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Reading for pleasure Issue 8
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* *
* R E A D I N G F O R P L E A S U R E *
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* Issue #8 *
* *
* January 1990 *
* *
* *
* Editor: Cindy Bartorillo *
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* HAPPY NEW YEAR! *
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CONTACT US AT: Reading For Pleasure, c/o Cindy Bartorillo, 1819
Millstream Drive, Frederick, MD 21701; or on CompuServe leave a
message to 74766,1206; or on GEnie leave mail to C.BARTORILLO; or
call our BBS, the BAUDLINE II at 301-694-7108, 1200/2400 8N1.
NOTICE: Reading For Pleasure is not copyrighted. You may copy
freely, but please give us credit if you extract portions to use
somewhere else. Sample copies of our print edition are available
upon request. We ask for a donation of $1.50 each to cover the
printing and mailing costs.
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DISTRIBUTION DIRECTORY
Here are a few bulletin boards where you should be able to pick
up the latest issue of READING FOR PLEASURE. See masthead for
where to send additions and corrections to this list.
Accolade! BBS Round Rock,TX Jack Moore 512-388-1445
Ad Lib Monroeville,PA John Williams 412-327-9209
The Annex Dayton,OH John Cooper 513-274-0821
Beginnings BBS Levittown,NY Mike Coticchio 516-796-7296 S
Billboard Bartlett,IL Gary Watson 708-289-9808 P
Blcksbg Info Serv Blacksburg,VA Fred Drake 703-951-2920
Boardello Los Angeles,CA Bryan Tsunoda 213-820-4527 P
Bruce's Bar&Grill; Hartford,CT Bruce 203-236-3761 P
Byrd's Nest Arlington,VA Debbie&Alan; Byrd 703-671-8923 P
CC-BBS ManhattanBchCA Chuck Crayne 213-379-8817 P
Center Point PCB Salt Lake,UT Kelvin Hyatt 801-359-6014 P
Chevy Chase Board Chevy Chase,MD Larkins/Carlson 301-549-5574 P
CompuNet Venice,CA Karen Zinda 213-306-1447 P
Computer Co-Op Voorhees,NJ Ted Hare 609-784-9404
Daily Planet Owosso,MI Jay Stark 517-723-4613
Death Star Oxon Hill,MD Lee Pollard 301-839-0705 P
Del Ches Systems Exton,PA Peter Rucci 215-363-6625
Diversified Prog PacPalisadesCA Jean-Pierre Denis 213-459-6053 P
Farmington Valley Hartford,CT John Walko 203-676-8920 P
Future Tech Boston,MA Napier & Moran 617-720-3600 P
Futzer Avenue Issaquah,WA Stan Symms 206-391-2339 P
Gentleman Loser Laurel,MD Robert West 301-776-0226 P
HeavenSoft Dayton,OH John Wampler 513-836-4288
House of Illusions Louisville,KY Pittman/Schardein 502-458-7666
IBMNew CompuServe Library #0
Inn on the Park Scottsdale,AZ Jim Jusko 602-957-0631 P
Invention Factory New York,NY Mike Sussell 212-431-1273 P
Ivory Tower Manchester,CT Karl Hakmiller 203-649-5611 PS
JETS Philadelphia T.A. Hare 215-928-7503 P
JForum CompuServe Library #8
KCSS BBS Seattle,WA Bob Neddo 206-296-5277 P
()Lensman() BBS Denver,CO Greg Bradt 303-979-8953 P
Litforum CompuServe Library #12
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Magpie HQ New York,NY Steve Manes 212-420-0527 P
NiCK at NiTE Salt Lake,UT Nick Zahner 801-964-1889 P
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Oak Lawn Oak Lawn,IL Vince & Chris 708-599-8089 P
Poverty Rock PCB Mercer Is.,WA Rick Kunz 206-232-1763 PS
Quantum Connec. PacPalisadesCA Richard W. Gross 213-459-6748 P
Riverside Premium Lyons,IL Don Marquardt 312-447-8073 P
Science Fiction GEnie Library #3
SF & Fantasy CIS Hom-9 Library #1
Suburban Software Chicago,IL Chuck Valecek 312-636-6694 P
Sunwise Sun City W.,AZ Keith Slater 602-584-7395
Technoids Anon. Chandler,AZ David Cantere 602-899-4876 P
Writers Happy Hr Seattle,WA Walter Scott 206-364-2139 P
Writers' RT GEnie Library #1
Your Place Fairfax,VA Ken Goosens 703-978-6360 P
RFP Home Board:
Baudline II Frederick,MD the Bartorillo's 301-694-7108
Any board that participates in the RelayNet (tm) email system can
request RFP from NetNode.
P = PC Pursuit-able
S = StarLink-able
NOTE: Back issues on CompuServe may have been moved to a
different library (or removed).
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
What's News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Recent New Age Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Important Dates in January . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 509
News Release From UMI Research Press . . . . . . . . . . 616
Amazing Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706
True Crime In Paperback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 871
Steve Gerber Talks Back to RFP . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1085
Bluffers Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1139
Fiction Into Film: The Onion Field . . . . . . . . . . . 1213
New Heinlein Material Coming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1298
January Releases From Mysterious Press . . . . . . . . . 1360
Lizzie Borden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1410
From Meadowbrook Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1493
Keeping Up With: John E. Stith . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1554
Random Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1598
Who Is Darryl Kenning? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2129
New From Wiley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2175
All-Time Bestselling Children's Books . . . . . . . . . . 2229
1989 World Fantasy Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2285
Bestsellers 1980-1988 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2311
More Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2336
New From Carroll & Graf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2407
The Strange Luck of Walter Jon Williams . . . . . . . . . 2491
Back Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2553
Great Beginnings Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Great Beginnings Trivia Quiz Answers . . . . . . . . . . 2612
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A man is a small thing, and the night is
very large and full of wonders.
--Lord Dunsany
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EDITORIAL
I don't know why so many people enjoy reading True Crime, but I
suspect the reasons are as varied as the readers. The genre might
tap your latent Sherlock Holmes tendencies, or it might feed the
kind of voyeuristic sadism that makes people stop and stare at
car accidents. Whatever the attraction may be, True Crime seems
to sell well, as even the smaller bookstores in my town manage to
reserve several shelves for it.
What I can talk about are my own motivations and reactions, and
the first thing I notice is my unease when the subject of True
Crime gets closer to my here-and-now. I can spend many happy
hours reading about Lizzie Borden, Jack the Ripper, the
Halls-Mills Case, or the murder of Desmond Taylor, but reading
about Ted Bundy doesn't sound like much fun to me. It doesn't
take Sigmund Freud to realize that my attraction to crime
increases with its distance from me. How about you?
Another deep psychological insight: If death has to come, let it
come for a reason. Most of yesteryear's murders were for some
specific REASON. I'm not saying the crime was justified, only
that there was some relatively sane motivation. Today's typical
murder has no intelligible reason at all, and is therefore all
the more upsetting. Living a good life and being the very best
person you can possibly be is no defense. You could be next, and
for NO REASON AT ALL.
For this reason, one of my favorite Jack the Ripper books is
Stephen Knight's JACK THE RIPPER: THE FINAL SOLUTION, for in Mr.
Knight's theory there was a real REASON for all of it: the
murders themselves, the types of victims, the brutality of the
murders, and, most importantly, there was a reason for the
atrocities to stop when they did. I'm not at all convinced that
Mr. Knight has proved his theory, but it is certainly one of the
most intellectually and psychologically satisfying explanations
of the Ripper murders.
Also, you must notice that we have two new contributors this
month: Fred Drake and Robert A. Pittman. I thank both of them for
their generosity and hope that they will send us more material
very soon. You can contact Mr. Pittman through Reading For
Pleasure, and the best place to find Mr. Drake is on the BIS
(Blacksburg Information Service) BBS in Blacksburg, VA (703-
951-2920). Fred is the SYSOP of the literary section of the BIS,
so next time you and your computer are out trolling the phone
lines, be sure to give him a call.
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So-called genre fiction is the one place where heroes survive.
So-called "literary" fiction has become simply an exercise in
style. The idea, so far as I can tell, is to write better and
better about less and less until one is writing perfectly about
nothing.
--William L. DeAndrea
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WHAT'S NEWS
* As I'm sure many of you have heard by now, Stephen King's novel
THE STAND was substantially longer in its original incarnation,
having been subjected to massive editorial cuts prior to
publication. The original version is still tentatively scheduled
to be released by Doubleday this May, and is being called, at
least so far, THE COMPLETE STAND. It will be a hardcover of 1136
pages, restoring over 30,000 words of excised material, including
a wholly new ending. Berni Wrightson illustrations will grace the
limited edition and possibly the trade edition. Tentative price
is $30 (for the regular edition) and the initial print run, I
hear, will be 100,000 (which is mighty small). I don't mean to
start a stampede, but the first edition of this book (and of
course the limited edition) might really be worth something.
* Last year publisher Stein & Day finally went bankrupt. You can
find out what happened in Sol Stein's book, A FEAST FOR LAWYERS:
Inside Chapter 11 (Evans, $18.95, ISBN 0-87131-598-0). His
perspective is not without bias, but it's a fascinating business
story and particularly recommended to all CEOs.
* If you'd like to read a book by a man who loves reading as much
as you do, try MEMOIRS OF A BOOKMAN by Jack Matthews (Swallow/
Ohio University, $21.95, ISBN 0-8214-0937-9). He's a professor of
English at Ohio University and collects old books and
manuscripts. In this volume (he also wrote BOOKING IN THE
HEARTLAND) he talks about subjects as varied as Mark Twain,
Calvin Coolidge, Johnny Appleseed, and hound dogs.
