The Man in the High Castle (Penguin Modern Classics)
Registered by davemurray101 of Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on 3/30/2009
This book is in a Controlled Release!
This book is in a Controlled Release!
9 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by davemurray101 from Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on Monday, March 30, 2009
""It is 1962 and the Second World War has been over for seventeen years: people have now had a chance to adjust to the new order. But it's not been easy. The Mediterranean has been drained to make farmland, the population of Africa has virtually been wiped out and America has been divided between the Nazis and the Japanese. In the neutral buffer zone that divides the two superpowers lives the man in the high castle, the author of an underground bestseller, a work of fiction that offers an alternative theory of world history in which the Axis powers didn't win the war. The novel is a rallying cry for all those who dream of overthrowing the occupiers. But could it be more than that? Subtle, complex and beautifully characterized, The Man in the High Castle remains the finest alternative world novel ever written, and a work of profundity and significance.""
Not only a classic of the alternative history subgenre but an exploration of human attitudes when faced with tyranny.
Not only a classic of the alternative history subgenre but an exploration of human attitudes when faced with tyranny.
Journal Entry 2 by davemurray101 from Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on Monday, March 30, 2009
Now an INTL bookring - participants so far
lunacia (Nor)
LadyTrinity (Nor) ***skipped - no response ****
Vekiki (uk)
chucklesthescot (uk)
flambard (uk)
Cross-patch (uk)
perryfran (usa)
TomHl (Usa)
jeskawest (Usa)
Then Back to me!
lunacia (Nor)
LadyTrinity (Nor) ***skipped - no response ****
Vekiki (uk)
chucklesthescot (uk)
flambard (uk)
Cross-patch (uk)
perryfran (usa)
TomHl (Usa)
jeskawest (Usa)
Then Back to me!
Journal Entry 3 by davemurray101 at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 6, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (4/6/2009 UTC) at Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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sent to lunacia in the post. hope you enjoy. First stop Norway!!
sent to lunacia in the post. hope you enjoy. First stop Norway!!
This book arrived today. :-)
What is it with bookrings that tend to arrive all at the same time? ;-) This'll have to wait until I've read a couple of other books I have to read first.
What is it with bookrings that tend to arrive all at the same time? ;-) This'll have to wait until I've read a couple of other books I have to read first.
I finally got around to this book on my to be read list! Looking forward to it! Alas, I'm a slow reader, especially when it comes to languages that are not my native, so bear with me.
I just read the last page. I enjoyed this read very much! I loved the language, how Dick used it, how scary it was at times, everything!
Thank you so much for letting me read this, davemurray101! Will now PM next on list, so the book can be on its way again!
Thank you so much for letting me read this, davemurray101! Will now PM next on list, so the book can be on its way again!
Released 14 yrs ago (7/16/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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Sent to Vekiki via mail today.
Sent to Vekiki via mail today.
Journal Entry 8 by Vekiki from -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 21, 2009
recieved today - great timing as just finished my book, and really looking forward to this
Journal Entry 9 by Vekiki at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (8/18/2009 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
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Well, unfortunatly life has rather taken over in my world recently... so although I know I went through the motions of reading this... holdiung the book, having it open, looking at it, turning pages... I can tell you pretty much no more about it now than when I began.
In order to not hold up the ray, I'm not going to re-read it now, but will try to get hold of another copy when my life is a little less dizzy
Put in the post today
Well, unfortunatly life has rather taken over in my world recently... so although I know I went through the motions of reading this... holdiung the book, having it open, looking at it, turning pages... I can tell you pretty much no more about it now than when I began.
In order to not hold up the ray, I'm not going to re-read it now, but will try to get hold of another copy when my life is a little less dizzy
Put in the post today
Journal Entry 10 by Chucklesthescot from Paisley, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thank you for sharing this book davemurray! I look forward to reading it next week. And thank you to the lovely Vekiki for passing it and the other book on to me. You are a gem! xx
Journal Entry 11 by Chucklesthescot from Paisley, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
I was soooo disappointed with this book. I was expecting something exciting but I was bored rigid by all the constant chat about everybody's days at work and American artifacts. Yawn! I also somehow doubt that the Japanese would have treated Westerners quite so nicely in the aftermath of the war in the Pacific! I didn't read more than half before I gave up and picked up another book instead.
Journal Entry 12 by Chucklesthescot at Paisley, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
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Passing this book on to the next person in line.
Passing this book on to the next person in line.
Journal Entry 13 by Flambard from Horsham, West Sussex United Kingdom on Thursday, September 17, 2009
It has arrived with me. Thanks to davemurray101 for the ring and chucklesthescot for passing it on from Paisley!
A very unusual book. I guess this was written before counter-factual history became as popular as it is now and so it’s not surprising that it is the work of a Sci-Fi master. The concept of a counter-factual book (The Grasshopper Lies Heavy) within a counter-factual story was inspired, not only giving history a twist, but then a further turn of the screw to yet another possible reality. The consequences of the ‘facts’ which the author chose to alter were well-crafted and credible – none of it was too outrageous. I enjoyed the style of writing which portrayed the Japanese way of thinking and speaking, and also the thinking and speaking of Robert Childan who lived heavily under the influence of the Japanese – a judicious excising of pronouns, articles and prepositions. It did feel however that it was written with an immediate post-WW2 mentality of anti-Japanese and anti-German expression, despite the prominence of some sympathetic characters of both races. Very enjoyable.
