The diamond age is a 1995 science fiction novel by neal stephenson. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of shakespeare. Read the book on paper it is quite a powerful experience. Hackworth makes a pirated copy of the book to take home to his own. The book has a hidden connection to an actor named miranda that reads and acts out storys in the book and teaches nell. A young ladys illustrated primer, intended to function as both parent and teacher. I just finished listening to the audiobook version of neal stephensons the diamond age and i wanted to check and see if i understood the story properly. The diamond age is a sciencefiction novel that anticipates the development of nanotechnology and reflects on its social consequences. In 1919 a mathematician and diamond cutter named marcel tolkowsky published a book called diamond design wherein he mathematically calculated a set. The diamond age is a major novel from one of the most visionary writers of our time. In the book, she becomes princess nell, the focus of marvelous tales and experiences that, seemingly incidentally. I thought, why not create an educational book that would tell the same stories with increasing complexity as the child grew up. The diamond age, or, a young ladys illustrated primer is a novel by neal stephenson about a world where nanotechnology has become ubiquitous and society has fractured along subcultural lines. In the book, she becomes princess nell, the focus of marvelous tales and experiences that, seemingly incidentally, educate and train her.
Tells the stories of the great fortunes made and of great fortunes lost by hundreds now forgotten by history. In four futures peter frase poses, as a thought experiment, an antistar trek. In between the extracts from the social register, black diamonds contains a great deal of worthwhile information and interesting analysis about the state of affairs in and about wentworth house. The diamond age, or a young ladys illustrated primer was an interesting, convoluted, frustrating book packed with ideas, characters and too little plot. Jan 14, 2015 diamond is no different and has actually become my new favourite book by her, just edging in front of hetty feather and the longest whale song. Does the electronic version of the book completely replace the paper version. Yes, i think it is quite purposefully openended, as the climax of the book literally, the fornicationassolution to the seed is the harbinger of a new era, a paradigm shift in technology. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. In fitting with such a victorian plot, the prose is rich and even the chapter titles are detailed. Best of all, if after reading an ebook, you buy a paper version of the diamond age. The idea came to me when i saw a a mobile designed to hang above a crib, with cards that could be swapped out for more complex designs as the babys visual system developed. Set in twentyfirstcentury shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a stateoftheart interactive device falls into.
Nell, a little girl who grows up to become an important player in her world with the help of a magical storybook. The golden age quotes from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Newsweek stephenson is the hottest science fiction writer in america. The book appeared on time magazines list of 100 alltime best englishlanguage novels written since 1923. Instead, it took a week of good, intense reading, and then it was over. For your reference, we provided these the diamond age quotes with page numbers using the following version of the book. It is to some extent a science fiction comingof age story, focused on a young girl named nell, and set in a future world in which nanotechnology affects all aspects of life. Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more.
It is to some extent a bildungsroman or comingof age story, focused on a young girl named nell, set in a future world in which nanotechnology affects all aspects of life. Now, in the diamond age, he delivers another stunning tale. Tolkowskys observations of diamonds cut to these proportions, as well as the observations of others in the trade, served to validate his. John percival hackworth, the author and software engineer behind the book. Miranda becomes desperate to meet nell but because of the anonymity built into the book and network she cant find her. It is to some extent a science fictio the diamond age by neal stephenson questions short training full character types report with analysis guidebook dummies integrating all chapters gratis, sparknotes author, part introduction. The the diamond age, or, a young ladys illustrated primer community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. The diamond age envisions the next century as brilliantly as snow crash, raved newsweek upon the arrival of this stunning novel. Vividly imagined, stunningly prophetic, and epic in scope, the diamond age is a major novel from one of the most visionary writers of our timedecades into our future, a stones throw from the ancient city of shanghai, a brilliant nanotechnologist named john percival hackworth has just broken the rigorous moral code of his tribe, the powerful neovictorians. The diamond age on the surface, thediamondage by nealstephenson may seem like yet another scifi story about nanotechnology, but if you dig deeper, youll find that one of the main themes of this book is education and its role in the development of a child into an adult. Set in 21st century shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a stateof the art interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin named nell. She enters a fairy tale in which she is the heroine, challenged with traversing an enchanted world in search of the fabled twelve keys.
