From: "Tony Ellis" <tellis@futurenet.co.uk>
Subject: (urth) Re: FREE LIVE FREE
Date: 26 Sep 1997 16:31:28 +0100


[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other works]

                      RE>FREE LIVE FREE                            =
26/09/97

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

>Mr. Free tells the salesman that he hid the device "under a sign."  On =
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), =
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 =
specifically said he that hid the device "in a wall" (although he =
certainly spoke of putting it under a sign as well). The way I remember =
the ending, it is this "in a wall" reference that Osgood recalls when he =
comes across the others, and the "Ah-ha" moment is when we realise that =
this means that the time machine is built into the front door of Free's =
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 =
benefit of benighted UK readers like me? I'm satisfied that I =
"understand" Free Live Free, but I never did get Ben Free's to-ing and =
fro-ing through time completely straightened out in my mind. And anyway, =
I'm curious.

Tony.