Padfoot - Seventh Review - The First Men in the Moon

Hey Gang. Lately I have been on an adventure fix; but after the disappointment that is 20,000 Leagues, I was a little weary to jump right into another classic adventure tale. However, I was pleasantly surprised with H. G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon.

The First Men In the Moon
By H.G. Wells

Published in 1901, The First Men in the Moon is the story about a former businessman and a scientist who discover a way to defy gravity. With this new invention, they create a "sphere" and travel to the moon. Once on the moon, they discover a alien race they name "Selenites." From then on you are introduced to a whole new world, and are given a great mode of escape from the reality of the day.

"Over me, about me, closing in on me, embracing me ever nearer, was the Eternal, that which was before the beginning and that which triumphs over the end; that enormous void in which all light and life and being is but the thin and vanishing splendour of a falling star, the cold, the stillness, the silence-the infinite and final Night of space."

This story can been seen as all the good parts of Jules Verne, and none of the boring scientific classification mumbo-jumbo. Although there is some underlying social commentary, for me, it is simply a fun story to read on a gorgeous summer day. The first few chapters had me hooked, and I could literally feel myself being lifted off the ground and flying into space.

So if you are looking for a great escape, or a quick read, consider this book recommended.

In other news...

This week there is a Literary Fest at Prong's university. I will be joining her there and attending several readings/lectures, so we will bring you posts on those events sometime this weekend!

Padfoot - Seventh Review - The First Men in the Moon

Hey Gang. Lately I have been on an adventure fix; but after the disappointment that is 20,000 Leagues, I was a little weary to jump right into another classic adventure tale. However, I was pleasantly surprised with H. G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon.

The First Men In the Moon
By H.G. Wells

Published in 1901, The First Men in the Moon is the story about a former businessman and a scientist who discover a way to defy gravity. With this new invention, they create a "sphere" and travel to the moon. Once on the moon, they discover a alien race they name "Selenites." From then on you are introduced to a whole new world, and are given a great mode of escape from the reality of the day.

"Over me, about me, closing in on me, embracing me ever nearer, was the Eternal, that which was before the beginning and that which triumphs over the end; that enormous void in which all light and life and being is but the thin and vanishing splendour of a falling star, the cold, the stillness, the silence-the infinite and final Night of space."

This story can been seen as all the good parts of Jules Verne, and none of the boring scientific classification mumbo-jumbo. Although there is some underlying social commentary, for me, it is simply a fun story to read on a gorgeous summer day. The first few chapters had me hooked, and I could literally feel myself being lifted off the ground and flying into space.

So if you are looking for a great escape, or a quick read, consider this book recommended.

In other news...

This week there is a Literary Fest at Prong's university. I will be joining her there and attending several readings/lectures, so we will bring you posts on those events sometime this weekend!

Book Giveaway! The Joke's Over

Hello everyone.....

I was in Half Price Books (again) and found a hardcover edition of The Joke's Over by Ralph Steadman which is a book of memories of one of his great friends, Hunter S. Thompson. As you all know, we love Thompson, and thought this was a very cool find, so we would like to share it with you all, in hopes to inspire you to delve into the world of Gonzo-journalism! It also has a foreword by Kurt Vonnegut, which is pretty cool itself.

"With a bit of luck, his life was ruined forever. Always thinking that just behind some narrow door in all of his favorite bars, men in red woolen shirts are getting incredible kicks from things he'll never know."
-Hunter S. Thompson
To Enter: We would like to give it to somebody who has an interest/curiosity in Thompson/Steadman/Gonzo-Journalism, so on that note, here are the requirements! 1. Google Hunter S. Thompson, and find out a little bit about his life and his books. 2. Write a paragraph about why you are interested in Thompson, and at least one thing you have discovered about him or his works that you find fascinating. 3. Comment on this post with your paragraph, and then you will be entered to win! You have until Wednesday May 6th to enter!

Also, time is running out to enter the Padfoot and Prongs Spectacular Scavenger Hunt!! The winner gets a 25$ book of choice from amazon.com and the contest is ending May 20th. There is still plenty of time to get yourself entered. We have changed the rules so that for every task completed, you get 1 entry for the prize. So get to hunting fellow marauders and win yourself that prize! For more details check out the side over there ---->
Congrats to Jenners and Rebecca who are already doing a fabulous job on their entries. Be sure to check out their blogs for some examples.

So if you are not a fan of free books then be sure to ignore this post. However, if you are like us and cannot pass up the chance to win anything literary, then get cracking on these fun opportunities!

-mischief managed-