Book Description
A masterwork by Philip K. Dick, this is the final, expanded version of the novellla The Unteleported Man, which Dick worked on shortly before his death. In Lies, Inc., fans of the science fiction legend will immediately recognize his hallmark themes of life in a security state, conspiracy, and the blurring of reality and illusion. This publication marks its first complete appearance in the United States.
In this wry, paranoid vision of the future, overpopulation has turned cities into cramed industrial anthills. For those sick of this dystopian reality, one corporation, Trails of Hoffman, Inc., promises an alternative: Take a teleport to Whale's Mouth, a colonized planet billed as the supreme paradise. The only catch is that you can never comeback. When a neurotic man named Rachmael ben Applebaum discovers that the promotional films of happy crowds cheering their newfound existence on Whale's Mouth are faked, he decides to pilot a scapeship on the eighteen-year journey there to see if anyone wants to return.
Customer Reviews:
PHILIP K DICK IN WONDERLAND.......2005-06-15
Unlike a lot of PKD fans I really like this book. I've read the original novella (The Unteleported Man) once and the 1983 Berkeley version (also titled The Unteleported Man) with the additional 1965 chapters included, three times. I am a hard core Philip K Dick fan having read most of his novels, stories and a couple of volumes of his non fiction, as well as two biographies. He was a genuis for writing mind blowing novels that posed fundamental questions were "What is Real?" and "What is human?" The hard sciences didn't really interest him nearly as much as philosophy, theology and politics. At the same time his work blends the comic, the absurdist and the surreal in very strange and wonderful ways. For those new to PKD I would recommend starting with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Now Wait for Last Year, The Martian Time Slip, The Man in the High Castle, or Ubik. If you like those you might enjoy LIES INC. as well. Or if you want to dive right into his most bizzare and experimental work, go right ahead.
Actually the previous version, "The Unteleported Man", was one of the first I read by Dick. And I've always enjoyed the second portion (here inserted into the orginal novella instead of tacked on at the end as it was previously)which consists of an interstellar war fought with psychedelic drugs and time warping weapons, cephalopod-like alien invaders, murderous androids, diabolical nazi scientists, and multiple paraworlds. Several explanations are offered as to the reasons behind the unfolding events. All of them are contradictory and none of them difinitive.
For PKD fanatics only.......2005-05-26
Despite the claims of the afterword, this is NOT one complete novel, but rather two separate novellas - neither of which is particularly good. While Dick is capable of some truly fantastic writing, this is easily his worst and least coherent effort. Supposedly this is a story about a mysterious Eden planet to which emigration was encouraged by the government. However, teleportation to this planet is one-way only and no one ever comes back. Our hero decides to make the journey the hard way (18 years in hyperspace) in order to see if anyone wants to come back. This may have been an original meme back when Dick first wrote it, but it's nothing particularly interesting now. The story is also horribly dated by Dick's heavy-handed use of Jewish characters, neo-Nazi Germans and concentration camp imagery. Yes Phil, the emigrants are just like those Jews walking into the showers in Auschwitz - we get it already! The novella finally concludes with an unclear, off-screen and unsatisfying battle that continues to rage with WWII-esque overtones as the minor characters decide to enlist. Yawn.
This would be a big enough waste of time for all but fanatical PKD afficianados, but it's made even worse by the attempt to cram an almost completely unrelated novella into the middle of it. With no transition or explanation, the reader suddenly finds that the character's names have changed, the plot is completely different and nothing makes much sense. A combination of PKD's most incoherent stream-of-thought prose, an ill-considered plot involving multiple levels of reality and a character in the middle of an LSD trip adds up to page after page of nearly incomprehensible gibberish. If you've the intestinal fortitude to wade through all the badly-dated psychedelia, then you'll end up finding the aforementioned corny ending to the first novella. Someone badly needed to shoot the editor here. If, as claimed in the afterword, this was what PKD actually wanted the novel to look like then he must have been tripping on LSD when he rammed these novellas together. Avoid this like the plague unless you're a rabid PKD fan or unless you really enjoy head-trip psychedelic SF from the 60's.
