Nov 25, 2008 no work of fiction, though, compares to neal stephenson s monumental novel, anathem. Anathem is the latest miraculous invention by the new york times bestselling author of cryptonomicon and the baroque cyclea work of astonishing scope. Fraa erasmas is a young avout living in the concent of saunt edhar, a sanctuary for mathematicians, scientists, and philosophers. Personally i couldnt finish that one so i wont pass judgment, but dont go looking for sandy deserts in anathem, and the expedition worth talking about is confined to only a short part of the book. Anathem is a novel, published in 2008, by neal stephenson. Anathem by neal stephenson 2009, mass market for sale.
Every once in awhile i read a book that i keep thinking about all day and unfortunately in this case, even all night, and for anathem, i was drawn both to the story and to the philosophical questions positioned throughout. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Description book anathem by neal stephenson anathem, the latest invention by the new york times bestselling author of cryptonomicon and the baroque cycle, is a magnificent creation. Fraa erasmas is a young avout living in the concent of saunt edhar, a sa. Anathem by neal stephenson 2008, hardcover for sale online. The audiobook is read by william dufris, oliver wyman, tavia gilbert, and neal stephenson himself and they do a wonderful job of. With over 900 in attendance the evening began with a performance of the elaborate math based chanting created for the book by composer david stutz. His next novel, zodiac 1988, is a thriller following a radical environmentalist in his struggle against corporate polluters. Anathem is another incredible book by neal stephenson, although probably not for everyone. If i like neal stephensons anathem, what else should i read. Dust jacket very good in mylar, showing only very minor edgewear.
Oct, 2008 neal stephenson s longawaited new novel, anathem, was published in september, and went straight to the top of the new york times bestseller list. Set not on earth, but on a planet called arbre that is similar to our own in many ways, anathem is narrated by erasmus, a young man who has lived much of his life as an avout a member of a monastic community comprised not of religious. Although i have enjoyed neal stephenson s books in the past i had a little trouble finding the best way to read anathem. The personal website of author neal stephenson, unless its been hacked. A book i will definitely read a second time in a few years and then hopefully a third time, several years later.
Its clear that the unarians just come in and go out at the yearly apert, same with the decenarians during the 10 year apert. The audiobook is well done, but it is a very, very complicated book stephenson basically invents his own language, along with 7,000 years of fictional history. Stephenson wants it that way, and if you dont actually enjoy thinking, pondering, or speculating while reading fiction or during any other intellectual endeavor, you will hate this book. Anathem is a novel of speculative fiction set on a world where scholars live apart from the. Anathem, the latest invention by the new york times bestselling author of cryptonomicon and the baroque cycle, is a magnificent creation. The audiobook is read by william dufris, oliver wyman, tavia gilbert, and neal stephenson himself and they do a wonderful job of conveying a range of personalities and ages, especially. The physical book itself has a dictionary for reference, and a clear timeline of the worlds history, which are invaluable resources while making sense of everything. Neal stephenson is obviously bursting with knowledge, and i had to look up the meaning of unknown words more than once. Erasmas learns, grows, deepens and complicates his. In 1999, danny hillis asked me and several other people to contribute backofnapkin sketches depicting our conceptions of the clock of the long now. Signed by author neal stephenson at the title page. Major themes include the manyworlds interpretation of quantum.
Major themes include the manyworlds interpretation of quantum mechanics and the philosophical debate between platonic realism and nominalism. Neal stephenson s nearly thousand page tome anathem was inspired in part by long nows 10,000 year clock project, and so a collaboration on the launch event was a natural fit. The latest tome and at 900 pages, i mean tome from neal stephenson author of snow crash, the diamond age and cryptonomicon is anathem. Aug 15, 2018 anathem is a novel by neal stephenson. Signed by neal stephenson with signature only on the left side of doublepage title pages.
