I am interested to know the title of the book that Locke brought Ben (along with the farm fresh breakfast). Locke noted (and possibly a jab at us who love the Lost book club) that Ben might "catch something he missed the first time around".

Did anyone catch the title? I'm assuming we'll know that shortly.

I'm also interested in the novel Sawyer was reading throughout the episide.

i was too busy typing...hope someone has a screen cap

I tried to catch those also. Hopefully someone will have them up soon. :)

I think didn't catch the title, but it has a similar cover to many Phillip K. Dick novels I've seen.

The title was VALIS by Philip K. Dick. From Wikipedia:
"VALIS is a 1981science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick. The title is an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligence System, Dick's gnostic vision of one aspect of God.
VALIS is the first book in the VALIS trilogyof novels including The Divine Invasion(1981), and the unfinished The Owl in Daylight. The Transmigration of Timothy Archer (1982) is thematically related to the unfinished trilogy and was included in several omnibus editions of the trilogy as a stand-in for the unwritten final volume. Together with his thematically related final novel, VALIS represents Dick's last major work before he died. Radio Free Albemuthis considered an earlier version of VALIS, and is not included as a component of the VALIS trilogy."

The novel was Valis by PK Dick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VALIS

Cool and confusing. Like LOST. I love the name of the protaganist. Horselover Fat.

Wow - you guys are fast . . . THANKS! Trippy book - I'm not familiar with it. More conversations on psychology and religion . hooray!

The book Sawyer was reading from the cover almost looked like the copy of Memoirs of a Geisha that I have. Probably something completely different though.
100%
I love the name of the protaganist. Horselover Fat.

Love even more that it vaguely means Philip Dick

Yeah, it was VALIS. The interesting thing is, if I remember correctly, P.K. Dick had some sort of experience that involved a ray of light that inspired him to write VALIS. That's only semi-interesting in itself, but it is widely believed that another philosopher in history had the exact same experience involving a ray of light in a pewter dish. That philosopher was...

...Jakob Bohme.

The book Locke gives to Ben is VALIS by Philip K. Dick. VALIS is an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligence System.


this is from lostpedia

Since everyone else already commented on the book I'll mention that I did love the little nod to us fans "catch something he missed the first time around"

Book Sawyer is reading. Anyone?

Happy Birthday Lost Laura!!!!!

Book Sawyer is reading. Anyone?

Yes, I am wondering that as well. It is great to see Sawyer reading again.

Great catch on the other book. I look forward to reading up more on the book.

No one broght this up yet.....in the scene when Myles and Kate come into the room to talk to Ben...-->if you look closely...BEN IS READING THE BOOK VALIS...or at least has it (back) in his hands after initially dismissing/dropping it to the floor.


....maybe he IS looking to see what he missed..........

Since everyone else already commented on the book I'll mention that I did love the little nod to us fans "catch something he missed the first time around"

Absolutely.. That must have been a nod to us LOST-HEADS...
Usually things we miss end up being little Easter eggs...
Hmmmm. Eggtown?!

I said this in an earlier post, so I am sorry if I am repeating myself in an annoying way: the book Sawyer was reading is called The Invention of Morel - it takes place on an island (and is compaired to The Island of Dr. Moreau), and it's main charector is a fugitive: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invention_of_Morel a great book for LOST fans.

I saw someone ask for a screen cap of this in another thread, but felt it deserved a new one !

The book is Valis by Philip K Dick: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VALIS


The book cover : http://bp3.blogger.com/_Hxnvg45zlCw/R75p4K4rkxI/AAAAAAAAAA0/01V6MVcci6Q/s1600-h/Valis+cover.jpg

Any new ideas now ? :)

Another book to appear in this episode is worth mentioning, Sawyer is seen reading it before Kate joins him :

The Invention of Morel ! Wiki even mentions a previous Lost episode that relates to this book!

Valis was written after Dick had a religio-UFO vision (a blinding pink laser beam that infused his brain with light) that rendered him convinced he was an embodiment of the prophet Elijah. Eventually he became paranoid, believing the FBI and KGB were conspiring to rob his house.

Discuss.

Valis was written after Dick had a religio-UFO vision (a blinding pink laser beam that infused his brain with light) that rendered him convinced he was an embodiment of the prophet Elijah. Eventually he became paranoid, believing the FBI and KGB were conspiring to rob his house.

Discuss.

VIsions? Paranoia?

Sounds like Locke!

One of the more applicable themes in the book is the Black Iron Prison. (This is one of my favorite books of all time, by the way, and I jumped out of my seat when they showed it in three or four consecutive shots. They were really pushing its presence in the scene)

Dick describes a very unusual concept about space-time overlap. Basically he asserts that we are still living in the biblical age of rome, our present day "reality" (1980 California in the book) is a hallucination that has been transposed onto the actual reality, the Black Iron Prison of ancient rome. So we're all prisoners without knowing it. Sort of like the Matrix, except it's more a trickery of space-time than a pure simulation or fantasy. Both are real, but one is bound to the other.

So how does this tie into the show? I guess the best place to start thinking about it is the ways that the "real" world and the island overlap - the people and things that have appeared on the island (Christian, Yemi (sp?), Locke's Dad, Kate's Horse, Sayid's cat, perhaps Dave, etc). Also, think of Desmond blinking in and out of different locations in FBYE. Also the whispering...Also, Mr's Klugh's comment about Walt ever being in places he's not supposed to be (bi-location?) Not to mention the fact that there is a flight 815 that was found at the bottom of a trench in the real world ocean. Again, bilocation---- all this could tie in somehow to the idea that the island's location and temporality is somehow superimposed on the real world, I guess that could be described as an alternate dimension, but without all the comic booky stuff that goes with that. No bizarro Superman stuff, this is a pocket universe that co-exists alongside the real world, and while it cannot typically be accessed (found), it does have some profound effect on the real world that has drawn a lot of money and attention from parties that know about it.

Just my .02...

I agree, I was so excited when I saw that they were referencing this book, I kept saying, oh my god, Valis, wow, incredible book, there is so much in there that can be applied.

I also think that Philip Dick and his alter ego in the book, Horselover Fat might somehow be a tie in back to Ben or Locke.

Really is an amazing book, and there are so many levels it can be interpreted on. I guess I was most excited too because I said, well good, the sales for this book are about to sky rocket.