heart and stir my emotions; Wraith the Oblivion.

Unlike other games in the WoD series wraith centers around feelings and emotions. Where vampires drink blood to survive Wraiths my tangle with pathos to survive. Where Werewolves truggle against the mighty Wyrm wraiths must fight their own inner demons, less they be swept into oblivion.

Unfortunately, Wraith: The Oblivion is all but gone. The WoD's has pretty much shunned Wraith for it's core games; Vampire, Werewolf, and Mage. However wraith will always be my favorite of the series and I would strong encourage everyone who has played an WoD games to please purchase this title and give it a try.

Wraith, so gothic it's dead.......2003-04-24

Wraith is the ultimate in personal horror. You create a dead character, control that charcter as it fights it's darker half, and the end is never what you could possibly imagine. In a previous review someone mentioned 'saying Wraith was a gothic game would be to say Lord of the Rings is a story about elves.' That is the truest comparison one can make about Wraith. If you want a game that you pick up and play with very simple rules and stories, go play DnD, if you want a slugfest, get Werewolf, if you want a game in which you must always use your head before your fists and be nine steps ahead of your darker half just to get by with your sanity intact, purchase Wraith. You won't be dissappointed.

Average customer rating:

Adequate but unspectacular
A wonderful book of fiction inspired by RObert W. Chambers

Rehearsals for Oblivion (Act I)

Manufacturer: Elder Signs Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0977987663

Book Description

The stage is set. The curtain lifts. Behold the man in the pallid mask, the King in Yellow. Rehearsals for Oblivion: Tales of the King in Yellow, ACT I is the first volume in a comprehensive set of weird fiction and poetry focused on one of the genre's most mysterious and intriguing figures. Contributors include Richard L. Tierney, William Laughlin, Mark McLaughlin, Joseph S. Pulver, Sr., John Tynes, Will Murray, G. Warlock Vance, Ann K. Schwader, Roger Johnson & Robert M. Price, and many others. The world is a stage . . . filled with nightmares.

Customer Reviews:

Adequate but unspectacular.......2007-03-01

This book isn't bad, but it's basically a rehash of the original Chambers book "The King in Yellow". That's not bad, either, except there is really very little new here, or creative. At least most writers who pastiche Lovecraft add something new to make the mythos theirs. I don't see that in this book. Instead, some fairly decent writers rather slavishly pastiche Chambers without even a hint of actual creativity. It's not a bad read, and parts of it are actually quite good, but it's still a mere copy of Chambers.

