1960s

Update: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions N. IV

/ Joachim Boaz / 6 Comments

I’ve finally acquired enough science fiction books to hold me (hopefully) over the summer YET few enough that I’ll clear out 90% of previous unread novels languishing in dark forgotten corners of my bookshelves….  A valiant statement I know.  Most likely more will arrive mysteriously in the mail — when I sleepwalk I buy books (books in the mail = evidence of sleepwalking)…

1. The Time Hoppers, Robert Silverberg (1967) (MY REVIEW)

https://i0.wp.com/www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/b/b4/THTMHPPRSC1968.jpg

Another overpopulation themed novel!  From the few reviews I’ve read this pales in Continue reading →

Update: Sci-fi about the social ramifications of overpopulation, a call for suggestions

/ Joachim Boaz / 9 Comments

    

I need reading suggestions.

After reading John Brunner’s Hugo winning masterpiece Stand on Zanzibar (1968) a few years back I became entranced by science fiction exploring social themes (intelligently) extrapolated from a future Earth condition of extreme overpopulation.  In the recent months I’ve read and reviewed a glut of similarly themed works of uneven quality.  Many of these works were inspired by Paul and Anne Ehrlich’s non-fiction The Population Bomb (1968) which warned of the mass starvation of humans in the 1970s and 1980s as a result of overpopulation. Continue reading →

Book Review: Earthworks, Brian W. Aldiss (1965)

/ Joachim Boaz / 6 Comments

3.5/5 (Average)

Brian Aldiss’ Earthworks (1965) takes place in a future Earth wrecked by the effects of overpopulation and the resulting environmental repercussions of intensive, expansive, and destructive over-farming.  In this disturbed world of increasing automation and devaluation of human life, robots are worth more than people and the hungry diseased hordes of mankind have reverted to Continue reading →

Update: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions N. III

/ Joachim Boaz / 2 Comments

1. The Complete Stories of J. G. Ballard, J. G. Ballard (2009)

My girlfriend gave me this MASSIVE (1196 pages) newly released volume of all of Ballard’s short stories  (arranged in chronological order) for my birthday.  I’m extremely excited because I enjoyed my first Ballard work, High-Rise (1975).  Does anyone have a particular story which I should start with? Continue reading →

A Film Rumination: Sidney Lumet (June 25, 1924-April 9, 2011) and mini-reviews of the films of his I’ve seen

/ Joachim Boaz / 17 Comments

The great American director Sidney Lumet (1924-2011) passed away today and in honor of his long and productive  career (albeit with brief lulls of average work) here are a few mini-reviews of the films of his I’ve seen in order of preference. I’ve not seen many of his acknowledged masterpieces including Serpico, The Hill, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, The Pawnbroker, etc.

1. Network (1976)

9.5/10 (Masterpiece)

Network (1976) is by far my favorite Sidney Lumet film Continue reading →

A Film Rumination: Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (variant title: Doppelgänger), Robert Parrish (1969)

/ Joachim Boaz / 12 Comments

5/10 (Average)

Robert Parrish’s Journey to the Far Side of the Sun is a British science fiction film of average quality.  The first two thirds are well done before the final act kicks into gear with all its hokeyness and painfully glitzy camera work.  The central “idea” is on the surface an intriguing one Continue reading →

Book Review: Bow Down To Nul (variant title: The Interpreter), Brian W. Aldiss (1960)

/ Joachim Boaz / 12 Comments

2/5 (Bad)

Ok, I admit, I bought this book because of the gorgeous red/helium-breathing alien/humans toting spears cover…  Sadly, there’s very little behind the cover besides a standard uninventive pulp-ish romp.  Aldiss expends little effort and as result the work lacks an interesting society or an involving plot and all the action takes place in the slip-shop last few pages.   Continue reading →