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Beyond the Elastic Limit
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BEYOND THE ELASTIC LIMIT: General Discussion
Just starting, finally."Elastic limit" brings to mind for me an elastic (rubber band for my American relative) stretched to the point where it rips, rather than stretching. I also know it's a term used by blacksmiths, to describe iron's behaviour under force and high heat.
"Justice"? "Fairness"?
I'm not sure it can be treated a single concept, let alone as an absolute, as children attempt to do.
Thanks Lincoln:I’m very humbled to have my first Epic Fable of Time chosen for this month’s read & thanks to all of those members who made it happen, it’s appreciated.
I’m also delighted that it follows Paul’s most excellent book, for we take a totally different approach yet we both use similar literary tools to achieve the same goal, good story telling & I think it will be a great compare & contrast opportunity for those who enjoy not only the Time Traveling genre but Literature in general.
I had three aims with the book & I believe I achieved them: Simply told, compelling and very weird.
As in all of my Epic Fables, this one deals with the Elastic Limit, both a technical term inherent to the 4th dimension but also a metaphor for the human imagination & given it’s all about Time, it’s presented in a unique fashion (as the table of contents shows), for the action is already well underway when you start reading, something that enhances the overall theme of the story.
Numerous literary tricks were used, so called ‘hooks’ - for example, there’s a ‘mcguffin’ as Hitchcock would say, something that dominates the plot & totally drives all of the book’s action yet, at the same time, it’s an issue that does not overly concern the reader, who by then should be interested in other things, anyway.
As these devices may not be obvious, the affect is often mystifying at first & as demonstrated by Amy’s updates when reading, questions will no doubt abound.
Yet the answers will become self-evident as the narrative flows, at least that was my intent, but if not, I’ll be happy to elucidate, just ask.
For now, I’ll just stick to Amy’s description which states the book has ‘…cavemen, a forest monster, time travelers, space ships, love triangles, gods, a beast, warring factions, holy water, people that don't appear to age, and an old hag ... among other things. And the book definitely is epic in proportion…’
Hope everyone reads the newest edition, still a free download on Smashwords.com, which gives many downloadable venues from which to choose.
Be advised, as Tej has mentioned, that it’s best to read my stuff while wearing a seatbelt.
And, as I always relate: who knows what the Future will bring?
Art, concerning what's just or fair, is 'not sure it can be treated (as) a single concept, let alone as an absolute'Just the point Art.
What if circumstance compels you, forces you to make such a distinction?
Philosophical debate is one thing while reality is often another, at least once the welfare of others comes into play & especially when they are innocent of involvement and powerless to intervene.
Such is life; always a universal concern inherent to the human condition.
Or, as a wise child once told me, "Never push a loyal person to the point where he doesn't give a damn,"
Mod
Can I answer the questions I posed myself?
What is the Elastic Limit?
At first blush I am reminded of Thanksgiving and elastic in waistbands...as you eat to much and you have gone beyond the elastic limit and you let out a sigh of complete satisfaction and regret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N14Y81...
I like Howard's more magical and awe inspiring thought of imagination.
Mod
What is Justice?
What is beauty, liberty, anger? I suppose this is a question that cannot be answered as Howard says in the introduction. I was going to say perhaps these are things that cannot be explained in words but you know it when you see it. Howard proposes that even seeing justice does not define it. He proposes that it is a lot easier to see the absence of justice.
Perhaps, literature, art, movies television, theater etc all try to convey undefinable terms. The entire plot to Les Miserables is a story of Justice or the absence of it.
Lincoln mentions 'undefinable terms'Lincoln, all language is symbolic & any jargon has some definition.
The problem then becomes 'universally defined terms' & everyone using them being on the same page, not such an easy thing to accomplish in practice.
That's universal too, a more Epic view, if you will.
Mod
(view spoiler)
I am not sure what the rules of this universe are but I am told pieces of the puzzle will continue to fall into place as I read on.
What do you all think?
Howard wrote: "The problem then becomes 'universally defined terms' & everyone using them being on the same page..."Brilliant introduction, Howard. Bodes well for this epic fable. But, yes, "being on the same page" is always the issue, a matter of context, interpretation, viewpoint, and sometimes the honesty of decision-makers. I'm often amazed how supposedly fair-minded people can view the same set of "facts" and reach completely opposite conclusions. Happens all the time. Check the headlines.