* Here's a book that sounds interesting--> THE DAME IN THE
KIMONO: Hollywood, Censorship and the Production Code from the
1920s to the 1960s by Leonard J. Leff & Jerold L. Simmons. It's
new from Grove Weidenfeld, $22.50, ISBN 1-55584-224-0.
* And here's another good-looking book--> HENRY JAMES AND EDITH
WHARTON: Letters 1900-1915 edited by Lyall H. Powers. It's new
from Scribners, $29.95, ISBN 0-684-19146-6.
* Warren Adler must have made a deal with the Devil. A movie
version of his novel THE WAR OF THE ROSES was released in
December. Another of his books, RANDOM HEARTS (about the romance
that evolves between the spouses of two secret lovers killed in a
plane crash), is under development at Tri-Star. Another Adler
book, THE SUNSET GANG (interrelated stories set in a Florida
retirement community), is being prepared for public television's
American Playhouse by Big Deal Productions, Linda Lavin's
company. Adler's latest novel, MADELINE'S MIRACLES (a self-
proclaimed psychic who gains control of a trusting California
family), has been optioned by Warner Bros. as a vehicle for
Goldie Hawn.
* A book I'm willing to bet on--> THE BRIDESHEAD GENERATION:
Evelyn Waugh and His Friends by Humphrey Carpenter (Houghton
Mifflin, $24.95, ISBN 0-395-44142-0). I'm not a big Evelyn Waugh
reader, but I am a fan of Humphrey Carpenter. He wrote a book a
few years ago called THE INKLINGS: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien,
Charles Williams & Their Friends, which was riveting--check your
library.
* For a controversial biography of a semi-classic writer, try
RUDYARD KIPLING by Martin Seymour-Smith (St. Martin's, January,
$18.95, ISBN 0-312-03925-5). Kipling is portrayed as a man driven
by repressed homosexuality and self-hate who yet managed to
become one of the greatest writers of all time.
* If you've been thinking of trying a horror novel to see what
all the fuss is about, you might want to head on over to your
local store now and pick up a copy of Dean R. Koontz's new novel,
THE BAD PLACE. I haven't seen it yet (it's not out as I write
this), but the early reviews are raves. Sounds like it could be a
big cross-over book, popular with general readers as well as
horror fans. Ask for: THE BAD PLACE by Dean R. Koontz, Putnam,
$19.95, ISBN 0-399-13498-0.
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BY BIZARRE HANDS: Stories by Joe R. Lansdale
Do you know what FEAR is? TRUE fear? Stoker Award-winning author
Joe Lansdale does---and he shares that knowledge in his first
short story collection, BY BIZARRE HANDS. Featuring 14 excursions
into terror, this deluxe hardcover edition also includes an
introduction by Lewis Shiner; jacket, endpaper, and title page
art by J.K. Potter; and interior illustrations by ALIENS artist
Mark Nelson.
$25 Trade Edition
$65 Slipcased Limited Edition Signed by All Participants
Please add $2 to your order for shipping and handling.
Mark V. Ziesing, P.O. Box 76, Shingletown, CA 96088
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GREAT BEGINNINGS QUIZ
As we begin a new decade, can you remember how these books began?
Match up the first lines and the book titles, if you can.
The Books:
1. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. Cabal by Clive Barker
4. Weaveworld by Clive Barker
5. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
7. Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney
8. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
9. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
10. Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
11. "The Body" by Stephen King
12. The Drive-In by Joe R. Lansdale
13. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
14. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
15. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley
16. 1984 by George Orwell
17. Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
18. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
19. Song of Kali by Dan Simmons
20. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The first lines:
(A) She was so deeply imbedded in my consciousness that for the
first year of school I seem to have believed that each of my
teachers was my mother in disguise.
(B) Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.
(C) The story so far:
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of
people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.
(D) Nothing ever begins.
There is no first moment; no single word or place from which this
or any other story springs.
(E) The most important things are the hardest things to say. They
are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish
them--words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in
your head to no more than living size when they're brought out.
(F) I warn you that what you're starting to read is full of loose
ends and unanswered questions. It will not be neatly tied up at
the end, everything resolved and satisfactorily explained.
(G) Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or
whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages
must show.
(H) If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll
probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy
childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied before they
had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap...
(I) Call me Ishmael.
(J) It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
(K) There were 117 psychoanalysts on the Pan Am flight to Vienna
and I'd been treated by at least six of them.
(L) Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy
in its own way.
(M) It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were
striking thirteen.
(N) No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under
conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are
supposed, by some, to dream.
(O) Some places are too evil to be allowed to exist.
(P) I wonder if there isn't a lot of bunkum in higher education?
(Q) Of all the rash and midnight promises made in the name of
love, none, Boone now knew, was more certain to be broken than
"I'll never leave you."
(R) It was love at first sight.
(S) It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in
possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
(T) I suppose, ultimately, this will read like a diseased version
of those stupid essays you're asked to write in school each fall
after summer break. You know, "How I Spent My Summer Vacation."
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RECENT NEW AGE BOOKS
DREAMSCAPE by Bruce Vance; Quest, $8.95, ISBN 0-8356-0648-1
(Describes this alternate reality to acquaint you with your
dreaming self and teach you dimensions of dreamscapes.)
WHISPERS OF THE MIND by Elaine Stephens; Harper & Row; $8.95
(For the first time, a book on past-life regression provides
step-by-step exercises that show readers how to use self-
hypnosis to understand their previous lives.)
OPEN MIND, DISCRIMINATING MIND by Charles T. Tart; Harper & Row;
$18.95
(A world-renowned researcher unites the spiritual and the
scientific, exploring ways to expand the boundaries of
awareness without losing our grip on reality.)
SEXUAL SECRETS: Special Limited Edition by Nik Douglas & Penny
Slinger; Inner Traditions; $18.95; ISBN 0-89281-266-4
(The undisputed classic in its field, this definitive study of
sex and mysticism is now available in a one-time-only
anniversary edition that includes eight pages of Oriental
erotic art, in full color.)
EARTH HONORING: The New Male Sexuality by Robert Lawlor
Inner Traditions; $16.95; ISBN 0-89281-254-0
("One of today's theorists of sacred architecture" (Omni) here
turns his attention to man's relationship with the earth,
seeing our current environmental crisis as stemming from the
unhealthy excess of male sexual energy found in our Western
patriarchal society. As he explores the male identity through
myth, ritual, and culture from ancient times to the present,
Lawlor shows how we can learn from the earth-honoring, tribal
cultures to help us restore meaning and sanity to the
expression of male sexuality.)
THE WAY TO INNER FREEDOM: A Practical Guide to Personal
Development by Erik Blumenthal; Oneworld; $7.50;
ISBN 1-85168-011-X
(This warm, down-to-earth book from the President of the Swiss
Society for Individual Psychology is for everyone seeking to
develop their inner potential and a clearer sense of purpose in
their lives.)
THE NATIONAL NEW AGE YELLOW PAGES: 2nd Edition edited by Marcia
Gervase Ingenito; Highgate House; $12.95; ISBN 0-943083-08-7
(Offers access to metaphysical, holistic and spiritual
services, products and organizations in the U.S. Easy-to-use,
contains thought-provoking articles, money-saving coupons, a
glossary, and a traveler's directory. Indexed and cross-
referenced.)
MALE & FEMALE REALITIES: Understanding the Opposite Sex by Joe
Tanenbaum; Candle; $12.95; ISBN 0-942523-37-7
(In the boardroom or bedroom; at the kitchen table or global
peace tables, the neuropsychology of sex differences will
impact your life! An amazing exploration of the differences in
male and female approaches to communication, sex, emotions,
decisions, priorities, commitment, learning and much more.)
MEDITATION: An Invitation to Inner Growth by Swami Chetanananda;
Rudra Press; $15.95; ISBN 0-915801-14-0
(90 min. audio tape with practice guide. Learn to meditate with
this exceptional audio program by Swami Chetanananda, a highly
respected American master of kundalini yoga. Explore the subtle
energy centers in the body called chakras and experience the
flow of your vital creative energy. Includes 40-minute guided
meditation, motivational talk, and practice guide.)
MYSTICS, MAGICIANS AND MEDICINE PEOPLE: Tales of a Wanderer by
Doug Boyd; Paragon House; $17.95; ISBN 1-55778-127-3
(From the author of the highly acclaimed and bestselling
ROLLING THUNDER, this is Doug Boyd's personal story of his
spiritual experiences. "In my fieldwork and travels," he
writes, "...I have come to learn of that cosmological
arrangement that accounts for the magnificent works and ways of
mystics, magicians, and medicine people. I have learned the
simple secret of the shaman, the sorcerer, the seer--and I have
come to see that it is, in fact, no secret at all. It is that
all things are alive and all life is related."
SPIRITUAL EMERGENCY: When Personal Transformation Becomes a
Crisis edited by Stanislav Grof, M.D. & Christina Grof; Jeremy
P. Tarcher; $10.95; ISBN 0-87477-538-8
(Leading experts explore the relationship between psychosis,
mental disease, spiritual development and mystical states of
consciousness. This groundbreaking work reveals that within the
crisis of Spiritual Emergency lies the promise of spiritual
emergence and renewal.)
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SHAMAN: Connecting with Self, Nature &
Spirit by Amber Wolfe; Llewellyn; $12.95; ISBN 0-87542-888-6
(Learn how to use natural objects to deepen your personal
connection with Earth energies and connect with the center of
your own power. The author studied with the Wolf Clan Mother of
the Seneca Nation, and she shares tested, ancient formulas and
personal methods.)