A wonderful book of fiction inspired by RObert W. Chambers.......2006-10-23

Rehearsals for Oblivion, Act One is a book of fiction inspired by the stories of Robert W. Chambers, particularly The King in Yellow. This is a subgenre I have always been fond of, that I have most often encountered in collections of Lovecraftian stories. Purists would argue whether Yellow Sign works should be called mythos fiction (of course most HPL fans like most weird fiction, including Chambers' stuff, so this is where the audience is). HPL admired the Yellow Sign stories and briefly mentioned a few of the names and ideas in some of his own stories, but otherwise was not a big fan of Chambers' books. Most mythos fans know of the ambiguous use of the name Hastur, first as a pastoral spirit by Bierce, then as a place name as well as an entity name by Chambers, before it was co-opted as the Unspeakable name of Cthulhu's half brother by Derleth. Maybe this is why Yellow Sign fiction has ended up part of mythos collections? Compared to Cthulhu stories, the relative volume of Yellow Sign stories has been small in the past, but here we have an entire book of them, most of them new, labeled volume one (I don't know if this promises a second book or it's just being hopefull). Maybe we are on the edge of a Chamber inspired fiction deluge; the enterprising Rainfall Books has started a chapbook magazine called Death Songs of Carcosa devoted to this genre, and have also published some of Chambers' dark poetry and a chapbook by Pulver, Carcosa: Where the Long Shadows Fall. This is just like the way Clark Ashton Smith inspired fiction has previously been inextricably linked to the mythos, but is now finding its own niche in books like The Last Continent and Lost Worlds of Space and Time. Unfortunately I don't think any of Rainfall's titles are available through Amazon. I'm not sure why. Most readers attracted to this title don't need to be introduced to Chambers but those who do can find the Yellow Signs stories online for free. Another good source that also has some previous Yellow Sign fiction (including a great story by Karl Edward Wagner) is The Hastur Cycle from Chaosium, one of the best of the cycle books. I think it might be hard to come to this collection de novo, so new fans really should read the Chambers stories first. The current book is published by Dimension Books, an imprint of Elder Signs Press. I am a bit fuzzy about how this works; I think that Dimension Books is devoted to subgenres of weird fiction that may be of interest to the general horror or Lovecraft fan. Why ever it appears from Dimension Books
instead of ESP is irrelevant however. It's a magnificent achievement and we must be grateful whatever the provenance. It is a handsome trade paperback, well made like all ESP titles. Page count of the stories and poems is a very generous 246. I wish there were authors' notes or an editorial introduction to put it all into context. It lists at $19.95 but is discounted to $12.21 on Amazon and available for free shipping if you get $25 worth of stuff. The marvelous cover art is by Tim Wilson, with the cowled, bloody and appropriately obscure face of the King in Yellow arising between the two moons of distant Carcosa. Editing by Peter Worthy was flawless. My only beef with the layout was that across the top of each of the facing pages was the book title: Act One and Rehearsals for Oblivion, rather than the title and author of the story occupying those pages. That wasn't very useful! Here are the contents:

The Curse of the King by Richard L. Tierney -poem
The Dream-Leech by William Laughlin
Ambrose by John Scott Tynes
In Memoriam by Roger Johnson & Robert M. Price
Cordelia's Song from The King in Yellow by Vincent Starrett - poem
Chartreuse by Michael Minnis
Cat With the Hand of a Child by Mark McLaughlin
Lilloth by Susan McAdam
Reflections in Carcosa by Mark Francis - poem
Broadalbin by John Scott Tynes
The Adventure of the Yellow Sign by G. Warlock Vance
Tattered Souls by Ann K. Schwader
What Sad Drum? by Steve Lines - poem
The Machine in Yellow by Carlos Orsi Martinho
The Peace That Will Not Come by Peter A. Worthy
The Purple Emperor by Will Murray
A Line of Questions by Joseph S. Pulver, Sr - poem.
Yellow is the Color of Tomorrow by Ron Shiflet

A quick review of the author list shows many names familiar to mythos fans. Here's another reason Yellow Sign fiction has always been in mythos collections before: the authors are part of the ever widening Lovecraft Circle! Susan McAdam created the artwork for Eldritch Blue, Steve Lines is an editor (maybe editor is too small a word for Mr. Lines!) and author for Rainfall Books and John Scott Tynes has given us much of the Delta Green fiction. Stories by Schwader, Minnis, Worthy, Pulver and Shiflet appear regularly in mythos collections. Robert Price is a veritable mythos maven. Mark McLaughlin gave us Shoggoth Cacciatore, and has storied in Warfear and Lost Worlds of Space and Time, Vol 2. Richard Tierney has published The Gardens of Lucullus and House of the Toad. G. Warlock Vance is relatively newer on the scene with a story in LWOSAT, vol 2 and Lovecraft's Disciples #3. The only other publication by Mark Francis I know is a poem in LWOSAT Vol 2. Vincent Starrett was the recipient of some letters from HPL, I believe, and his poem Cordelia's Song dates to 1938. William Laughlin is a new name for me but I think he's written a few horror stores here and there. I think of Will Murray as more of an HPL scholar than a fiction author, but maybe that's going to change? Carlos Orsi Martinho has a few stories scattered around in mythos magazines. Actually, of all the stories in the current volume I was most intrigued by his, set in Brazil. Just like Kurodahan Press has opened a window into Japanese mythos fiction for us, is it too much to hope that there is a mythos anthology by all Brazilian authors being kicked around out there somewhere?

