It is a world dominated and literally reshaped by advancements in nanotechnology, a branch of science that extends the range of human possibility in bizarre and unexpected ways. On another, it offers a thoroughly imagined portrait of a world deeply divided along political, ethnic and cultural lines. On one level, The Diamond Age tells the story of an individual education. Among the chief protagonists are Nell, a young girl who receives a most unusual education by way of an interactive, neo-Victorian guide called “Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer,” and John Percival Hackworth, the engineer who designed the primer and who has plans of his own for its use. Set largely in Shanghai several decades after the events of Snow Crash, this brilliantly complex narrative tells a number of interconnected stories. Like its predecessor, it is universally recognized as a classic of contemporary science fiction. Winner of both the Hugo and Locus Awards for Best Novel, The Diamond Age once again examines the relationship between technological development and social change.
I've never posted on this sub before, but after getting emotional thinking about the book I needed to get it out and keep my day going.Dust jacket and endpaper illustrations by Patrick Arrasmith.įirst published in 1995, The Diamond Age was Neal Stephenson’s follow-up to Snow Crash, his unforgettable account of a world transformed by Virtual Reality and its attendant technologies. It was just an amazing read, especially for a parent. My heart just breaks thinking about the children in the real world who are in equally bad situations, and don't have a Primer.
I read it during a time in my life when my son was 1 year old, and it kind of asked the question of me - 'Who will your son become, if you are not in his life? Who will teach your son the skills and give him the grit he needs to make it in this world?' It lit a fire under me to spend as much time teaching him (and my other son) as possible. I remember seeing the text of that passage on the page and my brain wouldn't let me keep going because I knew I was going to break down. Miranda realizing what kind of situation Nell was in, during her acting sessions. I just came here to get this out - a friend of mine recommended a Neal Stephenson book that I'm already in the middle of, and I found myself recommending right back at him 'The Diamond Age.' I attempted to put into words what the plot meant to me, and I found myself in tears remembering all the amazing moments of the book.
0 kommentar(er)