THE GALDRABOK: An Icelandic Grimoire by Stephen Flowers; Samuel
Weiser; $8.95; ISBN 0-87728-685-X
(Faithfully translated from the original, this work is the
single most important document for understanding the practice
of magic in late medieval Iceland. Includes the history of
magic in Iceland, as well as old gods, daemons, runes and
magical signs, theory and practice of magic, and provides
instructions for making magical staves and talismans.)
PAGAN RITUALS III edited by Herman Slater; Magickal Childe;
$9.95; ISBN 0-939-708-27-2
(These papers, never publicly available before, are the actual
training material of a Northeastern coven. Also included are
the elementary rites and the outer court Book of Shadows
training coven. This book also answers the ten most frequently
asked questions by cowans, non witches. This is Wicca in the
raw.)
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"I read in the paper that in the U.S., I think it was just
this country, a woman is beaten or physically abused something
like every eighteen seconds."
"You don't tell me."
"Somebody made a study."
"You wouldn't think that many women would get out of line
would you?"
--from BANDITS by Elmore Leonard
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BIRTHS AND OTHER IMPORTANT DATES IN JANUARY
01 1854 Sir James George Frazer, Scottish anthropologist, author
of THE GOLDEN BOUGH
01 1879 E.M. Forster, English writer
01 1919 Jerome David Salinger, American writer
01 1933 Joe Orton, English dramatist
02 1752 Philip Freneau, American poet
02 1920 Isaac Asimov, Russian-born American-educated writer &
scientist
03 106 B.C. Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman statesman and author
03 1870 Henry Handel Richardson, Anglo-Australian novelist
03 1892 John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, English philologist, writer,
and professor of medieval literature
04 1785 Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm, one of the Brothers Grimm
04 1878 A.E. Coppard, English writer
05 1921 Friedrich Duerrenmatt, Swiss playwright
06 1854 Sherlock Holmes was born at Mycroft
06 1878 Carl Sandburg, American poet
06 1931 Edgar Lawrence Doctorow, American novelist
07 1714 The typewriter is patented
07 1873 Charles Peguy, French poet and essayist
07 1925 Gerald Durrell, English zoologist and writer
08 1824 Wilkie Collins, English novelist
08 1862 Frank Nelson Doubleday, American publisher
09 1857 Henry B. Fuller, American writer
09 1881 Lascelles Abercrombie, English poet and critic
09 1901 Chic Young, creator of the "Blondie" comic strip
09 1908 Simone de Beauvoir, French novelist and essayist
10 1776 "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine is published
10 1814 Aubrey de Vere, Irish writer
10 1887 Robinson Jeffers, American poet
11 1842 William James, American philosopher
11 1903 Alan Paton, South African novelist
11 1905 Manfred B. Lee, one-half of Ellery Queen
12 1729 Edmund Burke, English statesman and author
12 1876 Jack London, American writer
13 1628 Charles Perrault, French critic and writer
13 1832 Horatio Alger, Jr., American writer
13 1898 The French newspaper l'Aurore publishes Emile Zola's
famous letter "J'Accuse", addressed to the President of
France and accusing the war ministry of injustices in the
Dreyfus case.
13 1933 Ron Goulart, American writer
14 1886 Hugh Lofting, English/American writer & illustrator
14 1896 John Dos Passos, American writer
14 1913 Tillie Olsen, American writer
14 1919 Andy Rooney, American TV personality and essayist
14 1925 Yukio Mishima, Japanese writer Kimitake Hiraoka
14 1926 Thomas Tryon, American actor and writer
15 1622 Moliere, French dramatist Jean Baptiste Poquelin
15 1891 Osip Mandelshtam, Russian poet
16 1874 Robert Service, English-born Canadian poet
16 1930 Norman Podhoretz, American editor, critic, essayist
16 1933 Susan Sontag, American writer and filmmaker
17 1706 Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, author, diplomat,
inventor, publisher, scientist
17 1771 Charles Brockden Brown, American novelist and editor,
known as the father of the American novel
17 1820 Anne Bronte, English novelist
17 1899 Nevil Shute, English novelist Nevil Shute Norway
18 1689 Charles Montesquieu, French philosopher and writer
18 1779 Peter Roget, who created a (the?) thesaurus, invented the
slide rule?, invented the pocket chessboard?
18 1882 A.A. Milne, English writer
18 1912 William Sansom, English writer
19 1809 Edgar Allan Poe, American poet, critic, writer
19 1921 Patricia Highsmith, American writer
20 1866 Richard Le Gallienne, English writer
21 1904 R.P. Blackmur, American critic and poet
22 1561 Sir Francis Bacon, English philosopher and essayist
22 1788 George Gordon Noel Byron (Lord Byron), English poet
22 1849 August Strindberg, Swedish playwright, novelist, poet
22 1937 Joseph Wambaugh, American writer
23 1783 Stendhal, French writer and critic Marie Henri Beyle
24 1732 Pierre Beaumarchais, French dramatist
24 1862 Edith Wharton, American writer
25 1759 Robert Burns, Scottish poet
25 1874 W. Somerset Maugham, English writer
25 1882 Virginia Woolf, English critic and writer
26 1804 Eugene Sue, French novelist Marie Joseph Sue
26 1929 Jules Feiffer, American cartoonist and writer
27 1775 Friedrich von Schelling, German philosopher
27 1832 Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), English writer,
mathematician, photographer
27 1957 Frank Miller, American comics writer
28 1873 Colette, French novelist Sidonie Gabrielle Colette
28 1933 Susan Sontag, writer & film director; New York City
29 1688 Emanuel Swedenborg, Swedish philosopher and scientist
29 1737 Thomas Paine, English pamphleteer
29 1860 Anton Chekhov, Russian dramatist and short-story writer
30 1775 Walter Savage Landor, English critic and writer
30 1912 Barbara Tuchman, American historian
31 1872 Zane Gray, American western novelist
31 1905 John O'Hara, American writer
31 1915 Thomas Merton, American poet, essayist, religious writer
31 1923 Norman Mailer, American writer
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
It is, to me, a distressing thought that in nine-tenths of the
detective stories of the world murderers are continually
effecting egresses when they might just as easily go out.
--A.A. Milne
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
University Microfilms International
A Bell & Howell Information Company
300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
(313) 761-4700
NEWS RELEASE
O'Keeffe, Stieglitz and the Critics, 1916-1929
by Barbara Buhler Lynes
Explores the readings and misreadings of
O'Keeffe's art by the critics and her husband,
renowned photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
This new book by UMI Research Press focuses on one of the most
dynamic periods in Georgia O'Keeffe's personal and professional
life -- a time marked by a flurry of critical attention which
both shaped and worked against the artist's emerging self-
definition. In this first full analysis of that critical
response, author and art historian Barbara Buhler Lynes presents
and interprets more than 85 reviews by such noted critics as
Marsden Hartley, Paul Rosenfeld, Henry Tyrrell, Katherine Dreier,
Edmund Wilson, Henry McBride, and Lewis Mumford.
From 1916 when O'Keeffe was virtually unknown in America, to 1929
when she had gained a good deal of fame, Georgia O'Keeffe's
imagery captured the attention of many prestigious critics. Lynes
demonstrates that although the critics often spoke favorably
about O'Keeffe's work, their words also worked to undercut its
meaning and significance. By relating the biases implicit in
their writing to sources in late nineteenth- and early
twentieth-century patterns of thought about the nature and role
of women and women artists, Lynes clarifies how language has been
imposed upon O'Keeffe's art rather than deriving from it
directly. In addition, she discusses O'Keeffe's objections to
aspects of this criticism and defines the role she played in
trying to redirect the criticism. Lynes argues that Alfred
Stieglitz unwittingly contributed to the continuing critical
misreading of the artist's work during this vital period of her
life, in spite of his faith in and commitment to O'Keeffe and her
work.
This 400-page illustrated book with dustjacket will be available
in August both in hardcover (for $44.95) and in paperback (for
$14.95) from UMI Research Press, 300 North Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor,
Michigan 48106 (1-800-345-9084 or 313-973-9821), ISBN 8357-1930-8
(hard); 8357-1962-6 (paper). Series: Studies in the Fine Arts:
Criticism. Series Editor: Donald B. Kuspit, Professor of Art
History, The State University of New York at Stony Brook.
UMI Research Press is a publisher of books in the arts and
humanities. More than 30 series, covering topics from
contemporary are criticism to music and the performing arts, from
material culture to literary criticism, are edited by recognized
authorities from prominent universities. Founded in 1978, UMI
Research Press is a division of University Microfilms
International.
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
You've read the books, now play the game! Yes, folks, you've read
at least one or two of the WILD CARDS series edited by George R.
R. Martin, haven't you? It's a multi-book series of shared-
universe stories set on an alternate Earth after the release of
the Wild Card virus. The series was originally based on role-
playing games, with a very heavy comic book influence, and it's a
lot of fun. The core of WILD CARDS are the characters. Here is a
small sampling:
Bagabond, who can communicate with and control animals.
Doctor Tachyon, an alien with amazing mental powers.
Fortunato, who uses tantric sex to acquire his powers of mind
control, astral projection, and time distortion.
Modular Man, the android.
Peregrine, the beautiful woman who can fly.
Puppetman, the Senator with mind control abilities.
The Sleeper, who is different every time he awakes.
and, almost everyone's favorite:
Thomas Tudbury, otherwise known as The Great and Powerful Turtle,
the greatest telekineticist in the world.
Anyway, as I started to say a ways back, WILD CARDS has come full
circle and is now a role-playing game. It's a supplement
available from Steve Jackson Games and it uses the GURPS Supers
system. The ISBN of the WILD CARDS supplement is 1-55634-151-2,
and it is used with the GURPS Basic Set (Third Edition) and with
GURPS Supers, all from Steve Jackson Games.
