What a load of Ballards!

[Katie-Ellen]

He's all over Twitter today J.G Ballard. It's #Ballard day over on there. This little piggie has homework to do. I only know 'Empire Of The Sun.' Terrific and terrifying.

“Dr. Ransome marked the exercises in the algebra textbook and gave him two strips of rice-paper bandage on which to solve the simultaneous equations. As he stood up, Dr. Ransome removed the three tomatoes from Jim's pocket. He laid them on the table by the wax tray.
'Did they come from the hospital garden?'
'Yes.' Jim gazed back frankly at Dr. Ransome. Recently he had begun to see him with a more adult eye. The long years of imprisonment, the constant disputes with the Japanese had made this young physician seem middle-aged. Dr. Ransome was often unsure of himself, as he was of Jim's theft.
'I have to give Basie something whenever I see him.'
'I know. It's a good thing that you're friends with Basie. He's a survivor, though survivors can be dangerous. Wars exist for people like Basie.' Dr. Ransome placed the tomatoes in Jim's hand. 'I want you to eat them, Jim. I'll get you something for Basie.”

And here he is, talking with an eye to the likely future: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBq2GqYUVZA

 

[Karen Gray]

I must read that book, I saw the film when I was, gosh probably I don't know fourteen, and it's still one of my favorites, along with Schindler's list, The Colour Purple, Calamity Jane and The Sound Of Music, among many others. (Don't diss... I'm mad about musicals, but then I used to be an amateur performer, so it's not that surprising )

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Not dissing. I read Schindler's List, haven't girded myself to watch the film yet. For some reason I've found myself remembering Calamity Jane in recent days. I keep seeing her sitting on the bar in the saloon singing whatever. I blame that Agent Pete and his vid of Mal Peet. Something about Mal made me think of Lee Marvin and 'Wandrin' Star.'

 

[Karen Gray]

'I just flew in from the windy city, the windy city is mighty purty, but they ain't got what weee got. No suree!'

 

[samantha maxfield]

I'm not hugely into Ballard's SF as it's a bit too bleak for me, but I absolutely love his autobiography 'Miracles of Life'. Written not long before he died it's a beautiful book. He comes across as a very humane man, as well as a true original.

I do love Calamity Jane, so no dissing from me either, although I have to hide in embarrassment when they sing 'A Woman's Touch' and the smacking scene. Very 1950s! I think Doris Day's a bit of an under-recognised genius for her comic timing and fantastic voice.

 

[Karen Gray]

I'm not hugely into Ballard's SF as it's a bit too bleak for me, but I absolutely love his autobiography 'Miracles of Life'. Written not long before he died it's a beautiful book. He comes across as a very humane man, as well as a true original.

I do love Calamity Jane, so no dissing from me either, although I have to hide in embarrassment when they sing 'A Woman's Touch' and the smacking scene. Very 1950s! I think Doris Day's a bit of an under-recognised genius for her comic timing and fantastic voice.

Oh I whole heartedly agree!!!

I think she is FAB

 

[Katie-Ellen]

I don't remember 'A Woman's Touch' or the smacking scene. Perhaps it was just too awfully cringeworthy and I fainted dead away and missed it? She had a lovely voice. Though Debbie Reynold's singing in 'Charlotte's Web' is hard to beat for utter loveliness.

 

[Karen Gray]

'A Woman's Touch' was when they fixed up the cabin lol
I'd forgotten about that, yeah, She sings that lovely *Sigh*

 

[Richard Sutton]

I only saw the film. I don't read many modern war novels. Maybe since a book takes longer, it's tough to carry it all around in my head so long. Last one I read was about VietNam. For me Joseph Heller said almost everything about modern war that I needed to read in Catch 22, but I may be wrong.

 

[Marc Joan]

Catch 22 captured the craziness quite effectively, I agree. But Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 is also worth consideration, I think....

 

[Richard Sutton]

Catch 22 captured the craziness quite effectively, I agree. But Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 is also worth consideration, I think....

Yes, of course. I can't conceive how I could have forgotten it. The absolute icing on the clusterf_ck cake. So it goes...