FREE LIVE FREE

Tony Ellis · 26 Sep 1997, 15:31 · from urth-v0004.mbox · original

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From: "Tony Ellis" <tellis at futurenet.co.uk>
Subject: (urth) Re: FREE LIVE FREE
Date: 26 Sep 1997 16:31:28 +0100
Message-ID: <urth-v0004-0325 at digest.urth.net>
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[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other work=
s]

                      RE>FREE LIVE FREE                            =3D
26/09/97

I've just discovered this list, which looks like a lot of fun. Half my =3D
Wolfe books are at my old address, however, so apologies in advance if =3D
I'm not the most frequent (or accurate) contributor.

>Mr. Free tells the salesman that he hid the device "under a sign."  On =3D
the
>last page, after the salesman has retrieved his son and rejoined the
>others (who seem to have already been "improved" by the time machine), =3D
the
>salesman sees the sign, and it seems that Wolfe intends readers to say
>"Ah-ha! That's what Mr. Free meant."

It's years since I read this one from cover to cover, but I thought Free =
=3D
specifically said he that hid the device "in a wall" (although he =3D
certainly spoke of putting it under a sign as well). The way I remember =3D
the ending, it is this "in a wall" reference that Osgood recalls when he =
=3D
comes across the others, and the "Ah-ha" moment is when we realise that =3D
this means that the time machine is built into the front door of Free's =3D
house. Or am I making a complete fool of myself?

Somebody please put Rostrum and I out of our misery!

>"About 4000 words were dropped from the Zeising edition,
>     including one chapter.  The order of the other chapters
>     was changed slightly and a chronology was added as end
>     matter (this latter dropped in the UK editions)."

Could some kind person send this chronology to the Urth-list for the =3D
benefit of benighted UK readers like me? I'm satisfied that I =3D
"understand" Free Live Free, but I never did get Ben Free's to-ing and =3D
fro-ing through time completely straightened out in my mind. And anyway, =
=3D
I'm curious.

Tony.

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