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
AMAZING STORIES
Date: 2 Nov 89 17:30:08 GMT
From: djo@pacbell.com (Dan'l DanehyOakes)
Subject: A Gentle Plea
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I, your humble servant and itinerant net.roach, come before you
today, not to bitch about someone else's postings, but to beg and
beseech you all to join a worthy and important crusade, that
being the salvation of AMAZING STORIES, of which you may have
heard. The importance of this cause may not be immediately
obvious to some of you out there. Those of you reasonably
familiar with the generic history of SF, and who, therefore,
understand what makes AMAZING so important, can comfortably skip
from the end of this paragraph to the line that appears below.
For the rest of you: You've probably at least heard of Hugo
Gernsback, probably with some vague idea that the Hugo award
(more properly the Science Fiction Achievement Award, presented
by the membership of the annual Worldcon, a gathering of
trekkies, v-jerks, and various other media fans used as a
smoke-screen by those of us dedicated to the One True Science
Fiction, behind the cover of which we hold our nefarious
conclaves, give out coveted awards (such as the aforementioned
"Hugo"), and generally party down) draws its appellation from his.
This is correct. Gernsback, in fact, is considered in some sense
"the Father of Science Fiction". He was certainly responsible for
its separate existence as a "genre" or market category of
commercial fiction. This for two reasons that come easily to
mind: First, because he gave science fiction its name -- though
he originally wanted to call it by the jawbreaking neologism
"scienti-fiction," "stf" (pronounced "steff") for short -- and
second, because, in the Year of Our Ford and Manufacturer
Nineteen Ought Twenty and Six, he did, with malice aforethought,
bring forth upon the unsuspecting newsstands of America a new
magazine, entitled AMAZING STORIES, the which selfsame magazine
was the first ever, in the history of the Universe, to publish
scientifiction -- and *only* scientifiction.
This magazine is still being published after sixty-three years.
It's been in and out of red ink a few times, passed through any
number of editors and publishers, and been a very good and a very
bad magazine at various times. Also, it has a tradition of being
low-paying and low-budget.
A few years ago, it passed into the hands of TSR, the
manufacturers of AD&D; and other games, and owners of the
trademark Buck Rogers. AMAZING'S editor under TSR has been the
eminently talented Patrick Price.
TSR is currently on a big Buck Rogers push.
That's the background.
------------------------------
A few months ago, Pat Price started sending out very polite
rejections to all contributors in which he explained that the
returned manuscripts were not necessarily rejected on grounds of
quality; nay, Price was, for reasons not explained in the text of
the letter, unable to accept any contributions of new material at
the present time -- at least until next spring.
Naturally, rumors began to flit about the SF community. Had TSR
decided that AMAZING was not making enough money? Was Price being
fired? Were they going to nuke AMAZING entirely?
One extremely persistent rumor, which as of this writing is not
confirmed to my satisfaction, has been that TSR had decided to
convert AMAZING, that it is slated to become a vehicle for
graphic stories (translation: comic) about one Buck Rogers. There
was a certain horrible logic to this; TSR *is* exploiting the
hell out of the Rogers trademark, and converting an existing
magazine has the accounting-logic of forcing itself on an
existing subscriber base, which gives them numbers to show
potential advertisers for the first year or so, or until the
subscribers revolt and demand the balance of their subscriptions
be refunded, whichever comes first.
That is all just rumor. What is *not* rumor, however, is this: in
the current issue of LOCUS ("The Newspaper of Science
Fiction..."), you can read that TSR has announced the
cancellation of AMAZING STORIES.
I don't know whether they just mean "in its current form," and I
don't really care; that isn't even relevant, to be quite honest.
What matters is that a piece of the field's heritage is about to
be destroyed by the bean-counters.
I object to this, just as I object to the colorization of Woody
Allen movies; just as I object to the logging of national forests
(if you didn't know, most of the national forests are available
for logging); just as I object to folks who take hammers to the
sculpture of Michelangelo and razors to the paintings of
Rembrandt. No, I'm not suggesting that AMAZING is the equal of a
Rembrandt or a Michelangelo. But similar objections apply to,
say, the cannon displays at Gettysburg and Brandywine. How would
you feel if, say, Arlington National Cemetery were being plowed
under for a new shopping mall?
It's like that.
So... what can we do about it?
Maybe nothing. Maybe something.
Once upon a time, STAR TREK got a third season after the network
decided they were canceling it. Admittedly, it was a *rotten*
season: but it proved once and for all that *YOU* can do
something to change corporate minds.
When was the last time you saw a can of that wretched New Coke?
What to do:
Write a letter to TSR. Write more than one, if you're inspired.
Write three a day. Mail them to TSR.
DON'T mail them to AMAZING STORIES or Pat Price.
DON'T mention either Amazing or Price, or even Buck Rogers, on
the envelope.
The idea is that TSR's main office has to open every single one
of these damn letters *themselves*. It'll cost them money, keep
them busy, and drive them *crazy*. Make it clear that you
*resent* their decision to cancel AMAZING, a piece of sf's valued
heritage, and you'll never buy a TSR book, game, or magazine as
long as you live unless they change their minds, at least to the
extent of selling the title to someone who'll keep publishing it.
The address is:
TSR, Inc.
Post Office Box 756
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
If you're feeling *really* inspired, you can call them at (415)
248-3625, but for most people that'll cost more than a 25-cent
letter.
(Oh, yeah. *Don't* send post cards. They're cheaper, but TSR can
see at one glance what they're about and forward them to Pat
Price or discard them. Remember, the idea is to make things as
hard on them as possible.)
Thank you for your indulgence.
Together, we can beat the corporate Blue Meanies.
Dan'l
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
No writer, except maybe Bill Buckley, likes to exclude anyone
from understanding what he's written but it is always wrong for a
writer, or for that matter a parent or a teacher, to talk down or
write down to anyone.
--Andrew A. Rooney
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
TRUE CRIME IN PAPERBACK
The following titles should still be available, but act quick--
paperbacks can disappear in the blink of an eye.
NUTCRACKER by Shana Alexander
The story of Frances Schreuder, the New York balletomane whose
manipulations brought about the murder of her father by her own
son.
Dell ISBN 0-440-16512-1 $3.95
VERY MUCH A LADY: The Untold Story of Jean Harris & Dr. Herman
Tarnower by Shana Alexander
A sympathetic account of Jean Harris, the prim schoolmistress
imprisoned for killing her lover, a prominent physician and
author.
Dell ISBN 0-440-19270-6 $4.95
EVIL ANGELS by John Bryson
A fascinating account of the most sensational criminal case in
recent Australian history: a woman accused of killing her baby
while vacationing at a backwoods campground. The case inspired
the film A CRY IN THE DARK, starring Meryl Streep.
Bantam ISBN 0-553-27207-1 $4.95
HELTER SKELTER by Vincent Bugliosi & Curt Gentry
A harrowing account of the Manson family's 1969 murder spree.
Recommended.
Bantam ISBN 0-553-27829-0 $4.95
TILL DEATH US DO PART by Vincent Bugliosi & Ken Hurwitz
A story of murder with a backdrop of singles bars and casual sex,
written by Charles Manson's prosecutor.
Bantam ISBN 0-553-27223-3 $4.95
CRIPPEN: The Mild Murderer by Tom Callen
The seemingly mild-mannered Dr. Crippen was accused of
dismembering his wife in the London of 1910.
Penguin ISBN 0-14-010942-0 $6.95
IN COLD BLOOD by Truman Capote
The now-classic "nonfiction novel" dealing with the murder of a
well-to-do midwestern family and the subsequent trial of the
murderers. Recommended.
NAL ISBN 0-451-15446-0 $4.95
AT MOTHER'S REQUEST by Jonathan Coleman
Another account of how New York socialite Frances Schreuder
masterminded the murder of her father, one of the richest men in
Utah, by her own son.
Pocket ISBN 0-671-61106-2 $4.50
PRINCE OF THE CITY by Robert Daley
The story of the New York City special investigations unit
policeman who exposed corruption within his own department.
Berkley ISBN 0-425-09789-7 $3.95
WHITE MISCHIEF: The Murder of Lord Erroll by James Fox
Murder amid a set of decadent upper-class Englishmen in 1940s
Kenya.
Random House ISBN 0-394-75687-8 $4.95
MAFIA PRINCESS: Growing Up in Sam Giancana's Family by Antoinette
Giancana & Thomas C. Renner
Memoirs by the daughter of a mob honcho.
Avon ISBN 0-380-69849-8 $4.50
THE CRIPPEN FILE by Jonathan Goodman
News clippings and other memorabilia on the Crippen case.
Schocken ISBN 0-8052-8244-0 $8.95
STRANGER IN TWO WORLDS by Jean Harris
The convicted murderess tells her own story.
Zebra ISBN 0-8217-2112-7 $4.50
THE MAUL AND THE PEAR TREE by P.D. James & T.A. Critchley
The story of the Ratcliffe Highway murders, a series of crimes
that shocked London in the early 19th century. (This book failed
to maintain my interest. -Cindy)
Mysterious ISBN 0-445-40562-7 $3.95
THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF TRUE CRIME edited by Richard Glyn Jones
A collection of many of the most famous unsolved murders.
Carroll & Graf ISBN 0-88184-411-X $8.95
UNSOLVED!: Classic True Murder Cases edited by Richard Glyn Jones
Famous mystery writers examine unsolved crimes. Recommended.
