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Origin of title "I, Robot"?
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Robert Carnegie
Sep 18, 2016, 9:51:25 AM9/18/16
to
It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
_I, Robot_ (1950) refers to an earlier, possibly obvious title
that I'm unaware of - or have forgotten being told about, which
is much the same thing.
Wikipedia tells me immediately that Asimov was impressed
and influenced by Otto Binder's story "I, Robot" (1939)
and insisted it was /not/ his wish to swipe the title
(but evidently it was his wish to accept the royalties,
and who would blame him).
More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
Patrick Stewart is in it.)
And so that may be it. But are there other influential
works of art to consider whose titles begin with the
ninth letter of the alphabet?
(Perhaps the fifteenth and the twenty-fourth are also
admissible.)
_I, Robot_ (1950) refers to an earlier, possibly obvious title
that I'm unaware of - or have forgotten being told about, which
is much the same thing.
Wikipedia tells me immediately that Asimov was impressed
and influenced by Otto Binder's story "I, Robot" (1939)
and insisted it was /not/ his wish to swipe the title
(but evidently it was his wish to accept the royalties,
and who would blame him).
More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
Patrick Stewart is in it.)
And so that may be it. But are there other influential
works of art to consider whose titles begin with the
ninth letter of the alphabet?
(Perhaps the fifteenth and the twenty-fourth are also
admissible.)
David Johnston
Sep 18, 2016, 11:58:39 AM9/18/16
to
Ted Nolan <tednolan>
Sep 18, 2016, 1:28:58 PM9/18/16
to
In article <6a9cb212-a37b-4a8d...@googlegroups.com>,
stories.
--
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..
Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
>It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
>_I, Robot_ (1950) refers to an earlier, possibly obvious title
>that I'm unaware of - or have forgotten being told about, which
>is much the same thing.
>
>Wikipedia tells me immediately that Asimov was impressed
>and influenced by Otto Binder's story "I, Robot" (1939)
>and insisted it was /not/ his wish to swipe the title
>(but evidently it was his wish to accept the royalties,
>and who would blame him).
>
>More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
Apparently the basis for Van Vogt's "Clane"/_Empire of the Atom_
>It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
>_I, Robot_ (1950) refers to an earlier, possibly obvious title
>that I'm unaware of - or have forgotten being told about, which
>is much the same thing.
>
>Wikipedia tells me immediately that Asimov was impressed
>and influenced by Otto Binder's story "I, Robot" (1939)
>and insisted it was /not/ his wish to swipe the title
>(but evidently it was his wish to accept the royalties,
>and who would blame him).
>
>More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
stories.
--
------
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..
Cryptoengineer
Sep 18, 2016, 1:59:12 PM9/18/16
to
Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
> It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
> _I, Robot_ (1950) refers to an earlier, possibly obvious title
> that I'm unaware of - or have forgotten being told about, which
> is much the same thing.
>
> Wikipedia tells me immediately that Asimov was impressed
> and influenced by Otto Binder's story "I, Robot" (1939)
> and insisted it was /not/ his wish to swipe the title
> (but evidently it was his wish to accept the royalties,
> and who would blame him).
>
> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
"Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
Stewart played a supporting role: Sejanus, Prefect of
the Praetorian Guard. Claudius was played by Derek
Jacobi (ObSF: Has had a part in Dr. Who).
> And so that may be it. But are there other influential
> works of art to consider whose titles begin with the
> ninth letter of the alphabet?
A quick look didn't turn up any, but I have this notion
that "I, <role>" is a more common formation. However, since
IC goes back to 1935, it may be the progenitor of the form.
pt
4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
> It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
> _I, Robot_ (1950) refers to an earlier, possibly obvious title
> that I'm unaware of - or have forgotten being told about, which
> is much the same thing.
>
> Wikipedia tells me immediately that Asimov was impressed
> and influenced by Otto Binder's story "I, Robot" (1939)
> and insisted it was /not/ his wish to swipe the title
> (but evidently it was his wish to accept the royalties,
> and who would blame him).
>
> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
"Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
Stewart played a supporting role: Sejanus, Prefect of
the Praetorian Guard. Claudius was played by Derek
Jacobi (ObSF: Has had a part in Dr. Who).
