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Looking at looking at sf
Jun. 5th, 2012 06:27 amJon Carroll and Maureen Kincaid Speller consider the New Yorker special issue.
That's what I want: recognition
May. 31st, 2012 11:34 amThe world was supposed to end on December 22, 1985. It wasn't announced beforehand, but that was the date of something my tribe expected would end or at least change everything if it ever happened: The New York Times Book Review did an intelligent, respectful full-page review of the latest Robert Heinlein novel (The Cat Who Walks through Walls).
They didn't even lead up to it gradually. We thought they might start by hiring a condescending little prick to sprinkle judicious praise on a few of the more assimilated examples, but no. (Dave Itzkoff didn't come along until years later.) And the world didn't end. In fact, the apocalyptic review didn't seem to change much of anything, but I no longer would be surprised by "mainstream" acceptance.
So I'm a bit blasé about The New Yorker's Science Fiction issue, but I like it. So that's how Colson Whitehead got to be like that (specifically writing The Intuitionist, which I love). I guess the big surprise was finding out that China Miéville survived starting out with Alfred Bester's Golem 100 (the cruelest Bester parody, as Slapstick is the cruelest Vonnegut parody). Miéville noted the "disrespect for text" and kinda liked it. I figured it came from not being able to do it anymore; before Viagra, there was a lot more disrespect for sex. (I hasten to add for those who don't know him that China Miéville does not write like someone with disrespect for text.)
I also noted one of my least favorite things about The New Yorker: the difficulty of finding article amidst the advertising pages. Tom Wolfe's famous attack on the zine was vicious, one-sided, and gratuitously personal, but he was not entirely mistaken when he said that the text is a gray background intended not to be too distracting from the important part.
They didn't even lead up to it gradually. We thought they might start by hiring a condescending little prick to sprinkle judicious praise on a few of the more assimilated examples, but no. (Dave Itzkoff didn't come along until years later.) And the world didn't end. In fact, the apocalyptic review didn't seem to change much of anything, but I no longer would be surprised by "mainstream" acceptance.
So I'm a bit blasé about The New Yorker's Science Fiction issue, but I like it. So that's how Colson Whitehead got to be like that (specifically writing The Intuitionist, which I love). I guess the big surprise was finding out that China Miéville survived starting out with Alfred Bester's Golem 100 (the cruelest Bester parody, as Slapstick is the cruelest Vonnegut parody). Miéville noted the "disrespect for text" and kinda liked it. I figured it came from not being able to do it anymore; before Viagra, there was a lot more disrespect for sex. (I hasten to add for those who don't know him that China Miéville does not write like someone with disrespect for text.)
I also noted one of my least favorite things about The New Yorker: the difficulty of finding article amidst the advertising pages. Tom Wolfe's famous attack on the zine was vicious, one-sided, and gratuitously personal, but he was not entirely mistaken when he said that the text is a gray background intended not to be too distracting from the important part.
Nice Distinctions 22
Jan. 18th, 2012 02:40 pmNew zine available in print like our ancestors used, or e-mailed in text or pdf form. I recommend the latter as it has an excellent Brad Foster cover.
Grand Master
Jan. 16th, 2012 04:16 pmConnie Willis has won SFWA's Grand Master award. Richly deserved, of course. In fact, it's overdue. Not only did she have the credentials years ago, but she has already written the sort of book one does after establishing Grand Mastership. Blackout/All Clear has all the signs: extra-long (in fact, it's in two parts like my ass), set in the old familiar territory, and a good-parts version* in which the author does what she does well and enjoys and leaves out what she doesn't (in this case, research on the ancient World War II period in the exotic United Kingdom). And as ever, the book is appreciated by purchasers and Hugo voters despite the complaints of critics.
* Thanks to Darrell Schweitzer for noticing what a useful critical term that is.
Thanx to Whatever.
* Thanks to Darrell Schweitzer for noticing what a useful critical term that is.
Thanx to Whatever.
Bob Sabella, fan editor/writer and OE of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association, has died suddenly. I will miss him.
Thanx to File 770
Thanx to File 770
Mimeo and other quaint artifacts
Nov. 4th, 2011 06:55 amFrederik Pohl on the technology our ancient ancestors used to produce fanzines. I got into the culture somewhere in the decadent stage (1977), decided that reproduction was the main drawback to two of my favorite activities, and took my zines to the copy shop.
No cranky post from me this year. The fan categories turned out well; congrats to winners Chris Garcia, Claire Brialey, and Brad W. Foster.
The main controversy is over the Novel Hugo, as many say Connie Willis flubbed her research on the ancient World War II period in the exotic United Kingdom.
The main controversy is over the Novel Hugo, as many say Connie Willis flubbed her research on the ancient World War II period in the exotic United Kingdom.
Pubbing my ish
Jan. 21st, 2011 11:26 amI said I was going to do one zine a year, but I seem to have more energy, so I've done Nice Distinctions 20 a mere 6 months after 19. I've sent out .txt and .pdf copies and will be mailing the quaint last-millennium print ones soon. As ever, copies in any of the three formats are available on request.
My latest zine, Nice Distinctions 19, is going out in print, .pdf, and .txt versions. If you want to receive one, let me know.
In case you were wondering
Jun. 5th, 2010 08:03 amFrederik Pohl is not offended by his Best Fan Writer nomination.
(no subject)
Apr. 4th, 2010 07:21 pmCongratulations to all the Hugo nominees except of course the fucking podcast.
Frederik Pohl, who was banned from a Worldcon before I was born (and I'm old) has a blog in which among other things he discusses those days with the style and grace that made him a beloved author for, lo, these many years. Jo Walton points out that this makes him an excellent candidate for the Fan Writer Hugo. Some people quibble. I'm with Jo.
(no subject)
Aug. 31st, 2009 06:50 amBack in the dark ages before the Internet, we had amateur press associations (apas). You'd get a package of zines and write comments on them. Hard-working, considerate people like John Hertz would make the comments into self-contained mini-essays, but lazy slobs like me would just write quick replies that made no sense unless you had the original mailing in front of you. If you didn't, it would be a cascade of brief gibberish like "ct Melvin: Not really."
These kids on Twitter think they've invented something new.
These kids on Twitter think they've invented something new.
(no subject)
Aug. 27th, 2009 09:01 amI was the clumsiest boy in elementary school phys. ed. When I went to an intellectually selective prep school, I was in the lower half. At an even more intellectually selective college, I was around the middle. The sf community does the same sort of thing for me with social skills.
