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Neal Stephenson
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The Diamond Age, or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer Hardcover – January 1, 1995

by Neal Stephenson (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 4,644 ratings
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  1. Locus AwardWinner, 1996
  2. Hugo AwardWinner, 1996
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From the author of Snow Crash, the story of an engineer who creates a device to raise a girl capable of thinking for herself reveals what happens when a young girl of the poor underclass obtains the device.
Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Bantam Spectra Book
  2. Print length
    455 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Spectra
  5. Publication date
    January 1, 1995
  6. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0553096095
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0553096095
  9. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

John Percival Hackworth is a nanotech engineer on the rise when he steals a copy of "A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer" for his daughter Fiona. The primer is actually a super computer built with nanotechnology that was designed to educate Lord Finkle-McGraw's daughter and to teach her how to think for herself in the stifling neo-Victorian society. But Hackworth loses the primer before he can give it to Fiona, and now the "book" has fallen into the hands of young Nell, an underprivileged girl whose life is about to change.

From Publishers Weekly

Stephenson's fourth solo novel, set primarily in a far-future Shanghai at a time when nations have been superseded by enclaves of common cultures ("claves"), abundantly justifies the hype that surrounded Snow Crash, his first foray into science fiction. Here, the author avoids the major structural problem of that book-a long lump of philosophical digression-by melding myriad perspectives and cogitations into his tale, which is simultaneously SF, fantasy and a masterful political thriller. Treating nanotechnology as he did virtual reality in Snow Crash-as a jumping-off point-Stephenson presents several engaging characters. John Percival Hackworth is an engineer living in a neo-Victorian clave, who is commissioned by one of the world's most powerful men to create a Primer that might enable the man's granddaughter to be educated in ways superior to the "straight and narrow." When Hackworth is mugged, an illegal copy of the Primer falls into the hands of a working-class girl named Nell, and a most deadly game's afoot. Stephenson weaves several plot threads at once, as the paths of Nell, Hackworth and other significant characters-notably Nell's brother Harv, Hackworth's daughter Fiona and an actress named Miranda-converge and diverge across continents and complications, most brought about by Hackworth's actions and Nell's development. Building steadily to a wholly earned and intriguing climax, this long novel, which presents its sometimes difficult technical concepts in accessible ways, should appeal to readers other than habitual SF users. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spectra (January 1, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 455 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553096095
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553096095
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.42 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 4,644 ratings

About the author

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Neal Stephenson

Neal Stephenson

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Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer, known for his speculative fiction works, which have been variously categorized science fiction, historical fiction, maximalism, cyberpunk, and postcyberpunk. Stephenson explores areas such as mathematics, cryptography, philosophy, currency, and the history of science. He also writes non-fiction articles about technology in publications such as Wired Magazine, and has worked part-time as an advisor for Blue Origin, a company (funded by Jeff Bezos) developing a manned sub-orbital launch system.

Born in Fort Meade, Maryland (home of the NSA and the National Cryptologic Museum) Stephenson came from a family comprising engineers and hard scientists he dubs "propeller heads". His father is a professor of electrical engineering whose father was a physics professor; his mother worked in a biochemistry laboratory, while her father was a biochemistry professor. Stephenson's family moved to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois in 1960 and then to Ames, Iowa in 1966 where he graduated from Ames High School in 1977. Stephenson furthered his studies at Boston University. He first specialized in physics, then switched to geography after he found that it would allow him to spend more time on the university mainframe. He graduated in 1981 with a B.A. in Geography and a minor in physics. Since 1984, Stephenson has lived mostly in the Pacific Northwest and currently resides in Seattle with his family.

Neal Stephenson is the author of the three-volume historical epic "The Baroque Cycle" (Quicksilver, The Confusion, and The System of the World) and the novels Cryptonomicon, The Diamond Age, Snow Crash, and Zodiac. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
4,644 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

LA in Dallas
5.0 out of 5 stars A girl and her book
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2022
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The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer is my favorite of Neal Stephenson's books. By that I don't mean that it is the best, or most intellectually compelling, or has the best characters or world-building (although some of those things may be true). I mean only that it is the one that gives me the most pleasure to read. I have read it at least three times, once in paperback shortly after it came out, then again 23-Nov-2012 (exactly ten years ago) and 11-Oct-2020.

If you read five-star reviews of romance novels on Goodreads, you'll see a lot of long gif-filled squeals of swoony love for the romantic relationships described. I can't read such reviews, because every one of them seems exactly like all the others. And I am certainly not about to write one. I mention them because that is how I feel about the relationship between Nell and her book.