> And so that may be it. But are there other influential
> works of art to consider whose titles begin with the
> ninth letter of the alphabet?
that "I, <role>" is a more common formation. However, since
IC goes back to 1935, it may be the progenitor of the form.
pt
Michael F. Stemper
Sep 18, 2016, 2:48:17 PM9/18/16
to
On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
> 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
> 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
>> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
>> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
>> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
>> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
>
> The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
> before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
> "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X, a
>> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
>> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
>> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
>> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
>> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
>
> The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
> before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
> "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
"good guy", played by Sejanus, but Magneto, a "bad guy", was played
by Gandalf.
> Stewart played a supporting role: Sejanus, Prefect of
> the Praetorian Guard. Claudius was played by Derek
> Jacobi (ObSF: Has had a part in Dr. Who).
Trial of a Time Lord_ as King Yrcanos.
--
Michael F. Stemper
87.3% of all statistics are made up by the person giving them.
tsbr...@gmail.com
Sep 18, 2016, 2:49:07 PM9/18/16
to
Greg Goss
Sep 18, 2016, 3:21:13 PM9/18/16
to
Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
>(Perhaps the fifteenth and the twenty-fourth are also
>admissible.)
Do you want specifically I [noun or pronoun], or would the much less
>(Perhaps the fifteenth and the twenty-fourth are also
>admissible.)
distinctive I [intransitive verb] also fit?
I Spy. (Hmm. I always think of it as [verb] based on the kid's game,
but I guess it could be [noun] )
--
We are geeks. Resistance is voltage over current.
Lawrence Watt-Evans
Sep 18, 2016, 3:57:00 PM9/18/16
to
Which is well after I, Claudius, and I, The Jury, and both versions of
I, Robot, but I thought it still deserved a mention.
I would guess that I, Claudius is the source.
--
My webpage is at http://www.watt-evans.com
Kevrob
Sep 18, 2016, 3:58:13 PM9/18/16
to
On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
> On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
> > Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
> > 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>
> >> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
> >> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
> >> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
> >> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
> >> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
> >> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
> >> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
> >
> > The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
> > before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
> > "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
>
> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
> On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
> > Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
> > 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>
> >> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
> >> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
> >> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
> >> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
> >> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
> >> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
> >> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
> >
> > The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
> > before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
> > "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
>
> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
fields.
> a
> "good guy", played by Sejanus, but Magneto, a "bad guy", was played
> by Gandalf.
>
> > Stewart played a supporting role: Sejanus, Prefect of
> > the Praetorian Guard. Claudius was played by Derek
> > Jacobi (ObSF: Has had a part in Dr. Who).
>
> And Augustus was played by Brian Blessed, who appeared in _The
> Trial of a Time Lord_ as King Yrcanos.
feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
"GORDON'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He and Stewart are friends from their Yorkshire boyhood.
Kevin R
Kevin R
The Starmaker
Sep 18, 2016, 4:05:11 PM9/18/16
to
Robert Carnegie wrote:
>
> It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
> _I, Robot_ (1950)
it simply means the author is saying he himself is a ...robot.
>
> It occurred to me to be curious whether Isaac Asimov's book title
> _I, Robot_ (1950)
"I, Robot"
Used to refer to oneself as speaker or writer.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/I
and i did not read the book.
Butch Malahide
Sep 18, 2016, 4:48:58 PM9/18/16
to
Michael F. Stemper
Sep 18, 2016, 4:58:42 PM9/18/16
to
On 2016-09-18 14:58, Kevrob wrote:
> On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>> On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
>>> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
>>> 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>>
>>>> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>>>> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>>>> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
>>>> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
>>>> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
>>>> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
>>>> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
>>>
>>> The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
>>> before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
>>> "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
>>
>> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
>
> All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
>
> Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
> It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
> specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
> correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
> fields.
Give the man a no-prize! (I know *that* much about Marvel, even if
> On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>> On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
>>> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
>>> 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>>
>>>> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>>>> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>>>> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
>>>> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
>>>> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
>>>> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
>>>> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
>>>
>>> The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
>>> before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
>>> "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
>>
>> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
>
> All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
>
> Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
> It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
> specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
> correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
> fields.