Litcharts makes it easy to find quotes by chapter, character, and theme. Each home, even poor apartments, has an assembler that can construct basic items from preprogrammed recipes and a. Neals sf novel, the diamond age, promises more of the same. Immediately download the the diamond age, or, young ladys illustrated primer summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching the diamond age, or, young ladys illustrated primer. The diamond age by neal stephenson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Click to read more about the diamond age by neal stephenson. Common as the air meant something worthless, but hackworth knew that every breath of air that fiona drew, lying in her little bed at night, just a silver flow in the moonlight, was used by her body to make skin and hair and bones. An illegallymade copy of the book falls into the hands of nell, a young girl in an abusive situation, and has a major impact on her life. This study guide consists of approximately 72 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the diamond age, or, young ladys illustrated primer. The next generations postscarcity communist society, but in which those technologies of abundance are enclosed with intellectual property barriers so. It was absolutely perfect, there was nothing wrong. Theres a lot more to the story than that, but it would be hard to explain the other parts without spoilers and most of them tie to the primer in one way or another.
Snow crash is without question the biggest sf novel of the 1990s. X, busy rescuing doomed, unwanted chinese girl babies, duplicates the stolen copy of the primer so as to raise and educate the infants. If it was any other author i would have been satisfied, but i listened to the entirety of the ridiculous tome that is reamde, and i frankly expected that this book would go on further. Aug 22, 2001 appropriately enough, the diamond age is primarily about a lower class girl, nell, who stumbles across an interactive book which teaches her how to grow up to become a true queen. While the speculative aspects are no less astounding and inventive, they require less technical exposition and seem to have a more solid grounding in the real world as opposed to the virtual reality of the metaverse.
He discusses the national issues that exploded around the ratification of californias. The diamond age or, young ladys illustrated primer neal stephenson. Mar 16, 2020 so i dug around and found an analysis of the situation, with the catchy title of estimating the infection and case fatality ratio for covid19 using ageadjusted data from the outbreak on the diamond princess cruise ship pdf, so i could see what the outcomes were. Brands explores the farreaching implications of this pivotal point in u. Or, a young ladys illustrated primer is a postcyberpunk novel by neal stephenson. The diamond age, or, young ladys illustrated primer. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. I have just finished rereading neal stephensons the diamond age for about the fourth time and am still confused about the ending.
Or, a young ladys illustrated primer is a science fiction novel by american writer neal stephenson. The diamond age is, on the surface, a tale of technology. The world of the diamond age or a young ladys illustrated primer is. Set in 21st century shanghai, it is the story of what happens when a stateoftheart interactive device falls into the hands of a street urchin named nell. Diamond is no different and has actually become my new favourite book by her, just edging in front of hetty feather and the longest whale song. The diamond age, or, a young ladys illustrated primer neal stephenson. The diamond age npr coverage of the diamond age by neal stephenson. Feynman, drexler and merkle are seen among characters of the. The diamond age quotes by neal stephenson goodreads. The novel deals with themes of education, social class, ethnicity, and the nature. We ignore the blackness of outer space and pay attention to the stars, especially if they seem to order themselves into constellations. Vividly imagined, stunningly prophetic, and epic in scope, the diamond age is a major novel from one of the most visionary writers of our time decades into our future, a stones throw from the ancient city of shanghai, a brilliant nanotechnologist named john percival hackworth has just broken the rigorous moral code of his tribe, the powerful neovictorians. Plot summary the diamond age, or, a young ladys illustrated. The golden age quotes from litcharts the creators of.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the diamond age by neal stephenson. However, the books underlying thematic elements have more to do with the importance of good parenting and education than they do. A world of plentiful sustenance for all, without money, is technologically feasible. An illicit copy of the book falls into the hands of an abused little girl, nell. So i dug around and found an analysis of the situation, with the catchy title of estimating the infection and case fatality ratio for covid19 using ageadjusted data from the outbreak on the diamond princess cruise ship pdf, so i could see what the outcomes were. I suspect stephenson of being in love with his ideas and initially, i wasnt tempted by the diamond age, but the subtitle drew me in. Aug 17, 2010 the diamond age summary the story centers around a young girl named nell, a lower class thete being raised by her single mother and protective older brother in the slums of the leased territories a floating landmass off the coast of asia controlled by the neovictorian new atlantis phyle. Together, they represent a new era in science fiction.
