We have moved to new forum software and posting here is closed!

PLEASE BOOKMARK THE NEW FORUMS

Posted By: Tom (Plasmid) Feb 05, 1999 - 09:00 am

The late J.G. Ballard is best known for his book Empire of the Sun, which was made into a movie by Steven Spielberg.
Ballard was also a member of the British "New Wave", writing some very unique short stories.
"Concentration City" deals with a decayed metropolis so huge and ancient its inhabitants think nothing else exists.
"Chronopolis" features a world that's banned the clock.
"The Garden of Time" is a poetic story about a couple trying to hold back time.
"Manhole 69" shows the results of a disastrous experiment to eliminate the need for sleep.
While Ballard features many dystopias and dysfunction, some stories are more upbeat and all are unique

Posted By: meow Aug 26, 2002 - 07:32 am

J. G. Ballard is also the author of "Crash", which was turned into a much-debated film by David Croenenberg, the director of such twisted films as "Dead Ringers", "eXistenZ", and "Naked Lunch" - I love them all, by the way

Anyway, I have read quite a bit of Ballard's books and am working my way through the rest. He seems obsessed by the thought of how a peaceful seaside town can go berserk, as residents look for illicit fun (organized rapes, gangs of rich adult men beating up street kids, etc), as in "Super-Cannes" and "Cocaine Nights".

My personal favourite yet is "The Atrocity Exhibition". Reading this book, you see how a mental ward doctor's mind slips to whatever the diagnosis is. All I can say is "WOW!". I doubt if any other author before or after Ballard has written a book of this kind.