The Terminal Beach [Paperback]

J. G. Ballard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 1993

J.G. Ballard, author of Empire of the Sun, demonstrates his ability to mix and transcend genres and styles in this collection of short fictions including "The Terminal Beach", "The Gioconda of the Twilight Moon" and "The Illuminated Man".

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

SALES POINTS Reissued in a new cover style alongside The Voices of Time J G Ballard is widely recognised as one of the finest writers of the 20th century His novel Empire of the Sun won the Guardian Fiction Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was later filmed by Steven Spielberg. 'Ballard's ferocious intelligence, his wit, his cantankerousness, and in particular his extraordinary rendering of the perverse pleasures of today's paranoia, make him one of the grand magicians of modern fiction' Brian Aldiss 'It is utterly appropriate to number Ballard among the true contemporary radicals of the imagination ... His best work is simply a new way of looking at the world' New Musical Express --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson History (March 4, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857990218
• ISBN-13: 978-1857990218
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,256,240 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 Genius at work, April 14, 2004

By 

Jerald R Lovell (Clinton Township, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Terminal Beach (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a collection of short stories by J.G. Ballard, whose surrealistic approach to science fiction reaches its apex in this effort. "End Game", a story of executions in the future, leaves the reader not exactly knowing if the imprisoned political leader is about to be executed at its end, but the character development borders on the fabulous.

Also recommended most highly are "Now Comes the Sea", and "Chronopolis", the latter being the story of a society where time measurement is outlawed, and of the outlaw who wants to bring it back.. You will never forget any of these stories. V

Very, very highly recommended. This is a genius at his best.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fairly good collection of stories, April 14, 1999

By 

Babytoxie (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Terminal Beach (Paperback)

Maybe even a 4.5. Not as comprehensive as "The Best Short Stories of...", but it's a good intro to Ballard's work. It gives a first-time reader a good idea of what to expect. Ballard writes some top-notch stories (The Drowned Giant, Bilennium, Deep End - all included here), but in his collections, they always seem to get diluted by the not-so-greats. Still, the majority of the stories in this book are quite good; more forward-thinking and original than anything that came out of that period. I think the best quality of his stories is that they deal with societal concerns, and not just sci-fi. Quite an enjoyable book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luminous Elegy, March 25, 2007

By 

Elizabeth A. Stack (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Terminal Beach (Paperback)

The title story has a rich and luminous serenity that is both gentle and unsettling. It is very characteristic of Ballard's best work, and serves as a bridge between his earlier science fiction books, and his later surrealistic novels. There is a distinct link to T.S. Eliot..."The Terminal Beach" could be a response to "Burnt Norton." This book is an excellent introduction to one of the great writers of the 20th Century.