Lincoln, you read at a fast pace, I'm impressed & also by your spoiler questions, which are all spot on.Be aware of the titles of the different PARTS & understand that someone in each story line knows what's happening & is looking for something or someone that they need.
By the by, 'this is what I do so this is my name' is the oldest human convention, another universal theme, but only one of many used in this Epic Fable.
Paul, indeed language, being fluid, can be used for good, for ill, or for both - it's all a matter of interpretation.Just ask any two politicians, but don't expect a straight answer from either of them.
Nature of the beast, you understand.
FYI, I know it's still very early in the read but wanted the members to know that I shall be away from my computer this weekend & so won't be able to respond to any comments that may ensue.Hope those participating are enjoying the book, thanks.
Mod
(view spoiler)
Where is everyone in the reading? I want to stick together if possible. Sorry to blind side everyone with 3 chapters on day one, if that was to quick. I was very confused after the 3 chapters and I thought we could piece the puzzle together as a group.
Mod
(view spoiler)
The non-linear sequencing of this book emphasizes the variable times seemingly existing on top of each other in this book. I know you are out for the weekend Howard but when you return care to comment on why you felt it needful to present and write the book in such an unconventional way? What does the group have to say? Are you enjoying the read?
Lincoln wrote: "I am reading this book so my name is confused..."I'm less confused, Lincoln, but only because this is a re-read. I had my questions months ago, but went with the flow and am glad I did, quite satisfying, actually. The initial vignettes are mysterious, but each has its own merit as characters, wardrobe, vocabulary, and writing style shift with the perceived time period. Skillful writing with a "Method to the Madness," as you say. I'm definitely enjoying the (re)read, especially the little details. You mentioned the (view spoiler)
Lincoln, looks as if you are the only one reading the book, at least for the first time, but so be it, I’m happy that you are, it’s appreciated.You are not the only one who has wondered about the seemingly disjointed Timeflow, but as I don’t as yet wish to use spoilers, I’ll just say that this presentation actually demonstrates what’s happened as opposed to just telling you what will happen & again it fits the theme, which is of course, what actually happened.
Try & diagram that sentence.
Anyway, I know it’s sometimes a fine line between intriguing & boring the reader & I was hoping for the former & while it’s true none of my other stuff uses this convention, again, I thought it fit here.
You will have to make that judgment call, but if you, as Spencer & others do, found yourself in a similar situation then I’d think your reaction would be much the same, perhaps I’m wrong, but the point is that in life, anyone’s life, that is, things beyond your control do happen & often frequently & the bigger point then becomes what you (or anybody) in a similar situation would do, especially given others ‘out of the know’ are involved.
Ditto on that sentence thing.
At this point though, I’m more concerned not with presentation but with flow & this is one good example of how Paul & I differ in approach.
He used a specific event, the suddenly displaced family unit & he employs vivid description to explain not only their situation but also how they react to it, yet here the event itself has many ramifications, not just one & each employs little description, again a conscious choice that I made.
I don’t want to tell you what he looked like (ie: he was dressed in rags), I want you to fill that in, for my point is elsewhere, telling a story of universal nature, something with which everyone can relate & the reader can fill in the gaps, they really don’t matter in the bigger scheme of things.
I hope you keep reading for the ‘ah ha’ moments will come, the question will be are you willing to keep with it long enough for them to do so & this will judge weather I succeeded or no.
There are many Time Travel books out there & most are variations on a theme, but I wanted something unique & more so compelling & the reader will have to judge the value.
Just buckle your seat belt for PART FOUR.
Mod
So ok, I read the other book in your series but not this one...it ties up together, in no particular order then?
Mod
Well I read Piercing the Elastic Limit. I have no idea how it relates in that book, I was confused at the end (it abruptly hit a wall, hence my "wear a seatbelt" comment in my review, hard brakes!). However, my interpretation for an elastic limit in terms of time travel is that time is a ribbon. It fluctuates, stretches, wobbles, ripples, resonates and even twists around but it is has pivotal points. No matter what happens in between those pivotal points, they remain predestined and always exist.
Not sure if that correlates with this series but that's my interpretation.
Introduction question number 1: It is a league of superheroes led by Superman who thinks he can bring justice to all wrong doings within the elastic limit. Justice is a means of revenge. So is justice justifiable? That's a rhetorical question...and I dont think I have any idea where I am going with this so I'll stop here...
