tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post2883478723658772466..comments2024-03-28T12:15:28.620-07:00Comments on Coastal Horizons... <i>books, beaches, and backroad adventures</i>: Alas, BabylonLeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-22146137849395711552008-10-14T17:34:00.000-07:002008-10-14T17:34:00.000-07:00Anonymous - Glad to hear you enjoyed the book. If ...Anonymous - Glad to hear you enjoyed the book. If you like post-apocalyptic novels, read through the list on this post and in the comment section -- there are several listed that are very good.Leshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-56074080085260905352008-10-12T12:35:00.000-07:002008-10-12T12:35:00.000-07:00I recently read this novel as a book report book, ...I recently read this novel as a book report book, and it was one of the best books I have read in my 13 year old life. I have to admit that although the details were not entirely believable in some instances, it was a wonderful novel that I would reccomend to anyone. However, I was wondering if there were any related novels that you would suggest? Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-75733470492879866732008-02-16T10:12:00.000-08:002008-02-16T10:12:00.000-08:00Swan - I'm not sure how I missed your comment here...Swan - I'm not sure how I missed your comment here, but I was thrilled to receive it! So I'm assuming you've read A Canticle for Leibowitz? I'm really excited to pick that one up sometime this month. Alas, Babylon was so good. I recommended it to a customer yesterday at work and she was very much interested as she had just finished Cormac McCarthy's The Road (which she loved). <BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by!Leshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-20767814855737943472008-02-16T05:47:00.000-08:002008-02-16T05:47:00.000-08:00Swan responding to your comments:I was so excited ...Swan responding to your comments:<BR/>I was so excited to see you had read Alas, Babylon and were resurrecting the title to our reading group. I read this book when I was a young teenager in the sixties and it has lasted with me through my fifties. It was a socio-political awakening and helped create the activist I am today. I saw you mention The Canticle for Lebowitz, I hope you enjoy that one too. Les, you always delight me with the choices you bring to our group.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-31962723705145275582008-02-09T13:20:00.000-08:002008-02-09T13:20:00.000-08:00Carl - Thanks for the recommendation. I've read a ...Carl - Thanks for the recommendation. I've read a few reviews for Wastelands and it sounds like a great book. I'm not a big fan of short stories, but this one sounds like a winner. I suspect my husband would enjoy it, too. Thanks!Leshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-71515829055604345652008-02-07T05:35:00.000-08:002008-02-07T05:35:00.000-08:00If you like post-apocalyptic fiction you should ch...If you like post-apocalyptic fiction you should check out Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse. It is a short story book that was just published. I am a little over half way through and there are some really entertaining stories in there. Some are so-so, but I've found a few that I really, really like.Carl V. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948764216438379394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-12840655414003226502008-02-05T12:55:00.000-08:002008-02-05T12:55:00.000-08:00Camille - I'm really looking forward to reading mo...Camille - I'm really looking forward to reading more post-apocalyptic books. Wonder what that says about me??!! <BR/><BR/>Hope you enjoy Alas, Babylon.<BR/><BR/>Katya - I got a bit distracted while reading In Cold Blood, too. But it was a great book! I hope you can get interested in AB. The timing of a read is always so precarious!Leshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-14318351381090849512008-02-04T16:51:00.000-08:002008-02-04T16:51:00.000-08:00Les -- I just got distracted. That happened to me ...Les -- I just got distracted. That happened to me with In Cold Blood too. And Clive Barker's The Great and Secret Show. I'm planning on giving Alas Babylon another chance.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12066257241391122732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-17813881017402938432008-02-04T08:20:00.000-08:002008-02-04T08:20:00.000-08:00I read Canticle and Postman last year when I was g...I read Canticle and Postman last year when I was going through a big dystopian/post-apocalyptic phase.<BR/><BR/>http://dilettantedabbling.blogspot.com/2007/04/canticle-for-leibowitz.html AND http://dilettantedabbling.blogspot.com/2007/05/postman.html<BR/>are the links. <BR/><BR/>I have Alas, Babylon on my TBR list and now I have more to add!Camillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13885265214705764092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-42815450379296679152008-02-03T15:25:00.000-08:002008-02-03T15:25:00.000-08:00Pat - I think you'll enjoy the book, especially if...Pat - I think you'll enjoy the book, especially if you loved <B>On the Beach</B>. Funny story about your mom and the tool shed! :)<BR/><BR/>Lee - Sounds like <B>Lucifer's Hammer</B> is going to be a fun read! I still plan to read <B>Canticle</B> in spite of your less than enthusiastic view. We don't always see eye-to-eye on the books we read, do we? ;) I think I'll save the Stirling books for another year. Thanks again for all the info about your reading experience with <B>Alas, Babylon</B>.<BR/><BR/>Becky - Thanks for the recommendation for <B>Life As We Knew It</B>! It sounds like a great read to add to my YA list, especially in light of <A HREF="http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2208209/massive-satellite-falling-earth" REL="nofollow">this</A>! I'm sure we'll all be fine, right?Leshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-60719525264483723962008-02-02T19:18:00.000-08:002008-02-02T19:18:00.000-08:00I loved Alas, Babylon. I read it last summer. If y...I loved Alas, Babylon. I read it last summer. If you have the time, you should read Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00793618692608823102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-19632471760041921652008-02-01T22:41:00.000-08:002008-02-01T22:41:00.000-08:00While "Alas Babylon" scared me pretty good when I ...While "Alas Babylon" scared me pretty good when I was a kid, as strange as it sounds, "Lucifer's Hammer" is the most fun post-apocalyptic book I have ever read. It is more a great adventure story then a warning, but