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Richard 's Reviews > The Machine Stops
The Machine Stops
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The Machine Stops is a Sci fi novella by the famous author of A Room with a View, A Passage to India and Howards End.
I became aware of this quirky, atypical work many years ago when studying Howards End at school. I made a note to read it then and have finally got round to it ........... 40 years later!
The story concerns Vashti, a woman living on her own in a hexagonal room under the surface of the earth. Everybody leads an isolated existence, in identical rooms, their every need catered for by ‘the machine’. The machine, a quietly humming presence in the background was originally created by humans but has now evolved and taken control of the world.
Vashti is contacted by her son Kuno who lives thousands of miles away in an identical room and needs to see his mother, face to face ......... a shocking, unheard of request and a very unsettling one. What could be the matter? What cannot be said through the machine?
Direct contact and direct experience is firmly discouraged.
The Machine Stops is an amazing work of imagination. Amazing, as the novel foresees the internet, Skype-like communication, social media, driverless cars, internet shopping, Alexa-like control of household functions - the list goes on ....... and all written/ imagined in 1909!!
The near total isolation of everybody in this cautionary tale, connected only by screens, forms an eerie parallel to the strange and frightening times we are now living in.
The language is a little archaic and strangely, the text, on kindle, is strewn with spelling and punctuation errors. The book was very inexpensive so I can’t complain but it would be interesting to know how the text is set and finds its way into kindle format in such raw way.
A much recommended curiosity by this classic author.
I became aware of this quirky, atypical work many years ago when studying Howards End at school. I made a note to read it then and have finally got round to it ........... 40 years later!
The story concerns Vashti, a woman living on her own in a hexagonal room under the surface of the earth. Everybody leads an isolated existence, in identical rooms, their every need catered for by ‘the machine’. The machine, a quietly humming presence in the background was originally created by humans but has now evolved and taken control of the world.
Vashti is contacted by her son Kuno who lives thousands of miles away in an identical room and needs to see his mother, face to face ......... a shocking, unheard of request and a very unsettling one. What could be the matter? What cannot be said through the machine?
Direct contact and direct experience is firmly discouraged.
The Machine Stops is an amazing work of imagination. Amazing, as the novel foresees the internet, Skype-like communication, social media, driverless cars, internet shopping, Alexa-like control of household functions - the list goes on ....... and all written/ imagined in 1909!!
The near total isolation of everybody in this cautionary tale, connected only by screens, forms an eerie parallel to the strange and frightening times we are now living in.
The language is a little archaic and strangely, the text, on kindle, is strewn with spelling and punctuation errors. The book was very inexpensive so I can’t complain but it would be interesting to know how the text is set and finds its way into kindle format in such raw way.
A much recommended curiosity by this classic author.
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Comments Showing 1-50 of 62 (62 new)
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Anni
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Apr 04, 2020 03:15AM
Wow, that's a stunningly prescient scenario! Let's hope our current situation won't be prolonged much further.
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Not familiar with this one, but it sounds like a dandy. It's pretty wild that the author was right on task in 1909 to have hit on so many things that have come to pass.
It is amazing how prescient Forster was when he wrote this sci-fi book. Never estimate the power of the imagination. I love the connections you made to our present day realities. Great review, Richard.
Fabulous review, Richard! I had no idea that this book existed. Glad you finally got around to reading it, sounds fascinating!
This sounds quite intriguing, Richard. May be my next not-so-escapist read ;-)
Great review, Imagination and Invention... hand and hand. Adding this for sure. Sounds like the book needs to be run through an editing program, (that could have been one of those futuristic ideas straight from the pages of this book ) The TBR pile grows !
Even better it's out on Audio...
Excellent review Richard! Sounds intriguing!
Awesome review, Richard! Ha, better late than never! I'm glad you found it interesting, especially its similarity to our current lives. Hope you and yours are doing well and keeping safe!
Worth the wait Richard, excellent review 👍🏻
Anni wrote: "Wow, that's a stunningly prescient scenario! Let's hope our current situation won't be prolonged much further."Fingers crossed we get back to normal soon ....... certainly an interesting little story.
Zoeytron wrote: "Not familiar with this one, but it sounds like a dandy. It's pretty wild that the author was right on task in 1909 to have hit on so many things that have come to pass."Yes, fascinating and a bit spooky :)
Laysee wrote: "It is amazing how prescient Forster was when he wrote this sci-fi book. Never estimate the power of the imagination. I love the connections you made to our present day realities. Great review, Rich..."Thanks Laysee ........ a strange little book that got so much right about the future.
This sounds fascinating with so many parallels to today's world. Excellent review, Richard. :):)
Terrific review, Richard! I'm a Forster fan, so I'll have to make my way round to this one eventually.