I did mostly read "Brand Ecch".)
--
Michael F. Stemper
A preposition is something you should never end a sentence with.
Dorothy J Heydt
Sep 18, 2016, 7:15:03 PM9/18/16
to
Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman and you'll find
it is at home in all the starry Milky Way."
Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He could've.
--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Dorothy J Heydt
Sep 18, 2016, 7:15:04 PM9/18/16
to
In article <nrmv5q$t1d$1...@dont-email.me>,
Nourse.
Michael F. Stemper <michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 2016-09-18 14:58, Kevrob wrote:
>> On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>>> On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
>>>> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
>>>> 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>>>
>>>>> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>>>>> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>>>>> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
>>>>> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
>>>>> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
>>>>> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
>>>>> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
>>>>
>>>> The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
>>>> before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
>>>> "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
>>>
>>> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
>>
>> All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
>>
>> Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
>> It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
>> specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
>> correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
>> fields.
Not to be confused, however, with "Dr. X," a pseudonym of Alan E.
>On 2016-09-18 14:58, Kevrob wrote:
>> On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>>> On 2016-09-18 12:59, Cryptoengineer wrote:
>>>> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote in news:6a9cb212-a37b-
>>>> 4a8d-bb36-8...@googlegroups.com:
>>>
>>>>> More what I had in mind was the Roman history novel by
>>>>> Robert Graves, the supposed autobiography of Caligula's
>>>>> uncle - _I, Claudius_ (1934 unless you think Claudius
>>>>> actually wrote it). Apparently it was famous enough
>>>>> to be nearly filmed, at least. (And eventually made
>>>>> for British TV, in a "oh look who it is" way, e.g.
>>>>> Patrick Stewart is in it.)
>>>>
>>>> The BBC series (superb, btw) was filmed in 1976, long
>>>> before ST:TNG, so it's sort of the other way around.
>>>> "Hey, its that guy from 'I, Claudius'".
>>>
>>> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
>>
>> All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
>>
>> Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
>> It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
>> specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
>> correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
>> fields.
Nourse.
Brian M. Scott
Sep 18, 2016, 7:32:54 PM9/18/16
to
On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:11:08 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
in<news:oDq32...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
[...]
> Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment
> on the Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman
> and you'll find it is at home in all the starry Milky
> Way."
Did he really leave that bit of doggerel hanging like that?
Take an Empire that was Roman
And you’ll find it is at home in
All the churning incandescence
Of our Milky Coalescence.
> Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He
> could've.
Certainly a lot of us did. I remember that I quite enjoyed
_I, Claudius_, _Count Belisarius_, _Hercules, My Shipmate_,
and even the oddball _King Jesus_ amongst the more or less
historical novels, and the fantasy _Watch the North Wind
Rise_, while a bit on the didactic side, was not without
interest.
Brian
--
It was the neap tide, when the baga venture out of their
holes to root for sandtatties. The waves whispered
rhythmically over the packed sand: haggisss, haggisss,
haggisss.
<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
in<news:oDq32...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
[...]
> Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment
> on the Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman
> and you'll find it is at home in all the starry Milky
> Way."
Take an Empire that was Roman
All the churning incandescence
Of our Milky Coalescence.
> Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He
> could've.
_I, Claudius_, _Count Belisarius_, _Hercules, My Shipmate_,
and even the oddball _King Jesus_ amongst the more or less
historical novels, and the fantasy _Watch the North Wind
Rise_, while a bit on the didactic side, was not without
interest.
Brian
--
It was the neap tide, when the baga venture out of their
holes to root for sandtatties. The waves whispered
rhythmically over the packed sand: haggisss, haggisss,
haggisss.
Ted Nolan <tednolan>
Sep 18, 2016, 7:51:35 PM9/18/16
to
In article <1ud7ks3r4hytk$.4gsrex6ehqr6$.d...@40tude.net>,
In _Earth Is Room Enough_, I think.
Brian M. Scott <b.s...@csuohio.edu> wrote:
>On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:11:08 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
><djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
>in<news:oDq32...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
>
>[...]
>
>> Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment
>> on the Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman
>> and you'll find it is at home in all the starry Milky
>> Way."
