SURFUR (September 2, 2008 at 5:50 am)

by Dane YoussefMr. Ballard himself declined a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) honour for "services to literature" in 2003. His stated his reasons: "Thousands of medals are given out in the name of a non-existent empire. It makes us look a laughing stock and encourages deference to the crown. I think it is exploited by politicians and always has been."It's always the most talented, brilliant and successful that can afford to turn down honours.by Dane Youssef

GabrielNeil21 (July 18, 2008 at 12:30 am)

A visionary writer, but something about his style sometimes annoys me - I think it's his obsession with psychoanalysis.I started off with his most recent book "Kingdom Come" and I thought it was genius - I always found those shopping-centre towns quite disturbing. At the same time, I think his view of humanity is too simplistic. In some ways I think Will Self follows on from him by creating a more complex picture of humanity.

TheHonourableJLD (July 2, 2008 at 1:56 pm)

I'm having a go at Super-Cannes, my first Ballard novel, and it's a really refreshing read! And I usually can't stand Science Fiction, though this isn't typical Sci-Fi.

amaxamon (June 28, 2008 at 7:26 pm)

Good writer, but his world-view is not very convincing. The new tyrants ARE coming out of the literal desert & jungle. Sorry, it is simply a fact. Not out of shopping malls. Screaming kids and fat Americans come out of shopping malls, not global tyrants.

ehunter2 (June 26, 2008 at 4:43 am)

Have you read it? I want to.

leamonfoot (June 20, 2008 at 11:08 pm)

BRILLAINT

subscooby (June 5, 2008 at 9:04 pm)

Tell me about it. I tried to read 'Cocaine Nights' recently. Couldn't finish it, it was too boring. 'High Rise', on the other hand is brilliant.

subscooby (June 5, 2008 at 9:02 pm)

Yeah. Ballards one of the most original voices in contemporary literature, and yet some hack borrows a scene from 'Apocalypse Now' for this documentary. Ah well, Ballards still ace.

keytoothed (May 26, 2008 at 10:35 pm)

One of my favorite contemporary writers, he and Ursula K. LeGuin.

kanyenke12 (April 23, 2008 at 3:30 pm)

I HATE YOU ALL!!