Bellwether
9 journalers for this copy...
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Sandra Foster studies fads, from Barbie dolls to the grunge look - how they start and what they mean. Bennett O'Reilly is a chaos theory scientist studying monkeys' group behavior. They both work for the HiTek corporation, strangers until a misdelivered package brings them together. It's a moment of synchronicity - if not serendipity - and they find themselves in a chaotic system of their own, complete with misunderstandings, a million-dollar research grant, caffe latte, tattoos, bobbed hair, Browning, and a series of coincidences that leaves Bennett monkeyless, fundless, and nearly jobless. Sandra intercedes with a flock of sheep and an idea for a joint project. (After all, what better animal to illustrate both chaos theory and the herd mentality that so often characterizes human behavior?) But scientific discovery is rarely straightforward and never simple, and Sandra and Bennett have to endure a series of setbacks, heartbreaks, dead ends, and disasters before they find their answers....
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I picked this up at a used bookstore. I am looking forward to reading it.
Sandra Foster studies fads, from Barbie dolls to the grunge look - how they start and what they mean. Bennett O'Reilly is a chaos theory scientist studying monkeys' group behavior. They both work for the HiTek corporation, strangers until a misdelivered package brings them together. It's a moment of synchronicity - if not serendipity - and they find themselves in a chaotic system of their own, complete with misunderstandings, a million-dollar research grant, caffe latte, tattoos, bobbed hair, Browning, and a series of coincidences that leaves Bennett monkeyless, fundless, and nearly jobless. Sandra intercedes with a flock of sheep and an idea for a joint project. (After all, what better animal to illustrate both chaos theory and the herd mentality that so often characterizes human behavior?) But scientific discovery is rarely straightforward and never simple, and Sandra and Bennett have to endure a series of setbacks, heartbreaks, dead ends, and disasters before they find their answers....
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I picked this up at a used bookstore. I am looking forward to reading it.
I loved this book. Connie Willis has a terrific, dry sense of humor and she uses it every now and then throughout the book. The main character is Sandy, a research scientist, studying fads - how do fads start, why do they catch on, and why do some people seem immune to them? Each chapter begins with a paragraph describing an actual fad in history (the hula hoop, hair ironing, quality circles, mah-jongg, etc.), and we follow Sandy and her partner Bennett as they combine their different fields of study and encounter chaos in the workplace, "butterfly effect" theories, and a bellwether - the one sheep in a flock that somehow gets all the others to follow its lead.
This book was so original, I actually enjoyed it even more than Willis' classic, The Doomsday Book. It's a quick read at less than 250 pages ~ plus I thought it had a terrific ending.
I plan to start a bookring with this.
This book was so original, I actually enjoyed it even more than Willis' classic, The Doomsday Book. It's a quick read at less than 250 pages ~ plus I thought it had a terrific ending.
I plan to start a bookring with this.
This book will begin its journey the first week of March. Ring is still open, but here is the order of participants so far:
1. petaloka in NY - received
2. WhitePine in CT - received
3. Kyrissaean in NH - received
4. LyekkaMarengo in PA - received
5. gothamgal in OH - received
6. sqdancer in Canada - received
7. MollyGrue in WA - received
8. back to me, time-traveler in NY - received!!!
Enjoy!
IMPORTANT!!!!! Please, no spoilers in your journal entry comments. Thanks : - )
1. petaloka in NY - received
2. WhitePine in CT - received
3. Kyrissaean in NH - received
4. LyekkaMarengo in PA - received
5. gothamgal in OH - received
6. sqdancer in Canada - received
7. MollyGrue in WA - received
8. back to me, time-traveler in NY - received!!!
Enjoy!
IMPORTANT!!!!! Please, no spoilers in your journal entry comments. Thanks : - )
Mailed to petaloka in NY.
Arrived safe & sound today. I can't wait to get started on it. It's next on my list!
Bravo! Very well written. Some of the scenes involving managment meetings and thier stupid acronyms I actually lived through in the 80's and 90's. I look foreward to reading more by Connie Willis. Thanks for sharing time-traveler.
Sent it out to whitepine today.
Just received this book in the mail .........will write to the next personon the list when I am half way through .
It's here! The first bookring of spring, for me anyway! :) I've just got to finish my current book and then I'll jump right into this one.
Very interesting cover art... Sunspots(?), making up a butterfly's wings, and unlocking a woman's head like a puzzle? Now I'm curious to see how much the cover relates to the story!