>
>Did he really leave that bit of doggerel hanging like that?
>
No, it is a complete poem, "The Foundation of SF Success".
>On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:11:08 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
><djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
>in<news:oDq32...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
>
>[...]
>
>> Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment
>> on the Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman
>> and you'll find it is at home in all the starry Milky
>> Way."
>
>Did he really leave that bit of doggerel hanging like that?
>
In _Earth Is Room Enough_, I think.
Dorothy J Heydt
Sep 18, 2016, 8:00:13 PM9/18/16
to
Dorothy J Heydt
Sep 18, 2016, 8:00:13 PM9/18/16
to
In article <1ud7ks3r4hytk$.4gsrex6ehqr6$.d...@40tude.net>,
Brian M. Scott <b.s...@csuohio.edu> wrote:
Brian M. Scott <b.s...@csuohio.edu> wrote:
>On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:11:08 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
><djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
>in<news:oDq32...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
>
>[...]
>
>> Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment
>> on the Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman
>> and you'll find it is at home in all the starry Milky
>> Way."
>
>Did he really leave that bit of doggerel hanging like that?
Oh, yes. It's called "The Foundation of SF Success," it's a
><djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
>in<news:oDq32...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
>
>[...]
>
>> Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment
>> on the Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman
>> and you'll find it is at home in all the starry Milky
>> Way."
>
>Did he really leave that bit of doggerel hanging like that?
parody of Bunthorne's song from _Patience,_ and here's a link to
the complete text.
http://readnovelonline.com/ScienceFiction/Asimov41/27324.html
Asimov wrote a number of G&S parodies. They're all probably
collected somewhere, or several somewheres; if you want to search
ISFDB you can probably find them.
>
>> Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He
>> could've.
>
>Certainly a lot of us did. I remember that I quite enjoyed
>_I, Claudius_, _Count Belisarius_, _Hercules, My Shipmate_,
>and even the oddball _King Jesus_ amongst the more or less
>historical novels, and the fantasy _Watch the North Wind
>Rise_, while a bit on the didactic side, was not without
>interest.
The only Graves I've read was an article on asphodel. (It, plus
>> Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He
>> could've.
>
>Certainly a lot of us did. I remember that I quite enjoyed
>_I, Claudius_, _Count Belisarius_, _Hercules, My Shipmate_,
>and even the oddball _King Jesus_ amongst the more or less
>historical novels, and the fantasy _Watch the North Wind
>Rise_, while a bit on the didactic side, was not without
>interest.
Wm. Carlos Williams's "Of Asphodel, That Greeny Flower", has
given me material for at least two stories.)
Brian M. Scott
Sep 18, 2016, 9:43:06 PM9/18/16
to
On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:58:05 GMT, Dorothy J Heydt
<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
in<news:oDq58...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
> In article <1ud7ks3r4hytk$.4gsrex6ehqr6$.d...@40tude.net>,
> Brian M. Scott <b.s...@csuohio.edu> wrote:
[...]
>> Certainly a lot of us did [read fiction by Robert
>> Graves]. I remember that I quite enjoyed _I,
Penguin in two volumes, is still a useful collection of the
extant variants, though his interpretations are for the
most part best passed over in polite silence. (Or as the
Classicist who taught the Greek mythology course at Pomona
in the late 1960s said, read the myths but for goodness
sake ignore the notes.)
<djh...@kithrup.com> wrote
in<news:oDq58...@kithrup.com> in rec.arts.sf.written:
> In article <1ud7ks3r4hytk$.4gsrex6ehqr6$.d...@40tude.net>,
> Brian M. Scott <b.s...@csuohio.edu> wrote:
>> Certainly a lot of us did [read fiction by Robert
>> Graves]. I remember that I quite enjoyed _I,
>> Claudius_, _Count Belisarius_, _Hercules, My Shipmate_,
>> and even the oddball _King Jesus_ amongst the more or
>> less historical novels, and the fantasy _Watch the
>> North Wind Rise_, while a bit on the didactic side, was
>> not without interest.
> The only Graves I've read was an article on asphodel.
> (It, plus Wm. Carlos Williams's "Of Asphodel, That
> Greeny Flower", has given me material for at least two
> stories.)