Peter Bedrick ISBN 0-87226-205-7 $7.95
OUR GANG: Jewish Crime and the New York Jewish Community,
1900-1940 by Jenna W. Joselit
Indiana ISBN 0-253-20314-7 $9.95
A CAST OF KILLERS by Sidney D. Kirkpatrick
Unearthing the story behind the murder of film director William
Desmond Taylor in silent-era Hollywood. Especially recommended.
Penguin ISBN 0-14-010086-5 $4.95
JACK THE RIPPER: The Final Solution by Stephen Knight
Knight theorizes that the Ripper killings were the culmination of
a top level coverup by the English government. Recommended.
Academy Chicago ISBN 0-89733-209-1 $7.95
HONOURED SOCIETY: The Sicilian Mafia Observed by Norman Lewis
The Sicilian roots of the Mafia.
Hippocrene ISBN 0-907871-80-1 $9.95
A PRIVATE DISGRACE: Lizzie Borden by Daylight by Victoria Lincoln
A look at the notorious 19th-century case of a young woman
accused of the axe murder of her parents. Recommended.
International Polygonics ISBN 0-930330-35-8 $5.95
FATAL FASCINATION: Where Fact Meets Fiction in Police Work by
Phil & Karen McArdle
A humorous contrast between the realities of police work and the
treatment of police in fiction.
Houghton Mifflin ISBN 0-395-46789-6 $8.95
NO DEADLY DRUG by John D. MacDonald
The murder trial of Dr. Carl Coppolino.
Fawcett ISBN 0-449-12809-1 $4.95
FATAL VISION by Joe McGinnis
The story of Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, the former Green Beret
accused of killing his pregnant wife and two children, a crime he
still denies committing.
NAL ISBN 0-451-14422-8 $4.50
MONEY TO BURN by Michael Mewshaw
The murder trial of Steven Benson, accused of killing his mother,
millionaire tobacco heiress Margaret Benson, and her adopted son
Scott.
Pinnacle ISBN 1-55817-060-X $4.50
THE UNDERGROUND EMPIRE: Where Crime and Government Embrace by
James Mills
The international drug-smuggling network and its links with
national governments.
Dell ISBN 0-440-19206-4 $5.95
FAMOUS TRIALS edited by John Mortimer
Some of England's most engrossing murder trials, selected from
the Penguin Famous Trials series.
Penguin ISBN 0-14-006924-0 $7.95
THE MAN WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by William Norris
An attempt to unravel the mystery behind the 1928 murder of
tycoon Alfred Loewenstein.
Penguin ISBN 0-451-82187-4 $4.50
WISEGUY: The Rise and Fall of a Mobster by Nicholas Pileggi
Pocket ISBN 0-671-63392-9 $4.50
DISORGANIZED CRIME: Illegal Markets and the Mafia by Peter Reuter
A study of the mob's penetration of such illegal activities as
drug smuggling and pornography.
MIT ISBN 0-262-68048-3 $8.95
SAVAGE GRACE by Natalie Robins & Steven M.L. Aronson
"The true and harrowing story of an Upper East Side New York
family, whose cultivation of taste, pursuit of social
distinction, and fashionable expatriatism led its members to
drugs, to apparent incest, to murder, and to suicide."
--E.L. Doctorow
Dell ISBN 0-440-17576-3 $4.95
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN CRIME by Carl Sifakis
Comprehensive listings on crime in the United States throughout
its history.
Facts on File ISBN 0-87196-763-4 $19.95
THE MAFIA ENCYCLOPEDIA by Carl Sifakis
More than 400 entries covering everything known about the Mafia.
Facts on File ISBN 0-8160-1856-1 $17.95
HONOR THY FATHER by Gay Talese
Acclaimed portrayal of the Bonanno Mafia dynasty.
Dell ISBN 0-440-33468-3 $4.95
LADY COP: True Stories of Policewomen in America's Toughest City
by Bryna Taubman
Warner ISBN 0-446-34684-5 $3.95
SERPENTINE by Thomas Thompson
The riveting account of a naive Canadian girl's involvement with
a sociopathic international con man, and her subsequent life of
crime and murder.
Dell ISBN 0-440-17611-5 $3.50
ECHOES IN THE DARKNESS by Joseph Wambaugh
A reconstruction of the 1979 murder of a Pennsylvania
schoolteacher, a bizarre crime involving other faculty members at
the slain woman's high school. Recommended.
Bantam ISBN 0-553-26932-1 $4.95
THE ONION FIELD by Joseph Wambaugh
A gripping account of the aftermath of a cop killing.
Recommended.
Dell ISBN 0-440-17350-7 $4.95
LIZZIE BORDEN: A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s by
Joyce G. Williams et al
The Borden case continues to yield a variety of conflicting
interpretations.
TIS ISBN 0-89917-302-0 $9.95
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
Sometimes I think it sounds like I walked out of the room and
left the typewriter running.
--Gene Fowler
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
STEVE GERBER TALKS BACK TO RFP
In RFP#6 we had an article about Steve's A NIGHTMARE ON ELM
STREET, published by Marvel Comics. This was a wonderful comic
that had two issues released, then was cancelled. Our commentator
speculated that the adult focus of the comic was possibly seen as
a threat to Marvel's normally kiddie image. Steve posted the
following letter to us on PCRelay (an international electronic
mail network), an important letter that we ask you to read.
Cindy,
A note on READING FOR PLEASURE #6.
First, thanks very much to you and Drew for the favorable review
of the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET comic book. The kind words were
very much appreciated.
Second, a note on the why's and wherefore's of the magazine's
cancellation (which, incidentally, was a major topic of
discussion in the Comics relay a few months back). According to
my best information, Marvel cancelled the book in anticipation of
pressure from the various anti-violence advocate groups. A few
weeks prior to the release of the first NIGHTMARE, there had been
an article published in the New York Times decrying the level of
violence in comic books. Apparently, that article -- along with
the picketing that took place outside theatres showing NIGHTMARE
5 in Los Angeles and elsewhere -- was enough to make Marvel turn
tail and run for cover.
Please note that this is DESPITE the fact that the NIGHTMARE
magazine carried a "suggested for mature readers" warning and
that NO DIRECT PRESSURE had actually been applied on Marvel.
The cancellation of NIGHTMARE is a textbook example of the
"chilling effect" you hear so much about these days in
discussions of free speech. The book was killed not because of it
WAS criticized, but because the publishers FEARED it would be
criticized.
This won't be the last incident of its type, either. The impulse
to censor -- led by groups on both the left and the right, and
fed by the innate cowardice of American business -- is growing in
this country. It's something that anyone who reads for pleasure
or edification ought to be aware of, and prepared to combat. In
one of the great ironies of history, we have a situation in which
the totalitarian nations of the world are on an inexorable march
toward freedom, while their very model, the United States, is
moving slowly, but dangerously, in the opposite direction.
--Steve
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
BLUFFER'S GUIDES
(from Centennial Press)
Great strides have been made recently in bluffing. Someone
finally realized that the phrase "paying your dues" had little
meaning in the intellectual world. Contrary to what many
impersonation movies and people with advanced degrees would have
you believe, virtually anyone can pass for literate in almost any
subject in just an hour or two. AN INCOMPLETE EDUCATION covered a
number of academic disciplines all in one volume (see RFP #6),
and now we have BLUFFER'S GUIDES from Centennial Press that, for
$3.95 each, cover a wide variety of socially popular subjects.
They are written by different people, so you get coverage suited
to the subject, not boilerplate books.
THE BLUFFER'S GUIDE TO BLUFFING gives you an overview of the
subject along with good general advice on the fine art of
bluffing. BLUFF YOUR WAY IN COMPUTERS covered the subject
surprisingly well in such a brief book. (I've been around
computers for over 10 years and I still picked up a pointer or
two from this book.) BLUFF YOUR WAY IN MUSIC was actually more
interesting to me, since I know less about the subject, and now
when I wander around a music store I can point to classical
albums and say, "Oh, yes. That's the composer who..." etc.
Reading MUSIC was time very well spent.
Acquiring knowledge has never been easier, and Centennial's
BLUFFER'S GUIDES make a perfect accompaniment to AN INCOMPLETE
EDUCATION--for the person who wants to be comfortable in any
subject. Being very inexpensive, the BLUFFER'S GUIDES also make a
great gift item (hint, hint).
Currently available:
Bluffer's Guide to Bluffing Bluff Your Way in Computers
Bluff Your Way in Music Bluff Your Way in Hollywood
Bluff Your Way in Japan Bluff Your Way in Paris
Bluff Your Way in Management Bluff Your Way in Public Speaking
Bluff Your Way in Occult Bluff Your Way in British Theatre
Coming soon:
Bluff Your Way in Marketing Bluff Your Way in The Deep South
Bluff Your Way in Baseball Bluff Your Way in Gourmet Cooking
Bluff Your Way in Golf Bluff Your Way in New York
Bluff Your Way in Wine Bluff Your Way in Football
Bluff Your Way in Publishing
See your local bookseller or write:
Centennial Press
PO Box 82087
Lincoln, NE 68501
Originally, AI was the theory that a computer could be developed
that would effectively mimic human intelligence and develop its
own identity and awareness. Why anyone would want to build a
computer that would probably demand overtime pay for work in
excess of eight hours isn't known. The general belief is that the
idea originated with computer programmers desperate to have
someone to talk to who wouldn't find them boring.
--from BLUFF YOUR WAY IN COMPUTERS by Spence, Ainsley & Rae
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
If you want to get rich from writing, write the sort of thing
that's read by persons who move their lips when they're reading
to themselves.
