Word: forde
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Originally written in the '50s and now a cult classic, the story is dark and morbid. Thompson has created an eerie character in Lou Ford, a nice normal guy with a devious and demented psychology lying just below the surface...
First-person narrator of his own story, Lou Ford detachedly watches the world; he laughes cynically and patronizingly at the problems of the rest of the population. He mingles with others, but sees most people as playthings to be used or observed. The rest of the world is annoying or, at best, ridiculously pathetic...
...BOOK BECOMES far more than a parody, however. Though the characters are never believable, they become increasingly intense and compelling. You never sympathize with Lou Ford, or even completely understand what's going on inside his head, but you're fascinated by his warped mind and morbidly curious about his next move. You quickly lose your detached amusement...
...most frightening part of Lou Ford is that he realizes how twisted he is. He cannot control his mind, but he's intelligent enough to hide himself from the public. What sets the book apart from others of its kind, is the contrast between the dialogue and the description of Lou's thoughts. He speaks normally and politely while his mind is racing ahead, repulsed and amused by the stupidity and petty concerns of the people around...
...should definitely have accepted the deal. After all, restricting strategic defense was an American idea, pursued actively in the Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter Administrations. If we had reduced Soviet ICBMs by 50%, we would have shut the so-called window of vulnerability. Giving up the chance to get very, very major reductions in the Soviet nuclear threat to pursue pie in the sky just doesn't make sense. They should have asked Gorbachev to clarify what restrictions he was asking for on SDI. Under the ABM treaty, for example, you can test exotic technologies from ground test sites...