Marvelous review...This sounds very unique! 👸📖🌟
Wasn't this such a prescient story, Richard? Forster must have had a Leonardo da Vinci-esque foresight to have presented this astonishing vision. Excellent review!
Great review, Richard :)) Never heard of this book before .. E.M. Forster surprised me absolutely!
Meredith wrote: "Fabulous review, Richard! I had no idea that this book existed. Glad you finally got around to reading it, sounds fascinating!"Thanks Meredith ....... it’s only a short read but very worth reading :)
Wyndy wrote: "This sounds quite intriguing, Richard. May be my next not-so-escapist read ;-)"It won’t take you long to read Wyndy ........ but a worthwhile read I think.
★¸. • * ° *Jillie Anne * ° *•.¸☆ wrote: "Great review, Imagination and Invention... hand and hand. Adding this for sure. Sounds like the book needs to be run through an editing program, (that could have been one of those futuristic ideas ..."Hi Jillie, thank you! I’m interested to know what you think ........ great that’s it’s in audio as well! :)
Oh, this one does sound like a good read, Richard. Interesting about the errors and especially by a classic author! Fab review!
Kaceey wrote: "Excellent review Richard! Sounds intriguing!"Thanks Kaceey ....... it was :)
Yun wrote: "Awesome review, Richard! Ha, better late than never! I'm glad you found it interesting, especially its similarity to our current lives. Hope you and yours are doing well and keeping safe!"Thanks Yun ........ we’re fine, adapting to the new world!
Julie wrote: "Never heard of it!"Hi Julie, I don’t think it is very well known ......... interesting little read though.
Paromjit wrote: "Wonderful review, Richard. :)"Thanks Paromjit :)
Maureen wrote: "Worth the wait Richard, excellent review 👍🏻"It was Maureen ....... Thanks :)
Peter wrote: "This sounds fascinating with so many parallels to today's world. Excellent review, Richard. :):)"Cheers Peter ......... it was a fascinating short read :)
Candi wrote: "Terrific review, Richard! I'm a Forster fan, so I'll have to make my way round to this one eventually."Hi Candi ......... thanks, this one won't take you long. A short but fascinating read!
*TUDOR^QUEEN* wrote: "Marvelous review...This sounds very unique! 👸📖🌟"Many thanks TQ ....... it is! :)
Kevin wrote: "Wasn't this such a prescient story, Richard? Forster must have had a Leonardo da Vinci-esque foresight to have presented this astonishing vision. Excellent review!"
Thanks Kevin ....... you are right, absolutely astonishing!
Better late than never Richard! Fascinating review - must try and read this one! 😊
I’d never heard of this, but you make it sound intriguing. Sounds like I need to source a better quality copy, though...😀🖖🏼
Beata wrote: "Great review, Richard :)) Never heard of this book before .. E.M. Forster surprised me absolutely!"Thanks Beata ......... I was fascinated and surprised - a fine, short read!
Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader wrote: "Oh, this one does sound like a good read, Richard. Interesting about the errors and especially by a classic author! Fab review!"Thanks Jennifer ........ it was a curious little book and very enjoyable. Yes, weird that it was so badly formatted!
Ann wrote: "Fabulous review, Richard. 💖"Many thanks Ann :)
I never knew he wrote this......it sounds interesting but atypical of him.
40 years goes by in a flash - well, maybe I exaggerate a bit, haha. Glad you found it worth the wait Richard. Such a good author of whom I wouldn't have guessed wrote a sci-fi story. One terrific review Richard.
Ceecee wrote: "Better late than never Richard! Fascinating review - must try and read this one! 😊"Thanks Ceecee ....... it won’t take you long but certainly worth the read :)
Stephen wrote: "I’d never heard of this, but you make it sound intriguing. Sounds like I need to source a better quality copy, though...😀🖖🏼"Cheers Steve ........ a fascinating, strange little story. Made me think about re reading some of the other Forsters.
Jill wrote: "I never knew he wrote this......it sounds interesting but atypical of him."It was very atypical Jill ......... and very interesting!
Ron wrote: "40 years goes by in a flash - well, maybe I exaggerate a bit, haha. Glad you found it worth the wait Richard. Such a good author of whom I wouldn't have guessed wrote a sci-fi story. One terrific r..."Hi Ron ........... got there eventually and found it to be a good read. I think you might enjoy this one :)
Sounds a fascinating read Richard! Also amazing that his imagination got it almost spot on in so many ways 😊
Sandra wrote: "Sounds a fascinating read Richard! Also amazing that his imagination got it almost spot on in so many ways 😊"It was ........ a surprising and fascinating read :)
Better late than never, right? Even if it is 40 years later, lol. Great review Richard!
Wow, this is so out of the norm for this author. Splendid review, Richard.
I loved all the books you mentioned by this author in your first line, Richard. I’m afraid this would be a little too close to current events right now, but a must read at some point. Terrific review!