His compendium of the Greek myths, originally published by
>> and even the oddball _King Jesus_ amongst the more or
>> less historical novels, and the fantasy _Watch the
>> North Wind Rise_, while a bit on the didactic side, was
>> not without interest.
> The only Graves I've read was an article on asphodel.
> (It, plus Wm. Carlos Williams's "Of Asphodel, That
> Greeny Flower", has given me material for at least two
> stories.)
Penguin in two volumes, is still a useful collection of the
extant variants, though his interpretations are for the
most part best passed over in polite silence. (Or as the
Classicist who taught the Greek mythology course at Pomona
in the late 1960s said, read the myths but for goodness
sake ignore the notes.)
Lawrence Watt-Evans
Sep 19, 2016, 1:26:11 AM9/19/16
to
protested when the publisher stuck that title on it, considering it to
be Otto Binder's by right.
James Nicoll
Sep 19, 2016, 11:41:49 AM9/19/16
to
In article <cltutb5js3ss5uj9u...@reader80.eternal-september.org>,
The publisher being Gnome Press?
Sad news: Gnome Press co-founder David Kyle passed away yesterday.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My Livejournal at http://www.livejournal.com/users/james_nicoll
http://www.cafepress.com/jdnicoll (For all your "The problem with
defending the English language [...]" T-shirt, cup and tote-bag needs)
Sad news: Gnome Press co-founder David Kyle passed away yesterday.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My Livejournal at http://www.livejournal.com/users/james_nicoll
http://www.cafepress.com/jdnicoll (For all your "The problem with
defending the English language [...]" T-shirt, cup and tote-bag needs)
Michael F. Stemper
Sep 19, 2016, 2:00:17 PM9/19/16
to
teens. (And his stuff holds up pretty well, too.)
--
Michael F. Stemper
Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.
Jerry Brown
Sep 19, 2016, 2:05:30 PM9/19/16
to
On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 12:58:11 -0700 (PDT), Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com>
wrote:
>Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
came to pass.
--
Jerry Brown
A cat may look at a king
(but probably won't bother)
wrote:
>Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
came to pass.
--
Jerry Brown
A cat may look at a king
(but probably won't bother)
Robert Carnegie
Sep 19, 2016, 2:43:20 PM9/19/16
to
do the psychohistory. ;-)
And, yes - still relying on what has been put into
Wikipedia - the title was Grove's, perhaps after Graves -
the last being my idea, I think. (It still may be
a thing that someone remembers patiently explaining
to me six months ago - why true or why false).
Lawrence Watt-Evans
Sep 19, 2016, 3:04:02 PM9/19/16
to
On Mon, 19 Sep 2016 11:43:17 -0700 (PDT), Robert Carnegie
<rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
>On Monday, 19 September 2016 06:26:11 UTC+1, Lawrence Watt-Evans wrote:
>> On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:11:08 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>> Heydt) wrote:
>>
>> >Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment on the
>> >Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman and you'll find
>> >it is at home in all the starry Milky Way."
>> >
>> >Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He could've.
>>
>> But he wasn't the one who titled his collection _I, Robot_. He
>> protested when the publisher stuck that title on it, considering it to
>> be Otto Binder's by right.
>
>True. But as for the Roman stuff: Foundation, Empire,
>do the psychohistory. ;-)
Oh, no one has ever questioned that Asimov read Gibbon.
<rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
>On Monday, 19 September 2016 06:26:11 UTC+1, Lawrence Watt-Evans wrote:
>> On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:11:08 GMT, djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>> Heydt) wrote:
>>
>> >Certainly Asimov read a lot of history (note his comment on the
>> >Foundation series: "Take an Empire that was Roman and you'll find
>> >it is at home in all the starry Milky Way."
>> >
>> >Whether he also read Graves, I have no idea. He could've.
>>
>> But he wasn't the one who titled his collection _I, Robot_. He
>> protested when the publisher stuck that title on it, considering it to
>> be Otto Binder's by right.
