The Nature of Consciousness : The Structure of Reality: Theory of Everything Equation Revealed : Scientific Verification and Proof of Logic God Is

Book Description

This book describes how understanding the structure of reality leads to the Theory of Everything Equation. The equation unifies the forces of nature and enables the merging of relativity with quantum theory. The book explains the big bang theory and everything else.

Customer Reviews:

The Real Deal.......2006-09-25

Although Mr. Wheatley is a little verbose in sections, his documentation of Zen Buddhistic Principles found throughout the disciplines of Mathematics, Physics, Theology, etc. forms a nice reference guide for anyone tuned into that wavelength. In particular, his explanation of how Godel's Theorem and Cantor's "Confusion" shed great light on the difference between GOD's Logic and Man's Logic should be a revelation to any undergraduate level math students who encounter these ideas for the first time. Curiously, Mr. Wheatley makes many misstatements about both Zen Buddhism Principles and the Bible, however. For example, by accepting the false biblical teaching of Original Sin, he misses the point that eating the proverbial apple gave Adam and Eve the ability to make Moral Discernments in fulfillment of GOD'S PERFECT PLAN. As proof, read Genesis 1 which states that Man and Woman were made in GOD's Image. Genesis 4 shows that Adam and Eve weren't the first humans on Earth at all, there were plenty of others by then. The allegorical meaning of the story of Eden, then, isn't that Adam and Eve were the first humans on Earth, but they were the first humans with the ability to make Moral Discernments (in GOD's Image). In fact, Moral Discernment is God's Unique Gift to Man, which is the basis of consciousness, not some Math Formula. But because the wages of the resulting, unavoidable sin are Death, many people foolishly try to return to Eden by: (1) living a sinless Life (2) by removing choice altogether by passing and enforcing strict Laws (3) by attempting to do away with Moral Discernment and the resulting consequences for our actions altogether by trying to remove Shame from Shameful actions. GOD is not some ethereal Man-In-Space, but is simply the Totality of all Real Things, The Set of All Real Sets. GOD's Love manifests itself from the amazing sub-atomic relationships that underly this magic Life all the way to the grandest of Macroscopic Scales, the Interconnected Totality itself. The Zen Buddhism connection can be found by simply superimposing the 0 symbol and the symbol for infinity (8 on its side) in Mr. Wheatley's supposedly "new" formulation that 1 = 0 x infinity. Superimposing them gives you the yin-yang symbol. A potential disadvantage of artificially separating the infinity from the zero, however, is that Mr. Wheatley is able to equate the entire expression to be equal to 1. This potentially might obscure the fact that the deepest meaning of the yin-yang symbol is that it is both 2 and 1 AT THE SAME TIME. His overall equation does preserve that important meaning by utilizing a single element on one side of the equation and two elements on the other side of his final TOE equation. This may be hard to see for some at first, however, which could potentially obscure the richest meaning of this beautiful symbol/equation. A much more GODLY TOE, in my opinion, comes from Euler, who discovered that e ^ (i * pi) - 1 = 0. When someone can explain that relationship, then they can say they know GOD.

A life changing experience??.......2005-06-13

This book is an easy read and does succeed in being somewhat thought-provoking. However, I am a little surprised at the awesome, "life changing" experience it apparently was for many of the readers. Wheatley's conclusions were interesting but nothing really new. All of his material should have passed through the mind of any thinking person without the aid of this book.
The reason I gave this book three stars is because he uses unneccessarily wordy ways of describing simple things. Also, the author and many other reviewers insist that Wheatley makes only one assumption. Wrong-his whole theory is one big assumption.
Overall though it was a very interesting and worthy book.

Should be Required Reading for everyone.......2004-06-26

This book will change your life. You will never think the same way you did before reading it.
I have a degree in chemistry and I think this book should be read by everyone in the sciences. Without a doubt, the best book I've ever read. Why and what are two of our best friends

A Very Important Book.......2004-01-26

I must preface my review by stating that I have never been so excited and moved by a book that I have wanted to contact the author. That is what I found myself doing upon reading this book. This book is just what its title says. The author does not "miss a beat" describing in great detail using practically every aspect of scientific knowledge from atomic structure through logic to quantum theory---we are even given a valuable explanation of Love. This text may be challenging to read for those unfamiliar with scientific terminology. And it can also be difficult for those with a science background, such as myself. However, for me it is well worth the work necessary to strive to understand the unfamiliar terminology. (I am continually learning from this book. I am presently on my third reread).

One of the author's main messages is "not" to believe anything without first verifying it with reality, as we know it. He calls it the "Personal Explanation Principle". He indicates that religions are just such belief systems that we as people "fall" victims of; because we do not verify the beliefs with the facts, as we know them, of reality. He gives a very detailed explanation of how the New Testament can be explored using his methodology.

The author methodically and meticulously walks us through his thought processes, which took 30 years to assimilate, of delineating the structure of reality and the nature of consciousness. Included in the "walk" are many of reality's phenomena made revelatory. An example of that, for me, would be the dual nature of light. It's particle/wave duality, which is explained as "functions". Also, when the author took me on the mental journey of "Setness" an exhilaration of the magnificence of life swelled up in me.