OK, regarding the poems, they were of somewhat higher quality than the typical mythos-inspired work, but none of them are as evocative as Cassilda's Song by Chambers himself:

Along the shore the cloud waves break,
The twin suns sink beneath the lake,
The shadows lengthen
In Carcosa.

Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies
But stranger still is
Lost Carcosa.

Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King,
Must die unheard in
Dim Carcosa.

Song of my soul, my voice is dead;
Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dry and die in
Lost Carcosa.

The Pulver work that closes the book, however, must be singled out for praise. I am only briefly going to touch on the stories; actually as I progressed through the anthology I began to worry that maybe I was admiring it more than enjoying it. Then I reread the Tynes and the Minnis stories and was reassured. The level of craftsmanship for each of the stories was quite high.

*** Spoilers may follow ***

The typical (if there is a typical) Yellow Sign story relates to someone involved in either a new production of The King in Yellow, or watching a new production of The King in Yellow or reading a newly discovered copy/translation of The King in Yellow. The Dream Leech chronicles the motives of man dedicating his life to destroying copies of a certain play. Ambrose, however, is very different. It follows the life of a resident of Carcosa on his strange and lonely adventures. In Memoriam links The King in Yellow with its contemporary, The Picture of Dorian Gray (tell the truth now, don't you wish your local microbrewery had a lager called Dorian Gray so you could order a pitcher?). I thought it was OK, not too bad. Chartreuse by Minnis may have been my favorite story here; it follows a group of German soldiers in their long retreat from the eastern front (reminding me of the great classic book, The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer). The sniper has a worn out copy of a forgotten play...Mr. Minnis is fiendishly talented! Lilloth is also very original, telling how a child (or is she really a child?) comes to dominate the minds of the young preteens around her. Broadalbin is the story of a drugged out petty crook and murderer who hides out in a hotel with some odd guests, and thinks he does so of his own free will. Gosh, can John Tynes write! I am grateful for the two stories here but I'm greedy! I want more Yellow Sign, more mythos and more Delta Green from him! Maybe Broadalbin one was my favorite story. The Adventure of the Yellow Sign was an OK Sherlock Holmes story. Tattered Souls is one of the few previously published stories here; it was in Schwader's Strange Stars and Alien Shadows. It is a terrific little tale of a counselor who does past lives regressions. The Machine in Yellow is the wonderful Brazilian story, about a new production of The King in Yellow but with a mechanical actor for the king. The Peace That Will Not Come reacquaints us with the same government agents we met in Stacked Actors in Eldritch Blue, who are now investigating some long gone by happenings in an abandoned asylum. Unfortunately, as much as I liked this anthology and respect Mr. Worthy's efforts, this story just left me flat. Unlike most of the other tales here, Yellow is the Color of Tomorrow is set in the same time and world as the original story by Chambers. A bored bourgeois buys a book that has a profound effect on him. This effort by Ron Shiflet was very good indeed. A psychic in The Purple Emperor struggles to prevent the king from entering our world. OK for me, readable, nothing special.

So in summary, a marvelous collection. It is the only new anthology available devoted to fiction inspired by Chambers' masterwork and that makes it self recommending. You also be assured that it is a first class production in every way, with top flight stories by some of the best weird fiction authors writing today. What's more, it is heavily discounted by Amazon, so go for it!

Average customer rating:

Best collection since Girl with Curious Hair
Brilliant
I go back to it fairly frequently
Missing Something
Something like an enema

Oblivion: Stories
David Foster Wallace
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays
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A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments

