Dangerfield Out

Hoode hoode hoo.

Those words echoed out wide over the surface of the earth as the satellite that carried lost astronaut Walt Dangerfield encircled the globe; sending his transmission down to those scrapping it out in the post-apocalyptic wasteland that was left after the Emergency.

Just started reading Philip K. Dick's Dr. Bloodmoney per the suggestion of well-read man of technology Logical Gambit. It has been highly entertaining thus far with a high degree of introspection that I find necessary in just about anything I would call 'literature'. I was having a conversation with L the other day, talking about what made something a book and what rose to become literature. I think it had something to do with my going to this Popular Culture Association conference where a lot of what does not get recognized by academics finds due attention. That last part may not be entirely true. I don't think there is too much of worth that escapes the notice of our better academic institutions, but suffice it to say that discussion came up.

I was thinking that my distinction came from how much dialogue was in the novel. If there was too much they have always seemed to me to be just accounts of some stuff that we can imagine happened. The only thing you seem to get that is not dialog is 'Smith walked over and picked up his coffee excitedly'. Scripts for something that could be filmed where the narrator simply functions as the director or the readers imaginary visual experience, theater of the mind's eye and all that.

I claim no law here, just made me think of it reading Dr. Bloodmoney because it plays both role so well. There is something of the heightened visual experience without the expense toward character internalized thought, interplay between motives, actions, and thought etc.

It's a good book I am looking forward to finishing. I wanted to pick up some Philip K. because another member on the panel I going to be on is doing his paper on him, and I did not want to show up without any ground to cover should the opportunity arise.