MetaChat - The AV Club

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18 February 2010

The AV Club have done one of their "Gateways to Geekery" essays about my favorite author, J.G. Ballard.→[More:] It's a good intro to his works, though I'd say one of the best places to start reading Ballard would be the book Vermilion Sands; it's a series of short stories set in a very strange desert resort, full of faded, eccentric, mostly rich people with hobbies like cultivating singing plants, and carving clouds into sculpture.

post by: BoringPostcards at: 09:12 | 7 comments

Interesting, but didn't really think of him as "Geekery". He had a solid mainstream reputation, popped up on TV occasionally, got reviewed in the papers.

posted by TheophileEscargot 18 February | 09:26

Over here he's practically unknown, sadly. I don't think I've ever mentioned him to anyone who knew who he was by name, or maybe one or two who recognized the name but had never read him.

posted by BoringPostcards 18 February | 09:36

What BP said, other than Empire of the Sun, I don't think that too many people know who he is.

posted by octothorpe 18 February | 09:47

This is great; thanks, BoringPostcards. Not to quibble, but maybe his unknown-ness varies depending on where you are over here. I feel like his books and the movies made of them have been part of the cultural landscape for decades. Then again, since he's one of my dad's favorite fiction writers, my sense of how well-known he is might be skewed. In any case, thanks for pointing me to this article, I would have missed it otherwise.

posted by Hugh Janus 18 February | 09:52

My first and fave.

posted by Obscure Reference 18 February | 11:00

Free ambient music inspired by J.G. Ballard. 1 2

posted by arse_hat 18 February | 17:15

High Rise is still the only book that actually made me sick, in a good way.

posted by The Whelk 18 February | 22:23

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