To me this is a very important book that should be read by all that are seekers of truth. It is for all those wanting to gain an understanding of the purpose for their existence, wanting to know where life is headed towards, and wanting to know who God is.

This book will enlighten and develop one's mind substantially. You will discover that this is our objective.

And yes, I contacted the author and he responded openly.

Illuminating!!!.......2002-12-30

This is a really great book. It combines philosophy and science in order to tackle a multitude of existential problems. The author's style of writing is fresh and alive, I recommend ths book to anyone interested in expanding the fronteirs of their understanding. Books I also liked are a Universe in an Nutshell by Steven Hawkings and Descent into Illusions by Paul Omeziri.

Average customer rating:

The Big Sleep - A must read
Your classic tough guy PI
Essential
Classic detective novel
As Hard Boiled as a Three-Minute Egg

The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394758285
Release Date: 1988-07-12

Amazon.com

"His thin, claw-like hands were folded loosely on the rug, purple-nailed. A few locks of dry white hair clung to his scalp, like wild flowers fighting for life on a bare rock." Published in 1939, when Raymond Chandler was 50, this is the first of the Philip Marlowe novels. Its bursts of sex, violence, and explosively direct prose changed detective fiction forever. "She was trouble. She was tall and rangy and strong-looking. Her hair was black and wiry and parted in the middle. She had a good mouth and a good chin. There was a sulky droop to her lips and the lower lip was full."

Book Description

When a dying millionaire hires Philip Marlowe to handle the blackmailer of one of his two troublesome daughters, Marlowe finds himself involved with more than extortion. Kidnapping, pornography, seduction, and murder are just a few of the complications he gets caught up in.

"Chandler [writes] like a slumming angel and invest[s] the sun-blinded streets of Los Angelos with a romantic presence."
--Ross Macdonald

Download Description

"Chandler [writes] like a slumming angel and invest[s] the sun-blinded streets of Los Angelos with a romantic presence."
   ROSS MACDONALD

"Raymond Chandler is a master."
   THE NEW YORK TIMES

"[Chandler] wrote as if pain hurt and life mattered."
   THE NEW YORKER

"Chandler seems to have created the culminating American hero: wised up, hopeful, thoughtful, adventurous, sentimental, cynical and rebellious."
   ROBERT B. PARKER, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"Philip Marlowe remains the quintessential urban private eye."
   LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Nobody can write like Chandler on his home turf, not even Faulkner.... An original.... A great artist."
   THE BOSTON BOOK REVIEW

"Raymond Chandler was one of the finest prose writers of the twentieth century.... Age does not wither Chandler's prose.... He wrote like an angel."
   LITERARY REVIEW

"[T]he prose rises to heights of unselfconscious eloquence, and we realize with a jolt of excitement that we are in the presence of not a mere action tale teller, but a stylist, a writer with a vision."
   JOYCE CAROL OATES, THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS

"Chandler wrote like a slumming angel and invested the sun-blinded streets of Los Angeles with a romantic presence."
   ROSS MACDONALD

"Raymond Chandler invented a new way of talking about America, and America has never looked the same to us since."
   PAUL AUSTER

"[Chandler]'s the perfect novelist for our times. He takes us into a different world, a world that's like ours, but isn't."
   CAROLYN SEE

"A serious rereading of the Marlowe novels and stories yields more surprises than a rereading of Hemingway."
   RICHARD RUSSO, AUTHOR OF EMPIRE FALLS

Customer Reviews:

The Big Sleep - A must read.......2007-09-25

Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep is a first person narrative about private detective Philip Marlowe. The novel is considered a classic crime detective fiction story. Chandler perfectly builds the setting of the underworld of Los Angeles in the 1930s with memorable character, dialogue, and an interesting plot.

Chandler builds this world with a sparse-style that is of the same mold as Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver. His writing is tight and crisp, which keeps the speed of the plot moving fluidly, and rapidly.

The story begins when Marlowe is called on by a crippled millionaire, General Sternwood, to investigate Arthur Gwynn Geiger; the General wants to know more about the man with a blackmail attempt against one of his two 20-something year old daughters, Carmen Sternwood.

Seems simple enough? Well, lets just say the plot is complicated. Geiger turns out to be running a pornography racket, ends up murdered in his house with a naked and drugged Carmen sitting next to him. The next morning the Sternwood's chauffeur turns up murdered.

The pornography racket leads to Joe Brody, a two-bit hustler, who tries selling naked photographs of Carmen that were taking minutes before Geiger was murdered. But before Brody can get even more involved in the story, he gets murdered.

If that isn't plenty, the plot gets further complicated when you toss in a casino owning gangster, a hit man, a few missing people, and another hustler with a lead to Silver Wig. Marlowe eventually solves the blackmail situation, but soon gets on the chase for a missing ex-husband, which leads to a wild grand finale - A murder mystery. The plot is so involved that Chandler forgets to mention who killed the chauffeur!

