--- In [email protected], "hugheshugo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], "hugheshugo" > > <richardhughes103@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@> > wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "hugheshugo" > > > > <richardhughes103@> wrote: > > > Another science fiction author, Philip K. Dick, > > once wrote a novel in which the I Ching figured > > prominently in the plot. The hidden secret of the > > book, that he revealed at a sci-fi conference I > > once attended, was that the I Ching wrote the book. > > He just started writing, with no fixed ending in > > mind, and every time he got to a point in the plot > > where he had to make a decision as to whether to > > turn "left" or "right," he threw a hexagram and > > did what it said. I always thought that was a > > pretty neat use of the I Ching. > > Is that the "mars is heaven" story?
I don't remember the title of the Bradbury story, just that it was part of "The Martian Chronicles." The PKD novel was called "The Man in the High Castle." It's an example of the "what if" genre of science fiction, in this case, what if Germany had won WWII and was now in charge of America. The first translations of the I Ching and other esoteric and occult literature were done in Germany just before and during the WWII period, and were big favorites of the Nazis, who used them to justify their manias. Characters in the novel are consistently throwing hexagrams. PKD's little joke was that he allowed the I Ching to participate in the writing of the novel. > I seem to remember that, a long time since I read it. I > was always a big Bradbury and PK Dick fan I'll go back > and re-read them just to see how I interpret them these > days. Bradbury was a good writer, as long as he stuck to short fiction; he was less successful with novels. Philip K. Dick was just brilliant all the way around, but he wasn't the most stable or happy individual (he spent some time in mental institutions). He was also interested in Eastern philosophy and wove some Eastern sources into his work. For example, "Ubik" was based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead. > Talking of random strangeness did you ever read "The dice man" > by Luke Rhinehartn Haven't heard of it, no. > now there was a wild idea a guy decides to live his life on > the throw of a dice. He draws up six options for everything > including things he really doesn't want to do and then > unquestioningly follows it's orders. Try it if you haven't > already. The novel, or that approach to life? I'll look for the novel. :-)
