The New World by Ken Kifer

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by spencewine on August 8, 2012 at 5:40pm

The foreword sounds somewhat like "Galapagos" by Kurt Vonnegut:

http://en.wikipedia.org/Galapagos

Galápagos is the story of a small band of mismatched humans who are shipwrecked on the fictional island of Santa Rosalia in the Galápagos Islands after a global financial crisis cripples the world's economy. Shortly thereafter, a disease renders all humans on Earth infertile, with the exception of the people on Santa Rosalia, making them the last specimens of humankind. Over the next million years, their descendants, the only fertile humans left on the planet, eventually evolve into a furry species resembling seals: though possibly still able to walk upright (it is not explicitly mentioned, but it is stated that they occasionally catch land animals), they have a snout with teeth adapted for catching fish, a streamlined skull and flipper-like hands with rudimentary fingers (described as "nubbins").

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul on August 8, 2012 at 6:38pm

I'll have to check that out.

spencewine said:

The foreword sounds somewhat like "Galapagos" by Kurt Vonnegut:

http://en.wikipedia.org/Galapagos

Galápagos is the story of a small band of mismatched humans who are shipwrecked on the fictional island of Santa Rosalia in the Galápagos Islands after a global financial crisis cripples the world's economy. Shortly thereafter, a disease renders all humans on Earth infertile, with the exception of the people on Santa Rosalia, making them the last specimens of humankind. Over the next million years, their descendants, the only fertile humans left on the planet, eventually evolve into a furry species resembling seals: though possibly still able to walk upright (it is not explicitly mentioned, but it is stated that they occasionally catch land animals), they have a snout with teeth adapted for catching fish, a streamlined skull and flipper-like hands with rudimentary fingers (described as "nubbins").

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by magomawe on August 9, 2012 at 9:20am

 Thanks! Ken Kifer is such an Thoreau loving idealist.  I've read a lot of his work on that website but never actually read "The New World".  Too bad it was cut short. The section on new standards for the new world is funny.  In addition to adopting major changes to measuring time, distance, and weight he wants to create more universal bicycle tire sizes.  

"...currently bicycle wheels are produced in the following sizes: 20", 22", 24", 650mm, 26", 700mm, 27", and 28". In addition, not all tires of a given size are usable with all wheels of that size. Allowing only two or three wheel sizes would satisfy all of our needs and make producing wheels and tires much easier." 

Of all the things I'd change if I were to start a new world, bicycle tire sizes would be one of my smallest concerns.  But you see where Kifer's mind was.  Good stuff.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul on August 9, 2012 at 9:40am

I'm glad you liked it. Yeah he had lot of ideas. The new standards part was funny. I can't believe he did all that work on explaining them. It really does suck that he didn't finish, but I'm very happy he let us read it as it was being created. Good stuff, from a good guy.

magomawe said:

 Thanks! Ken Kifer is such an Thoreau loving idealist.  I've read a lot of his work on that website but never actually read "The New World".  Too bad it was cut short. The section on new standards for the new world is funny.  In addition to adopting major changes to measuring time, distance, and weight he wants to create more universal bicycle tire sizes.  

"...currently bicycle wheels are produced in the following sizes: 20", 22", 24", 650mm, 26", 700mm, 27", and 28". In addition, not all tires of a given size are usable with all wheels of that size. Allowing only two or three wheel sizes would satisfy all of our needs and make producing wheels and tires much easier." 

Of all the things I'd change if I were to start a new world, bicycle tire sizes would be one of my smallest concerns.  But you see where Kifer's mind was.  Good stuff.

• ▶ Reply