It was probably because The Diamond Age is unbelievably boring.
I am the Anti-Jess in this. Diamond Age is my favorite of his works.
Doesn't matter that we took him off that boat, Shepherd, it's the place he's going to live from now on.
Mal ,'Bushwhacked'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
P.M. Marc - May 14, 2010 8:15:20 am PDT #11445 of 28344
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
DawnK - May 14, 2010 8:15:33 am PDT #11446 of 28344
giraffe mode
It was probably because The Diamond Age is unbelievably boring.
Jess, thanks! I always thought it was me that didn't "get" it.
-t - May 14, 2010 8:18:53 am PDT #11447 of 28344
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
I love The Diamond Age!
I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, though, because I know my love for it is not shared by many.
It's hard to recommend a follow-up to Anathem at all, since Anathem is just the best thing Stephenson's done. Snow Crash is a good choice. I'd be interested to know how it reads to someone who has read other Stephenson, actually; a big part of my enjoyment of it was how different it was from anything else I'd read up to that point.
Steph L. - May 14, 2010 8:19:42 am PDT #11448 of 28344
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
NO!!!! The youngest has left it in his locker at SCHOOL!
Truly, you have a demon child. You may want to consider leaving him out of your will.
DawnK - May 14, 2010 8:27:44 am PDT #11449 of 28344
giraffe mode
You may want to consider leaving him out of your will
I told him that I was spending his half of the inheritance on travel when I retire now!
Gudanov - May 14, 2010 8:42:08 am PDT #11450 of 28344
Coding and Sleeping
Oh, yeah, I liked Snow Crash too. Maybe I'll do a re-read one of these days.
Volans - May 14, 2010 8:50:34 am PDT #11451 of 28344
move out and draw fire
You know, if Melville was writing today, I'm betting Moby Dick would be a multi-modal book, with hyperlinks to stuff about whaling and the world of the book.
Gris - May 14, 2010 9:00:11 am PDT #11452 of 28344
Hey. New board.
The Diamond Age is my favorite Stephenson, too. Though I haven't fit Anathem into that list in my head, yet (to even enter the list, a novel must be read at least twice, and I've only read it once thus far), and it has a chance to make it to the top.
My current list is:
1) The Diamond Age
2) Cryptonomicon
3) Snow Crash
4) Zodiac
Quicksilver never made it to the list (I didn't even finish it ONE time, though I intend to someday - I was enjoying it as one enjoys a slog. Much like I'm enjoying Anna Karenina in small bits between other books.)
I would suggest reading Snow Crash next, because it is compulsively readable. Then read the others at will. I honestly couldn't tell you whether you would prefer Cryptonomicon or The Diamond Age without knowing you fairly well.
beth b - May 14, 2010 9:16:58 am PDT #11453 of 28344
oh joy! Oh Rapture ! I have a brain!
I loved The Diamond Age. but i have tons of Stephenson I haven't read -- like Anatham
Volans - May 14, 2010 9:25:26 am PDT #11454 of 28344
move out and draw fire
And there's an iPad in The Diamond Age.