What The? Huh? Say Again?.......2005-04-20
Ok you know the problem. It all started off just fine, people taking a one way trip to an eden like planet. Or so the commercials would have you believe no one really knows what happens because no one ever comes back to say. So how do you find out for sure?
Well I wish I could tell you. I'm not too certain myself. I read the whole thing and still don't really know. Then I tried reading it without the extra installed portion, which the book clearly points out in the end.
It helped...a little. I'm a fan of PKD so I feel kinda guilty giving him 3 stars but I'll comfort myself by putting the blame somewhere around the publishers midsection and leave it at that.
Overall the beginning is great but when the acid trip kicks in just shut the book and make up your own ending... really.
I know you can do it!
TO TELEPORT OR NOT TO TELEPORT?.......2005-02-04
LIES, INC. was thoroughly distorted by the screwy editing. Despite the declaration in the last paragraph of the AFTERWORD by Paul Williams, the insertion of 100 pages into the middle of Dick's novella, THE UNTELEPORTED MAN, couldn't be the way PKD intended. It makes no sense as published. The reader should skip from page 73 to page 173 and, thus, read one coherent story. Then, as Williams fails to suggest, read the 100 page insertion (P 73 to P 172) as a second novella. It is two books in one. Yes, there are overlapping characters in both books, but it just doesn't fly as published. Each story has a different plot.
The broken up 100 pages of THE UNTELEPORTED MAN tells the story of ben Applebaum attempting an 18 year journey to the planet, Whalesmouth, in a regular old space ship. Applebaum wants to prove that the one way teleporting is a phony, German scheme to start up a military force that could one day conquer earth. The other inserted 100 pages tells the story of the same character being teleported to Whalesmouth, then shot up with a drastic hallucinogenic. The LSD visions open up the possibility of inhabiting several gruesome paraworlds. The theme there was to fit in or die. There really is no coherent plot flow connecting the two stories. The naive attempt to combine them amounted to an unforgivable distortion of both. Someone must speak out for the deceased Dick.
fascinating story - with a small quality problem.......2004-11-22
i really don't want to give away too much in respect for all those who haven't read the book yet. just this: written between WWII and the german reunion in '89, the story confronts the reader with a very frightening and amazingly visionary view of a possible future world. i personally found it most fascinating, including its weird detour into psychedelic paraworlds.
the only negative aspect i feel i should mention here are the annoyingly numerous grammatical and spelling mistakes whenever dialogs or narrative is in german language - as a native speaker, i really got tired of stumbling over them, and i think it's a pity the editor - vintage books - didn't have a translator check the foreign language in the story for the sake of its overall quality and credibility ... given the fact that this is not the first edition of the story, and there is an existing german translation for cross-checking!
other than that, it's a great and very consuming book.
Average customer rating:
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Space Technology (Young Scientist)
Manufacturer: World Book
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Customer Reviews:
Worth reading!.......2007-06-25
A wonderful book of short stories based on jobs in the future. I enjoyed most of the stories and their take on what the future has in store. Very interesting and creative ideas. It makes you wonder what the world will be like in 200, 500, 1000 years from now.
Space INC........2003-09-14
I highly recommend this book!
The stories contained are in the Hard SF category and set mostly in the near future and within our own solar system.
Some of my favourites are:
I KNEW A GUY ONCE - kept me laughing at how people don't change, no mater where they are.
COME ALL YE FAITHFUL - What an interesting story; what would it be like to be a priest on Mars?
CATALOG OF WOE - Really makes you think about the responsibility of colonizing new worlds.
A MAN'S PLACE - No job is unimportant in space!
Most of the stories are of high quality and the book is well worth the money!
Excellent anthology.......2003-07-03
The premise of this short story collection is quite simple yet very clever. These tales focus on employment in outer space in the distant future when the solar system and beyond are settled and are short hops away. The fourteen tales that make up this anthology are fun to follow as the audience, for the most part, will believe in the various worlds, species, and especially the assorted jobs. The want ads that open up each story are enjoyable in of themselves as they put the space twist to typical employment opportunities whether they are minimum wage custodial workers, professional blue-collar skills or office work.