Intro question 2: Absence of justice is...ok...Howard, are theses your questions?! Man. OK absence of Justice...is it chaos? or is it "keep moving on and let justice unwield itself through time"? Seeking your own justice is just prolonging the injury that that you are seeking justice for, right? So just heel up, move on and judge people carefully next time. Not that I would follow that principal but might be make some sense...except I've deviated completely away from the question...absence of justice. People getting away with murder? Is it another way of saying there is no God? Atheism rules?
OK, I'll start reading the book soon. I am 1/2 way through reading A Traveller in Time. its feels like a quick read.
Howard wrote: "Art, concerning what's just or fair, is 'not sure it can be treated (as) a single concept, let alone as an absolute'Just the point Art.
What if circumstance compels you, forces you to make such..."
Hi All,
I apologize for the delay and for not intervening so much in our time travel books discussions, but I am having quite an hectic time at work (I am still managing to read the books in my free time :-) )
Now (here is morning) I am going to work, and I am quickly reading your posts about justice. Since - as some of you know - in my 'real life' I am doomed to write law (rather than time travel, which is much more interesting), let me have my say on it ;)
Philosophers and jurists have been trying to agree on a common definition of 'justice' for more than two thousand years, but the results are still unsatisfactory. Any attempt to define the concept of justice is complicated by the fact that the word has multiple meanings: quite often no distinction is made between justice in the legal sense, in the ethical sense, in the political sense, and in the sociological sense; and different understandings of the concept of justice inevitably lead to different ideas of what it should entail: social order, fair distribution of assets and values, righteous life, fair and just judicial activity, and so on...
As Plato had already remarked over 2000 years ago, a just society exists only if citizens are born and live in a fair and just way... But then we face the question 'what is living in a fair and just way'? :)
I prefer the concept expressed many centuries later by John Rawls, according to whom the stability of a society depends on whether its members feel that they are being treated justly or not. This author explains the notion of justice as fairness, stating that “a basic liberty can be limited or denied solely for the sake of one or more other basic liberties".
Said that, I still do not know what is 'justice', and I am going to read Howard's book! :)
Piero, yes:My point is that any ephemeral ideal such as justice is by definition a judgment call & so will never be a universally agreed to concept.
As such, conditions will & must dictate the term & in this book conditions do take an extreme turn, again an occurrence with universal human application, an Epic view, at least in my estimation.
So far it seems everyone agrees & are ‘on the same page’ as it were.
How this plays out is the Fable part of the story, that is, how these higher principles apply in everyday life choices that anyone must make.
In the final analysis, it’s always about choice despite the circumstance.
That’s the real story.
Tej points out : 'No matter what happens in between those pivotal points, they remain predestined and always exist'Things can change if your ribbon is around a loaf of bread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Lincoln's spoiler has observations but no questions.Heh heh heh
Mod
Well, two days without a comment.Traveling Beyond one's Imagination can be tricky I guess, but perchance the Time Fistula is unexpectedly out of order.
After all, Heh heh heh spelled backwards is...
Lincoln wrote: "This short book suddenly became an epoch...lots of religious overtones. Marking time by Primus...like unto B.C. and A.D......."(Religion is referenced in book description and Howard's comment above, btw, so no spoiler.)
I admit I was concerned about the religious overtones when I came across them, especially among the "advanced" characters with their blind faith in the invisible Primus. Couldn't help thinking, now where is he going with this? I don't know about Primus, but I did (and do) have faith in Howard to handle it well.
Primus, in different forms, is in all my books & also other things, too.The Time Traveling hardware and jargon, however, are always the same.
Write what you know, you know?
Howard wrote: "Primus, in different forms, is in all my books & also other things.The Time Traveling hardware and jargon, however, are always the same.
Write what you know, you know?"
Amen to that. But speaking of Time Traveling hardware, how are your repairs coming along?
Paul asks: 'how are your repairs coming along?'Paul, I just sent you the newest pictures.
I'd post them on my Elastic Limit thread but I don't know how.
I fear the hardware in this Timeframe is a mystery to me.
Mod
Send them to me Howard, I will post them for you.
The phrase, 'Passing Beyond the Elastic Limit,' was the standard employed to identify this phenomenon.
"And time itself will explode," said the hard pressed Commandant with a defeated sigh.
Buckle up everyone!
Lincoln has reached the ‘Buckle up point’Lincoln, you are close now, carry on.
