Comments on: Anathem and Long Now http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/ The Official Weblog of The Long Now Foundation and Friends Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:55:08 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David Foss http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-5647 David Foss Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:28:51 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-5647 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. 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.

]]> By: DAN WARD http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-5449 DAN WARD Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:39:12 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-5449 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 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

]]> By: xoxotter http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-5246 xoxotter Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:24:57 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-5246 I like the idea of thought revoking. I have some thoughts I would like to revoke. I like the idea of thought revoking. I have some thoughts I would like to revoke.

]]> By: www.thistledown.org » clock of the long now http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-5200 www.thistledown.org » clock of the long now Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:33:31 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-5200 [...] http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/ [...] [...] http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/ [...]

]]> By: More Light! More Light! :: Books: Anathem by Neal Stephenson http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4943 More Light! More Light! :: Books: Anathem by Neal Stephenson Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:38:44 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4943 [...] once you’ve completed it.  The length and complexity speak to the ideas of the Long Now, which apparently inspired the book.  The constant mapping between concepts and words of our culture and the book world brings to mind [...] [...] once you’ve completed it.  The length and complexity speak to the ideas of the Long Now, which apparently inspired the book.  The constant mapping between concepts and words of our culture and the book world brings to mind [...]

]]> By: I Have an Advance Copy of Neal Stephenson’s “Anathem”! | Money4U http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4902 I Have an Advance Copy of Neal Stephenson’s “Anathem”! | Money4U Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:55:59 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4902 [...] Anathem and the Long Now: “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.” [...] [...] Anathem and the Long Now: “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.” [...]

]]> By: Shane http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4894 Shane Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:50:29 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4894 How do you folks get a hold of advanced copies? Oh and Bob, I think you meant thought provoking. How do you folks get a hold of advanced copies?

Oh and Bob, I think you meant thought provoking.

]]> By: DensityDuck http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4893 DensityDuck Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:00:48 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4893 "alt-future-retro world where mechani-punk technology meets space opera" Sounds like a techno genre. “alt-future-retro world where mechani-punk technology meets space opera”

Sounds like a techno genre.

]]> By: solinkable.com http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4892 solinkable.com Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:10:27 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4892 <strong>Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" Due In September...</strong> 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... Neal Stephenson’s “Anathem” Due In September…

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…

]]> By: Bob Bell http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4891 Bob Bell Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:02:50 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4891 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! 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!

]]> By: bandit http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4890 bandit Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:46:41 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4890 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. 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.

]]> By: Speaking of Neal Stephenson: Anathem release announced. - Book & Reader Forums http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4889 Speaking of Neal Stephenson: Anathem release announced. - Book & Reader Forums Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:16:57 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4889 [...] corners of the planet . . . and beyond. 960 pages! There's a mini-review available here. I can't wait. __________________ Stewart doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets [...] [...] corners of the planet . . . and beyond. 960 pages! There’s a mini-review available here. I can’t wait. __________________ Stewart doesn’t read books. He stares them down until he gets [...]

]]> By: cak http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4888 cak Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:02:52 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4888 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. 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.

]]> By: Stephenson’s Anathem was inspired by Clock of the Long Now « Unleash your inner geek http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4886 Stephenson’s Anathem was inspired by Clock of the Long Now « Unleash your inner geek Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:24:34 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4886 [...] Link [...] [...] Link [...]

]]> By: Hermenautic Circle blog » The 10,000-Year-Old Clock that Inspired Neal Stephenson’s Anathem [Neal Stephenson] http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/comment-page-1/#comment-4884 Hermenautic Circle blog » The 10,000-Year-Old Clock that Inspired Neal Stephenson’s Anathem [Neal Stephenson] Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:32:21 +0000 http://blog.longnow.org/2008/07/21/anathem-and-long-now/#comment-4884 [...] Annalee Newitz on 21 Jul 2008 The Long Now, a futurist think tank, is the organization behind the millennium clock — a time-counting device that is designed to last 10,000 years. A device like it shows up in Neal Stephenson's forthcoming novel Anathem, and today the Long Now explains how the scifi author was involved in the conceptualization of the clock itself (a prototype of the clock is pictured here). Five years ago, he contributed a few sketches to the clock designers, and then ultimately wove the idea into his new novel. [Long Now] [...] [...] Annalee Newitz on 21 Jul 2008 The Long Now, a futurist think tank, is the organization behind the millennium clock — a time-counting device that is designed to last 10,000 years. A device like it shows up in Neal Stephenson’s forthcoming novel Anathem, and today the Long Now explains how the scifi author was involved in the conceptualization of the clock itself (a prototype of the clock is pictured here). Five years ago, he contributed a few sketches to the clock designers, and then ultimately wove the idea into his new novel. [Long Now] [...]

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