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http://www.books.com/scripts/subpage.exe?sid~ZsQ4rqjytMIJZoh/file~society.htm
Society of the Mind
By Eric L. Harry
Published by HarperCollins
1996, 6" x 9", 503 pages
Hardcover: ISBN 0-06-017694-6, $25.00 U.S.; $35.00 Canada
"One of the best reads of the decade." -- Clive Cussler
Such was the praise garnered by Eric L. Harry's bestselling first
novel, the spellbinding and shocking Arc Light, which was hailed
by critics as "the ultimate technothriller." Compared by reviewers
to both Clancy and Crichton, Harry has emerged as one of today's
hottest young authors; in his second novel, Society of the Mind,
he brilliantly interweaves cutting-edge science -- virtual
reality, artificial intelligence, and robotics -- with human
psychology, in an eloquent and harrowing thriller that will
guarantee his place as master of the genre.
Society of the Mind is the story of Dr. Laura Aldridge, a young
Harvard psychology professor who is offered a seven-figure sum for
a week of unspecified consultation by enigmatic inventor and
computer genius, Joseph Gray. Unknown to all but Gray's immediate
staff, his prized invention, a masssive, artificially intelligent
neurocomputer, has grown troubled. The computer's wide-ranging
errors are cause for grave concern. Laura is shocked -- but
intrigued -- when she learns exactly what her job entails: to
psychoanalyze and "cure" Gray's aberrant mainframe which has
become all-too-human in its operation, before its malfunctions
lead to global catastrophe.
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For Amazon loyalists :-
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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0060176946/5052-0700679-510737
Society of the Mind : A Cyberthriller
by Eric L. Harry
1 Ed
Hardcover
List: $25.00 -- Amazon.com Price: $22.50 -- You Save: $2.50(10%)
Published by Harpercollins
Publication date: June 1, 1996
ISBN: 0060176946
Synopsis:
Filled with virtual reality, artificial intelligence and robotics, this is
the story of Laura Aldrich, a young Harvard psychology professor who is
offered $1 million for a week of unspecified work at the island compound of
genius/madman Joseph Gray. Overwhelmed with the offer, Aldrich meets Gray
and discovers that her job entails psychoanalyzing Gray's most prized
invention--an all-powerful, humanlike computer.
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I haven't read it yet but if anyone has an opinion I'd like to hear it.
I don't normally read fiction unless it's very very good.
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These are some of my favourite books (with virus interpretations) :-
Shadowland by Peter Straub
- Turns object reality on its head
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- How a Level-3 mind sees object reality
1984 by George Orwell
- Control language and you control thought and therefore verbal memes
The Stand by Stephen King
- The "Captain Trips" virus makes HIV look like the common cold (read it but don't watch the TV miniseries)
Audrey Rose by Frank De Felitta
- Reincarnation fiction : atheistic memes temporarily suspended (good Hopkins movie too)
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- The movie captured about 10% of the book's overwhelming bio-tech detail (even has sample computer code)
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Hakeeb A. Nandalal
nanco@trinidad.net
"Divine intervention is unlikely"
- The Doctor, ST Voyager
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