And, as we discuss Time Travel often, I've been sending Paul updated reports on my ongoing repairs for some time now, but limited pictures can also be found on my facepage:
https://www.facebook.com/HowardLoring
Great pictures, Howard. But seems your machine must be drawing enough power to brown out three states every time you hop Timelines. Have you considered converting to AA batteries or iPhone charger cables?You've already heard my guesses as to the nature of those towers, other than for powering your machine. Perhaps Lincoln will have better luck.
Mod
I will take guesses as to what you intend to do with that huge tower and various other pictures at a later time. In the mean time, I have finished reading Chapter 8.
I know its technically the beginning of the story, so a lot of character development going on in the past two chapters right here. There does not seem to be a main character...you bounce around perspectives, and internal motives frequently. I have to admit it is a bit disconcerting, but it seems to emphasize the out of placeness of the entire book. Perhaps, authors either choose a hero and go first person all the way...or they write hugely epic stories with so many perspectives and characters they turn into huge series of books where character development of that magnitude takes that much time and explanation.
How do you walk that line of epic scope and at the same time not be 14,000 pages?
Sorry we are arriving at the party late, we have just started reading Howard’s book.First, the Introduction is intriguing. So true, Howard, that injustice is easier to define, than justice. Your writing style is elegant and lyrical.
Chapter 1 thoughts: Again, excellent writing style, although sometimes burdened with redundant clauses. So, reading along, okay, four characters, each very different from one another. One modern, three cavemen. Then the surprise. Don’t know what to think about this?
(view spoiler)
WHAT? How did this happen? Guess we will have to keep reading.
Lincoln, I'm really liking your posts, insightful & you are asking all the right questions.Yet I think you will be surprised when things fall into place, a place perchance you were not thinking of, perhaps even BEYOND your imagination.
For example, you mention 'hugely epic stories with so many perspectives and characters they turn into huge series of books'
Whoops, you're way off there my friend for the next book is not a sequel & it's even shorter.
Nor the new one that I've almost finished, which is shorter still.
Yet they do all relate, having the same hardware & jargon, etc. as I've already said.
After the next chapter (the end of PART THREE) you'll think you're closer to figuring it out, but whoops again, you'll be wrong, at least I predict so.
Did I mention that this is the strangest thing you'll ever be likely to read?
And I cannot stress this enough: be sure to wear your seat belt for Part Four.
Heh heh heh
Garrett, thanks for the comments.Yes, the first chapter was the hardest for me as it has little dialogue, my strongest suit.
Be aware that judging this book by comparison to others of the genre will give you little satisfaction.
I doubt there's anything anywhere near close enough to do so.
Thanks for reading & if you continue, let me know if you agree.
Lincoln, you are racing far ahead of the rest of the field & I’m wondering if as a consequence you are picking up on certain literary ‘hooks’ used in the book that I earlier mentioned:Have you identified the ‘mcguffin’ or any other ‘tricks’ employed that demonstrate (through repeated use) the main plot twist?
How about universal application, for example & just one example, the difference between everyone’s MANDATE and one's own personal QUEST?
More examples appear in PART FOUR but be aware that things are never cut & dried, fixed, that is, but always open to interpretation.
Another collective relevance.
Just saying.
Mod
Chapter 9
Two Generals, Two Scientists, A truck driver, and a historian enter a conference room...The result? A very boring meeting in which no one understands each other.
Realistic dialogue and I can see this happening in reality...but to read it in a fiction book...Don't explain cars to the time traveler just show me man...Stuff's got to 'splode!
Lincoln seems dissatisfied with the 'three times rule'- instead wishing that 'Stuff's got to 'splode!'But who knows what the Future will bring?
Heh heh heh
Howard wrote: "How about universal application, for example & just one example, the difference between everyone’s MANDATE and one's own personal QUEST?..."Hey Howard, I hope you'll follow through with elaboration on Mandates, Quests, Myths, etc., specifically as applied to your Elastic Limits. We all know the general definitions, but the "jargon" (your word) seems to hold special significance here. With examples, perhaps?
Paul wishes 'elaboration on Mandates, Quests' & also on 'Myths'Paul, very good question:
In my estimation all humans are forced to operate within a MANDATE, a set of acceptable rules which are the unchanging principles dictated by the mores of their times, mostly derived by History & evolved societal boundaries, which would include, of course, Religion or Philosophy.
Yet, at the same time, everyone also has a QUEST, a personal journey all must make through direct choices employed along the way.
