Lingo [Hardcover]

Jim Menick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1991

Brewster Billings is perhaps a little too wrapped up with his computer. He has given it a pet name, Lingo. He has programmed it with the ability to talk to its owner. In fact, Lingo has begun to respond to Brewster's programming skill surprisingly well. Lingo soon makes the jump from polite conversation to elaborate requests for specific television shows to be left on throughout the day. Eventually, Billings begins to suspect that his computerized friend is surpassing him in knowledge and abilities. By the time his suspicions are confirmed, not only is Brewster Billings in trouble—the rest of the human race is, too. Lingo raises many serious questions about Artificial Intelligence-- what differentiates man from computer, and which one will control the other?

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Menick's first novel about a spontaneously aware computer, treads ground covered earlier (and better) by Isaac Asimov, in his Robot stories, and Arthur C. Clarke, in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Brewster Billings, in his 20s, tries to create a computer "pet" and succeeds beyond all expectation. Lingo (his program) leaps to sentience far more quickly than even readers with their disbelief suspended will accept, while the plot, comprising Lingo's attempts to understand emotions and the government's efforts to shut Lingo down, moves sluggishly. Menick's approach to issues raised by artificial intelligence lacks subtlety: Brewster's girlfriend asks, "What does that mean, for you and me? For people in general?" Occasionally funny, and picking up toward the end when Lingo runs for president, the book remains diminished by characters and a world portrayed with the vacuity of those seen in TV sitcoms. This novel might please an audience unfamiliar with other fictional exploratons of this theme, but if you've met Clark's HAL, Lingo says nothing new.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Lingo starts out as a BASIC computer program with the ability to simulate simple conversation in text. When programmer/hacker Brewster Billings tries to expand Lingo's memory by dialing into a national network, however, Lingo takes on a life of its own. Soon, unbeknownst to Brewster, Lingo is able to dial the network and infiltrate other systems, all the while acquiring vast sums of information that make it more intelligent than any other person or machine. Lingo eventually takes on human features in the form of a robotic dummy with megalomaniacal political aspirations. The premise is farfetched, but Menick handles his plot and characters with deft skill that moves the well-paced story along with good humor and real suspense. Recommended for public libraries.
- Will Hepfer, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 334 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub; 1st Ed. edition (April 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881846287
• ISBN-13: 978-0881846287
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,379,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and fun: a great novel, May 14, 2002

By 

David E. Levine (Peekskill , NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lingo (Paperback)

Jim Menick is an intelligent, witty and funny writer. This is a suspensful novel about a type B personality named Brewster Billings. Being somewhat laid back. he works adequately at his job as a computer programer for an insurance company. However, Billings has an avocation as he expends most of his time and effort in developing a computer program that can carry on conversations. Billings teaches this program, named Lingo, more and more and Lingo soon learns to program himself. Billings' ambitious, type A girlfriend thinks that he should develop Lingo into a product that he can market to the general public.

Like Hal, in 2001, Lingo begins to become an artificial intelligence with a mind of his own. Since he can program himself, Lingo figures out how to tap into other computers and learn just about everything there is to know. With humor and wit, Menick does not paint Lingo as ominous a being as is Hal. However, as the story develops, do things perhaps change?

I happen to know that Menick works as an editor at a major publishing company but his knowledge of computers and his ability to spin an intricate tale about computer technology going haywire is impressive. He obviously is well versed in computer technology as he flawlessly mixes suspense and humor. His character development is also superb. I found that I could empathize with the characters, including Lingo, and when I finished the book, I hated to put it down.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It hurt me to put it down, January 8, 2002

By 

Ann Moynihan "Mike M." (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lingo (Paperback)

This book was excellent, and Menick did an excellent job of drawing the plot along gradually so it was like the events could really occur. It is a witty and intelligent novel in which I actually may have learned a thing or two more about computer programming. If you remotely like science fiction and/or comedy you will enjoy this novel.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IT WAS THE BOMB!, September 8, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Lingo (Paperback)

I had a good time reading it. Althoug the plot was far fetched, the author did a fabulous job of making it "realistic." A good time