--Don Marquis
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
FICTION INTO FILM:
THE ONION FIELD
book by Joseph Wambaugh
screenplay by Joseph Wambaugh
movie directed by Harold Becker
On March 9, 1963, police officers Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger
crossed the path of Gregory Powell and Jimmy Smith. Powell and
Smith kidnapped the two officers, taking them to a deserted Los
Angeles field, a field from which Ian Campbell would never
return. This is a true story, and Joseph Wambaugh turned it into
a bestselling book and a highly acclaimed motion picture.
The frightening story of the execution-style murder of a police
officer one March night in an onion field is followed by the REAL
horror story--the trial. The trial illustrates a system designed
for criminals, not victims, a system that relegates guilt or
innocence to an irrelevancy in a flood of hearings and motions.
Actually, the most terrifying paragraph in the book occurs in a
"Note to the Reader" in the front: "The courtroom dialogue was
not re-created. It was taken verbatim from official court
transcript." The transcript, by the way, fills 159 volumes (a
total of 45,000 pages), the longest in California history.
One can't help but compare the trial scenes in THE ONION FIELD
with analogous ones in fictional novels, like PRESUMED INNOCENT.
In fiction, court personnel may not be likable, but they're
almost always intelligent and dignified, and the focus of
everyone's attention is the guilt or innocence (or the
provability thereof) of the defendant. This is all in stark
contrast to the courtroom scenes in THE ONION FIELD, where
lawyers are often ramblingly unintelligible, petty, and self-
absorbed, and everyone is prone to shouting and temper tantrums.
One of the defense attorneys, named Kanarek, can only be
described as a clown. He is shown to be dull-witted, and with a
very poor command of English. Kanarek is finally removed, gets
himself reinstated, only to be removed again, and Mr. Wambaugh
takes delight in telling us that the final removal date was April
Fool's Day, 1969. Later, prosecutor Halpin was to say: "At the
end, I would've made ANY deal with Powell and Smith if I'd had
the power. I would've let them go. Dropped all charges. Released
them. If only I could've put their two lawyers in the gas
chamber." This may sound funny, but as you read THE ONION FIELD I
bet you'll find yourself agreeing with him.
The film version is straightforward, even artless. It's difficult
to tell whether this lack of technique is deliberate or denotes
an insufficiency of expertise. Whatever the case, the movie has
many powerful moments, and is moving without being manipulative.
The two key performances--John Savage as Karl Hettinger and James
Woods as Greg Powell--are fine, and Woods displays the energy and
submersion-in-role that will become his trademark. Franklyn
Seales is also wonderfully slimy as Jimmy Smith, and Priscilla
Pointer was a great choice to play Ian Campbell's mother
Chrissie. Ted Danson plays Ian Campbell, but the role is brief
and undemanding. You will also find a few now-well-known faces in
cameo roles.
What DIDN'T I like about the movie version? As usual, even a two
hour movie can't do justice to a full-sized book. After reading
the book, the film seems like a once-over-lightly, not lingering
long enough on any one point. Movie versions of books are also
susceptible to the "Where's my favorite scene?" complaint. I
thought Karl Hettinger's frantic 4-mile run for survival was a
highlight of the book, but it's given short shrift in the movie.
He might have just jogged a couple hundred yards for all the
movie viewers are shown. I also found the soundtrack to be
intrusive and inappropriate at times--it seemed like a slapdash
effort.
The movie is still well worth seeing, though, especially for the
performances; but because the book is so much more thorough, I'd
recommend seeing the movie first. Once your interest in the story
is aroused you can pick up the book to get more in-depth
coverage.
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
SARTOR RESARTUS is simply unreadable, and for me that always sort
of spoils a book.
--Will Cuppy
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
NEW HEINLEIN MATERIAL COMING
Robert A. Heinlein was, and is, one of the most popular SF
writers in the U.S., so you shouldn't be surprised that all of
his books are still in print. Nor should it surprise you that
Heinlein, like most writers, was edited on a regular basis,
having chunks of his books removed prior to publication. Now,
thanks to the American Copyright Act of 1978, we'll be seeing a
lot of that "missing" material.
By virtue of the 1978 copyright law, the widow or survivor of an
author can renew the rights in the 28th year, reclaiming them
(the rights that is, you're following this aren't you?) from the
publisher regardless of the wording of the original contract.
Virginia Heinlein has now resold STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND to
Putnam, restoring 50,000 words that were previously edited out.
The new, improved version will be released next year in
hardcover.
Virginia Heinlein has all the complete manuscripts and plans to
restore as many as possible. This month Del Rey will be
reprinting RED PLANET with several important scenes added, and
THE PUPPET MASTERS which will be about 25% longer.
The contract amount for STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND is not known
at this time but it is rumored to be in the neighborhood of $1
million. Whatever the specific amount, it is sure to be the
largest ever paid for reprint rights to a single book by a
deceased author, a record that is likely to be unchallenged until
1993 when DUNE becomes eligible for reclaiming.
One note: You can get a lot of inside details about Heinlein,
like the stories behind a lot of this "missing" material, in
GRUMBLES FROM THE GRAVE, a volume of his letters recently
released by Del Rey ($19.95 ISBN 0-345-36246-2).
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
Books by Robert Ludlum:
The Scarlatti Inheritance (1971)
The Osterman Weekend (1972)
Trevayne * (1973)
The Matlock Paper (1973)
The Cry of the Halidon * (1974)
The Rhinemann Exchange (1974)
The Road to Gandolfo ** (1975)
The Gemini Contenders (1976)
The Chancellor Manuscript (1977)
The Holcroft Covenant (1978)
The Matarese Circle (1979)
The Bourne Identity (1980)
The Parsifal Mosaic (1982)
The Acquitaine Progression (1984)
The Bourne Supremacy (1986)
The Icarus Agenda (1988)
* published under the pseudonym Jonathan Ryder
** published under the pseudonym Michael Shepherd
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
JANUARY RELEASES FROM MYSTERIOUS PRESS
THEBEDSIDE COMPANION TO CRIME
by H.R.F. Keating
Keating gathers hundreds of facts and foibles into the most
entertaining book on crime writing since MURDER INK. $19.95
BERTIE AND THE SEVEN BODIES
by Peter Lovesey
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, enters into his second case as an
amateur detective. A witty foray through Victorian manners,
mores, and murder by the master of the period mystery. $16.95
ATROPOS
by William L. DeAndrea
The spy-with-many-names is back in action, battling a Soviet plan
to manipulate the U.S. Presidential election. The latest in the
acclaimed CRONUS espionage series. $18.95
ON THE EDGE
by Peter Lovesey
Two dissatisfied London housewives scheme to rid themselves of
unpleasant husbands--sparking up the drab years following the
Second World War. $4.50
MURDER ON TOUR
by Dick Clark
"The World's Oldest Teenager" presents a novel of murder among a
touring rock band--with methods and motives unique to the world
of live rock 'n' roll. $4.50
(Don't miss the RFP review in this issue.)
THE BIG SILENCE
by Bernard Schopen
Reno PI Jack Ross is hired by a hooker to find her grandfather,
who vanished into the desert forty years earlier--after murdering
a man. $4.50
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
I have these wild moments. Charlie McGee, who was the little girl
in that book [FIRESTARTER], is pyrokinetic, which means she can
light fires by thinking about them. I wrote about another kid,
Danny Torrance, who had the ability to shine or read thoughts and
sense the future. What if they met and got married and then went
to live in 'Salem's Lot?"
--Stephen King
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
LIZZIE BORDEN
"In school, I began to make friends of my own age, and observed
with interest that one was supposed to shudder and giggle when
Miss Borden's name was mentioned. I asked Mother why.
'Well, dear, she was very unkind to her father and mother.'"
(from A PRIVATE DISGRACE by Victoria Lincoln, who knew Lizzie
Borden)
On August 14, 1892, Andrew Borden and his second wife Abby were
beaten to death with an axe (or at least something very similar
to an axe). Daughter Lizzie was tried for the crime, and
acquitted, but the controversy rages on. Did Lizzie really kill
her father and stepmother? If so, why? (And why at that point in
time?) If not, then who did?
Part of the fascination stems from the apparent contradictions.
The crime was a very bad bet as far as getting away with it went:
two messy, bloody murders committed at least an hour and a half
apart, which meant the murderer had to wait around hoping not to
get caught--in a house that was very small, and had two women
stomping around it. On top of that, there were no hallways, which
meant that to get from one place to another you had to go through
all the rooms in between, taking a virtual tour of the entire
house. Would YOU want to kill two people in such circumstances?
And yet someone not only did, they also got away with it.
Another of the contradictions is the character of Lizzie herself.
A double axe murder is a violent crime, indicative of violent
passions. And getting away with it would seem to necessitate a
high degree of cunning. However, all the evidence that I've seen
paints Lizzie as a very dull woman--dull in all senses of the
term. Hardly the kind to fly into murderous rages or to practice
deception of any kind. "Her honesty, like her sister's, was
proverbial, and after the murders a loyal friend of Lizzie's
quaintly told a reporter that she would be far less surprised to
learn that Lizzie had killed someone than that she had lied about
it afterwards." (from A PRIVATE DISGRACE by Victoria Lincoln) So
if Lizzie was guilty, as most people assume, how can we explain
the psychology of the crime? What an uncomfortable thought--that
dull mousy types can suddenly wake up, commit an act of violence,
then subside back into their normal semi-alert state, all without
any warning. There's no doubt about it: the Borden murder still
makes one of the very finest True Crime subjects.
If you'd like to join the Lizzie Study Group, here are a few
books to seek out:
LIZZIE
by Evan Hunter (AKA Ed McBain) (1984)
One of my favorites.
