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Anathem and Long Now

July 21st, 02008 by Alexander Rose - Twitter: @zander

Neal Stephenson’s new novel, ANATHEM, germinated in 01999 when Danny Hillis asked him and several other contributors to sketch out their ideas of what the Millennium Clock might look like. Stephenson tossed off a quick sketch and promptly forgot about it. Five years later however, when he was between projects, the idea came back to him, and he began to explore the possibility of building a novel around it. ANATHEM is the result, and will be released on September 9th, 02008.

I recently finished reading the review copy that Neal sent. The book pulled me in immediately, and I ended up reading the nearly 1000-page tome in just a few days. Set in a genre bending alt-future-retro world where mechani-punk technology meets space opera in a blend of the best of Snow Crash and the Baroque Cycle. Here is what Stewart, Danny and Kevin from the Long Now board had to say…

“‘I suffer from attention surplus disorder,’ jokes a character in Anathem. Attention surplus is exactly what Stephenson teaches his readers, in a book so tightly crafted it rewards instant rereading.” – Stewart Brand

“It is a great story, set in an alternative reality where people take long-term thinking seriously.” – Danny Hillis

“Long Now’s 10,000-year clock inspired Neal Stephenson’s new story, Anathem, and now Anathem is inspiring the Long Now. In ten centuries, no one will be sure which came first.” – Kevin Kelly

The Long Now Foundation will be hosting the book launch event in San Francisco on the evening of September 9th. The evening will include a reading by Stephenson, Q&A with Danny Hillis, and a small concert of the original music inspired by the book. Signed copies of the book will also be available.

Members of The Long Now Foundation will get complimentary priority invitations, and if you want to sign up for updates on this event please do so here.

Still wondering what The Long Now Foundation is? You can find out more here.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 02008 at 8:00 am and is filed under Events, Long Now Announcements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

David Foss

As an extreme fan of Neal Stephenson’s books (approaching 10,000 pages and counting).
I have heard that there is a (nearly) perpetual clock called the solar system.
When I have found the money to buy Anathem: I'll find out if this Neal's idea also, for a
10,000 year clock. I am looking forward to a great read.
DAN WARD

Greetings:

I write about Neal Stephenson's new book "Anathem". I haven't found the word in the dictionary. What does Anothem mean?

Hope to hear from you.

Peace and all good,

Dan Ward
09.10.2008
xoxotter

I like the idea of thought revoking. I have some thoughts I would like to revoke.
Shane

How do you folks get a hold of advanced copies?

Oh and Bob, I think you meant thought provoking.
DensityDuck

"alt-future-retro world where mechani-punk technology meets space opera"

Sounds like a techno genre.
Bob Bell

Thought revoking!
One of the characters in the book (halfway through) resists the complicated machine that does things better/easier. She prefers instead the simple machine that anyone can learn to fix, add to, re-engineer.
I recently noticed in a reproduction of a 3000+ year old Egyptian wall painting (tomb of Rekhmira) in which the axe handle end piece looked exactly like my ax handle. You know that lovely curve as a finale.
Stephenson takes on the long now and imagines a society that might result from maintaining it. Thought revoking!
bandit

I just finished reading the advanced copy. I enjoyed the book. Stephenson explores many concepts of society, long views of history, alternate/parallel realities, and what it means to think.

I have minor quibbles - he uses "made up" words, sometimes in a jarring manner. I don't know how jarring he intended to be, but it takes a bit of effort to get into the book because of it.

Overall, this is a great, meaty book. It should cause you to think, which is one of the reasons for reading SF.
cak

Surely a book reviewer would be used to reading a book in a few days? That would not be anything out of the normal, if it is there job. Can't wait for this one.
charlie

Looking forward to the book. I recently wrote a first draft of the first part of a comic script centered around The Clock. I wonder what other Long Now inspired stories are out there.

(and 'alt'-future? isn't the future all about alternative until we get there?) :-)