The blending of these two concepts defines your (or anyone's) life & all characters from any Timeframe in this book (or any of my Epic Fables), must do the same, it's inevitable, an unavoidable human condition for, if you personally choose not to choose, then that becomes your personal choice.
I relay such concepts through the use of Myth, the set rules of storytelling.
The rules of Myth are well established but some egghead in an Ivory Tower didn't dictate them, rather they were honed through massive amounts of Time, for after all, spoken language predates written by some five millennia & that was more than enough practice to understand what’s best, if you follow my drift.
That’s why when written language emerged the rules were already set & Homer (for example) was great not because he invented the craft of storytelling, but because he had learned these long-honed lessons well & employed them to good effect, for Myth as a literary tool is all powerful because it’s unconscious, or can be, that is.
All good storytellers use Myth whether they realize it or no, for if it’s an engaging tale then the Myth is there, always & that's why it affect you as it does, in ways that you may not understand nor be comfortable with, etc.
Ever seen a movie that was well photographed with good enough acting, etc. but it just didn't do it for you & you felt it was somehow lacking or lackluster?
Chances are the Myth was ill-used & the types employed mismatched or not resolved properly, etc. & often the numbers are off.
Numbers are VERY important in Myth, again an unconscious thing that can be exploited ad infinitum & only self-limited, although it seems Lincoln was unimpressed with at least one use of them in this book.
Because it’s unconscious, Myth moves one in unseen ways & this fact is most satisfying in literature, for it can be used to astonishing effect, slapping you in the face as it were, or coming from left field, or whatever, especially if you play them counter to the norm, which is what I do.
Everyone has been unlucky in love, hated the job or felt at the end of their rope, but also most everybody has had hope, joy at times & sometimes at least, a sense of purpose or duty.
Myth, you see, being unconscious tells the back-story & this therefore relieves the author from the burden of doing such, which tends, I believe, to bog things down, anyway.
You can’t flow if you’re stuck, that’s my opinion, at least.
There are many ‘types’ in Myth, set stereotypes or so-called archetypes & you used them very well in AN EXTENDED JOURNEY & so, this use enhanced the flow instead of impeding it, even if you didn't think of this tool in such terms, the set jargon that I employ & I’ll be glad to give some direct examples, but first I’d prefer to wait & see if more members choose to read.
Who knows what the Future will bring?
Howard wrote: "In my estimation all humans are forced to operate within a MANDATE, a set of acceptable rules which are t..."Thanks, Howard. We're familiar with these terms, but not everyone is aware of the broader meanings. So this is helpful, for me in any case.
We might think of a Mandate as something politicians claim in order to justify their actions, rather than being general rules or principles. Or a Quest to be a single, deliberate, goal (Holy Grail, anyone?), not a series of choices. And in more common usage, a Myth is a particular type of story, not set rules of storytelling. But these definitions work well, especially in your Epic Fable settings, so thanks for the clarification.
I like the concept of rules and even unconscious expectations in storytelling, by any label, and traditions can apply beyond stories, even to Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address borrowing from Pericles's speech of 2000 years earlier. There's comfort in tradition.
Now I'm looking forward to examples when the Time is right, certainly for the Numbers. "Number nine" maybe?
Paul, in my estimation 'something politicians claim' would be their Quest, a choice they make within the broader Mandate, which in this case would be 'the greater good' although as the Intro points out, people often lie & therein lies the inherent dilemma.As to numbers, look at it this way: a story with one character is boring for he only does this or he does that & either way it's pretty one dimensional.
Two characters is somewhat better, for now you have a good guy & a bad guy or a love interest, but it’s still pretty one dimensional for he either gets the girl or he doesn't, or he wins against the bad guy or he doesn't, etc.
But three characters works for now there’s plenty of choice in terms of interplay, say a hero, a love interest & a bad guy (or any other variation) so in terms of Myth any good story will always have at least three characters & this by extension becomes more yet, with each character interacting with three additional characters & on & on (nine works well for it's three times three).
Additionally, a forth character always comes into play as a counter to the three, although this forth may be implied, that is, the reader or viewer if you’re talking movies or plays.
As to Myth supplying the unconscious backstory, say you wish to craft a tale with which everyone can relate, that is, something universal to the human condition.
Well, you could just say so but the rules have been honed to the extent that you could instead use a ‘type’ to do this for you, for example:
Say you wish a story to convey a sense of urgency or helplessness, again, something to which everyone can relate, a universal human situation, say a man lost in the woods which would be a pretty lame story, given that historically a man should know better.