The SPACE INC. collection entertains the audience who will finish the book and wonder with their present skills what job could he or she hold in outer space. As for moi, telecommuting as an intergalactic book reviewer using Babel to translate critiques into Martian (thrillers), Venusian (romance), or Jovian (epic fantasy) seems obvious so where is that want ad?
Book Description
-Contains projects that make the most of small spaces. -Features simple building projects, including a portable workbench.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for amateur non-woodworkers.......2007-03-28
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This is another in the generally terrific Black & Decker Portable Workshop series. Many of these books, including this one, deal with construction of sturdy wood furniture and/or accessories using mostly hand tools and lumber.
All these books contain a basic introduction to the tools, materials and techniques. They also contain many full-color photos of the finished projects and several steps in the construction, as well as exploded drawings and materials/cutting list.
Keep in mind that this is NOT a "fine-woodworking" book! You are not going to build any "heirlooms" (although if you take your time, some could be darn good). Many of the projects in this book are too simple for that, made mostly from "1-by" and "2-by" lumber, using non-power hand tools, circular saw, jig saw, router, power sander and drill. (You will find a power miter saw useful, but not absolutely necessary. Likewise, for some projects, a table saw or band saw could come in handy, but are not required.) But if that's what you're looking for, it's a great project book.
The projects in this book include:
1) card table
2) hallway bookcase
3) tile-top coffee table
4) china cabinet
5) armoire
6) portable workbench
7) mirrored display shelf
8) bathroom drying rack
9) nesting office
10) behind-the-sofa bookcase
11) computer stand
12) table/chair
13) corner bar
14) coffee cabinet
15) corner display stand
16) folding table
17) door-hung ironing center
18) exer-tainment center
19) pop-up wine bar
20) gateleg table
Anyone with the ability to work with basic hand tools and simple hand-held power tools should have no difficulty completing any of the projects in this book.
IMPORTANT: Some of the projects in this book also appear in other books in the series. If you are considering this book, you might want to look at the projects listed in the other books in the series. You might find that one book contains several projects you find interesting from this book, but includes an extra interesting project or two.
You won't go wrong with this book. But check the others in the series first to make sure you're getting the best one to suit your interests.
Now go build something... ;-)
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Average customer rating:
- A great book for Confined Space Rescuers
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Confined Space Entry and Rescue
Cmc Rescue , and
CMC Rescue Inc. Staff
Manufacturer: CMC Rescue
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Confined Space and Structural Rope Rescue (Lifeline)
ASIN: 0961833742 |
Customer Reviews:
A great book for Confined Space Rescuers.......2000-04-24
This book is a good summary for Confined Space rescue training - better than other recent CMC works that serve to advertise CMC products.
Customer Reviews:
Quite interesting.......2007-09-17
This book is really two books in one - The Space Merchants and The Merchants' War. The Merchants' War was written by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth in 1952, and tells the story of a dystopian future, where ad-companies rule, and consumers are the cattle they drive. The Merchants' War is a sequel, written in 1984, some twenty-odd years after the death of Mr. Kornbluth, and it tells the story of the inevitable folly that this out of control world must produce.
Overall, I found these two stories to be quite interesting. Admittedly, the anti-capitalistic angle is played very heavily, but these books are designed as political statements, and not as pure science fiction. And, I must say that I found the story lines to be quite interesting, and the action gripping. So, if you like a good read, then I would highly recommend this book.
Average customer rating:
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Amazing Air Racers
Scholastic Inc.
Manufacturer: Tangerine Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0439409659 |
Book Description
What makes an air-racer go? Explore the science behind electricity, electromagnets, and propellers while building two fun racecars! Race yourself or your friend on the gravity-defying racetracks, tunnels, and homemade roller-coaster ramps described in the book. Or make an amazing air-racer course of your own!
Book Description
The angels land Hannah in Ireland for her next mission: to help tearful Molly Ryan, whose uncle has been wrongfully accused of a crime. The girls join Uncle Sean on his bread truck, traveling across the Emerald Isle to the rocky western coast. Mysterious signs pop up along the way--an unusual rainbow, a ghostly shipwreck, and messages on ancient stones. But can Hannah and Molly find the real robbers in time to save Uncle Sean?
