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1、WilliamGIBSONTheGernsbackContinuum[fromLIB.RU]Mercifully,thewholethingisstartingtofade,tobecomeanepisode.WhenIdostillcatchtheoddglimpse,it'speripheral;merefragmentsofmad-doctorchrome,confiningthemselvestothecorneroftheeye.Therewasthatflying-winglinerov
2、erSanFranciscolastweek,butitwasalmosttranslucent.Andtheshark-finroadstershavegottenscarcer,andfreewaysdiscreetlyavoidunfoldingthemselvesintothegleamingeightylanemonstersIwasforcedtodrivelastmonthinmyrentedToyota.AndIknowthatnoneofitwillfollowmetoNewYor
3、k;myvisionisnarrowingtoasinglewavelengthofprobability.I'veworkedhardforthat.Televisionhelpedalot.IsupposeitstartedinLondon,inthatbogusGreektavernainBatterseaParkRoad,withlunchonCohen'scorporatetab.Deadsteam-tablefoodandittookthemthirtyminutestofindanic
4、ebucketfortheretsina.CohenworksforBarris-Watford,whopublishbig,trendy"trade"paperbacks:illustratedhistoriesoftheneonsign,thepinballmachine,thewinduptoysofOccupiedJapan.I'dgoneovertoshootaseriesofshoeads;CaliforniagirlswithtannedlegsandfriskyDayGbjoggin
5、gshoeshadcaperedformedowntheescalatorsofSt.John'sWoodandacrosstheplatformsofTootingBec.AleanandhungryyoungagencyhaddecidedthatthemysteryofLondonTransportwouldsellwaffle-treadnylonrunners.Theydecide;Ishoot.AndCohen,whomIknewvaguelyfromtheolddaysinNewYor
6、k,hadinvitedmetolunchthedaybeforeIwasdueoutofHeathrow.HebroughtalongaveryfashionablydressedyoungwomannamedDialtaDownes,whowasvirtuallychinlessandevidentlyanotedpop-arthistorian.Inretrospect,IseeherwalkinginbesideCohenunderafloatingneonsignthatflashesTH
7、ISWAYLIESMADNESSinhugesans-serifcapitals.CohenintroducedusandexplainedthatDialtawastheprimemoverbehindthelatestBarris-Watfordproject,anillustratedhistoryofwhatshecalled"AmericanStreamlinedModerne."Cohencalledit"raygunGothic."TheirworkingtitlewasTheAirs
8、treamFuturopolis:TheTomorrowThatNeverWas.There'saBritishobsessionwiththemorebaroqueelementsofAmericanpopculture,somethingliketheweirdcowboys-and-IndiansfetishoftheWestGermansortheaberrantFrenchhungerforoldJerryLewisfilms.InDialtaDownest