Today, most readers would not even wince at the storyline. But, Chandler's novel must have been considered controversial to audiences when it was printed in 1939, especially because the story included themes such as pornography, homosexuality, and inter-racial relationships; even the 1946 film version starring Humphrey Bogart had to change some of the plot to make it suitable for the audience.

But what makes the novel such a great read is the character Philip Marlowe, the wisecracking, heavy drinking, and chain-smoking private eye. The character, like the plot, is also complex. Marlowe acts tough throughout, but also has a heart. Instead of calling the cops on Carmen, which he could do for a number of reasons in the story, he just wants her to seek help; and he doesn't even take advantage of her when she's lying naked in his bed. He just throws her out. He also plays chess and likes poetry.

Marlowe's quotes are also memorable. When the General asked him how he liked his brandy, Marlowe responds "In a glass." But my favorite line was: "You know what he'll do when he comes back? Beat my teeth out, then kick me in the stomach for mumbling." Wisecracks like these are constant throughout, which makes the story a fun read.

If you appreciate them, you will also appreciate Chandler's metaphors with lines like "Dead men are heavier than broken hearts." I recommend The Big Sleep; it's a classic. A definite must read.

Your classic tough guy PI .......2007-08-15

A fantastic detective story centered around tough guy P.I. Philip Marlowe. Many people have complained Chandler leaves a lot of loose ends - which may be true - but over all its a compelling read that you won't be able to put down.

Essential .......2007-08-04

What a great read. I am a major fan of noir fiction and after reading "The Postman Always Rings Twice", I craved another novel to fulfill my addiction and this one popped up. Chandler was way ahead of his time (it was published in 1939) and as cliche as it sounds, I simply could not put this book down. This is a classic that should be read and savoured by any fan of noir fiction.

Classic detective novel.......2007-07-18

Good vintage/ classic detective novel. I haven't read any of Chandler's books before, so I started with this one, his first.

I never read the classic detective novels because I knew that they took place in the forties and I thought that they would be really dated and old fashioned.

Yet again, I was wrong. I don't know why I thought that it would be more innocent than it was. People are people and they murdered and gambled and drank and slept around just as well, if not better, than we do now. If you are a fan of mystery and detective novels you should give this a try.

As Hard Boiled as a Three-Minute Egg.......2007-07-14

Disclaimer: I began reading THE BIG SLEEP knowing that Humphrey Bogart plays the story's narrator, detective Philip Marlowe, in the screen adaptation. However, I haven't seen the movie, nor read a single Chandler novel until this book.

Nevertheless, I forgot Bogart about as quickly as a smile vanishes when an unasked-for bucket full of cold water is thrown at it. After all, what kind of hard-boiled macho knows interior design, alludes to Marcel Proust, or can resist the desperate advances of a naked woman?

For example, here's how Marlowe describes Eddie Mars's place: "It was wainscoted in walnut and had a frieze of faded damask above the paneling." Damask? Get outta here. Marlowe does this repeatedly, and by the mid-way point, I concluded that Marlowe is about as hard boiled as a three-minute egg.

Regarding Chandler's style, it could be argued that he overuses the simile, because this device sometimes calls attention to itself. For example, "The plants filled the place, a forest of them, with nasty meaty leaves and stalks like the newly washed fingers of dead men" is the third of four such similes in a single long paragraph in chapter 2.

Nevertheless, this book moves so rapidly, you'd better be wearing a seatbelt. A bigger mystery seems to loom behind every solved one leading to a surprising conclusion.

Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America)

Average customer rating:

The cliches were invented right here
Great Stories, Great Edition, Great Book
Great stories by a great author
A Vicious Circle
Good, good, GOOD editorial choice here!

Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America)
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1883011078

Amazon.com

If you're looking for the perfect gift for yourself or some other lover of mysteries, this beautifully-made volume from the Library of America series will definitely prove that you care enough to send the very best. And if you haven't picked up The Big Sleep, Farewell, My Lovely, or The High Window recently, you'll be amazed at how well they stand up to the test of time. (A second handsome volume, Later Novels & Other Writings -- including The Long Goodbye -- is also available.)

Customer Reviews:

The cliches were invented right here.......2005-08-19

There are Hammett fans and Chandler fans. I am for Hammett, but Chandler's work remains compelling. The plots are nonsense but the metaphors are the purest gold. The opening scenes of THE BIG SLEEP and FAREWELL, MY LOVELY are delicious every time.

Great Stories, Great Edition, Great Book.......2004-01-30

Just my personal opinion, but I think Raymond Chandler is one of the most underrated American authors. Anyone who hasn't read "The Long Goodbye" must be punishing themselves for sins in a past life. "The Big Sleep" and "The High Window" are also excellent novels--good mysteries.

But what really makes Chandler's stories hold up so well is the language: "The Dancers is the kind of club that will dissolution you about what a lot of extra golf money can do for the personality" or "What does it matter, if you're breathing wind and air or oil and water--when you're sleeping the big sleep."

While the plots are wonderful period pieces of a young Los Angeles, the characters are richly drawn. Ever wonder where all those tv detectives came from? Right here.