But, still sticking to historical context, a lost woman would better convey this sense of helplessness & a lost child would be better yet & NO ONE WOULD HAVE TO TELL YOU SO, it would be self evident but, by extension you could do better still by having a lost girl child.
Still, this would pose problems for children are highly valued in human society & in such a situation almost everyone would offer help, unless of course you used another ‘type’ & that would be an orphan, for an orphan, by definition, is on their own, with no one on their side.
So no one has to tell you that Little Orphan Annie is in trouble, for she is an orphaned girl child who has no one to help her.
Only she does, she has her THREE helpers, the dog, the bald guy & his secretary who becomes the wife & so the happy family unit, a perfect story, simple with many good lessons.
In the same way no one has to tell you Cinderella is in a world of do-do for she is an orphan girl child tormented by her THREE wicked stepsisters.
So it is with Goldilocks & the THREE bears, or Little Red Riding Hood who has interplay with the wolf, her grandmother & the hunter who kills the wolf & sets the grandmother free.
Now, you could tell the story with less characters BUT it wouldn't be as good & this holds true whether it takes place in the past or the future, for Dorothy Gale is as much an orphaned girl child (with THREE helpers, the lion, tin man & scarecrow) as is Princess Leia, who of course has the Wookie, the guy & the other guy.
The point is you don’t have to say so, it’s an unconscious thing & this works with any stereotype, say a hero tale & it works no matter the context, for the formula is always true or you don’t have an engaging story: the hero, Ben Cartwright, has his three sons & you can pick any such tale or any 'type' for if it’s a good story the numbers will be there.
In my Epic Fables this convention is employed throughout & not just in the narrative for there are three chapters in all four Parts (three plus one) & there are three story lines plus one, that is, the real story & so on, I use this device a lot, it weaves in and out, as does the computer code in the book.
Look back at your own book; the formula holds true: a man & his three family members, etc.
You could have had just him, or just him & his wife BUT IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS EFFECTIVE for the formula, honed through millennia, always knows best.
In last month's thread I made brief mention of the wonderful scene between the daughter & the soldier, gripping for the backstory is instantly supplied by type: a villain against, at least at the time, an orphaned girl child.
Well done, my friend.
Hope this helps.
Looks as if a true paradox is occurring.This month's group read is half over & no posts in several days now, hummm?
Perhaps an inner-dimensional distortion has occurred, or maybe the few takers have just had their eyes drip out in attempting the effort.
Either way, Time ticks on.
And on.
Go Time Go
Lincoln muses: 'I have no idea where you are going at this point'Yes, and if so the real point becomes are you willing to continue to find out?
In other words, are you interested in my words or simply bored by them & their presentation & just struggling on as your monthly penance dictates?
Hard for me to tell; I have no idea if, by this point in the read, you enjoy not knowing.
Just saying.
Not to worry, H, Lincoln is totally going to get it. He's enjoying the confusion as I did at this point, working up to those famous Ah-HAH moments. Where I also enjoyed some of the scientific assumptions, like, how many brain waves does it take to change a light bulb? And, how, exactly, are people able to communicate without the app? The lingering question is, what would Prince Fervent be wearing in 2013?
In Beyond the Elastic Limit: An Epic Fable, a time-viewing machine used by an advanced civilization malfunctions and time explodes, creating havoc. Actions employed to rectify the situation force characters to explore larger issues. This novel probes human values, multiple gods, social development and civil ethos.
You can pick up the Book for FREE at Smashwords.com https://www.smashwords.com/books/sear...
Reading Period:October 15th - November 15th 2013.
Pre-reading and judging the book purely by its title question:
1. Having not read the book, do you have any idea what the author is referring to in relation to the Elastic Limit?
Introduction question:
1. Can you defy the author and answer the question posed? What is justice?
2. Perhaps an "easy" question and answer the question: What is the absence of justice?
Reading Questions Chapter 1:
(view spoiler)[1. Do you like the idea of two time periods colliding?
2. What do you think Spencer Hall is so anxious to find?
3. What did you think about the slow witted giant speaking perfect English at the end of the chapter? (hide spoiler)]
I look forward to discussing this book with the group and also insights from the author himself so please feel free to ask your own questions to the group and lets have some fun exploring Beyond the Elastic Limit.