Very interesting cover art... Sunspots(?), making up a butterfly's wings, and unlocking a woman's head like a puzzle? Now I'm curious to see how much the cover relates to the story!
This was very good! Quick, and cute, and kinda made me miss the world of academia a bit, in spite of all the silly meetings and paperwork!
And what do you know? The cover actually works with the story! Even the fiery butterfly! I was wondering what a bellwether was, and know I know. But don't worry -- I won't tell!
Connie Willis is such a gifted writer. You really get a feel for how much research she does, even for her shorter novels. Her characters are fully and completely alive within their environments, with no nuance or detail missing -- everything about them is in place. I feel like I should be able to email the main characters, or find articles they've written in scientific journals somewhere because they just seemed so much like real people. Yet the story isn't slowed down by this at all, unlike many books that just end up getting bogged down when they include a lot of detail.
I would definitely recommend this book! Thanks for including me in the ring!
And what do you know? The cover actually works with the story! Even the fiery butterfly! I was wondering what a bellwether was, and know I know. But don't worry -- I won't tell!
Connie Willis is such a gifted writer. You really get a feel for how much research she does, even for her shorter novels. Her characters are fully and completely alive within their environments, with no nuance or detail missing -- everything about them is in place. I feel like I should be able to email the main characters, or find articles they've written in scientific journals somewhere because they just seemed so much like real people. Yet the story isn't slowed down by this at all, unlike many books that just end up getting bogged down when they include a lot of detail.
I would definitely recommend this book! Thanks for including me in the ring!
Sending out to LyekkaMarengo this morning. Happy reading, everyone!
Arrived safe and sound in PA. I have one book to finish then I'll get to this one. Can't wait.
Well, I have to say that the more I read Connie Willis the more impressed I am with her talent. She has the ability to make every book different than her others, which is pretty hard to do. She must spend 95% of her time researching since everything seemed to fit. This was one of those books that I didn't want to end, and it is pretty short. You care about her characters, they all seem real and this book displayed her wicked sense of humor more than any of the others I have read. The chapter with the first of several management meetings is a classic and had me giggling and tittering even though I was reading it at breakfast in a restuarant with my husband. He kept looking at me funny and trying to explain just didn't do it justice. Sending this book on to gothamgal - I have a feeling you will like it.
Rec'd as part of a bookring. Can't wait to start it. Thanks LyekkaMarengo!
I loved this book, and must see about a personal copy! It was great. It was a quick read, hard to put down. I kinda knew where the secondary plot was going pretty quickly. Thank you for this bookring. I really liked the opportunity to read this.
I sympathized with the main character.
I loved this book, and must see about a personal copy! It was great. It was a quick read, hard to put down. I kinda knew where the secondary plot was going pretty quickly. Thank you for this bookring. I really liked the opportunity to read this.
I sympathized with the main character.
Arrived today, safe and sound. I really enjoyed The Doomsday Book, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.
Thank you for sharing this book. I am definitely going to have to try to track down more of her work. I get a kick out of her slant on things. And I'm impressed at how she can get across so much and yet it is easy to read (good flow).
Sent on today via Air Mail.
Sent on today via Air Mail.
Looking forward to reading this. Thanks!
I thought that this was slightly better and somehow more funny than To Say Nothing of the Dog. I really liked the discussion and comparision of chaos theory and how fads begin. Kind of interesting to see what has gone on out there and slightly scary in what kinds of fads that she was bringing up as possibles.
Reserve for the next mailing.
Reserve for the next mailing.
Journal Entry 19 by MollyGrue at In The Mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, July 16, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (7/16/2005 UTC) at In The Mail in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sent this back today. I was tempted to keep it another week, as my husband wanted me to read it to him...guess I'll have to pick up my own copy. ;D
Thanks again!
Sent this back today. I was tempted to keep it another week, as my husband wanted me to read it to him...guess I'll have to pick up my own copy. ;D
Thanks again!
Hooray! Bellwether has made it back to me, safe & sound. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. MollyGrue, I wish I'd known you wanted to read it to your hubby...it would have been no problem to keep it longer. Well, like you said, now you'll just HAVE to get another copy : - )
I'm not sure what I'll do with this. I may start an International Bookring or wild release it.
I'm not sure what I'll do with this. I may start an International Bookring or wild release it.
Mailed to jamesmum in CA for a reverse wishlist relay. I hope you enjoy this one ~
goodbye little book...time to let you go...
goodbye little book...time to let you go...
Thank you! I love Connie Willis, and am looking forward to reading this one. I will be sure it continues its journey by sending it to another CW fan next.