>
>True. But as for the Roman stuff: Foundation, Empire,
>do the psychohistory. ;-)
Dimensional Traveler
Sep 19, 2016, 3:43:00 PM9/19/16
to
On 9/19/2016 11:05 AM, Jerry Brown wrote:
> On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 12:58:11 -0700 (PDT), Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>
> Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
> happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
> came to pass.
>
Methinks he did not take the material with great seriousness. :D
> On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 12:58:11 -0700 (PDT), Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>
> Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
> happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
> came to pass.
>
--
Running the rec.arts.TV Channels Watched Survey.
Fall 2016 survey began Sep 01; still accepting responses for Summer 2016
Dorothy J Heydt
Sep 19, 2016, 4:00:03 PM9/19/16
to
In article <nrpf3r$5hr$1...@dont-email.me>,
Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
>On 9/19/2016 11:05 AM, Jerry Brown wrote:
>> On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 12:58:11 -0700 (PDT), Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>>> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>>
>> Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
>> happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
>> came to pass.
>>
>Methinks he did not take the material with great seriousness. :D
Does anybody take Blackadder with great seriousness?
>On 9/19/2016 11:05 AM, Jerry Brown wrote:
>> On Sun, 18 Sep 2016 12:58:11 -0700 (PDT), Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>>> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>>
>> Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
>> happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
>> came to pass.
>>
>Methinks he did not take the material with great seriousness. :D
Dorothy J Heydt
Sep 19, 2016, 4:00:03 PM9/19/16
to
In article <nrp937$edc$1...@dont-email.me>,
only for all the personal as well as medical details, but a
glimps at how things have changed since the 1950s. I
particularly remember a small child diagnosed with leukemia, and
the doctor in charge tells the intern about some palliative
measures he can take, but adds "She's God's little girl now.
He'll decide how long she's got."
He has another book, under the same pseudonym, which I haven't
read; I believe it's about being in general practice.
Michael F. Stemper <michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 2016-09-18 18:12, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>> In article <nrmv5q$t1d$1...@dont-email.me>,
>> Michael F. Stemper <michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 2016-09-18 14:58, Kevrob wrote:
>>>> On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>
>>>>> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
>>>>
>>>> All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
>>>>
>>>> Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
>>>> It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
>>>> specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
>>>> correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
>>>> fields.
>>
>> Not to be confused, however, with "Dr. X," a pseudonym of Alan E.
>> Nourse.
>
>Huh. I never heard that one, and I was pretty big on him in my early
>teens. (And his stuff holds up pretty well, too.)
It's a journal of his year as an intern. Fascinating ... not
>On 2016-09-18 18:12, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
>> In article <nrmv5q$t1d$1...@dont-email.me>,
>> Michael F. Stemper <michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 2016-09-18 14:58, Kevrob wrote:
>>>> On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:48:17 PM UTC-4, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>
>>>>> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only was Dr. X,
>>>>
>>>> All-New, All-Different, Uncanny Nit-Pick:
>>>>
>>>> Charles Xavier's adventuring cognomen is "Professor X."
>>>> It is canon that, among his earned degrees are an MD with
>>>> specialization in Psychiatry, so "Dr X" would be technically
>>>> correct, even if we ignore his multiple Ph.Ds. in other
>>>> fields.
>>
>> Not to be confused, however, with "Dr. X," a pseudonym of Alan E.
>> Nourse.
>
>Huh. I never heard that one, and I was pretty big on him in my early
>teens. (And his stuff holds up pretty well, too.)
only for all the personal as well as medical details, but a
glimps at how things have changed since the 1950s. I
particularly remember a small child diagnosed with leukemia, and
the doctor in charge tells the intern about some palliative
measures he can take, but adds "She's God's little girl now.
He'll decide how long she's got."
He has another book, under the same pseudonym, which I haven't
read; I believe it's about being in general practice.
Robert Carnegie
Sep 19, 2016, 4:57:27 PM9/19/16
to
On Sunday, 18 September 2016 20:21:13 UTC+1, Greg Goss wrote:
> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
>
> >(Perhaps the fifteenth and the twenty-fourth are also
> >admissible.)
>
> Do you want specifically I [noun or pronoun], or would the much less
> distinctive I [intransitive verb] also fit?
