/lit/ - Literature

crapped my pants with joy

>>1729834

>>1729824
No, I really, sincerely think it's a good topic for a paper. Just joking about hte rest.

Let's stay friends. I'm sorry I made you mad.

That's a pretty good parallel. For bonus points, use this as the topic of every major paper you write. Make it the subject of your PhD. Name your firstborn "Rogen". Make the grad students who work with you continue your research. Get that face chiseled into your tombstone.

>>1728963
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/08/robert-a-heinlein-the-torcom-blog-symposium

>>1728935
I like you. Nice points--and I will have to pick up Expanded Universe. Have you checked out the new Heinlein biography?

>>1728940
Sigh. You're just getting more incoherent, and apparently confusing my posts with anon posts. Well, at least a few people are making something worthwhile out of your shit thread.

>>1728908
That was Whittier College. Whitman College produced Adam West, motherfuckers. Also, William O. Douglas.

>>1728897
Okay, you best be trolling. If your argument rests on using blinders, it's pretty much worthless.

>>1728883
Those are pretty good reasons not to go to one, even if you have the chance. Choose a good school that will treat you more kindly. For instance, my first-half-alma-mater, Whitman College, is a very good liberal arts school and a lovely place to be.

>>1728862
This really isn't a great comparison. For one thing, Heinlein is known for "espousing" incompatible views in different works, and I think it's now generally thought that he was essentially "trying them out". The presence of a form of government in one novel, even if the characters seem to approve it, does not constant authorial approval. (I'd go so far as to say that's a good rule of thumb for any book you're reading--but it's especially helpful for Heinlein.) Far more contentious than his depictions of government is his portrayal of women--and for all the righteous feminist anger some of H's work has inspired, I've seen just about as many positive portrayals that give the lie to the notion that he was a real misogynist.

Above and beyond that--your comparison is pretty much a non sequitur. You could probably find a better one without trying too hard, rather than just being defensive.

>>1728632
Yeah, I noticed that. I should have said that my bipolar, troubled wife generally has her shit together *way* more than I do, and has also accomplished much more. She has a JD and PhD, for fuck's sake. And she's not wasting her evening on 4chan.

>>1728584
>>1728593
You gents are generalizing from anecdotes a lot here, and if you took some time to read about the topic you'd see that what you're describing doesn't fit the general profile. Isn't it common knowledge that a number of high-functioning people who form the backbone of our artistic culture (authors, musicians, painters, etc.) have been bipolar? "Mood swings" and "sudden anger" != manic-depressive disorder.

Anyway, I'm out for the night. Play nice.

>>1728546
> retarded
> bipolar
Jeebus. I think you know very little of the typical bipolar person. It sounds like you're confusing bipolarity with a kid with Downs and the anger/emotional issues that often accompanies it.

I hope you're trolling me since I said I married someone bipolar. Otherwise...ugh.

>>1728445
When did this become about women generally, and not people with bipolar disorder?

>>1728357
>>1728383
That's more like it.

>>1728287
>>1728298
>>1728339
You fuckers. So bipolar people just should be kept at arms' length? Or maybe they should only be with other "crazy" people?

There are all sorts of variables with anyone with that sort of mental health issue, which I have a feeling not many (if any) of us are really qualified to talk about. But, in fact, I dated a bipolar girl, who also had a troubled past, and all sorts of other emotional issues to boot. Result: coming up on our 18th year together now, and seven years of marriage. Take it from your elder: you'd be lucky to find as much happiness as we have.

OP, you have to step carefully, and, as with any relationship, there's every likelihood it won't work out. The real question should be whether you like her, are attracted to her, and find her interesting. It'll help if she feels the same ways about you. But if you have those ingredients, and aren't genuinely spooked by her, then I think you'd be a fool not to give it a shot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainish_Cycle

In particular, you should read The Left Hand of Darkness.

I'm glad you liked D.--LeGuin's a great writer, and I'm happy to see her get some love.

Obviously this is a troll thread. But still.

I went to a top-10 liberal arts school for two years, then transferred to an Ivy League school (pic related). My experience: my education at the first school was far better--the course material was just as challenging, but the interaction with professors and other students was far better. There was a commitment to personal attention, to collaboration, and generally to the community there that I never experienced at the Ivy. Add to that that I gave up a full ride to transfer, and ended up with about $30K in debt over those second two years, and I've often regretted my decision.

If I were deciding again, I'd probably stick with the libarts. Kids who do better with competition, and are better self-starters than I, might do better with the big Ivy school.

On the other hand, the Ivy's name has opened doors for me--I know for a fact that I walked into a job I was unqualified for simply because of that name on my resume. And in the end, $30K wasn't so much debt to contend with, given the additional salary I've probably earned in return.

I just learned the The Floating Opera was published with an ending that the publisher forced Barth to change, and that a later edition restored the original ending. My edition is old, so I guess I loved the inferior version.

All sorts of info:

http://www.themodernword.com/scriptorium/barth.html

One of his first novels, The Floating Opera, is one of my favorites. I included Giles Goat-Boy in my undergraduate thesis, and it's really fucking good, though almost nothing like Floating Opera. I haven't read The Sot-Weed Factor, but I've only heard good things. Generally, I think he's really worthwhile--a postmodern writer with a lot of heart.

I had never herad of the term "chapter book" before this thread, strange. Anyway, it's far from my first full-length book (I think I read Narnia and LOTR before PT), but I love love loved it. So, um, hooray for Phantom Tollbooth!

>>1726629
I could definitely believe this.

I don't know of anything like that. I don't read a lot of "space war" novels, but some that I thought were at least okay:

Starship Troopers
Old Man's War
Forever War

None of those really fit the bill, though.

Niven's Man-Kzin Wars might do it for you. I've only read the Ringworld books, which are in that universe but not military in nature.

I know a chick who loves the Honor Harrington series. I think it's got lots of rad fighting.

You might find this interesting.

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tolkien_studies/v001/1.1drout.html

Sorry dude, haven't read it. Did you like Wells' other stuff? If you haven't read his better-known works, I'd think you should start there--War of the Worlds and The Time Machine are the right starting place.