J.G. Ballard: Quotes [Paperback]

J.G. Ballard (Author), Mike Ryan (Editor), V. Vale (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2004

Ballard's books have remained fresh decades after they were first published, and the thoughts collected in J.G. Ballard: Quotes have worn equally as well. Small enough to fit in a pocket, this book brings together J. G. Ballard's trenchant thoughts on music, film, celebrity, the rise of corporate media, the death of reality, and much more. Grouped by topics such as "Sex: Relationships, Sex x Technology equals the Future, Pornography" and "Surrealism, Imagination," these quotes are both concise and clear, and provide a strong beacon for readers who are used to a baffling daily assault of advertisements, phone calls, and e-mails. They are also an excellent resource to help readers better understand Ballard's novels, which stand among the most visionary, provocative literature of the 20th century. A Ballardian glossary, the essay "Guide to Virtual Death," and a bibliography round out this excellent resource.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A compendium of provocative quips and comments ... often they compress the modern world with magnificant concision. -- John Strausbaugh, New York Times, December 1, 2004

A fabulous collection of quotes organized beautifully, paired with snazzy and often bizarre photographs. -- Lauren Eggert-Crowe, Galatea's Pants #15, Nov 29, 2004

This book provides a keen insight into the mind of a 20th-century counterculture hero [J.G. Ballard]. -- Gary Singh, Metro Silicon Valley, November 24, 2004

About the Author

James Graham Ballard (15 November 1930 - 19 April 2009) was an English novelist and short story writer who was a prominent part of the science fiction New Wave movement. His best-known novels are the controversial Crash, an exploration of sexual fetishism connected to automobile accidents, and the loosely autobiographical Empire of the Sun, about his childhood internment by the Japanese during World War II after the invasion and conquest of Shanghai, where Ballard was born in the International Settlement. Both books were adapted into films, by David Cronenberg and Steven Spielberg respectively. So distinctive was his work that the adjective "Ballardian" entered the language, defined by the Collins English Dictionary as "resembling or suggestive of the conditions described in J. G. Ballard's novels and stories, especially dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes and the psychological effects of technological, social or environmental developments." Ballard was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June 2006, from which he died in London in April 2009.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Re/Search Publications; First edition. edition (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1889307122
• ISBN-13: 978-1889307121
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,465,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Shanghai in 1930, J. G. BALLARD is the author of sixteen novels, including "Empire of the Sun," "The Drowned World," and "Crash." He lived in London until his death in April 2009.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a Drug, February 23, 2007

By 

Christopher B. Murray (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: J.G. Ballard: Quotes (Paperback)

J.G. Ballard's "Quotes" is one of my favorite books. How does Ballard do it? He offers the starkest insights about Western culture and the psychopathology of the human race, and yet the book is fun, exciting, and totally addictive. The editors have combed all of Ballards books for interesting excerpts, and they have arranged them conveniently into chapters. There is a chapter on Writers and Writing, a chapter on 9/11, a chapter on Beaches, a chapter on William S. Burroughs--it goes on and on. Yes, sometimes there are redundancies, but that did not bother me. In fact, it is interesting to see how Ballard takes an insight or prediction and retools it slightly over time. One of my favorite of his predictions is that in the future, science and pornography will intersect. That may seem obvious to some people now, but Ballard made this prediction in the early 1970's. Another thing this book is good for: getting titles to other interesting books. Ballard reads widely, and he recommends books throughout this volume; some are books I had never heard of. "The Black Box", for instance, contains the transcripts of dialogue between pilots and air-traffic controllers for flights that eventually crashed. Ballard cites one of his favoite books: "The Los Angeles Yellow Pages". He considers this directory a surrealist work. Likewise, the chapter on film is good for some titles: after reading Ballard I returned to "The Road Warrior" and "The Hitcher" (two of my childhood favorites) and saw them in a new, Ballardian light. If you like this one, I would also recommend the book of Conversations with Ballard and "A User's Guide to the Millenium". Of course, "Crash" is not to be missed...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reference a-go-go, January 31, 2005

By 

Kevin Martin "paranoiajack" (virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: J.G. Ballard: Quotes (Paperback)

A great little reference book, qoutes that seem to be relevant to just about everything that is going on, and a lot of them are from a long time ago. Of course you could say that about a lot of things, but to be able to boil the zeitgeist of now down itno easily digestiable snippets that are both profound and witty, is a wonderful talent. This is, I think, and indespensible book for JG Ballard fans and reference book fans (I'm both, btw).

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Slices of the Future Subconscious, August 23, 2005

By 

Rae Schwarz "post-modern Renaissance woman" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: J.G. Ballard: Quotes (Paperback)

J.G. Ballard has had his fingers on a strange universal pulse for many years, somehow seeing just around the corner in time. His comments, whether in fictional form from his literary characters, or from himself in interviews, are truly unique.

This new collection from Re/Search is like a box of psychopathology candy. Your brain is going to be nibbling on these bits for a long time. The collection draws from his published work, private notes, and interviews. If the usual inspirational sayings leave you feeling rather flat, just open a page of this book and read one at random. Chances are you will be thinking about it the rest of the day.

The quotes are organized into topical sections including (but not limited to) The Future, The Past, Virtual Reality, Celebrity, Death, Film, Art, Technology and Science, America, Airports, Freeways, Swimming Pools, Car Crash, Sex, William S. Burroughs, and reflections by Ballard on his unique life and experiences.

A great book for Ballard fans, those who love to discuss/debate, or anyone who likes to keep their brain dusted off.