gsmith@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Gene Ward Smith) (05/02/86)
I must apologize to Bandy for posting a genuine rumor to net.rumor, but this is a real rumor I found on net.followup: >I have it on good authority (although second-hand) that an entire >*novel* was generated by computer. It was the result of a research >project which aimed to "parameterize" an author's writing style. The >study concentrated primarily on one author, Italo Calvino, and I have >heard that the novel, "If on a winter's night a traveller", was actually >published and marketed with Calvino's blessing. [Jack Orenstein] ucbvax!brahms!gsmith Gene Ward Smith/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720 ucbvax!weyl!gsmith The Josh McDowell of the Net
weemba@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Matthew P. Wiener) (05/02/86)
I've directed followups to net.books. > I must apologize to Bandy for posting a genuine rumor to net.rumor, but >this is a real rumor I found on net.followup: > >>I have it on good authority (although second-hand) that an entire >>*novel* was generated by computer. It was the result of a research >>project which aimed to "parameterize" an author's writing style. The >>study concentrated primarily on one author, Italo Calvino, and I have >>heard that the novel, "If on a winter's night a traveller", was actually >>published and marketed with Calvino's blessing. >[Jack Orenstein] Now this is an interesting rumor. I suppose I should reread the book, but I'll go on memory. It's opening chapter struck me as one of the funniest things I have ever read. But it then wore down rather tiresomely. I doubt if a computer could have come up with the scheme of the book, the plot, or the opening chapter. But as for the rest? The plotting was more stilted than usual for Calvino--but I thought that was the point. The joke was dragged out longer than he usually does. And it was his first novel in a decade. Hmmm... Let's just say I'm very incredulous. Perhaps, more likely, the *rumor* was generated with Calvino's blessing. ucbvax!brahms!weemba Matthew P Wiener/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720