ASIN: 0316919810

Book Description

Wallace conjoins the rawest, most naked humanity with the infinite convolutions of self-consciousness-a combination that is dazzlingly, uniquely his. These are worlds undreamt-of by any other mind. Only David Foster Wallace could convey a father's desperate loneliness by retelling the daydream that kept his son from noticing his fourth grade substitute teacher's homicidal breakdown ('The Soul Is Not a Smithy'), or explore the deepest (and most hilarious) aspects of creativity by delineating the office politics surrounding a magazine profile of an artist who produces miniature sculptures in an anatomically inconceivable way ('The Suffering Channel'). The man who believes his wife is hallucinating the sound of his snoring, the parolee who carries his spider collection with him on the bus, the market research professional whose office anxieties take a morbid turn-each of these is a complete world, as fully imagined as most entire novels, at once absurd and painfully real. Oblivion is a welcome new creation from the writer 'whose best work challenges and reinvents the art of fiction' (Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

Download Description

In the stories that make up Oblivion, David Foster Wallace joins the rawest, most naked humanity with the infinite involutions of self-consciousnessâa combination that ilis dazzlingly, uniquely his. These are worlds undreamt-of by any other mind. Only David Foster Wallace could convey a father's desperate loneliness by way of his son's daydreaming through a teacher's homicidal breakdown ("The Soul Is Not a Smithy"). Or explore the deepest and most hilarious aspects of creativity by delineating the office politics surrounding a magazine profile of an artist who produces miniature sculptures in an anatomically inconceivable way ("The Suffering Channel"). Or capture the ache of love's breakdown in the painfully polite apologies of a man who believes his wife is hallucinating the sound of his snoring ("Oblivion").

Each of these stories is a complete world, as fully imagined as most entire novels, at once preposterously surreal and painfully immediate. Oblivion is an arresting and hilarious new creation from a writer "whose best work challenges and reinvents the art of fiction"(Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

Customer Reviews:

Best collection since Girl with Curious Hair.......2007-04-03

One of the most dense yet intriguing short story collection since Girl With Curious Hair. Here the caveat lector is of course the sterile (at times incredibly boring) build-up constructed purposively to cathart the denouement, and make as if the dialectic probing of the human condition, was somehow merit, or enlightening. This is distinctly Wallace. Distinctly wealthy, manipulative, and white.

The inclusion of clinical, statistical terminology, though sticks out like sore thumbs, even to medical professionals like myself.

Brilliant.......2006-12-21

The best collection of short fiction from the best living writer in the English language. It demands patience and attention, but the rewards for the effort are incredible. The best story in the collection is Good Old Neon, which is bifercated (by use of footnotes), such that there are two distinct endings, both of which would qualify the story as probably the best I have read this year.
These stories coil and bend, and the sentences are often labyrinthine; casual reading really won't suffice. If you do put forth the effort, I think you'll find that they engage the mind and that other thing, whatever it may be, that makes us what we call "human." Truly an outstanding collection.

I go back to it fairly frequently.......2006-05-18

Pissed off at the mindnumbing aspects of television, I found this collection of stories to be a breath of fresh air showing me the power and scope of what fiction writing can be when someone courageous enough will put in the work. You can trust Wallace to know what the heck he's writing about, just don't think too hard about it - like television - enjoy it and the words and ideas in each story will, in the end, make you glad you did, unlike television. I especially enjoy 'Good Old Neon' and 'Another Pioneer'.

Missing Something.......2005-10-24

First, let me say I absolutely LOVE reading David Foster Wallace. This collection showcases one of his strengths: the attention to detail - or, more accurately - the minutiae - of everyday thoughts; how, for example, three minutes of a day can only be captured by pages & pages & pages of prose, because the human brain simultaneously functions on so many levels (best illustrated when you find yourself listening to someone attempting to explain 'the dream I had last night' but use so many qualifiers that a dream that lasts for probably no more than one minute absorbs the conversation of an entire lunch - or as least smoke break).

Ultimately, though, I found myself wishing a strong editorial voice would have confronted Wallace on several counts prior to the publishing of 'Oblivion.' This is especially true with the first story, 'Mister Squishy,' which seems to build up to a crescendo that is never reached. Wallace weaves together several different narratives into what the reader expects to come together at some point, but instead the story just...ends.