Chandler's short stories are also supurb. My vote for the single best detective short story of all time is Red Wind--there is so much that happens in such a short story. No one should ever die without reading it....."Trouble is my Business" is also excellent....

Is this a complete collection of his short stories? No--There are a few I would have added, even though several of them were "canibalized" (Chandler's phrase) into later novels. The plot of "Bay City Blues" was built into "Lady in the Lake," but I think that story still holds up on its own. An earlier review also mentioned that "The Pencil" is missing. I can't understand why it was left out. "Killer in the Rain" also became "The Big Sleep," but it still has charm. "No Crime in the Mountains" is not included, but that's not much of a loss.

Not all of the stories in this book work--but that's going to be true with any collection. What is convenient with Library of America is the bindings are wonderful, the print font easy to read, the books lie flat, and will last forever. The list prices are a little steep--but not if you consider the amount of literature you're getting for the cost. I've bought this book three times, and have loaned it out--only for it to never return. But that's why I buy books.

One final note--The previous review mentioned that in this edition Johnny Dahlmas was replaced by Phillip Marlowe in "Red Wind." I was certain it was Johnny, and used Amazon's "Look Inside" to confirm--it is. Chandler had a few detectives, that eventually evolved into Marlowe, and each was a little different. I have a very soft spot in my heart for Dahlmas (I'm probably spelling his name wrong, so the soft spot may be in my head), so if the editor x-ed him out, I'd be furious....

Buy this book.

Great stories by a great author.......2002-07-19

Chandler is perhaps the greatest writer of detective fiction and a great author period. To ignore these books is to ignore much of what is great about American literature.

Two of his three best novels are included here (The Big Sleep & Farewell, My Lovely).

The stories and great fun, if also rather flawed. My biggest complaint is that are presented here in their republished form, rather than with the original names of the protagonists. (For example, the hero of "Red Wind" is Philip Marlowe here, rather than John Dalmas.) That a fairly minor quibble. Especially good are "Goldfish" and "Red Wind."

The binding is very nice, as are all Library of America editions. My edition has held up quite well after heavy use.

A Vicious Circle.......2002-03-01

"Nothing made it my business except curiosity. But strictly speaking, I hadn't had any business in a month."(21) For Phillip Marlowe, the irresistibly aloof private detective who stars in Chandler's impressive detective novel, Farewell, My Lovely, crime is not something he seems able or willing to avoid. Hitting the streets of Los Angeles in the midst of the American gambling craze of the 1930's, Marlowe finds himself an inextricable player in a search for knowledge of past and present crimes and criminals.
Though he appears, on the surface, to be little more than a nosy, bumbling "private dick," his successful unraveling of a closely interwoven crowd of crooks proves, as one suspect cop observes, that Marlowe "played...smart....You must got something we wasn't told about." (228) Keeping his cards in his hand for most of the noel, Chandler shows that both he and Marlowe are "smart," leading the reader on a circuitous trail that shakes out only in the novel's final pages.
The story begins with a happenstance encounter between Marlowe and an ex-con called "Moose" Malloy. Marlowe cannot resist pursuing the suspicious-looking hulk of a man and soon finds himself both running after and from a variety of shady characters. In the course of his private investigations, Marlowe survives several near brushes with death, getting "sapped" by thugs near the novel's start, pumped full of opium in a suspicious hospital-like place, and stealthily boarding a closely guarded gambling boat to confront an infamous mobster in the middle of the night. In the end, Marlowe succeeds at untangling the web of murders and crimes that keep him running throughout the novel, but not before giving the reader the run-around as well. Chandler's smart, articulate prose lends itself well to the captivating story and intriguing characters that combine to make this a must-read for fans of detective fiction.

Good, good, GOOD editorial choice here!.......2001-12-02

Earlier anthologies of Raymond Chandler's works mostly center upon what have come to be known as his 'big four' or earliest novels -- The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, The High Window, The Lady In The Lake -- or upon his later, and admittedly (with the possible exception of The Little Sister) 'inferior' works. Chandler's earlier short stories ( many of which he "cannibalized," to use his word, for the material in his subsequent novels) are normally treated as a separate genre altogether.

This particular collection, rightly, combines Chandler's first three novels with the best of his earlier short stories, recognizing the thematic unity in those works. (Good as it is, "The Lady In The Lake" demands to be treated separately from Chandler's earlier efforts.)

Chances are, if you're reading this, you've read most, if not all, of Chandler's Phillip Marlowe novels. You may as well have read many, if not all, of the short stories presented here. But have you read these novels, and these short stories, TOGETHER in this context? Likely not. But you deserve to.

In the short stories, for example, there are protagonists named John Evans, Ted Carmody and Tony Resick (the last two of which, interestingly, inhabit locations which were most likely Los Angeles' Hotel Mayfair, with which Chandler had more than a nodding familiarity). And when, in Chandler's writings, did they meld themselves into what would be his penultimate creation, Phillip Marlowe?

And at which point did Chandler begin to write, as fellow writer Ross McDonald termed it, "like a slumming angel . . ."? The answers to both questions may well lie here, in this collection.

Pick up this collection! Read it! Discover the material anew!