Am I seriously comparing a girl's love for a book to a romantic relationship? (In fact, the relationship between A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer and Nell is more a mother-daughter relationship.) Yes, I am. What can I say? I am a book-lover. A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer is truly a book to be loved. Given that I can't have one of my own, The Diamond Age is the next best thing.
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Stan
4.0 out of 5 stars A nice hack
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2017
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This story is post-cyberpunk science fiction, heavy on technology, especially nanotechnology. Stephenson is touted as a technology visionary—if not a world visionary—and a skilled literary technician; he is that. On this level, Diamond Age is interesting, sometimes humorous, and mostly fun to read. Stephenson's imagination is also heavy on the dark and gritty side of the future; more than I care to read about, so those parts were not as good. I don't think I'm sticking my head in the sand here. I know those things exist in the world and won't go away in the future, but there is a line between acknowledging the part they represent and dwelling on them because they are titillating. But, intrigue—for better or worse—is part of life and we must, as best we can, recognize it and learn to deal with it.

This book in spite of its futuristic, insightful, science-oriented, and social-fabric reconstructing observations, is not that different from a good Louis L'Amour novel, say The Lonesome Gods. I know highbrow, self-proclaimed sophisticates and sci-fi mavens will turn up their noses at this; L'Amour was merely a writer of shoot 'em up, fast-paced westerns. But Stephenson in his own way is no different, he just does sci-fi.

What is the purpose of a book? For many years I read fiction books on a very surface level. It was hard for me to see symbolism and deeper meanings. However, there are always deeper meanings—especially in the best fiction of any genre. How sad if Hugo's Les Miserables was only the story of an overly punished convict and an overly zealous public official! What is the purpose of an automobile? No matter how many accoutrements we load on it, all of which make the experience of being in a car more enjoyable, still for most of us, the purpose of an automobile is to get us from one place to another, at least at this point. The purpose of a book is the same regardless whether it is loaded with skull guns, tag mites, and a primer (book), or horses, six-shooters, and campfires. Where the book takes us is the real reason we read the book. There is no one-destination-fits-all answer to any book. And, the author of a well-written book has no idea what destinations or answers individual readers will find. A good author creates the terrain we move through; what we get out of it is up to us.

I'm not going to expose the plot lines or describe the primary characters, Stephenson does an excellent job of that—read the book. I want to share some feelings and perspectives I experienced while reading. Books—and by extension, computers, in whatever form they may take going forward—hold the foundations of knowledge. We are foolish if we do not take advantage of and learn from those foundations. As Stephenson says in this book, "...a book is different—it is not just a material possession but the pathway to an enlightened mind." However, having knowledge does not mean we are enlightened or educated. Many people can have great knowledge and still be stupid. Knowledge is not wisdom. Enlightenment—which includes wisdom—is learned through the application of knowledge, but you cannot gain wisdom without doing. And some of that doing, maybe a lot of it, will result in failing, but it isn't failure if you keep going. Enlightenment is vital to a good life, and because it is vital it must be completely personalized, individualized. Education through public school programs is an oxymoron, especially when you get to advanced degrees. Job training through public school programs is doable, but never fully adequate. In The Diamond Age, Nell gains an education and enlightenment; in the Lonesome Gods, Johannes does too. We can learn from both of them.

Human nature is what it is. Society always creates frameworks where some people feel like they are better or more important than others. And those that manage to rise in whatever framework a society has established will go to great effort to keep their status and make sure others cannot rise. That is part of the reason social programs created to fight poverty will never work. If those of lower status rise, the high and mighty that run the programs would not be needed. It is a rare group of individuals that not only recognizes this, but willingly accepts it and acts accordingly. That is at least part of why the American Revolution had such a different outcome from the French Revolution. To use Stephenson's words, "...there is an ineffable quality to some technology, described by its creators as concinnitous, or technically sweet, or a nice hack—signs that it was made with great care by one who was not merely motivated but inspired. It is the difference between an engineer and a hacker." Or a credentialed expert and a creator of freedom and opportunity.
29 people found this helpful
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Ross D. Martin MD
5.0 out of 5 stars Still has me thinking after more than 10 years
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2017
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Disclaimer: I'm an unabashed Neal Stephenson fanboy, so this may gush a little. I'm writing this review after a thoughtful and personal note sent to me by a bot at Amazon who probably knew they were catching me in a moment of weakness. Yes, I'll review this book that I haven't read in at least a decade (probably closer to two). And now I'll probably buy it again since I gave my original copy away years ago. It's worth another read since we've made a little more progress (or regress depending on your perspective) toward the societal structure envisioned in The Diamond Age. This brief review is based on distant memories of the read, but the point is they stuck with me after all these years because of the profound way NP's books make you think about what is happening around us and where we may be heading.