>
> I Spy. (Hmm. I always think of it as [verb] based on the kid's game,
> but I guess it could be [noun] )
I think I want it to be in the sense of "the autobiography
> Robert Carnegie <rja.ca...@excite.com> wrote:
>
> >(Perhaps the fifteenth and the twenty-fourth are also
> >admissible.)
>
> Do you want specifically I [noun or pronoun], or would the much less
> distinctive I [intransitive verb] also fit?
>
> I Spy. (Hmm. I always think of it as [verb] based on the kid's game,
> but I guess it could be [noun] )
of (a) ..." - which indeed I think Asimov's collection
only approaches indirectly; his stories are portraits
of robot and human psychology, mostly from the point of
view of the masters. (That's us? Uh, right? Humans?)
He does have a robot writer of a sort in "Galley Slave"!
There's another title, "I, said the spy", of a book
that I haven't read; that one may have a very old
inspiration - "Who killed Cock Robin? - I, said the
sparrow."
I wondered about records of human slavery - which is
superseded by machine slavery, of course: Asimov thought
that had already happened in his time. (That's machines
as the slaves - although _Metropolis_ was already filmed,
and I think Charlie Chaplin touched on the question.)
There are several eloquent texts by slaves, that perhaps
I should know better than I do - although they don't
look like fun - but "I, a Slave" appears to be only a
title of a recent work that is about something else
(sex? probably).
Booker T. Washington apparently had "A Slave Among Slaves"
as his first chapter, which of course Google sees as
"I. A Slave ..."
Dimensional Traveler
Sep 19, 2016, 5:45:49 PM9/19/16
to
Robert Carnegie
Sep 19, 2016, 6:03:29 PM9/19/16
to
_I Pagliacci_ doesn't really count :-)
leif...@dimnakorr.com
Sep 20, 2016, 1:15:48 AM9/20/16
to
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> wrote:
>
> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>
> "GORDON'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
>
His voice _does_ have more than one setting, as amply demonstrated
>
> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>
> "GORDON'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
>
in this scene from I, Claudius:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu2MXqlDcEs
--
Leif Roar Moldskred
Jerry Brown
Sep 20, 2016, 2:27:25 PM9/20/16
to
so has mainly been called upon to demonstrate his ability to dial up
to eleven (and beyond).
William December Starr
Sep 26, 2016, 12:20:07 AM9/26/16
to
In article <nrmnh9$2jo$1...@dont-email.me>,
Me, I'm currently pigging out on reruns of "Law & Order," which
currently show up on at least three different cable channels. One of
them is TNT, which is also running -- and heavily promoting in ads
-- an original series loosely based on and with the same name as
William Brinkley's 1988 novel THE LAST SHIP.[1]
And the actress Elisabeth Rohm, who played Assistant District
Attorney Serena Southerland -- one of the good guys -- for 85
episodes of L&O is currently on "The Last Ship" as, apparently, a
stone cold villianess. So I'm watching Law & Order and then a
commercial break comes on and in it I see Serena Southerland in
a scene that goes:
SHOW'S MAIN HERO CHARACTER, being held hostage on a Learjet that
the bad guys are making their getaway in: "Where are we going?"
SERENA SOUTHERLAND: [shrugs] "It's a big world. There are a
lot of empty spaces."
MAIN HERO: "And when we get there, you kill me."
SERENA SOUTHERLAND: [agreeably] "That is the plan, yes."
Like I said, whiplash.
-----------
*1: Loosely based: in the novel there was a U.S./U.S.S.R.
nuclear war; in the tv series the world was"merely"
80% depopulated by a global pandemic. Also, in the
novel North America was apparently rendered virtually
uninhabitable; in the tv series the United States
seems to have been reconstituted. In both cases though
the general premise is that the personnel on a
U.S. Navy destroyer were unaffected by it all on
account of being in the middle of nowhere when it
happened.
-- wds
"Michael F. Stemper" <michael...@gmail.com> said:
> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only
> was Dr. X, a "good guy", played by Sejanus, but Magneto,
> I found the X-Men movie disconcerting, because not only
> a "bad guy", was played by Gandalf.
At least you didn't get whiplashed between any actor's two roles.