Average customer rating:

Chandler reigns

Great Fun!

The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The High Window (Everyman's Library)
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Everyman's Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Lady in the Lake, The Little Sister, The Long Goodbye, Playback (Everyman's Library)

The Maltese Falcon, The Thin Man, Red Harvest (Everyman's Library)

Raymond Chandler: Collected Stories (Everyman's Library)

The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce, and Selected Stories (Everyman's Library Classics)

Complete Novels: Red Harvest / The Dain Curse / The Maltese Falcon / The Glass Key / The Thin Man (Library of America)

ASIN: 0375415017
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Book Description

(Book Jacket Status: Not Jacketed)

Raymond Chandler’s first three novels, published here in one volume, established his reputation as an unsurpassed master of hard-boiled detective fiction.

The Big Sleep, Chandler’s first novel, introduces Philip Marlowe, a private detective inhabiting the seamy side of Los Angeles in the 1930s, as he takes on a case involving a paralyzed California millionaire, two psychotic daughters, blackmail, and murder. In Farewell, My Lovely, Marlowe deals with the gambling circuit, a murder he stumbles upon, and three very beautiful but potentially deadly women. In The High Window, Marlowe searches the California underworld for a priceless gold coin and finds himself deep in the tangled affairs of a dead coin collector.

In all three novels, Chandler’s hard-edged prose, colorful characters, vivid vernacular, and, above all, his enigmatic loner of a hero, enduringly establish his claim not only to the heights of his chosen genre but to the pantheon of literary art.

Customer Reviews:

Chandler reigns.......2006-01-21

I first came across Chandler when I heard the Coen brothers interview and discovered that 'The Big Lebowski' was written in the style of one (name itself being derived from 'The Big Sleep'). This alone interested me enough to buy and read The Big Sleep.

Six novels later, I'm still reading Chandler novels, and still finding each and every one different, interesting and intriguing. The main character Marlowe is a wisecracking detective, wary of women - whom he obviously mistrusts - except for the "bad type of women", for whom he does not particularly care. He is also a complex, intelligent man, often an altruist who goes to some extraordinary lengths for his clients, even when he's not paid.

Novels are usually set in 30's/40's Hollywood and Bay City (which is since called something else), and are especially nostalgic, if you've lived in the surrounding areas.

Chandler's writing is funny and unique - the stories - all told in first person, are written so that the reader is both aware of Marlowe's conscious thoughts, and at the same time, when the ending or some pivotal point in the story arrives - is not. This point is not easy to describe, but it works extremely well - the stories are always amusing, captivating, and suspenseful.

I will easily recommend any Chandler novel for anyone interested in mysteries, as well as to those that enjoy unconventional styles of storytelling.

Great Fun!.......2005-04-12

I am generally not very interested in mystery/detective books and don't think that I've read any other than a few Sherlock Holmes books many years ago. That said, I picked this book up on a whim and really enjoyed it.

The short novels included in this book all feature LA private eye Phillip Marlowe and are apparently set in the '30s and '40s. I really liked the following aspects of these novels:

1) It is really fun to read Chandler's descriptions of the places, clothes, cars, slang, mannerisms, characters, etc. of the time. Marlowe's wise-crack observations, while cliched, often had me laughing out loud;

2) While Chandler uses all of the stock characters (smooth but menacing nightclub owners, sultry crooners, wise-guy PIs, effete rich buffoons, etc.), he really makes most of them come alive with the dialogue and their interactions with each other. In other words, Chandler does a great job of taking what would seem to be card-board cut-out characters and breathing life into them;

3) Marlowe is able to resolve most conflicts with a couple glasses of whiskey and some wise-cracks, especially if a "dame" is involved. Today, it seems like most such conflicts would be resolved with a burst of AK-47 fire or worse. While no doubt highly idealized, Chandler's more innocent world is appealing to read about.

4) For what it is worth, I am a big fan of the Everyman's Library series (which this edition is part of)--they are attractive, have good heft, include a page-marker ribbon, etc.

Probably my only criticism of these novels is that the plots are a bit contrived, but I guess that is part of the fun.

TMR

The Big Sleep & Farewell, My Lovely (Modern Library)

Average customer rating:

The original detective noir genre that started it all
The best place to start if you're a Chandler novice
Great Prose Stylist
The importance of being Marlowe
wonderful genre

The Big Sleep & Farewell, My Lovely (Modern Library)
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679601406
Release Date: 1995-05-02

Book Description

These two classic novels featuring private eye Philip Marlowe made Raymond Chandler's name synonymous with America's hard-boiled school of crime fiction.   The Big Sleep was an instant success when first published in 1939.  It centers around a paralyzed California millionaire with two psychopathic daughters; he involves Marlowe in a case of blackmail that turns into murder.

Farewell My Lovely, which Chandler regarded as his finest work, came out the following year.  It has Marlowe dealing with the Los Angeles gambling circuit, a murder he stumbles upon, and three very beautiful but potentially deadly women.
"Chandler writes like a slumming angel and invests the sun-blinded streets of Los Angeles with a romantic presence," said Ross Macdonald.  And George V. Higgins wrote:  "Chandler is fun to read.  He's as bleak as tundra, and his dirtbag characters far outnumber his stellar citizens, but Philip Marlowe is a laconic tour guide through a zoo of truly interesting animals."