Like his other works, TDA deals with the sociological implications of technology - this time far-future technology that includes nanotechnology capabilities that are sufficiently advanced that matter doesn't really matter anymore - you can construct (and deconstruct) at a molecular level pretty much anything you're interested in having. Society has ceased to organize by geography - instead folks associate by sociopolitical beliefs and constructs. The main characters belong to the Vickies who model their society - even their dress - after the Victorian Era and are the world's Goody-Two-Shoes to the extreme. The main character replicates a "primer for young girls" totally against the law and puts him at extreme risk but for a greater cause. the primer is essential "the great big book of everything" containing all knowledge, but perhaps more importantly, the ability to impart this knowledge in an engaging way to the young girl, the protagonist's daughter, who now has it in her possession. There are many subplots and interesting diversions as typical with NP. All well written and engaging. Also long - you have to commit to a NS novel. Always worth it. And like most of my reviews of his work, loved almost every minute, but am always dissatisfied with the endings, which are quick and abrupt - seems that after 800 or 1000 pages, you'd get a little more than a five-page denouement. .
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Top reviews from other countries

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Bruce from Toronto Book Club
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sci-fi idea and setting
Reviewed in Canada on February 25, 2024
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It seems like every Stephenson novel has a new wonderful idea that he uses to tell a story. The Diamond Age is about an interactive book for girls, that is supposed to educate them in a way that the dull school system does not. There are a number of intersecting plot lines that I really like. I just read the Baroque Cycle recently, and although I must admit those 3 novels are very ambitious, but that it fails to entertain. Diamond Age is much more enjoyable than Baroque Cycle.
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A Young
5.0 out of 5 stars Diamond Age
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2023
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A shocking vision of a future of enemies in your blood that you can't see. I liked Nell, she and the book are the defenders.
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Markus W
5.0 out of 5 stars Großartig und inspirierend (für Fans allemale)
Reviewed in Germany on October 21, 2023
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Ich lese wenige Romane, dabei selten Science Fiction. Ich bin eher in Sachbüchern und Fachliteratur zuhause.
Aber Neil Stevenson hat es mir seit Jahrzehnten angetan, begonnen "damals" mit Cryptonomicon.
Ich bin kein Literaturkritiker, und würde es mir als nicht-Native-Speaker nicht anmaßen, etwas zum Schreibstil zu sagen, aber subjektiv habe ich mich in seiner (teils scheinbar erfundenen) Sprache immer wohlgefühlt. Seine Art, Geschichten und Charaktere zu weben, ist komplex. Für mich ist aber das herausstechende Merkmal, wie detailverliebt Stephenson die hypothetischen gesellschaftlichen und technologischen Entwicklungen, die die Basis seiner Novellen bilden, ausarbeitet und zu Ende denkt. Ich finde, das gibt den Büchern eine Tiefe und mir immer wieder Grund zum Lachen, wenn ein solcher zu-Ende-gedachter Strang in einer Pointe mündet.
Ich mache hier keine Inhaltsangabe, erzähle nichts über das Buch, außer vielleicht, dass mich darin die Perspektive fasziniert, aus der Stephenson die Frage beleuchtet, was man eigentlich wollen können wird, wenn fast alles machbar und erreichbar ist und nur noch die Phantasie entscheidet; und welchen Wert und welches Ziel Bildung noch haben kann, wenn alles schon gedacht und getan ist.
Ich würde das Buch Menschen empfehlen, die anderen Bildung vermitteln wollen, egal ob beruflich oder anderweitig.
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Sagar Vibhute
4.0 out of 5 stars A heady brew!
Reviewed in India on October 31, 2021
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This book starts heavy and gets heavier. Characters are introduced and by some measure erased fast and plotlines come tumbling out and about.

This is my third or fourth Stephenson book and as with his other works he doesn't play lightly with the readers' attention. If you stick with it the story gets better with each chapter.

The ending is not the strongest ...
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars The original
Reviewed in Mexico on April 14, 2017
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Diamond Age is a masterpiece and every post-cyberpunk lover probably has already read it. If you're still unsure, give it a try. Everything about it is fantastic.
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