On 8-8-2009 22:29, Stephen wrote:
> On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:13:02 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> 
>> Terry is more into puns and taking things literally for humorous effect. 
>> Later books are increasingly more about the story than about language or 
>> humor (IMHO). Douglas was overflowing with short stories and small ideas 
>> that had to find a way into a framework that was suitable for a book.
>> Douglas is more quotable* because many of the ideas and observations are 
>> already brought back to one-liners by him but Terry has written so much 
>> more that he has had time to catch up on the number of ideas.
>>
> 
> True
> 
>> *) It is a pity that the story of the lizards has too much context. 
>> Sometimes I would like to quote 'otherwise the wrong lizard might get 
>> in' but that would need too much explaining.
> 
> I can't remember that one but I think that I have downloaded it. I'll look it
> up.

from memory: There is this planet where the human population is rules by 
lizards. It is still a democracy, all humans can vote but only lizards 
can be elected. I think Arthur asks in astonishment: 'why do you vote?' 
to which the answer is 'otherwise the wrong lizard might get in'.

I think it was meant as a reference to the British system where you can 
only elect politicians that have been to one or two colleges. It is 
scarily true of most democracies though.

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:42:23 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 8 Aug 2009 14:05:27 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> 
>>It's the only one he achieved ahead of schedule, sadly.  49 is too
>>early. :(
>>
> When the gods speak even authors listen.

Ironic given Adams' beliefs. :-)

>>> It has been years since I've read anything by him.
>>
>>I listen to Hitchhiker's at least once a year.  I know the primary and
>>secondary phases well enough to recite along with the recordings.
>>
>>
> I think that I prefered the Dirk Gently series. But that may be because
> HHGTTG was so cult-ish ;)

Gently was good as well, but I started with Hitchhiker's and there is an 
awful lot of depth there (as indeed there is in both series).

>>He had such a way with metaphors and the English language as a whole -
>>"they hung in the air in exactly the same way that bricks don't", for
>>example.
>>
> A bit like Pratchett IMO :)

A bit, perhaps.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 21:13:02 +0200, andrel wrote:

> On 8-8-2009 20:42, Stephen wrote:
>> On 8 Aug 2009 14:05:27 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>> It's the only one he achieved ahead of schedule, sadly.  49 is too
>>> early. :(
>>>
>>>
>> When the gods speak even authors listen.
>> 
>>>> It has been years since I've read anything by him.
>>> I listen to Hitchhiker's at least once a year.  I know the primary and
>>> secondary phases well enough to recite along with the recordings.
>>>
>>>
>> I think that I prefered the Dirk Gently series. But that may be because
>> HHGTTG was so cult-ish ;)
>> 
>>> He had such a way with metaphors and the English language as a whole -
>>> "they hung in the air in exactly the same way that bricks don't", for
>>> example.
>>>
>>>
>> A bit like Pratchett IMO :)
> 
> Terry is more into puns and taking things literally for humorous effect.
> Later books are increasingly more about the story than about language or
> humor (IMHO). Douglas was overflowing with short stories and small ideas
> that had to find a way into a framework that was suitable for a book.
> Douglas is more quotable* because many of the ideas and observations are
> already brought back to one-liners by him but Terry has written so much
> more that he has had time to catch up on the number of ideas.

All good points.

> *) It is a pity that the story of the lizards has too much context.
> Sometimes I would like to quote 'otherwise the wrong lizard might get
> in' but that would need too much explaining.

Not to those who know it. :-)

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:12:14 +0200, andrel wrote:

> from memory: There is this planet where the human population is rules by
> lizards. It is still a democracy, all humans can vote but only lizards
> can be elected. I think Arthur asks in astonishment: 'why do you vote?'
> to which the answer is 'otherwise the wrong lizard might get in'.
> 
> I think it was meant as a reference to the British system where you can
> only elect politicians that have been to one or two colleges. It is
> scarily true of most democracies though.

Actually, it was more of a slap at the US two-party system.  Anyone can 
be elected, but the humans always vote for lizards out of one party or 
the other, because otherwise the wrong lizard might get in (ie, if a good 
human were put up as a candidate, it might split the vote between the 
"good lizard" and the human).

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:52:56 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 8 Aug 2009 14:03:25 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> 
>>I found DNA's attitude towards deadlines to be somewhat helpful when I
>>was working on the books I got published. :-)
> 
> My attitude is different. I need them. ;)

Oh, I need them, too, but I always was pushing right up against them, if 
not just slightly past them to get each chapter turned in.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On 9 Aug 2009 00:01:32 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:

>On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:52:56 +0100, Stephen wrote:
>
>> On 8 Aug 2009 14:03:25 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> 
>>>I found DNA's attitude towards deadlines to be somewhat helpful when I
>>>was working on the books I got published. :-)
>> 
>> My attitude is different. I need them. ;)
>
>Oh, I need them, too, but I always was pushing right up against them, if 
>not just slightly past them to get each chapter turned in.
>

When I am writing specs they are always pushing me :)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:12:14 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:

>
>I think it was meant as a reference to the British system where you can 
>only elect politicians that have been to one or two colleges. It is 
>scarily true of most democracies though.

I think that Jim is right it is more a criticism of the American political
system. In Britain we have effectively had a three party system since the late
19th century and have a few small parties and independent members of parliament.

You may be being confused with our class system where the majority of English
MPs have traditionally been educated at either Oxford or Cambridge.
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On 8 Aug 2009 23:59:07 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:

>> When the gods speak even authors listen.
>
>Ironic given Adams' beliefs. :-)
>

Tough! :)


>> I think that I prefered the Dirk Gently series. But that may be because
>> HHGTTG was so cult-ish ;)
>
>Gently was good as well, but I started with Hitchhiker's and there is an 
>awful lot of depth there (as indeed there is in both series).
>

I realise now that I've not read the whole series. I thought that I had.

>> A bit like Pratchett IMO :)
>
>A bit, perhaps.

A bit in a way ;)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:28:08 +0100, Stephen wrote:

>>Oh, I need them, too, but I always was pushing right up against them, if
>>not just slightly past them to get each chapter turned in.
>>
> When I am writing specs they are always pushing me :)

I know the feeling. :-)

That particular DNA quote is actually on the front of the returns desk at 
our local public library.  :-)

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:50:00 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> On 8 Aug 2009 23:59:07 -0400, Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> 
>>> When the gods speak even authors listen.
>>
>>Ironic given Adams' beliefs. :-)
>>
> Tough! :)

LOL

>>> I think that I prefered the Dirk Gently series. But that may be
>>> because HHGTTG was so cult-ish ;)
>>
>>Gently was good as well, but I started with Hitchhiker's and there is an
>>awful lot of depth there (as indeed there is in both series).
>>
> I realise now that I've not read the whole series. I thought that I had.

Yeah, there's 5 books total.  Last one's a bit of a downer, though.  The 
radio dramatizations of 3-5 were pretty good, too.

>>> A bit like Pratchett IMO :)
>>
>>A bit, perhaps.
> 
> A bit in a way ;)

Well, yeah, not a mirror image by any stretch. :-)

Jim

Post a reply to this message