there are still several scenes from the book that stick with me. It ptobably helps that I have read the darn thing 3 times over the years. I am not a huge fan of "Canticle", but it is considered a classic in science fiction. You also mentioned the "Dies the Fire" books, which I thought were also very good adventure stories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-43059661220459117092008-02-01T22:40:00.000-08:002008-02-01T22:40:00.000-08:00Now I'm going to have to read this. I loved on the...Now I'm going to have to read this. I loved on the beach and yes - I grew up in the 50's/60's when my mom was repairing our tool shed all the neighbors thought she was building a bomb shelter- true story...ORIONhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01534064935115027523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-90599887350793378622008-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:002008-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:00Kay - I suspect it was quite an impressionable rea...Kay - I suspect it was quite an impressionable read for you if you read it when you were a teenager.<BR/><BR/>Wow! I would love to re-read The Stand, but I"m not sure I could devote enough time to read it 3 or 4 times. My husband's read it several times and says it's just as good each and every time.<BR/><BR/>Glad to hear Lucifer's Hammer is a winner. I don't have a copy of that yet, so I may hold of and read it for a challenge next year. <BR/><BR/>Anonymous - It seems a lot of people read this when they were young. Maybe it's a good thing I waited until I was an adult. Probably would've scared the crap out of me!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for stopping by.<BR/><BR/>Booklogged - I drive by Lefler J.H. at least a couple of times a week. :)<BR/><BR/>Glad you enjoyed the review. I think you'll really appreciate this book. I might be a bit dated, but not nearly as much (at least not the dialogue) as I Am Legend.<BR/><BR/>Jen - Thanks!<BR/><BR/>Nancy - Aw, thanks. It took a bit of work since I didn't sit down right away to write it. <BR/><BR/>I love those quotes from Cooper's memoir. My favorite line of all is, "Hope is not a plan."<BR/><BR/>Andi - I have a fairly old copy of A Canticle for Leibowitz and I'm very tempted to spring for the nice new edition. Mary Doria Russell (The Sparrow and Children of God) has written the introduction. I could just sit down one day and read that, but there's nothing like a nice new trade paperback with a cool cover, ya know?<BR/><BR/>Katya - I hope you give Alas, Babylon another chance. Did you just get distracted or did you find it difficult to get interested in it?<BR/><BR/>I loved Dreamers of the Day. I've written my review and am waiting to hear back from the author about a question before I post it.Leshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08345657431432380804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-15375217323598450002008-02-01T00:28:00.000-08:002008-02-01T00:28:00.000-08:00Post apocalyptic stories are my favorite subgenre ...Post apocalyptic stories are my favorite subgenre of sci-fi too but I've never finished Alas Babylon -- to be fair, I've never gotten past page one, so that's not much of a chance -- I'll have to pick it up again.<BR/><BR/>Did you like Dreamers of the Day?Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12066257241391122732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-20927965804106768622008-01-31T19:02:00.001-08:002008-01-31T19:02:00.001-08:00And I've never heard of Lucifer's Hammer. GREAT ti...And I've never heard of Lucifer's Hammer. GREAT title.Andihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05220718933942181809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-54481661965620988092008-01-31T19:02:00.000-08:002008-01-31T19:02:00.000-08:00I just grabbed A Canticle for Leibowitz off of the...I just grabbed A Canticle for Leibowitz off of the free stuff cart in the English department the other day. I used to have a gross, smelly copy but ended up tossing it. Now I can't wait to read it! And I can't wait to read Alas, Babylon either!Andihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05220718933942181809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-60462548341630042352008-01-30T21:12:00.000-08:002008-01-30T21:12:00.000-08:00Excellent review, Les. You've brought to mind wha...Excellent review, Les. You've brought to mind what I adore about reading blogs; everyone comes away with a little something different. The quote from Anderson's book is perfect. I'm so glad you enjoyed the book!!Bookfoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08247136634069540446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-20671863349055630162008-01-30T17:52:00.000-08:002008-01-30T17:52:00.000-08:00Great review, Les!Great review, Les!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-32671725804011983422008-01-30T16:51:00.000-08:002008-01-30T16:51:00.000-08:00I remember the days of duck and cover. I was livi...I remember the days of duck and cover. I was living in Lincoln where I attended Hawthorne Elementary School and Millard Lefler Jr. High. They even bussed us to the fallout shelters and explained how many people could live there and for how long. I didn't quite grasp the meaning of it all, but it did scare me.<BR/><BR/>Great review, Les. You've convinced me I need to read this. I had heard the title, but didn't know anything else about the book.Bookloggedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00651016653247142255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-90732046423003099592008-01-30T07:54:00.000-08:002008-01-30T07:54:00.000-08:00I, also read 'Alas Babylon' as a teen.I don't thin...I, also read 'Alas Babylon' as a teen.I don't think I slept peacefully for years. I would like to see it required reading in the schools...all levels.<BR/>AND, last night 'The Day After' was on cable. Another experience that shown in the schools.<BR/><BR/>Thankx.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22415234.post-7468620596262919782008-01-30T06:57:00.000-08:002008-01-30T06:57:00.000-08:00I read this book years ago. I want to say maybe e...I read this book years ago. I want to say maybe even in high school. I still remember the book today and keep meaning to reread it. It was quite compelling. THE STAND is probably on my top 10 list of all time. I read it 3 or 4 times or maybe even more. I can recommend LUCIFER'S HAMMER. I read that one many years ago too and while I can't remember everything about it, I do remember that I really, really liked it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com