Journal Entry 15 by Flambard at By Mail, Book Ring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, October 10, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (10/9/2009 UTC) at By Mail, Book Ring -- Controlled Releases
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Off to Cross-patch
Off to Cross-patch
Journal Entry 16 by 
Cross-patch
from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, October 18, 2009
Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, October 18, 2009
Thank you davemurray101 and flambard. The Man has arrived safely in Leicestershire, welcomed by continuing sunshine, Yay!
Journal Entry 17 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, November 15, 2009
Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, November 15, 2009
A delayed start - apologies - but once I reached half way it became a "couldn't put it down" read.
I accept some of the other comments - kind to the Japanese, anti German, but that is to some extent the point. If they had won - how would they have behaved? "Counter-factual history" - good phrase flambard - yes, but with a twist, well two twists really. I found the final story line odd, unexpected and fascinating. Well worth the read.
I accept some of the other comments - kind to the Japanese, anti German, but that is to some extent the point. If they had won - how would they have behaved? "Counter-factual history" - good phrase flambard - yes, but with a twist, well two twists really. I found the final story line odd, unexpected and fascinating. Well worth the read.
Journal Entry 18 by Cross-patch at to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases on Monday, November 16, 2009
Cross-patch at to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases on Monday, November 16, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (11/16/2009 UTC) at to next participant, a ring/ray -- Controlled Releases
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Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Received in today's mail. Thanks Dave for including me in another of your bookrays and Cross-patch for posting from the UK. I have about 3 other rings in front of this (they seem to be multiplying) but I will try to get to this soon.
A very intriguing read. When reading this book, I kept thinking about 3 separate realities - the world of the novel where Germany and Japan won WWII, the world of the novel "The Grasshopper Lies Heavy" inside the novel where the Allies won the war, and then the world as we know it. Then what was really real inside the novel, how did the use of the "I Ching" influence the writing of "Grasshopper" as well as influence the lives of most of the characters in the novel... This one leaves you with a lot to ponder and probably deserves a second reading. I can definitely see how this is considered one of Dick's best.Thanks Dave for sharing as usual. I have Tom's address and will get this off to him as soon as I can get to the post office. We got hit by almost 2 feet of snow today so not sure when we'll get dug out!
Journal Entry 21 by 
perryfran
at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Saturday, December 19, 2009
perryfran at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Saturday, December 19, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (12/19/2009 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES: Mailing to TomHl as soon as I can get to the P.O. (see photo!)
Enjoy!
USPS DC# 0308 0660 0000 7783 5807
This book arrived in my mailbox today, during a snowstorm. Things look a lot the same here as at perryfran's house. I will read it next, after I finish Powers. Thanks to davemurray101 for starting the bookring, and to perryfran for sending it on to me.
This was a re-read for me. But when I looked into my notes, I found that it was *35* years ago that I last read it, as a college student. Ouch.I completely enjoyed re-reading this, not just the plot and characters, but the texture of the American-Japanese and American-German cultures. I was fascinated by the extension of the somewhat psychotic German Nazi-ism, and mystical Japanese philosophy onto American soil. Although I have to say I think Dick was confused about eastern religions. The story references mostly Taoism and Tibetan Buddhism, while the religions of Japan are actually Shinto and Zen Buddhism. I appreciated his careful use of German language and Japanese syntax - which is why I was frustrated at the conversion of Dick's words to British spellings in this edition.
I am left pondering the overly idealistic alternate reality within the alternate reality (the world of The Grasshopper Lies Heavy). If only Germany and Japan had lost the war, everything would have turned out wonderfully - while Dick's readers all know it did not. Why did the I Ching dictate this story to Abendsen, rather than a realistic one?
Journal Entry 24 by TomHl at -- Mail or by hand-ring, RABCK, meetings, Wisconsin USA on Monday, January 11, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (1/11/2010 UTC) at -- Mail or by hand-ring, RABCK, meetings, Wisconsin USA
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES: Today, I mailed this book to jeskawest in Bellevue, Washington USA - who I understand just had a baby last week. Congratulations!
Meanwhile, I am getting very tired of clearing snow every week around here. We just had another snowstorm.
Just received this one in the mail - I'll pick it up after I finish my current read.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book, and I enjoyed reading it. The first half of the book grabbed me, but I was disappointed with the end. I felt like the author sort of lost where the story was going - either that or I was the one who got lost along the way. A good read, nonetheless.
Journal Entry 27 by jeskawest at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, February 7, 2010
Released 14 yrs ago (2/5/2010 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
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Got this in the mail to go back to davemurray101. Thanks for doing the bookring!!
Got this in the mail to go back to davemurray101. Thanks for doing the bookring!!
Journal Entry 28 by davemurray101 from Christiansted, US Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
High castle has finally returned to Newcastle. Thanks to everyone involved and I hope you enjoyed it. Now what to do next with this one?
Released 13 yrs ago (10/23/2010 UTC) at
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Releasing for interested parties at the pub tonight.
