Nine Chains to the Moon

by R. Buckminster Fuller

1963. Reprinted. 375 pages. Illustrated paper covers. Light staining, foxing and tanning to pages. More prominent to text block edges and reverse of covers. Binding remains firm. Paper covers have light edge-wear and corner curling with visible tanning and scuffing overall. Spine has visible staining, rolling and creasing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Science

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Richard Buckminster "Bucky" Fuller was an American architect, systems theorist, author, designer, and inventor.

Fuller published more than 30 books, coining or popularizing terms such as "Spaceship Earth", ephemeralization, and synergetic. He also developed numerous inventions, mainly architectural designs, and popularized the widely known geodesic dome. Carbon molecules known as fullerenes were later named by scientists for their structural and mathematical resemblance to geodesic spheres.

Buckminster Fuller was the second president of Mensa from 1974 to 1983.

Reviews

[Sopor0qv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bucky Fuller's Nine Chains is a very American mix of paranoia, outrage and optimism that tells the story of progress and its enemies in America. No one loves to coin a phrase more then BF, and he doesn't disappoint here. THE BAD GUYS: Fincap (financial capital, capitalists, or the holders of great wealth), the chisellers (rent seekers and dishonest business operators who continually rob the People of their labor in various schemes and scams), and the rules associated with "legal-for-trust-fund" securities which often trump the rights of the People in favor of the desires of Fincap. THE GOOD GUYS: The People (the laboring masses, animate slaves to capital), technology (inasmuch as it can be employed to liberate the People from animate slavery), and cooperation (action by the People in mutual accord, by means of effective communication).

BF is not always in a hurry to make a point or stay on topic as he meanders from subject to subject, and the pacing often feels rushed. Overall, Nine Chains is an enjoyable romp through one of twentieth century America's more innovative, if eccentric, minds. Stay with it, and by chapter 26 "Emergence Through Emergency", you'll swear you're reading about the financial crises of the 2000's, not the 1930's.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bucky Fuller kicks capitalism in the nuts while mopping the floor with communism, all while wearing gloves made of precouscious environmentalism. Watchit, Fincap!

[Madison Santos]

i like bucky but this is near unreadable. among the highlights include personifying Financial Capital as the most ghastly figure ruling America, his incoherent telegram to Isamu Noguchi in Mexico City about relativity (I believe while he was working on this piece https://esotericsurvey.blogspot.com/2... ), and the insane idea that minimum wage should be $1/hr (adjusted to 2022: $20/hr, now if we actually kept wages proportional to productivity we should be looking at a 2022 minimum wage of at least $35/hr. think of that next time any boss gets called a hero for offering $15/hr, the Fight for $15 at this point is over a decade old and with current 7-10% inflation the fact that a $35 minimum wage isn't on the table is absolutely criminal). but regardless bucky is a great figure and no small source of inspiration, but his writing here his more of a novelty than anything.

[Josh · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the only book I've ever read that I didn't like. Buckminster Fuller used to be an industrial design idol of mine, until reading this incomprehensible nightmare of a book. Honestly, what kind of writer would write a book, and use non-sensical, backwards analogies to describe theories about the progress of man. Written in the former half of the 20th century, this book was outdated and tired before it was finished. It's obvious the writer had no intention of keeping and holding the reader's attention from the start.

[Anna Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently saw a one-man play on the life of Bucky Fuller. The actor adopted his mannerisms brilliantly and randomly. This book felt a lot like being at the play. Bucky wrote random thoughts about this and that and the book really didn't have much continuity. I will read more of his books.

[amelia]

I actually misplaced this book a year or so ago, guess I'll be starting over when I find it again.

[Pegggggy]

sent to me by a thinking friend... may take me awhile, good reading so far

[Mark Siegmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

an early book from the 30's where Bucky introduces the notion of: Emergence through Emergency