Customer Reviews:

The original detective noir genre that started it all.......2005-06-28

Raymond Chandler, the author, is the definitive writer of the detective genre. His wise-cracking, earthy detective Philip Marlowe constantly sticks his nose into dangerous places, sometimes catching the far end of a swinging fist for his troubles. And trouble is a euphemism for his working life. His books led to the creation of several famous films with Humphrey Bogart playing Marlowe. But having seen the movies, there is no comparison to the quality of Chandler's original prose.

Here are a few witty samples full of imagery from his books:
"I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn't care who knew it."
"I was as empty of life as a scarecrow's pockets."
"... he looked as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food."
"He looked as nervous as a brick wall."

Chandler's stories move fast and contain a lot of action, just like his protagonist. Marlowe's character is a bit of a blue-collar cynic, an occasional ladies' man, a rebel, and a steadfast (but sometimes puzzlingly) honest man. Marlowe is just an average guy who just happens to solve cases involving the rich and beautiful (and their dirty little secrets) in mid-twentieth century LA. And I suppose Marlowe's fast-talking, action-oriented character is one most of us average guys could identify with, which accounts for the success of his books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - I don't usually like reading fiction - and highly recommend it. Chandler really is a pleasure to read. Why couldn't we have read something like this just once in my high school English lit classes!?

The best place to start if you're a Chandler novice.......2003-01-14

Seeing as how "The Big Sleep" and "Farewell, My Lovely" are the first two Philip Marlowe detective novels that Raymond Chandler wrote (published in 1939 and 1940, respectively), this is a grand place for a Chandler novice to begin pursuing the morally decrepit alleys and boulevards of the rich and not-so-rich in Los Angeles.

One thing you should note is that Chandler held the conventional detective stories (think: Agatha Christie) in disdain. Ergo, any attempt of mine to barf back the plots to you is a waste of time. They are so complex that you often forget exactly what happened shortly after you finish reading the books themselves...which doesn't detract from their quality whatsoever mind you. It's been told often enough that after their publication, Chandler often didn't even know what was going on in his own novels!

Suffice to say that both books concern murder among the wealthy elites in L.A. during Chandler's life--a time when the city was a lot smaller than its present size, and more hostile to outsiders--particularly to people of color. "The Big Sleep" concerns a disappearance and a reclusive millionaire and his two daughters (one is a mentally deranged nymphomaniac; the other is a bit more sensible, but no less shady) and the lengths he'll go to protect them. While this isn't the best Marlowe novel, this is probably the best place to start. Plus, it got made into a pretty good movie starring Bogie and Bacall.

"Farewell, My Lovely" is perhaps the most politically incorrect of the Marlowe books. It starts off with a murder at a bar in South Central L.A. and extends its tentacles into jewel heists and gambling rings where it is difficult to ascertain exactly who is doing what to whom. In Chandler's L.A., nothing is what it seems.

The story itself is engrossing, however, you must prepare yourself for Marlowe dropping the "N" word at least once, and his mockery of an American Indian for speaking in pidgeon English. Remember that this was 1940 and was 25 years before the Watts riots began to put an end to the white-dominated old boys network that used to rule L.A. That in itself makes it an interesting look at the mentality of the powers at be (the wealthy, the LAPD) and see how much has changed since Chandler's day...and how much hasn't.

My personal favorite of Chandler's books is "The Long Goodbye"--the second-to-last Marlowe novel that was published in 1954. I would rank both of these books below that one, but "Farewell, My Lovely" is a close second, while "The Big Sleep" is an auspicious debut for the hard-boiled, cynical, yet romantic ...

For those who are willing to take more than a passive interest in the works of Raymond Chandler, this two-book set is an excellent place to start. Furthermore, for those who are merely casual Chandler fans, this set is great because these two books are among his best (and it looks nice on your bookshelf too!)

Great Prose Stylist.......2002-06-04

I've always believed that Chandler was one of the great prose stylists of the 20th century. Read these two novels and try to disagree with me.

The importance of being Marlowe.......2002-04-16

Raymond Chandler's creation, Philip Marlowe, is a character that has influenced modern fiction greatly. Without Marlowe the archetype of "private dick" would not carry the cultural weight that it does today. It is true that the plot lines of many Chandler works are contorted to the point of no return, but it is not the plot that counts. The reason why these books are so successful is because we the reader become enthralled by Marlowe and his immediate knowledge of all things that surround him. Because Chandler made Marlowe such a carefully wrought character, Farewell, My Lovely becomes an examination of the human character rather than a list of dastardly deeds committed by crooks without depth. Every scene is an interaction between fully developed characters. He defines himself in relation to the people and actions that whirl in and out of his life. Marlowe offers us plenty of insight into his opinion of his relations. Because he is such an endearing person we want to believe every word he says. He is a product of the LA scene where he works. We the reader build confidence in our hero because he is capable of sizing up any situation immediately. Slowly we learn to trust Marloweýs way of navigating the underbelly of LA. I truly enjoyed Farewell, My Lovely because Chandler forces through Marlowe an undeniable wit and charm. He will make you laugh and draw you into his brand of thinking about other characters. I wonder sometimes when reading Chandler about how Marlowe would size me up. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about interesting characters and loves a wry wit and dark charm.