We assign a color and icon like this one to each theme, making it easy to track which themes apply to each quote below. Shortly after obtaining a bootleg copy of the primer, for example, nell, the novels heroine, is caught up in a fairy tale that, taking note of the urban. The book is designed to imprint on the first young woman who picks it up, and immediately creates myths, folktales, and other stories starring that girl which constantly adapt to her age and knowledge base, and teach her to read, think critically, fight and defend herself, etc. The novel deals with themes of education, social class, ethnicity, and the nature of artificial intelligence. The diamond age is a 1995 science fiction novel by neal. It is to some extent a science fiction comingofage story, focused on a young girl named nell, and set in a future world in which nanotechnology affects all aspects of life. Both the fists and the mouse army come from the celestial kingdom yet they seem opposed surely dr x would have wanted the mouse army to support the fists. The world of the diamond age or a young ladys illustrated primer is set far enough into the future that nanotechnology is ubiquitous. The protagonist in the story is nell, a thete or person without a tribe. The book explicitly recognizes the achievements of several existing nanotechnology researchers. The diamond age, or, a young ladys illustrated primer. Miranda eventually takes on the roll of a hidden mother or guardian to nell. The diamond age by neal stephenson in djvu, epub, rtf download e book.
Oct 05, 2011 stephenson returns to the princess nell story throughout the diamond age, and those of us who came of age in the prebrowser version of the internet the early 90s in which the novel was. Each home, even poor apartments, has an assembler that can construct basic items from preprogrammed recipes and a citywide feed of raw materials. The diamond age, or, young ladys illustrated primer source. In stephensons mediumterm future, star treks matterenergy replicators are a reality well, the food replication is considerably well below star trek standards. Or, a young ladys illustrated primer isnt steampunk, not as that term is generally understood. Dickens immediately surfaces as a point of comparison, not only because of the size of the book but because the future stephenson presents his readers with is, in many respects, a skewed reflection and imitation of the victorian age. The diamond age by neal stephensen is a coming of age story set in a world in which nanotechnology has become a part of life. The difference between stupid and intelligent people and this is true whether o. The diamond age envisions the next century as brilliantly as snow crash did the day after tomorrow. The book of the seed is inside nells primer at the end and being worked on by the drummers. In 1919 a mathematician and diamond cutter named marcel tolkowsky published a book called diamond design wherein he mathematically calculated a set of proportions for the ideal round brilliant. By far the best part of this book is nell, particularly her actions in the.
The diamond age is set in a vividlyconceived nanotechnological future in which nation states have ceased to exist. The young ladys illustrated primer of the subtitle is a nanotechnological marvel, an interactive book, initially the only one in existence, which falls into the hands of nell, a young girl trapped in the underclass with her. The diamond age or, a young ladys illustrated primer is a postcyberpunk novel by neal stephenson. The diamond age is an ambitious, dickensian work of science fiction. Some critics have considered it a parody of cyberpunk and mentioned its satiric or absurdist humor. The diamond age, or, a young ladys illustrated primer background. Neal stephensons the diamond age meaning of ending. In snow crash, neal stephenson took science fiction to dazzling new levels. The story is very complex and i think i might have parts mixed up. Snow crash established stephenson as a major science fiction writer of the 1990s.