Book Description
The title story, Supertoys Last All Summer Long, soon to be a major film directed by Steven Spielberg, tells of a young boy who, whatever he does, cannot please his mother. He is puzzled by this, not realising that he is an android, a cunning construct of artificial intelligence - as is his one ally, his teddy bear.
It was a story that hugely affected Stanley Kubrick (director of 2001) and Steven Spielberg (who perhaps saw in his forthcoming movie AI (Artificial Intelligence) a complement to his ET!). This collection contains three SUPERTOYS stories, and they are the fabric of Spielberg's movie.

The other stories in the collection, whether SF, utopian fantasy or dark fable show a master writer at the peak of his considerable powers.

The main story, and I think, the strongest, is the trilogy, "Supertoys..." a story of artificial intelligence.
The remainder tackle utopias and dystopias and the extremely odd products of Aldiss' imagination.

In some ways , the non-fiction foreword, detailing Aldiss' experiences with Stanley Kubrick, is the most interesting.

RELEASE NOTES:

At the Ipswich bookcrossers meet-up.

Picked up to read the title story and the introduction...will have a look at the rest, too, to see whether I agree with the eminent MrsDanvers...

The title trilogy of short stories is interesting and so is the introduction on Aldiss working with Kubrik to get them into the shape eventually released as “A.I.” after Kubrik’s death. beyond that, I gave up on the shorts after the next couple of stories or so. either I’m not in the right frame of mind or his writing is better in his novels.

RELEASE NOTES:

To be released next to the seats outside the downstairs Pilates Studio.

This book didn't make it to London. Picked up at the Ipswich meet-up on the strength of the link with 'AI'. I'm not a big SF fan but I like film tie-ins and such biblioarchaeology (c)

I’ve read the first 3 short stories in this collection, those that relate to David (who was destined to become the android boy in the film AI). As mentioned in other reviews, the introduction is interesting as Brian Aldiss & Stanley Kubrick develop the ideas, as sketches/storyboards for a film which was made by Speilberg in the end. As such I think the stories lack depth and breadth beyond the simple idea that a ‘child-like’ artificial intelligence might get confused about its own humanity. Who knows, if a machine starts to question it’s own identity, maybe it has become a sentient being? Discuss!

‘I feel happy or sad. I love people. Therefore I am human. Isn’t that so?’

I may or may not get around the rest of the stories, SF and short-stories separately being my least favourite things to read...’available’ if anyone would like the book in the meantime?

RELEASE NOTES:

Not really my bag - see previous review. Ready to pass on to someone else to enjoy

Nabbed from BookGroupMan at the BC get-together in Cambridge. I took four books to Cambridge and returned with just this one... result!

It has taken me a while to finish this collection of short stories. I stuck with it to the bitter end, but I'm afraid the author's style did not grow on me. It was all a bit too high brow for my liking.

However, I did enjoy the introduction, as well as the three stories which were later to inspire the film AI. It's interesting that both directors saw the need for a fairy godmother to rescue the little mechanical pinocchio, whereas the author saw no need for a happy ending.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

This book will be released at a get-together to promote Timber Wharf Time Bank, taking place in Bradbury House (the home of Headway East London.)

I hope you enjoy the book. Don't forget to leave a comment letting us know what you thought of it. When you have finished with it, please pass it to a friend to read or leave it for a stranger to find :-)

Ah yea of little reading ability.... having read some of the other comments, I am slightly bemused by the lack of depth & appreciation of this fine writers creative abilities.... but, so it is with this instant gratific world we inhabit today.... on another, though connected note, watched a reunion of Black Flag live, and, had to laugh out loud, at all the iphones raised to record the moment, oh Lord: Eli, Eli Lama sabachtani,anyhow the book was a treat, found it in the basement of Notting hill book shop for £.10... a gift, supertoys indeed, recommend it to the next finder.... will lev it in Portobello market tomorrow.... cheers, Namaste, John