It is almost impossible to summarize anathem its 930 pages, plus an extensive glossary, three appendices, and a web page full of acknowledgments and. Neal stephensons novel anathem imagines a modernday monastic order whose members have pledged to live their lives without computers. Sep 26, 2008 like most of stephenson s books, the 935page anathem with its new language, 7,000year history and madeup planet is tough sledding until the reader cracks the code. The ender series enders game is a great book in itself, but the series really hits its stride with the sequel, speaker for the dead, and the third book in the series, xenocide, which are much more philosophical in nature.
Fraa erasmas is a young avout living in the concent of saunt edhar, a sanctuary for. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advicefor instance. Each bird does a particular operation with the song it hears e. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. Jul 19, 2015 like all neal stephenson books anathem is one that makes you think. Anathem by neal stephenson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Includes a cd with music from the world of anathem, unopened. Anathem isnt an easy book, and its not a quick read. Where the orthspeaking culture of this book has developed vocabulary based on the ancient precedents of arbre, i have coined words based on the old languages of earth. Full book anathem by neal stephenson torrent online selling. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read anathem. Anathems plot follows the standard progression of the fantastic coming of age novel. Note also that his book the life of the cosmos isbn 9780195126648 presents one of the more readable expositions of just how uncannily finely tuned the.
Anathem by neal stephenson asking the wrong questions. Erasmas raz is the protagonist of the 2008 book anathem by neal stephenson. Oct 19, 2008 neal stephenson s novel anathem imagines a modernday monastic order whose members have pledged to live their lives without computers or electronic technology. Anathem by neal stephenson 2008, hardcover for sale. It is a play on the words anthem and anathema, which derive from latin and greek words. After pondering ubcgrahams post in the inbrase reread thread, i woke up at 0300 this morning thinking about a book by raymond smullyan called to mock a mockingbird in the book smullyan poses a series of logic puzzles involving bird songs. Wraps very good with light scuffing, generally minor edgewear, corners beginning to curl slightly. If i like neal stephensons anathem, what else should i.
The physical book itself has a dictionary for reference, and a clear timeline of the worlds history, which. Jan 03, 2019 three hundred pages into the book, it transforms into a journey that others have likened to dunes. Highly philosophical, brimming with hard science, it is the story of a world where scientists have been moreorless sequestered for centuries in maths the scientific equivalent of a monastery, living ascetic lives and devising high philosophy of the universe. Im currently rereading anathem, and im still confused about how people get into the higher maths. Highly philosophical, brimming with hard science, it is the story of a world where scientists have been moreorless sequestered for centuries in maths the scientific equivalent of a monastery, living ascetic lives and devising high philosophy of the. Full book anathem by neal stephenson torrent online. Black and brown boards with gilt titling and decoration, very good with bumped spine tips and foreedge corners, few small pale scuffs to rear board.
Stephenson writes in twists and turns, doublebacks and culdesacs, winding tunnels and fastmoving tracks. Anathem is a science fiction novel by american writer neal stephenson, published in 2008. I n anathem, neal stephenson masterfully paints in words perhaps too slowly for some all the details of daily monastic life on an the planet arbre, so that readers live that life along with his characters. Anathem by neal stephenson world news the guardian.
Stephenson takes a few hundred pages to set up his protagonist and core group of characters, building their world that is in seclusion from the rest of the world they live in. Published in 2008, anathem is a wonderful book, especially for mathe maticians, and while it qualifies as a sciencefiction book, it blurs the fron tiers between. With the 900some page philosophical adventure epic anathem now in stores and rock n roll, a chronicle of the prague spring. Sep 09, 2008 stephenson the system of the world, 2004, etc.
The narrator, a youngish acolyte, lives in a monasterylike fortress inhabited by intellectuals in retreat from a. The novel is written as a firstperson narrative by erasmas detailing his thoughts and adventures during the crisis caused by the arrival of the daban urnud in orbit around arbre. Stephensons first novel, the big u, published in 1984, is a satirical take on life at american megaversity, a vast, bland, and alienating research university beset by chaotic riots. Now he imagines an alternate universe where scientists, philosophers, and mathematicians live in seclusion behind ancient monastery walls until they are called back into the. Neal stephenson is obviously bursting with knowledge, and i had to look up the meaning of.
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