'The Suffering Channel' is a lost opportunity of amazing proportions. In this story, a highly engaging tale begins - and the reader falls into it helplessly, increasingly curious as to what it all means and where it's all going. Yet, instead of reaching a conclusion, or really any sort of resting point, the story abruptly ends. I wondered if the printer had left out pages & pages of the book, and I fought against the urge to hurl it across the room.

I absolutely love Wallace's amazing & rare gifts. But what 'Oblivion' shows is a 'writer's writer.' These stories are partial projects, not stories. They are, at best, extremely well fleshed-out beginnings.

It's a joy to read the words of someone with such innate talent, with such incredible gifts with the written word, but to me what we're left with is just one-half of a whole. Most of these stories end so abruptly, one can scarcely even call them a 'slice of life' because they consistently refer to past or future events that are never quite clear or explained. It's not that I'm left frustrated because 'I want to know what happened.' I'm frustrated because what could have been three or four great full-length novels were robbed.

I will always read Wallace because it is an incredibly intense & enjoyable experience. But I probably would not recommend this book to anyone I know because it is so unfulfilling and ultimately disappointing.

I guess 'Oblivion' can be classified as 'experimental' fiction or non-narrative storytelling, but Wallace is capable of so much more than that, as we have seen in the past, as we will hopefully see in the future, & as even 'Oblivion' attests.

Something like an enema.......2005-10-21

I'm going to wait until it gets cold enough to burn this guy's book. "Oblivion," couldn't be a better title, while reading these stories--I couldn't actually bear to finish even one of them-- you feel as if you have entered some circle of Hell, and your punishment is to have to read all this crap. This guy makes me mad, his prose actually bores into your skull, it feels like torture to read and you want to say enough, yes, I will tell you anything you want to hear, but please just shut the blank up.

Approaching oblivion: Road signs on the treadmill toward tomorrow : eleven uncollected stories

Average customer rating:

THANKFULLY IT'S SMALL

Approaching oblivion: Road signs on the treadmill toward tomorrow : eleven uncollected stories
Harlan Ellison
Manufacturer: Walker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006CLB5U

Customer Reviews:

THANKFULLY IT'S SMALL.......2001-05-29

Having read lots of Harlan Ellison's collections, I can honestly say that this one is not one of his best. You won't find any Hugo-award winners in here, folks. Of course, I've read LOTS of Harlan stories that DIDN'T win awards and were absolutely WONDERFUL. There is one such story in this collection that comes to mind--Erotophobia. Remember the opening scene of Austin Powers? Where he's being chased by all these women. That's the basic idea for that story. Absolutely hilarious. As for the rest of the stories in this book, I didn't find any that were Harlan at his worst. Even the story Catman, the longest and least enjoyable of the bunch had a little something to it. I wouldn't recommend that first time Harlan-readers start here, though. But for those of us that have read our Harlan, this is definitely worth getting.

Ascendancy to oblivion: The story of the Anglo-Irish

Average customer rating:

Interesting, But Short of the Mark

Ascendancy to oblivion: The story of the Anglo-Irish
Michael McConville
Manufacturer: Quartet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

The Anglo-Irish oligarchy gave Ireland much of her modern culture and architecture--but also left a legacy that has festered violently. A highly original, insightful look at the "Troubles" traces the rise and sudden disappearance of this elite group that so dominated Irish life from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. ".pure pleasure.the most entertaining and fascinating book I have read for a long time."--Molly Keane.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting, But Short of the Mark.......2004-05-05

While I must confess I enjoyed reading this book and often found the prose witty, it left me dissatisfied. The author does provide some interesting insights into the thinking and beliefs of the Anglo-Irish as they evolved through history, but his work lacks depth. There is no detailed discussion of social and cultural patterns among the Anglo-Irish, just passing mentions. It appears that the author read just a handful of books on the Anglo-Irish, decided that was sufficient research, and proceeded to write his essay. There is no documentation for his statements other than the short bibliography at the end. Lastly, I think that the many good Irishmen who served in the Irish Brigade during the American Civil War would be startled to learn that according to McConville their commander, Thomas Meagher of the Sword, was an upholder of slavery and that they were in the Confederate army! What other mistakes of fact are hidden in this work? I would still recommend this book because there is so little available about the Anglo-Irish to read.

