How on Earth did I miss this book? I know there will be many of you who say “You idiot, you’re 51, this book is about YOUR life!” My middle school years to be exact and when I say “exact,” I mean “exact.” Any book with a Riptide reference is PURE GOLD in my book. Riptide, if you don’t know, was a 1980s detective show that ran from 1984 to 1986 and was precisely the kind of show that I totally geeked out on. The main characters had a helicopter, which was cool, but more importantly, they had a Chevy S10 Blazer 4×4. As did I. But their’s had several important mods. Small lift kit, great wheels, and a hood scoop. All I could think about was moding my S10 to look like the Riptide S10.
Ready Player One has a cult following, and Spielberg made the matching flick. I don’t really read Sci-fi books, or phantasy books or anything along those lines but I do love the classic William Gibson tech/hacker/futuristic novels. This book began as a stretch, at least in my mind, but quickly found a home in my heart, mind, and memory.
All I can tell you about Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One is that I just told my wife “Tonight, we are watching WarGames.” This book was a recap of my entire middle school existence. Games, TV, music, pop culture. The vast majority of the book was like me sorting my memory, and for those of you wondering, I would have done well. I would not have found the egg but I would have held my own.
Get it, read it. “It’s the only place where I feel like I mean anything.”
Comments 4
A fan of the show Riptide?
Ok…..clear out a couple of hours tonight and settle in to watch a film that easily slots into my top five films of all time —Andy Warhol’s Bad. Starring Perry King. Life will never be the same after seeing this.
This is Perry King’s finest hour. Warhol’s only involvement was that he financed the film and hooked a few friends up to be in and around the production….but it embodies 1970’s America, in much the same way as Warhol’s Disaster painting series (Race Riots, Car Crash, Electric Chair) documented 1960’s America.
A film that I’ve seen no less that 10 times…..so many wonderful small moments and details in it, I find something heartlessly American and humorous with each viewing.
Watch it here: https://youtu.be/9pMFMt2CrQo
Author
Napper,
I am still staring at your India journal page via postcard. This morning I looked again. Barefoot on the train with journal supplies and analog camera, backpack. Veiled plan but not really. Amy and I just watched a film about Orson Wells, “They will love me when I’m dead,” I think it was called. Another film you could watch again and again. Anyone who even KNOW Riptide is A+ forever.
Out November 2020 Ernest Cline Ready Player Two: The highly anticipated sequel to READY PLAYER ONE
Author
Steve,
can’t wait!