wonderful genre.......1999-09-18

Glad to see Raymond Chandler in a new edition, he's one of the best. His writing crackles. It's witty and poetic, a joy to read and re-read. Nothing like him has come out in the last forty years, except a part-spoof, part-serious leap into the 'hardboiled' genre called A Manual Of Etiquette For Ladies Crossing Canada By Train, handsome detective and gorgeous perp, brilliant language, on a transcontinental Canadian train, downing drinks in the club car. Hope more young writers take their lessons from Chandler. Marlowe is one of the great 20th century creations.

A TREASURY OF GREAT MYSTERIES - Volume (1) One; and (2) Two: Man Who Explained Miracles; Incautious Burglar; Arrow of God; Instead of Evidence; Big Sleep; Maigret's Christmas; Puzzle for Poppy; Rear Window; Lamp of God; Journey into Fear

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A TREASURY OF GREAT MYSTERIES - Volume (1) One; and (2) Two: Man Who Explained Miracles; Incautious Burglar; Arrow of God; Instead of Evidence; Big Sleep; Maigret's Christmas; Puzzle for Poppy; Rear Window; Lamp of God; Journey into Fear
Howard; Beecroft, John (editors) (Carter Dickson; John Dickson Carr; Leslie Charteris; Rex Stout; Raymond Chandler; Georges Simenon; Patrick Quentin; Ellery Queen; William Irish; Eric Ambler; Dorothy L. Sayers; Craig Rice; Stuart Palmer) Haycroft
Manufacturer: Nelson Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000GVVYAS

Perchance to Dream: Robert B. Parker's Sequel to Raymond Chandler's the Big Sleep

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Chandler-light
Sequel to "Big Sleep" 50 years later: fun and true to form Philip Marlowe !!
Good, but not best, by Parker...
The Big Almost.
half-hearted romp through the mean streets

Perchance to Dream: Robert B. Parker's Sequel to Raymond Chandler's the Big Sleep
Robert B. Parker , and Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1560549777

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Chandler-light.......2006-09-16

This book is a good sequil to The Big Sleep, and is much easier to read. You can picture Bogart (albeit 6 foot tall and 190 lbs) trouncing around southern California in search of the missing Carmen Sternwood, with Bacall having a bit part as sister Vivian. Parker is faithful to the characters, and does a nice job. This was a fun read.

Sequel to "Big Sleep" 50 years later: fun and true to form Philip Marlowe !! .......2005-10-10

We really admire Parker for having the knowledge and creativity to "dream" up a new Philip Marlowe some fifty years after the original "Big Sleep" {1939} was published. We may be influenced by having just recently read Chandler's original first novel (so it was fresh in our mind), but we thought Parker did a great job. First, his use of literal quotation from the original made an effective prologue as well as effective transitions for the plot line that continued in his sequel. Second, his replication of Marlowe, with which he had prior experience in finishing Chandler's last work, Poodle Springs {to which Chandler only contributed the first four chapters}, was so credible we barely missed the masterful prose of the series creator.

In the story, the younger of (now deceased) General Sternwood's daughters, Carmen, is missing from a sanitarium to which she was committed as part of the outcome of "Sleep". Her sister Vivian, with whom Marlowe eventually became infatuated enough to bed, wants her found, but turned to another of her friends from the first book, Eddie Mars, to find. Meanwhile Norris the butler hires Marlowe to do the same, and ironically he and Eddie form an unlikely alliance at times to pursue matters. Before it's over, a scheme to make a millionaire out of the sanitarium founder, in cohorts with a wealthy land baron recluse, is uncovered; as is the perpetrator of a couple more killings along the way. Naturally the urbane but dogged Marlowe finds time in between drinking, smoking, and wowing attractive women, to unravel all and ride off into the sunset as a hero.

Some might quibble that Parker is a mediocre substitute for Mr. Chandler, but who might be up to the task of stringing wordcraft in that author's stead? We found Parker's plot quite entertaining in its own merits and his ability to credibly bring Marlowe back to life after fifty years quite remarkable. We enjoyed the book immensely, and found it no unworthy companion to his main man Spenser. Indeed, we commend this book to Chandler and Marlowe devotees!

Good, but not best, by Parker..........2002-07-24

If you know have ever read a book by R.B. Parker you will find yourself in a familiar environment in this book. Parker sets himself a brave task in writing a sequel to Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep" and succeeds in pulling it off superbly. Parker is one of the rare modern writers who still believe that characters can have principles, and live by them even in extreme circumstances. Although this is not Parker's best work, I still recommend this book in which, in my opinion, Parker surpasses one of the legends of detective fition, Raymond Chandler.