A PRIVATE DISGRACE: Lizzie Borden by Daylight
by Victoria Lincoln (1967)
A fascinating account by a woman with a contemporary perspective.
LIZZIE BORDEN: A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s
by Joyce G. Williams & others
THE TRIAL OF LIZZIE BORDEN
edited by Edmund Pearson (1937)
Mr. Pearson is often quite opinionated, but this was THE material
to read for a very long time.
MISS LIZZIE
by Walter Satterthwait
(St. Martin's, 1989, $17.95)
I haven't seen this one, but I gather from what I've heard that
it's fiction. It seems that 30 years after being acquitted of
murder charges in the death of her parents, Lizzie Borden faces
the threat of a frame-up. I've also heard that MISS LIZZIE is
being made into a 2-hour TV movie produced by Andrew Adelson (I
KNOW MY FIRST NAME IS STEVEN).
Don't forget that most True Crime anthologies usually include a
chapter on the Borden case.
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
FROM MEADOWBROOK PRESS
The Meadowbrook Press people were gracious enough to send me
their Fall/Winter 1989-1990 Catalog, from which I'd like to pass
along a few choice entries:
ITALIAN WITHOUT WORDS
by Don Cangelosi & Joseph Delli Carpini
An ingenious invention that's a must for every Italian, traveler
to Italy, or visitor to Little Italy: it's an Italian "phrase
book" without words. It contains the most common gestures and
body language that enable anyone to nonverbally communicate in
Italian. $4.95
THE EAT A PET COOKBOOK
by Russel Jones
Finally, a cookbook for those who really mean it when they say,
"I could eat a horse." So outrageous, 101 THINGS TO DO WITH A
DEAD CAT seems tame by comparison. Jones' mouth-watering recipes
include Goldfish Gumbo, Kitten Crunch, Bunny Burgers, Chihuahua
Chili, and Rib of Rover. $6.95
PAPAL BULL
by Dean Sullivan
illustrated by Pete Bastiansen
This witty dictionary redefines over 500 religious terms to
reveal the funny side of being a Catholic. $4.95
WALL STREET BULL
by Bruce Lansky
The latest expose to rock Wall Street is a humorous lexicon of
over 500 words commonly heard in Wall Street boardrooms and
barrooms...and what they really mean. It exposes the gallows
humor that lies at the heart of Wall Street lingo. $4.95
** And stay tuned to RFP #9 for an incisive and incredibly
perceptive review of THE OVER-THE-HILL SURVIVAL GUIDE by Bob
Feigel and Malcolm Walker, another fine volume from Meadowbrook
Press.
See your bookseller for any and all Meadowbrook Press titles, but
if worse comes to worse, you can always write to them at:
Meadowbrook Press
18318 Minnetonka Blvd.
Deephaven, MN 55391
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
Consider this: Horror writing is about God, the Devil, sin,
blood, good, evil, life, death, decay, redemption, struggle,
torment, and truth. What other kind of writing covers the bases
like that? In what other field can you write with a hammer and a
feather? I love writing, and I love writing horror novels and
stories because that's my voice. That's how I speak, and I'm very
proud to be associated with the field because I think horror
writing is THE fundamental literature of humanity.
--Robert R. McCammon
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
KEEPING UP WITH:
JOHN E. STITH
John Stith, author of DEEP QUARRY (see RFP #3), has been very
busy lately. Most importantly, his next novel, REDSHIFT
RENDEZVOUS, is being published this June by Ace. It'll be a May
selection from the SF Book Club, a 1990 release from Mondadori
Editore in Italy, and a 1991 release from Hayakawa in Japan. Stay
tuned for more about REDSHIFT RENDEZVOUS next month in RFP.
John's fans should also keep an eye out for a new novella called
NAUGHT FOR HIRE that will be in the May, June, or July issue (I'm
not sure which) of Analog magazine. John says it's a mixture of
SF, mystery, and comedy, and is potentially offensive to
creationists. NAUGHT FOR HIRE started out as a screenplay, and I
hear that there is interest in filming not only NAUGHT, but DEEP
QUARRY as well.
What's John working on right now? All he'll tell me is that it's
called REUNION ON NEVEREND and it's about this guy who goes to
his 10th high school reunion and is NOT who he seems to be. I
guess we'll just have to wait.
Coming in future issues of RFP: More about John's new REDSHIFT
RENDEZVOUS. Also, coverage of his pre-DEEP QUARRY novels.
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
HOLLYWOOD'S UNSOLVED MYSTERIES
by John Austin
(Shapolsky Publishers, Inc.)
Marilyn Monroe, Vicky Morgan, William Holden, Natalie Wood, Bob
Crane--all died mysteriously--why?
Too many of our greatest movie stars played a reluctant final
role in their own murder mystery.
This is the definitive account of what really happened.
ISBN 0-944007-49-X $18.95
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
RANDOM REVIEWS:
THE MEZZANINE
by Nicholson Baker
(1988)
You've absolutely GOT to get this book, if for no other reason
than that you won't believe me unless you see it for yourself.
This is fiction of a new kind (at least it's new to me). There
are only 135 pages, and yet there are footnotes on nearly all of
them; one footnote is about 8 regular pages long. The "plot"
consists of the "protagonist's" trip from the lobby of an office
building up the escalator to the mezzanine where he works. The
major plot motivation is the astonishing fact that he broke both
of his shoelaces within the space of 28 hours.
Already I bet you can tell this is not your everyday novel. In
135 pages you're treated to ruminations about the following
weighty issues:
Are hot air blowers in public bathrooms REALLY more sanitary?
What causes shoelaces to break anyway?
Why are straw wrappers so hard to get off nowadays?
Who invented Jiffy Pop and why doesn't he answer the phone?
Isn't the milk carton spout an amazing invention?
How do you apply deodorant after you've got your shirt on?
How often do you think about things that you think about "all the
time"?
This book is wonderful! As with most revolutionary things, you
won't be bored, and you just might find this is the best "novel"
you've read all year.
THE MEZZANINE is now a Vintage trade paperback ($7.95 ISBN
0-679-72576-8).
TARGET
by Janet Morris & David Drake
Ace Edition published July, 1989
Review by Robert A. Pittman
It is easy to find a bad Science Fiction book. I buy one from
time to time and am resigned to that occasional disappointment. A
less frequent occurrence, but one that is even more
disappointing, is to find a book that is based on a unique or
exciting concept, but fails in execution. That is just what
happens in TARGET.
The story begins with members of two different extra-terrestrial
species in conflict; specifically fighting a space ship battle.
The ship, belonging to the peaceable extra-terrestrials, is
knocked out of the sky by the ship belonging to the aggressive
extra-terrestrials, but fortunately, one of the crew manages to
reach his escape capsule and ejects. Seeking to save its
passenger, the capsule senses life signals as it approaches
earth�s moon, so it proceeds to land.
At the same time, the aggressive aliens have started a difficult,
but technically interesting search to eliminate potential
survivors.
The life signals sensed by the escape capsule emanate from a UN
moon station staffed with a substantial number of humans
representing many of the national and cultural aspects of the
world. After the capsule lands, the extra-terrestrial makes
contact with these humans and immediately the novel begins its
downhill trip.
The remainder of the story is not worthy of an effort to
summarize. There are, however, two major characteristics that run
throughout the story which exemplify the way two authors have
turned a good concept into a poor book.
The first has to do with communication between the humans and the
alien. With his superior intellect and interpretive abilities,
the alien begins to understand and speak the human language
(English). It is an agonizing task for the alien to advance and
extend his capacity to communicate and never do the humans give
him any help. No teaching, no coaching, nothing! In fact, the
humans speak consistently in colloquial terms laced with
vulgarities and profanity and regard any failure of the alien to
understand as his own inherent deficiency.
A second irritating characteristic exists in the relationships
and attitudes among the humans that make up the UN exploration
group. In dealing with each other, they are jealous, hateful,
vindictive, and destructively competitive. They consistently
function in an environment of pervasive hostility.
These two characteristics in the story portray the select members
of a UN mission as ignorant oafs with virtually no civil
standards. It is just not a reasonable premise and makes for
tiresome reading.
After two hundred pages of dealing with humans, one wonders how
the peaceable alien can forbear dumping the entire UN contingent
and then self-sacrificing to his aggressive pursuer.
One also wonders why it takes two authors to produce a piece of
work so short on quality.
INNUMERACY:
Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences
by John Allen Paulos
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1988)
There's good news and bad news here. The good news is that
INNUMERACY is a very informative book. You're sure to learn at
least half a dozen interesting and useful mathematical
principles. For instance: assume that .5 percent of the
population has some disease, and that the medical test to
diagnose the disease is 98 percent accurate. If you were tested
and your test came back positive, what is the likelihood that you
really do have the disease? The probability that you have the
disease is surprisingly only 20 percent. Paulos further points
out that many tests (of various kinds) are far less accurate than
the 98 percent assumed here and therefore prove even less. This
is particularly interesting with regard to current controversies:
drug testing, AIDS tests, lie detector tests, etc.
In the course of reading INNUMERACY (which won't take too long,
it's a short book) you'll find quite a number of useful
discussions such as these. The bad news is that Paulos is a bit
dry and humorless; the page-turning impetus of his book is the
fascination of detail, not the charm of the writing. Even worse,
at one point Paulos mentions three of his fellow mathematicians
who also write for laymen: Martin Gardner, Douglas Hofstadter,
and Raymond Smullyan, all of whom do a much better job of turning
mathematics into a riveting and entertaining subject. If you're
not familiar with any of these three, run right down to your
local library or bookstore and look them up. It's just possible
they could convince you to quit your job and become a
mathematician. You run no such risk with Paulos. In the meantime,
however, INNUMERACY will correct your thinking on several
important issues, and is thereby recommended.
