hawkwind:high rise

[Doug Pearson]

On Wed, 10 Jul 2002 18:24:13 -0400, Tim <ma-paharper at IOPENER.NET> wrote:
>wow,don't know how i missed this when it first came out
>in '75, but just finished reading jg ballard's `high rise'.
>incredible book,obviously ties in to hawkwind song of the same
>name. best ballard book i've ever read. find a copy if you haven't read it,
>found mine in a used bookstore. those of you who've read it-
>what did you think??

YUMMMMM ... ALSATIAN!! (smacks lips)  TASTES LIKE CHICKEN!!

(note: American listmembers read "Alsatian" as "German Shepherd")

Uh, seriously, yeah, that's a good one (I think I even picked up my copy in
a bookstore in the Cleveland suburbs immediately before or after one of the
Stange Daze fests), but I think that Ballard continues to improve as a
writer as he refines his means of describing how human progress continually
turns on us and bites us in the ass.  My favorite is his most
recent, 'Super Cannes', which explains the lengths certain people will go
to combat the boredom and comfort in their lives.

... and in the Hawkwind connection department, the song title (and
atmosphere of) "City Of Lagoons" was obviously inspired by Ballard's 'The
Drowned World'.  Other Ballard-inspired songs worth noting include "The
Atrocity Exhibition" (Joy Division) and "Concrete Island" (ST37 ... the
book of which is supposed to form a semi-related trilogy with 'High Rise'
and 'Crash').

    -Doug
     jasret at mindspring.com