The Big Almost........2001-08-08

Robert B. Parker comes the closest to the attitude of Phillip Marlowe. Stuart Kaminsky writes his Toby Peters stories more for laughs. Andrew Bergman (The Big Kiss-Off of 1944) had flashes where he nailed the speech, but was more in keeping with Spillane overall. William Nolan (The Marble Orchard) copies some of the dialogue- and I do mean copies- in his enjoyable Chandlerian mystery. And there are others, myriad others. But none of them get it quite right.

Neither does Parker, but he comes the closest. He matches the world-weariness, the cynicism and the reluctant romanticism, finding the knight in tarnished armor that is Marlowe. Yes, he very nearly matches the attitude. But he falls short with the style.

Chandler nearly ruined literature for me, because everything about every line of his writing'- the dialogue, the descriptions, the societal observations'- is so incredibly entertaining. Nothing can meet its rarified level. So I try to make due with 'close-enoughs.' When I finish a Chandler novel, I am depressed it came to an end; when I closed Parker's Perchance To Dream, it elicited a 'That's all there is?'

In P2D, the narrative is much too straightforward. The villain was clear from the first quarter of the book and there were few mysteries to solve. No convoluted Black Mask motives, no people impersonating other people. Marlowe doesn't even get sapped until distressingly late in the story. There is only one real subplot; then that ties in with the other so they can both be too-neatly wrapped up. It becomes clear what Marlowe must do and he sets out to do it. Then, very abruptly, the novel is over. It is strenuous but not complex. There is no last minute twist because the story followed a Spenser-like plot; it more resembles the structure of the first Lethal Weapon movie than it does that of The Big Sleep.

And as 50 years have passed between the publishing of the original novel and this one, some subtlety has been forsaken. Parker shows welcome restraint given the subject matter, but Carmen's decadence seemed in Chandler's novel somehow exotic and vague. In P2D, as postmodern psychology and sensibilities are applied, it seems cold and open and dirty.

Still, there is a lot that is great in this book. The flashbacks and tips-of-the-hat to the original novel come off better than they might have. We root for Marlowe and hiss the villain, as we should. Parker has penned an abundance of juicy wisecracks and has figured out how to end his chapters in the bittersweet tone much like Chandler accomplished. And the story, despite what I said above, is furiously-paced and viscerally entertaining. It just isn't Chandler.

Perchance To Dream is a good novel; but when someone slaps the words 'Sequel to The Big Sleep' on the cover of anything it had better be blackjack-to-the-head *great*. The fault isn't really Parker's' he came close, and his was a nigh-impossible task. After all, who can be as great as Raymond Chandler?

P.S. Poodle Springs was a more accurate tribute, if a less actionful read.

half-hearted romp through the mean streets.......2001-06-23

a little background is in order (as I understand it): the heirs of Chandler approached Parker to finish the Poodle Springs manuscript, and part of the deal was that he had to write one more Marlowe story. 'Dream' is that one more. The job was almost impossible to begin with (Chandler's drinking had taken the edge off his talent by that time, and the Poodle manuscript got off on the wrong foot to boot), the Chandler fans ripped it for not being up to Chandler's prime (which even Chandler himself wasn't, towards the end), the Parker fans ripped it for not being true Spencer, and Parker felt the strain of wearing another man's shoes. So by the time he got to this one, my guess is, his heart wasn't in it. He's said he'll never do another Marlowe book. That said, it's still good to have Marlowe back, cracking wise and cruising the mean streets again. I liked it better than Chandler's "The Pencil", and better than some of the Spencer books! I just wish Parker would reconsider, and do another Marlowe book without the pressures and constraints of a contract. Marlowe, like Sherlock, is a detective who deserves to live on after his progenitor, but the return of L.A.'s hard-boiled prose-poet is, perchance, just a dream.

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My favorite of the Dramatized Philip Marlowes

The Big Sleep (BBC Radio Collection)
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: BBC Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0563478306

Customer Reviews:

My favorite of the Dramatized Philip Marlowes.......2005-03-12

I purchased these audiobooks within a week of purchasing "Farewell my Lovely". The Big Sleep" and "The High Window" are my favorites. I love the plot, the wit (beautifully excecuted by Ed Bishop) The stories are really interesting and fun. It is unique to rely on your audiotory sense in a world usually focusing on the visual. These are a must to own for the Raymond Chandler, Philip Marlowe or Mystery theme fan. Personally my primary reason was for my favorite actor Ed Bishop being the star!! His voice and the delivery of each line with pinpoint precision is music to the ears :0)

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Chandler at the top of his game

The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Phoenix Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1597770523

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Chandler at the top of his game.......2007-06-01

I'm not much into crime fiction, Bunker and Ellroy excepted but Chandler's prose - oft imitated but seldom bettered - still rates as some of the best in this (or any other) genre. So take the writing, add the drawl and empathy that Elliott Gould (see also The Long Goodbye)brings to the proceedings and you have a classic recording. The packaging is tacky, the sound reflects the date it was recorded but the end result still delivers. Trust me - this is one to load up on your phone, iPod or good old fashioned cd player.

Beach Bum - Cornwall UK

The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The Long Goodbye

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The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The Long Goodbye
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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