A question about Tom (early in book) and a possible anachron

[Fahrenheit]

On the top of page 56, Tom is described as leaving the house. However, just a few pages later, he's still appearing. Did I miss a line somewhere that mentions his return? I've been through the chapter several times.

On page 97, I believe I've found an anachronism. In the description of the equipment Navidson is using, 2 Zip drives are listed. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't Zip drives only released in the mid-90s, well after the events of the novel?

Aside from that, fantastic novel so far. About 1/7 of the way through.

Hope to get a reply.

k-

[Sintina]

I don't know about the Tom thing, but about the Zip drives... hmm... that's just weird.

Maybe it meant something else back when the story took place, maybe a zip drive back then (before it got it's modern usage) was another kind of photography thingie???

Or... maybe you (like myself) have discovered a typo! Wow!

**sprinkles typo finder water on you**

I love this book.

[kingfrogger]

KC:

1) As for the 'reappearance' of Tom, I think the book is referring to "The Five and a Half Minute Hallway," separate but the same as the Navidson Record. The '5 1/2' part occurs later than Tom's leaving. He came back, obviously, but it doesn't say when, because the book skips from talking about Karen smiling (top of p. 60) to the '5 1/2' part. Just my theory.

2) And as far as the ZIP drives, I think that was just a typo... but here's the thing: THE NAVIDSON RECORD WAS MADE UP BY A CRAZY OLD MAN, apparently, anyway. This leaves plenty of room for an old guy who's making UP a story to get a few details confused here and there.

Yet again, just my opinion... good luck with discovering the truth behind all this, 'cuz I'd like to know, too. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif images/smiles/icon_smile.gif images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[JanineMarie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by KC:
[QB]On the top of page 56, Tom is described as leaving the house. However, just a few pages later, he's still appearing. Did I miss a line somewhere that mentions his return? I've been through the chapter several times.

I found that odd too, until I read later that he never left - page 91, "Orignally Tom had intended to leave right after Exploration #3 but when Navidson begs him to stay through Exploration #4, he agrees."

images/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[reggyneo4]

Some one has my book right now so I can't refer back but what were the zip drives being used for and NO zip drives were introduced 80's but only to BIG companies...Zampano could have been refering to TAPE drives if they are for computer usage..but could you please type up a quote of the zip drive thing? or scan the page and send it to reggy4@hotmail.com like i said I let my nglish teacher read the book and i havent gotten it back yet so.....

[zerolous]

I have one thing to say about this...

please click on

Zampano (http://zampano.zam.kfa-juelich.de/)

[ianthebruce]

OK, Zerolous, I have to admit that is more than a little freaky considering the topic of this thread. Good job! It's interesting that one of the projects main goals is delving into the more complex aspects of architecture. Kind of like a very complicated house?

[Yggdrasil]

That's fucked up. Think it's just a freak ocurrance or did MZD know about that thing?

More thoughts to ponder.

[fatwoul]

The Obvious, Page 2 (http://www.houseofleaves.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000314&p=2)

[frstmnkynspc]

I thought Zampano was German! Glad to see that was a German website (.de).

[frstmnkynspc]

I'm a bit new at this. Didn't check the date... I'm about a year late...

[heartbreak]

On page 97, I believe I've found an anachronism. In the description of the equipment Navidson is using, 2 Zip drives are listed. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't Zip drives only released in the mid-90s, well after the events of the novel?

The Quadra Mac mentioned right before the two Zip drives was not available until 1991.

[aenema22]

Or... maybe you (like myself) have discovered a typo! Wow!

**sprinkles typo finder water on you**



Besides the fact that it is made very clear in the book that all "typos" are intentional, it should be obvious to any reader that, with so many of them, they must be there for a reason.

[bakudan]

Besides the fact that it is made very clear in the book that all "typos" are intentional, it should be obvious to any reader that, with so many of them, they must be there for a reason.

true, but what would the purpose of putting something that never excisted then be?

[Therum]

I always assumed this kinda stuff was Johnny's doing. Like the water heater. He sees that Zampano is a bit out of date and tries to update some of it to be more modern, without realizing that TNR takes place five years before some of this stuff came out.

[zero]

Page 97. Zampano describes: "In grainy 7298 (probably pushed one T-stop), Navidson captures this crippled man expertly maneuvering his wheelchair from radio to tape recorder to computer, his attention never wavering from the team's progress."

Yet it would seem that this 16mm Kodak film 5298/7298 EXR 500T was not introduced until 1994 (DISCONTINUED in 2003), while The Navidson Record was released in 1993:

Page 6. "Since the opening three years ago last April(8) in New York and Los Angeles . . ."
Footnote 8. "i.e. 1993."

Interestingly, a blurb I copied down from somewhere remarks: "5298 and 7298 are luminous in low-light, and wonderfully fine-grained. At EI 500, they pose a serious challenge to the DP: they show changes in light levels so subtle the meter can hardly read the differences — but the negative does. Here is where an experienced eye will make a big difference."

Grainy versus fine-grained?