List Books Supposing The Speed of Dark
| Original Title: | The Speed of Dark |
| ISBN: | 0345481399 (ISBN13: 9780345481399) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Lou Arrendale |
| Literary Awards: | Nebula Award for Best Novel (2003), Arthur C. Clarke Award Nominee (2003) |
Elizabeth Moon
Paperback | Pages: 369 pages Rating: 4 | 9801 Users | 1169 Reviews
Narrative Toward Books The Speed of Dark
In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy. Unfortunately, there will be a generation left behind. For members of that missed generation, small advances will be made. Through various programs, they will be taught to get along in the world despite their differences. They will be made active and contributing members of society. But they will never be normal. Lou Arrendale is a member of that lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the awards of medical science. Part of a small group of high-functioning autistic adults, he has a steady job with a pharmaceutical company, a car, friends, and a passion for fencing. Aside from his annual visits to his counselor, he lives a low-key, independent life. He has learned to shake hands and make eye contact. He has taught himself to use “please” and “thank you” and other conventions of conversation because he knows it makes others comfortable. He does his best to be as normal as possible and not to draw attention to himself. But then his quiet life comes under attack. It starts with an experimental treatment that will reverse the effects of autism in adults. With this treatment Lou would think and act and be just like everyone else. But if he was suddenly free of autism, would he still be himself? Would he still love the same classical music–with its complications and resolutions? Would he still see the same colors and patterns in the world–shades and hues that others cannot see? Most importantly, would he still love Marjory, a woman who may never be able to reciprocate his feelings? Would it be easier for her to return the love of a “normal”? There are intense pressures coming from the world around him–including an angry supervisor who wants to cut costs by sacrificing the supports necessary to employ autistic workers. Perhaps even more disturbing are the barrage of questions within himself. For Lou must decide if he should submit to a surgery that might completely change the way he views the world . . . and the very essence of who he is. Thoughtful, provocative, poignant, unforgettable, The Speed of Dark is a gripping exploration into the mind of an autistic person as he struggles with profound questions of humanity and matters of the heart. From the Hardcover edition.
Particularize Appertaining To Books The Speed of Dark
| Title | : | The Speed of Dark |
| Author | : | Elizabeth Moon |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 369 pages |
| Published | : | June 28th 2005 by Del Rey (first published 2002) |
| Categories | : | Science Fiction. Fiction |
Rating Appertaining To Books The Speed of Dark
Ratings: 4 From 9801 Users | 1169 ReviewsEvaluation Appertaining To Books The Speed of Dark
This book is about as 'sci fi' as an episode of CSI. Moon basically takes 'Flowers for Algernon' and hacks off the ending. The writing was alright, and there was some interesting characterization, but I suspect it only got the Nebula and Clarke because award committees love nothing as much as political correctness. This book is the equivalent of an actor making an Oscar bid by playing a mentally-challenged character.I know Moon is a sci fi author, but in this book, it feels like she just stampedWhat a special and beautifully written book. It presents autism from the autistic person's point of view, and he is someone you can really relate to and begin to understand. Through Lou, readers also see ourselves and our social group interactions--"normals"--from an outside perspective, which has caused me to think about some things in my life differently. The book has a great plot, all while asking profound questions. It challenges readers to think about what makes them who they are--are we
What does it mean to be normal? This book explores this concept much more than it tells a sci-fi story.It's interesting to me that we spend the early part of our lives rebelling against normality (Why be normal, right?) only to want so desperately to be normal when our normality is not in our hands. Lou is born autistic, and even with the advantages of a future where more is known about the illness, there is still an enormous amount of prejudice towards people with autism. I have strong
One of the most brilliant books I've ever read. This novel still haunts me. I hope more people will discover THE SPEED OF DARK.
Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon tells the story of an autistic man in the near future where advances in medical technology have cured many diseases. The protagonist is in a small group of people who were born just before these advances and so have grown up in a world where their disability is a close anachronism. This is a subtle, introspective work that focuses on psychological, philosophical and theological questions about normality and quality of life. I could not help but cast actor Jim
Its going to be a challenge to write a review without using a spoiler box but I will do it, as I have written all my other reviews without spoilers. This is kind of a cross between The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and Flowers for Algernon, both books I also really liked.The writer is the mother of a son (adolescent at the time of this books publication) that has autism. The main character in this book has autism, but it takes place in the future where he has received better
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