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Trough Times

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sKePTiKal:
Yeah, he's tough.  :(

BUT, I like the way he tries to think around all sides of something. His novels are kinda sci-fi, in that he fantasizes a good bit. I didn't think I would like his Spooner series about the last space ship of humans that establish another world that they call "Hope". Their society is anarchist - in the technical sense of the term - in that there are no "states"; no government. And then he confronts how human nature kind of always trends that direction and what else it is, in human nature, that insists that a state isn't necessary (but that requires some certain morality or values code that can be tough to live with/live up to).

The 3 book Spoonerite series really does start to explore the difference between WHAT and WHO people are. And at the end of it, I decided I was wrong about his viewpoints - he surprised me with some ideas that are anti-stereotypical of people who are committed to specific value systems. It can be read at face-value for just the story - or you can take some of his explorations about "how things are" and ponder the inherent social questions in them. Your choice. I liked how it stretched me, intellectually and trying to understand some of the character's choices.

Hopalong:
Ja. I didn't delve deeper, couldn't handle the front-page homophobia.
But it's good to read some folks who are in places one can't relate to.

Glad you've enjoyed it -- you DO have an inquiring mind!

Hugs
Hops

sKePTiKal:
Yeah, I had the same reaction Hops. But he's actually NOT homophobic - and he moves into bigger, deeper thoughts. It's a real challenge to keep reading someone when they hit you over the head with something unpleasant, taking the words at face value... but are only using that to get you to pay attention, set aside your "normal operating conditions", and just let the whole thing sink in. Sorta like the violence in Cormac McCarthy and how he uses it to say something ELSE.

I find it useful to "stretch" this way, but I can certainly understand times when someone's just not up to it or interested in it.

Hopalong:
Ja...I already got stretch marks from what's going on under my nose.

You guessed right, I'm not up to it. But I understand hanging on with a difficult or repellent narrative to get to a surprising place. Glad you are stimulated by it and enjoy it.

Hugs
Hops

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