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The Bug by Ellen Ullman

Posted by michael on from the evil-geniuses-for-a-better-tomorrow dept.

Never Rock Fila writes "On the front page of tomorrow's New York Times Book Review, a slightly breathless but overdue enthusiastic review of Ellen Ullman's new novel, The Bug. The review acknowledges that 'Ullman has already established herself as an indispensable voice out of the world of technology' -- if you haven't read her first book, a memoir, Close to the Machine, read that too -- and it's nice to see a mainstream publication like the Times, the gold standard of book reviews as I understand it, giving such prominent and positive attention to a novel by a former 'software engineer' that's all about getting inside the mind of a programmer, even concluding 'If more contemporary novels delivered news this relevant and wise they'd have to stop declaring the death of the novel.' The reviewer, one Benjamin Anastas, has the chops to develop a sustained comparison to Mary Shelley, to legitimately place the 1984 computer programmers at the center of the novel among 'all the best characters in fiction,' and to declare the book 'thrilling and intellectually fearless.'"

9 of 1,547 comments (clear)

  1. I loved her show on FOX by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Those skits were hilarious, and it's even where the Simpsons got their start. Catch it in reruns if you can.

    1. Re:I loved her show on FOX by moehoward · · Score: 3, Funny

      No. He's talking about Ellen DeGeneres on "When Liberals Attack".

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      "If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
  2. Wow. by mrseigen · · Score: 4, Funny

    First Cryptonomicon hits the best-seller lists, now a paper does a favorable review of a novel about a geek.

    Either us geeks are buying more books, or the mainstream population is getting brighter. Somehow, I think it's the former. American Idol is still on television.

    1. Re:Wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Get with it! American Idol is not still on TV.

      American Juniors, however, has taken its place.

      Posted anonymously for obvious reasons.

  3. Golden standard? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "...and it's nice to see a mainstream publication like the Times, the gold standard of book reviews as I understand it..."

    I thought Oprah's book club was?

  4. CSCI? by GoofyBoy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Computer Science Crime Investigations?

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    The surprise isn't how often we make bad choices; the surprise is how seldom they defeat us.
  5. Re:Solution to the NYT registration thing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Right. I want to read about successful porn stars. With pictures, if possible.

  6. Strange review by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 4, Funny
    it's nice to see a mainstream publication like the Times, the gold standard of book reviews as I understand it, giving such prominent and positive attention to a novel by a former 'software engineer'

    I've read the review, it suck. Here it is :

    Welcome to The New York Times on the Web!

    For full access to our site, please complete this simple registration form.
    As a member, you'll enjoy:

    In-depth coverage and analysis of news events from The New York Times FREE

    Up-to-the-minute breaking news and developing stories FREE

    Exclusive Web-only features, classifieds, tools, multimedia and much, much more FREE

    Signing up is as easy as 1-2-3
    Thanks for review NYTimes. Here's one book I won't buy : it's all about internet junk !

    --
    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  7. Too bad it's in the NYT by rossz · · Score: 2, Funny

    Couldn't they have put the review in a more reliable newspaper such as the Weekly World News, National Enquirer, or The Sun?

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    -- Will program for bandwidth