GordonMorrice (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Brilliant comment!

billywitchmusic (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Ballard is brave and brilliant. He shines a light at the dark heart of modern toss.

earinsound (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

The mentality that is promoted in the USA is certainly one of mindless conformity and belief in a wrathful, biblical God and the society/culture that it creates. Hmmm...sounds like a few other terrorist/police states in the desert.

MarxBakuninMe (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

I disagree. What about all the mall and school shootings? Indeed, the terrorists are often middle-class, well educated young men from the suburbs.

unluckytourist (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

America IS the home of the global tyrant.

SURFUR (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

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 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

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 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 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 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 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 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)

Have you read it? I want to.