Dona Ines Vs. Oblivion: A Novel (Pegasus Prize for Literature)

Average customer rating:

Dona Ines VS Oblivion
I'm proud of this book
fabulous

Dona Ines Vs. Oblivion: A Novel (Pegasus Prize for Literature)
Ana Teresa Torres
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Latin American | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0807124761

Book Description

Described by The Washington Post Book World as "classic Latin American magical realism . . . [from] a remarkable voice," Dona Ines vs. Oblivion is a rich saga melding national history with the story of one bitter family dispute. Dona Ines, matriarch of a wealthy family in eighteenth-century Caracas, is suing to regain the land her late husband bequeathed to his illegitimate mulatto son. Searching in vain for the original deed, she vows not to quit until the dust from the ancient documents rises up and chokes her. In 1780 she dies -- but the spirit of Dona Ines continues her quest through another two centuries of revolution, natural disaster, change, and social turmoil, riding the passionate tide of Venezuelan history to an ultimate conclusion. Beautiful, trenchant, and wickedly funny, it establishes Ana Teresa Torres as an important voice in world literature. "A fascinating, exuberant exploration of race and class in Venezuela." -- Cristina Garcia; "Exquisitely conceived and executed . . . Dona Ines will haunt serious readers of world literature for decades to come." -- Jay Parini; "Torres represents an important new generation of Venezuelan women writers." -- Isabel Allende; "Moves with languid dignity . . . Dona Ines's cranky, engaging, importuning, resentful, obsessed and relentless voice guides us through a family history that is also mired in Venezuelan history." -- John Vernon, The New York Times Book Review.

Customer Reviews:

Dona Ines VS Oblivion.......2001-04-28

Looking forward to a family chronicle which would give the history of Venezuela in its pages, I was deeply disappointed. The first several chapters ramble on and on with the voice of Dona Ines talking to her husband and his illegimate son while mentioning the names of others unknown to this reader. It is confusing, disorienting and portrays her as crazily consumed with all the negative things in her past. Many pages had no paragraphs which provided no relief to the stream of disjointed memories. I did not find any saving grace to this work.

I'm proud of this book.......2000-01-24

Once, I read this book at school (Valencia, Venezuela). Now I'm studying college (NM, USA) and I decided to write my outside reading report for Social Anthropology on this book. It's amazing the way Ana Teresa Torres describes 300 years of venezuelan history. I loved it!

fabulous.......2000-01-14

Im ana's nephue i just want to say that this book is great it was used in my school for the 11th graders and it was just fabulous

Average customer rating:

Enchanting
hey there

Escape to Oblivion
Laurel Gutenberg
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595130518

Book Description

Escape to Oblivion is a mixture of haunting poems and mysterious short stories, from the origins of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, to a story of a dangerous monster in ancient Britain, to the inner thoughts of dying God.

Journey with characters such as Astraya, who’s the leader of a mission to Earth, little Melissa, who finds out the truth about her parents, and Gwen, who joins the Martian rebellion for equal rights.

Customer Reviews:

Enchanting.......2000-11-30

This collection is possibly one of the best I've read in awhile, and I'm hard to please. Take that into consideration for holiday shopping.

hey there.......2000-11-30

Hi. this is my book. Fun, huh?

Average customer rating:

Grand Street 48: Oblivion (Winter 1994)

Manufacturer: W W Norton & Co Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Journey Into Oblivion: A Love Story
Terris Wade Bradley
Manufacturer: Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0805972102

Product Description

Journey into Oblivion is Terris Wade Bradleys frank, candid tribute to his beloved wife, Jean, written a few years after her death. Interspersed with tales of his high school years and experiences in the army, Bradley tells of their long and happy marriage and the highs and lows of life in the small towns of Texas during the latter half of the twentieth century.

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