Gerrold, David: The Man Who Folded Himself.

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The Man Who Folded Himself.

The Man who Folded Himself. (1973)

IMHO this is the best book on the effects of time travel you will ever find. It really goes into the mechanics and ramifications in detail, as the man desperately tries to change back the changes that he previously made, by making further changes, and only making things more complicated. Quite sad also.

It was hard to track it down though, but well worth it. I couldn't find it in any bookshop. It was originally published by Bantam Books. The guy I rang at the 'Forbidden Planet' bookshop told me for about 15 minutes, what a really good a book it was, but then said sorry, it's out of print.
I managed to borrow it eventually, from my public library, who loaned it from the BBC library.

The story of a bewildered young man and his adventures with a Timebelt Temporal Transport Device which is left to him by his deceased uncle.

Daniel Eakins is unsure about the belt left to him by an uncle he did'nt know. But after a short while he sees the potentials. Horse races to bet on, stocks to ride high etc...he can be very rich!!
However, his first trip into the future presents him with an "all knowing" version of himself waiting for him to arrive (after all, this future version of himself knows exactly what Dan is going through, as "he" went through it yesterday!!!)
Dan is needless to say, taken aback! And later when a future version of himself pops (folds) back to warn him and his other self (so now three versions of himself in the same timeframe) about over gambling, Dan only starts to see some of the implications of what this belt is all about.

This is a fascinating and mind bending look at a very common SF theme. David Gerrold takes a hard look at the possible paradoxes, or even lack of paradoxes that time travel implies - multiple versions of one's self, parallel universes, history fixing, gender bending, sexual mores etc...

We find out that he, himself, was actually the uncle who left the belt in the first place :cool:
He keeps visiting a party where large numbers of himselves are always present. Some upsetting event happens in the bedroom that he is never allowed to see by his other selfs, until he finds out it is his death. :eek:
 
Sounds a bit like Heinlein Time Enough for Love.:unsure:

Ive read two of his Star Wolf novels , both excellent . It very nearly end up a tv series.
 
I read it a few years ago. I found it excellent as well.
 
The Man Who Folded Himself.

The Man who Folded Himself. (1973)

IMHO this is the best book on the effects of time travel you will ever find. It really goes into the mechanics and ramifications in detail, as the man desperately tries to change back the changes that he previously made, by making further changes, and only making things more complicated. Quite sad also.

It was hard to track it down though, but well worth it. I couldn't find it in any bookshop. It was originally published by Bantam Books. The guy I rang at the 'Forbidden Planet' bookshop told me for about 15 minutes, what a really good a book it was, but then said sorry, it's out of print.
I managed to borrow it eventually, from my public library, who loaned it from the BBC library.

The story of a bewildered young man and his adventures with a Timebelt Temporal Transport Device which is left to him by his deceased uncle.

Daniel Eakins is unsure about the belt left to him by an uncle he did'nt know. But after a short while he sees the potentials. Horse races to bet on, stocks to ride high etc...he can be very rich!!
However, his first trip into the future presents him with an "all knowing" version of himself waiting for him to arrive (after all, this future version of himself knows exactly what Dan is going through, as "he" went through it yesterday!!!)
Dan is needless to say, taken aback! And later when a future version of himself pops (folds) back to warn him and his other self (so now three versions of himself in the same timeframe) about over gambling, Dan only starts to see some of the implications of what this belt is all about.

This is a fascinating and mind bending look at a very common SF theme. David Gerrold takes a hard look at the possible paradoxes, or even lack of paradoxes that time travel implies - multiple versions of one's self, parallel universes, history fixing, gender bending, sexual mores etc...

We find out that he, himself, was actually the uncle who left the belt in the first place :cool:
He keeps visiting a party where large numbers of himselves are always present. Some upsetting event happens in the bedroom that he is never allowed to see by his other selfs, until he finds out it is his death. :eek:

There is enough story potential there for a tv series. maybe HBo or Netflix ?
 
It couldn't run for more than one season. Once you show the ending, it would lose any anticipation for how it turns out.

As limited series then? Perhaps 10 or 12 episodes ?
 
I've read a few chapters and couldn't get over what I felt was bland prose and the habit of over-explaining things. Interesting idea, though.
 
Folded is always a comfortable re-read for me. Gerrold also wrote TV scripts, which may account for his perceived tendency to over-explain. (A flaw which was neither noticed nor sought out during my last re-read a few years ago.)
 
Folded is always a comfortable re-read for me. Gerrold also wrote TV scripts, which may account for his perceived tendency to over-explain. (A flaw which was neither noticed nor sought out during my last re-read a few years ago.)

He wrote scripts for a proposed Starwolf series that never happened.

He also has a cameo in Star Trek The motion picture
 
It was Hugo nominated for best novel in 1974, and was in great company:

Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke - WINNER
Time Enough for Love - Robert A. Heinlein - 2nd
Protector - Larry Niven - 3rd
The Man Who Folded Himself - David Gerrold - Finalist
The People of the Wind - Poul Anderson - Finalist

It was Nebula nominated also. I've been looking out for an old copy from ebay or a used-book store, as it happens. (And I've read all the other Hugo nominations)
 
It was Hugo nominated for best novel in 1974, and was in great company:

Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke - WINNER
Time Enough for Love - Robert A. Heinlein - 2nd
Protector - Larry Niven - 3rd
The Man Who Folded Himself - David Gerrold - Finalist
The People of the Wind - Poul Anderson - Finalist

It was Nebula nominated also. I've been looking out for an old copy from ebay or a used-book store, as it happens. (And I've read all the other Hugo nominations)

Absolutely . :cool: (y)
 
I've been looking out for an old copy from ebay or a used-book store.
Good luck!

As I mentioned, I got a copy on an inter-library loan from a public library, and that copy came from the library of the BBC. Sadly, now that most public library services in the UK have been privatised, inter-library loans are no longer free, and quite often that service has even been withdrawn completely. Copies of this book seems so rare that they are going to be very unlikely to turn up undiscovered, and if they are on sale, the price is going to reflect that rarity.
 
Good luck!

As I mentioned, I got a copy on an inter-library loan from a public library, and that copy came from the library of the BBC. Sadly, now that most public library services in the UK have been privatised, inter-library loans are no longer free, and quite often that service has even been withdrawn completely. Copies of this book seems so rare that they are going to be very unlikely to turn up undiscovered, and if they are on sale, the price is going to reflect that rarity.

What about Amazon?
 
Amazon allows vendors to sell books through their site. There seem to be copies available:



It also appears to be available on Kindle, at least at the US Amazon site. The Kindle version is from 2003, CC

edit: if anyone does decide to buy from an Amazon vendor, I would recommend carefully reviewing their buyers' comments; I've gotten some very nice books for gifts from Amazon vendors, but I only buy from very highly rated sellers. There should be a comments/ratings section at each vendor's page.
 

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