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2006-01-14
This is a very good book. It is about how Hannah and her Angels help a girl whos Uncle has been frame for stealing money. Hannah and the girl clear Uncle Seans name and find the real thieves and make sure they go to jail. This book takes place in Ireland.
Customer Reviews:
Title Should Be "15 Expandable Home Plans with 185 Standard Plans: A Blueprint Sales Catalog".......2006-01-26
Despite my title, this book is not bad IF it is used for its intended purpose.
First of all, this isn't a book in the sense of "text with illustrations as appropriate." Rather, it is a book that is designed to sell house blueprintes. Each plan comes with a black and white illustration to show the completed house. Each plan also shows a layout of the interior. The back of the book tells how to purchase plans.
Second, only the first 15 plans are expandable. For these, the idea is to build a basic house (for example, a small house with only 1 bedroom) and to add extra rooms in the future. The rest of the book does not continue with this style of plan. Instead, it goes on to depict other, more traditional house plans. (See Table of Contents at bottom.)
Third, most of the plans are not particularly space-efficient or creative.
Overall, if you want a book that will guide you through the designing and building process of creating an expandable floor plan, this is the wrong book. On the other hand, if you have not chosen a floor plan, this book will give you numerous ideas to spur your creative thinking.
Please note: Eyes of more "mature" people may difficulty deciphering the small print of the house layout diagrams.
Table of Contents from the book:
Expandable Designs...............5
1 1/2 and Two-Story Designs.....29
Three-Story Designs.............69
Bonus Room Designs..............87
Daylight Basement Designs......131
Flexible Space Designs.........165
Detached-Space Designs.........207
Ordering Blueprints............230
Additional Plans Books.........238
Book Description
Today, we are not only separated from the environment, but from their own bodies and minds as well. We need to learn to integrate all of these fragments and return to our original nature. Taking a holistic approach, Hua-Ching Ni presents the wisdom and practices of the Integral Way of Life.
Customer Reviews:
New Age Claptrap.......2007-06-02
There are a few key insights in this book---if you don't mind wading through pages and pages of trite platitudes and new agey nonsense. This book, like all the others by the same author, is not worth your time or your money.
If you're looking for Taoist wisdom, why not go directly to the source? Read the Tao Te Ching, the writings of Chuang Tzu, the Lieh Tzu, the Wen Tzu, I Ching, etc. Any one of these writings has about 12 times more insight than all of Hua Ching Ni's books combined.
Where' s the beef?.......2006-12-20
Though there's nothing particularly toxic about "Master" Ni's books, I don't think they have much to do with Tao. Let's consider the evidence:
1)Ni proclaims himself a "Master" and touts his spiritual pedigree and credentials in many of his books.
2)He publishes many many books on Tao. He has much to say. He has many many "insights" to share. He rambles.
3) He places his own grinning visage on the cover of books.
Now go read the Tao Teh Ching. Done yet? OK, now you can clearly see that all of the above directly contradict the most basic Taoist teachings. Read Ni if you must, but this is not the Tao.
A great overview of Taoist science.......2001-01-19
This is one of the best books ever to explain the science and philosophy of Taoism. The first section brilliantly explains yin/yang, chi, the five elements, etc. in a manner few other authors could ever match. Consider one of the authors explanations of the nature of yin and yang: "Yang is something that seeks to accomplish itself, yin is something that seeks to join in the act of accomplishment." This book is full of simple yet profound and unique gems like that. The last section gives some details of the authors remarkable spiritual lineage, something this author modestly omits from his other books.
A book for the new age gullible and naive.......2000-02-12
Ni is a cult leader and an (achieved master) self reported by MR. NI himself..If your the type that believe BS like that, then you may like this book as its as bogus as the day is long.
The most comprehensive book on the application of the Tao........1999-03-27
As an instructor of T'ai Chi, I recommend this book to all of my students. Hua-Ching Ni seems to relate his knowledge to each reader individually. Any martial arts instructor would benefit in reading this book.
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