So....where was I when I last left off?
Oh, that's right - I had just been reading a book called Eye in the Sky. This novel was very Twilight-Zone'y, in that the protagonists are drawn into a parallel universe in which one person's perspective and personality define what the universe is like. As they struggle to figure out the 'who' of the universe, they learn a lot about their inner perspectives, but also how to manipulate each other to get what they need to survive. The only way out of a universe is for the 'creator' to die, but even then, they all just move to a new universe with a new 'master'. There were lots of tropes about stereotypes in this novel, and our sometimes-unconcious assumptions and beliefs about each other and ourselves.
I moved on from that one to The Man Who Japed. I didn't know what japed meant (didn't even realize it was English), but got the sense of it very quickly - it refers to pulling off a stunt or trick, which happens in the first few pages of the book. I have to say I really liked this one not for the writing (which was not PKD's best) but for the political symbolism that was present throughout the book, and for the behavior of the main character, which the reader never fully understands, but can sympathize with. Candidly, too much of the social and political dynamic can be seen in today's political discourse and social media - that made it an even better read than it would have been 20 years ago. I could totally see this one turned into a movie in the near term with some......recognizable leaders....featured prominently.
After a bit of a break (from reading anything, really), I picked up We Can Build You. In this one, some engineers manage to create a simulacrum, essentially a working android, with the image and knowledge of Abraham Lincoln and one of his generals. What ensues is totally not about that technology, which would have been interesting to follow, but of the exploits of the protagonist as he wrestles with his business partner's needs, his emotional connection to the partner's daughter, and the business magnate / romantic rival / potential investor, who is based in Seattle and described in surprising detail like Jeff Bezos. It's also partially an examination of madness and what makes a person, be it flesh and bone or wires and circuits. I noted here again a very difficult portrayal of the female character, mainly the lead, who is standoffish (attributed to her not-so-latest schizophrenia), but at varying times swerves between vulnerable and hostile in the blink of an eye. I'm really wondering what type of relationships PKD had with women that drove these types of depictions.
On the movie front - no progress. I decided to watch a few current year movies instead, but the other night, we watched The Third Man, referred to as one of the best British films ever made (I would not necessarily agree). A film noir of fine repute, I was a bit underwhelmed, even adjusting for the differences in style and cinematography of the era. My wife referred to the author Graham Greene, thinking the movie would have elements of humor that his writing did, but that was not evident either. Overall, we weren't moved as much as maybe we expected.
Summer is here, so I'm not sure how much reading / movies I'll get in for the next couple of months, but I'm hoping to do some. I'm in the middle of The Broken Bubble by PKD, which steps out of science fiction again and into the lives of some San Franciscans struggling with financial, vocational, physical and emotional ties to one another. I'm about halfway through, and so far, so good....well, except for one of the female characters again. I really should look into his personal history a bit.
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