Me, I'm currently pigging out on reruns of "Law & Order," which
currently show up on at least three different cable channels. One of
them is TNT, which is also running -- and heavily promoting in ads
-- an original series loosely based on and with the same name as
William Brinkley's 1988 novel THE LAST SHIP.[1]
And the actress Elisabeth Rohm, who played Assistant District
Attorney Serena Southerland -- one of the good guys -- for 85
episodes of L&O is currently on "The Last Ship" as, apparently, a
stone cold villianess. So I'm watching Law & Order and then a
commercial break comes on and in it I see Serena Southerland in
a scene that goes:
SHOW'S MAIN HERO CHARACTER, being held hostage on a Learjet that
the bad guys are making their getaway in: "Where are we going?"
SERENA SOUTHERLAND: [shrugs] "It's a big world. There are a
lot of empty spaces."
MAIN HERO: "And when we get there, you kill me."
SERENA SOUTHERLAND: [agreeably] "That is the plan, yes."
Like I said, whiplash.
-----------
*1: Loosely based: in the novel there was a U.S./U.S.S.R.
nuclear war; in the tv series the world was"merely"
80% depopulated by a global pandemic. Also, in the
novel North America was apparently rendered virtually
uninhabitable; in the tv series the United States
seems to have been reconstituted. In both cases though
the general premise is that the personnel on a
U.S. Navy destroyer were unaffected by it all on
account of being in the middle of nowhere when it
happened.
-- wds
William December Starr
Sep 26, 2016, 12:26:54 AM9/26/16
to
In article <d5aeeca8-b79f-43ef...@googlegroups.com>,
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> said:
> Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>
>> And Augustus was played by Brian Blessed, who appeared in _The
>> Trial of a Time Lord_ as King Yrcanos.
Lawrence "Mad Larry" Miles' original Doctor Who novel
INTERFERENCE, in which a history lesson is beamed directly into
a human character's mind to quickly get her up to speed, and
because of her cultural upbringing her brain perceives the
information as being in the form of one of those high-budget BBC
TV productions.
-- wds
Kevrob <kev...@my-deja.com> said:
> Michael F. Stemper wrote:
>
>> And Augustus was played by Brian Blessed, who appeared in _The
>> Trial of a Time Lord_ as King Yrcanos.
>
> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH
> GORDON feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
He also "played" the Time Lord founder Rassilon in a scene in
> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH
> GORDON feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
Lawrence "Mad Larry" Miles' original Doctor Who novel
INTERFERENCE, in which a history lesson is beamed directly into
a human character's mind to quickly get her up to speed, and
because of her cultural upbringing her brain perceives the
information as being in the form of one of those high-budget BBC
TV productions.
-- wds
William December Starr
Sep 26, 2016, 12:35:03 AM9/26/16
to
In article <oDroG...@kithrup.com>,
djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) said:
> Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
I read an article somewhere about the three actors who, in some
off-Broadway comedy, were rotating in the role of hot young
muscular stud of a guy who was dumb as a sack of rocks. One of
them commented "It's hard work, not understanding what's going on
around you..."
-- wds
djh...@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) said:
> Dimensional Traveler <dtr...@sonic.net> wrote:
>> Jerry Brown wrote:
>>
>>> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>>> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>>
>> Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
>> happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
>> came to pass.
>>
>> Methinks he did not take the material with great seriousness. :D
>
> Does anybody take Blackadder with great seriousness?
To be sure, being entirely unserious is often hard, serious work.
>>
>>> Brian "Large Ham" Blessed was Prince Vultan in the 1980 FLASH GORDON
>>> feature film, and various kings in the Blackadder series.
>>
>> Just the one: King Richard IV in The Black Adder. He said he'd be
>> happy to play Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder II, but sadly it never
>> came to pass.
>>
>> Methinks he did not take the material with great seriousness. :D
>
> Does anybody take Blackadder with great seriousness?
I read an article somewhere about the three actors who, in some
off-Broadway comedy, were rotating in the role of hot young
muscular stud of a guy who was dumb as a sack of rocks. One of
them commented "It's hard work, not understanding what's going on
around you..."
-- wds
Kevrob
Sep 26, 2016, 6:40:32 PM9/26/16
to
when they got to the WWI trenches.
Kevin R
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