Romney Favors Hubbard Novel

The New York Times ^ | April 30, 2007 | Jim Rutenberg

[Labyrinthos]

When asked his favorite novel in an interview shown yesterday on the Fox News Channel, Mitt Romney pointed to “Battlefield Earth,” a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.

[null and void]

In fact, if you believe Joseph Smith, I think the next logical step in your theology is to become a scientologist.

Yeah, but what do you do after Scientology? I'm still trying to figure that one out decades later...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I read his posts and then find the sources on my own.

I’d never rely on a stranger’s viewpoint without verifying it for myself.

[Constantine XIII]

If by “good” you mean “epic mega-failure the likes of which may never reproduced in human history,” then yes, I agree. ^_^

[Constantine XIII]

YES

[Kryptonite]

The smell of fear is on our friends at the NYT.

And CNN, which was airing this bit last night after Romney had an excellent evening of debate.

[Kieri]

I would’ve gone for “Miles Vorkosigan” myself, or even Mike Shepard’s “Kris Longknife” series. I’d be hard pressed to vote against him in the primaries!

[TChris]

I read “Battlefield Earth” in high school. I’d call it cheap juvenile trash, but that would offend cheap juvenile trash everywhere.

I'd guess Romney doesn't have any experience with good science fiction. Maybe he liked B.E. because it was very different from what he usually reads. *shrug*

It is certainly an odd choice though.

[Redcloak]

I suppose it could be worse. He could have picked Al Ron's book Earth in the Balance.

[mmichaels1970]

Her writing was turgid at best

I couldn't put it down. I got annoyed at the length of the "sermon" at the end, but other than that I liked the substance and the writing.

I also liked The Fountainhead and We the Living. What was that other future-world one she wrote? It was ok, but a bit off the wall.

I guess it just goes to show that different people have different tastes and opinions.

[Red Badger]

It wasn't as bad as A Bridge Too Far or Ishtar.........

[henkster]

I preferred Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven & a few others back in my sci-fi days.

Most interesting sci-fi I ever read was Norman Spinrad’s “The Iron Dream.” It’s written as a sci-fi novel if it had been written by Adolph Hitler, who moved to America in the 20’s and became a hack writer. This was his “masterpiece” written in the 1950’s. It was bizarre, but Spinrad had great insight into Hitler’s demented mind.

[rface]

“Battlefield Earth,”....

It's an oustanding novel. One of my favorites

[stockpirate]

The novel “Battlefield Earth”, has nothing to do what so ever with the church and it’s beliefs, nothing at all.

Hubbard was a very good writer of novels, the problemn is he decided to created a religion too.

I watched the move made adapted from the book and it was a very good movie.

[Live and let live conservative]

OK, I have a question for all youse who said Atlas Shrugged was a good book. Are you saying the ideas were good? Her writing was turgid at best but I’ve read pretty much everything she wrote and yes, she was a big time atheist and also cheated on her husband.

Since she asked her husband's permission before sleeping with Nathaniel Branden, I would find it hard to call it "cheating".

Her ideas were brilliant.

[TChris]

I preferred Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven & a few others back in my sci-fi days.

Romney should read some of Orson Scott Card's stuff. :-)

It would have been nice to hear that Ender's Game was his favorite.

[unspun]

I saw the movie.

It was pretty good SF — emphasis on the “F” for f-i-c-t-i-o-n.

[Revolting cat!]

"Thank God I'm an atheist" -- Luis Bunuel.

[mmichaels1970]

Robert Asprin(sp)....MYTH INC LINK....MYTHCONCEPTIONS...etc. lol used to love those when I was a kid. Whenever I’m in the library I look to see if they have that series of books on the shelf.

[Lx]

Her writing was turgid at best

I couldn't put it down. I got annoyed at the length of the "sermon" at the end, but other than that I liked the substance and the writing.

I also liked The Fountainhead and We the Living. What was that other future-world one she wrote? It was ok, but a bit off the wall.

I guess it just goes to show that different people have different tastes and opinions.

I did the same thing with The Fountainhead, I couldn't put it down. I started on Friday night and was done the next morning. I think it's one of her better 'written' books.

The sermon at the end of Atlas Shrugged almost kills the book. I've still read them all more than once.

We the Living is a painful book. I believe she said it was the closest to an autobiography she's ever done. To read what post revolution Russia went through was horrible. Liberals who miss the Soviets should be forced to read it 20 times.

I think the future book you're talking about was, Anthem.

I love most of her ideas, it's that she badly needed an editor and of course, according to her beliefs, no one could edit her books better than her.

[elizabetty]

I read his posts and then find the sources on my own.

Most people seek out mentors who will help them improve the future, not spend an eternity digging into and distorting the past.

While you all are concentrating on finding quotes you dislike in his past he is searching for ways to make America stronger and safer.

You might be more comfortable with the miserable backward looking Dems than the hopeful, forward looking Republicans.

Check out DailyKos, they are plenty nasty and dour and negative.

Like EV, they are full of hate too.