Innumeracy in action, from INNUMERACY by John Allen Paulos:
A summer visitor enters a hardware store in Maine and buys a
large number of expensive items. The skeptical, reticent owner
doesn't say a word as he adds the bill on the cash register. When
he's finished, he points to the total and watches as the man
counts out $1,528.47. He then methodically recounts the money
once, twice, three times. The visitor finally asks if he's given
him the right amount of money, to which the Mainer grudgingly
responds, "Just barely."
A man who travels a lot was concerned about the possibility of a
bomb on board his plane. He determined the probability of this,
found it to be low but not low enough for him, so now he always
travels with a bomb in his suitcase. He reasons that the
probability of two bombs being on board would be infinitesimal.
There was once a state legislator in Wisconsin who objected to
the introduction of daylight saving time despite all the good
arguments for it. He maintained sagely that there is always a
trade-off involved in the adoption of any policy, and that if
daylight saving time were instituted, curtains and other fabrics
would fade more quickly.
INNUMERACY is now a trade paperback from Vintage ($7.95, ISBN
0-679-72601-2).
THE LONG RUN
by Daniel Keys Moran
Bantam Spectra, 0-553-28144-5, 1989, $3.95
Review by Darryl Kenning
This is Mr. Moran's third book. From the book inset, it appears
that all three are part of a continuing story. The Long Run is a
story of great adventure. It's antecedents are clearly in
Cyberpunk and computers as a way of life are integral to the
story. Yet, they are only a part of the grand vista painted by
the author - one can sense the sweep and mass of history
surrounding the story.
In many ways this book has the same FEEL as the Foundation Series
or the early Heinlein novels, and is frankly an amazingly well
written story from so new an author (well, new to me anyway).
This is one of the few books I have read where the computer story
base works well. It is unobtrusive, and yet at the same time I
developed a keen sense of empathy with the computer persona.
Mr. Moran's first novel THE ARMAGEDDON BLUES won critical
acclaim, the second EMERALD EYES was not as broadly reviewed.
Based upon this book I, for one am going to my favorite
bookseller this very afternoon and see if I can get them both.
And then I'll try not to devour them at once, but savour the
pleasure. This is a rare talent and a very enjoyable novel. I
highly recommend it.
rating ( 0 to 5)
*****
- 5 -
MURDER ON TOUR: A Rock-n-Roll Mystery
presented by Dick Clark
in association with Paul Francis
(Mysterious, 1989)
I didn't make up this byline--this is exactly the way it appears
on the cover. The inside jacket tells us that Paul Francis is the
pseudonym of "a well-known mystery author and rock 'n' roll
fiend. The copyright tells us that the book has been copyrighted
by Bill Adler Books, Inc. And we all know who Dick Clark is.
It's obvious from the beginning that this book is more of a
"product" than a novel, so the shortcomings of the mystery
shouldn't surprise you too much. It's a fair mystery, though, and
the music allusions, references, and metaphors are constant
(you'll be reminded of songs you haven't thought of in a very
long time). And that's the way to think of this book: as a very
pleasant stroll down memory lane for people who think that the
very best music was made in the 50s.
MURDER ON TOUR is now available in paperback from Mysterious
Press.
HOMEGOING
by Frederik Pohl
Ballantine Del Rey, $16.95, ISBN 0-345-33975-4
Review by Fred L. Drake, Jr.
Frederik Pohl has helped science fiction through many ordeals
over the past several decades. Today, he is continuing in his
tradition of crafting fine and readable volumes of prose in this
interesting genre. With HOMEGOING, Pohl brings us another work
worthy of space upon our shelves.
Narrated by the main character, Sandy Washington, HOMEGOING is
the tale of a young man, aged twenty-two, coming home to Earth
after being raised on a starship by aliens, the Hakh'hli. Sandy's
interests are reasonably ordinary, though rather diverse for a
single individual. He and his alien friends engage in many of the
typical activities young people participate in: sports, school,
doing simple labor to be useful, and writing poetry. Sandy plans
to spend his time on Earth, which he awaits eagerly, as many a
young man awaits visiting a strange land heard of but never seen,
traveling the land, socializing, and chasing human women. The
aliens are more concerned with doing humanitarian deeds such as
cleaning up the ecology and the upper atmosphere, so that mankind
can use the land destroyed by nuclear holocaust and once more
enter space. Or so they tell Sandy.
The first quarter of the volume is dedicated to the final days of
Sandy's education and preparation aboard the alien craft. He has
spent all of his education preparing for one thing: to get to
Earth and report on the climate for a meeting with an advanced
extraterrestrial intelligence. The classes in "fast food" are
rather interesting, indeed. There are a few aliens who will be
coming to Earth with him, and his relationship with these
individuals and the other aliens on board the ship is strongly
emphasized. Sandy becomes a very real character, though his
thought patterns are very simple, natural enough for someone who
has not had many opportunities for truly natural interaction
with children of his own species. Pohl is very effective in
bringing this character to the reader through what and how he
describes the various situations he gets into aboard the ship,
and, more importantly, what he leaves out.
When Sandy finally arrives on Earth, he does not find quite what
he expects. He also finds many things about the aliens, whom he
once understood and considered his friends, are not what they
once seemed. After his rather confined education aboard the alien
ship, it is difficult for Sandy to accept that not all things are
as well-intentioned as they are presented, or even that anyone
would willingly give him false information. During the largest
portion of the book, about half of the volume, Sandy is presented
with many opportunities to interact with both humans and his
alien friends, and see what situations and priorities really are
for both groups. There is much he must learn, mostly concerning
matters of human nature, and we, as readers, witness a struggle
of the young mind learning to associate actions with their
consequences and to understand to distinction between what one
wants and what must be done.
In the final chapters of HOMEGOING, Sandy must make some choices
whether he likes them or not. Here we see a man, still young, but
more grown than before, discovering some startling things about
himself. Pohl has shown us how a young person begins to make the
transition to adulthood, and also how the human spirit will
survive the changes in order to retain it's identity. While the
story is not an adventure epoch, it does examine some aspects of
the human experience often ignored in science fiction.
MUSIC, MY LOVE
by Jean-Pierre Rampal with Deborah Wise
Random House, ISBN 0-394-56578-9, $18.95
Review by Fred L. Drake, Jr.
Jean-Pierre Rampal is often acclaimed as the master of the
classical flute, and with good reason. Listen to any of his
recordings, of which he has made many, and you can hear the
passion of his playing. There are few if, indeed, any soloists
who have made more recordings than this master. Rampal has done
more than anyone else to make the flute a solo instrument, and no
one could have done it better. In this book, his autobiography,
he tells of how music became his life's love and how he worked to
make the flute a respectable solo instrument.
In the introduction, as throughout the book, Rampal speaks of
many of the people with whom he has performed and recorded during
his career, and he has recorded with most of the influential
classical musicians of this century. There are many anecdotes of
events at performances, showing his wonderful way with people.
His style is very conversational, almost surprisingly so, but his
prose does not become either simple or trite. The book is very
well written, though how much of the writing is Wise's effort is
really not clear.
The book is organized chronologically on the whole, but each
chapter emphasizes one aspect or another, and there is a great
deal of overlap in the material, as he moves from discussing one
group of people to another. In the first chapters, he talks about
how his relationship with his father brought him not only to
learn to play the flute, but to demand so much of his
performance, and not settle for doing things only halfway. Rampal
tells about his father not allowing him to take up an instrument
when he was very young, even taking an instrument away from him,
even though the younger Rampal wanted little else, and his
mother's insistence that he study medicine is a continuing theme
through the first half of the volume.
He then moves into the period when he actually was studying
medicine, since there were so few jobs for musicians outside
Paris, before the second world war. During Germany's occupation
of France, however, he switched into music primarily to avoid
being shipped to Germany as a part of a work gang, and this
became his life's profession when he was extended an invitation
to the Paris Conservatory, the most important school for
musicians in all of France. His tales of living in Paris during
the remainder of the war, without official sanction, are quite
interesting, and show several important aspects of Rampal as a
person, outside of his strictly musical side.
After the war, Rampal was a member in several small ensembles and
chamber orchestras, trying to make ends meet. He tells how his
friends, whom he met mainly during his years at the Conservatory,
and himself advanced their careers and ambitions, and became
known throughout Paris as important new talent. There are many
anecdotes here of failed and successful performances. He tells
how he and the pianist he worked with for many years, Robert
Veyron-Lacroix, met and started working with each other at the
last minute before a recital, and continued to work together
giving recitals all over the world. There are also several
stories about how conflicts between his steady job at the Paris
Opera and his more and more numerous solo and duet appearances
were worked out, and the things that could happen as a result of
the double role.
The final chapters of MUSIC, MY LOVE are dedicated to the more
recent years and aspects of Rampal's career, including how he
came to make so many recordings and work with some of the most
illustrious conductors and soloists in the world, including an
interesting first meeting with Isaac Stern, the violinist. He
tells much of his travels over the world, and all the restaurants
he frequented: dining was his second love, following music quite
closely. The United States and his concerts in this country
figure quite strongly in these closing chapters as well.
The volume is not a biography that will give the scholars much to
work with, but is an excellent book for music aficionados; well
written, it shows Rampal to have an excellent sense of humor. I
cannot recommend this book too highly.
CYBERBOOKS
by Ben Bova
(TOR, 1989)
This satire is wisely set in the near future, obviously to
protect Mr. Bova from the slings and arrows of outraged
publishers. In fact, the TOR people must be pretty good sports to
have printed this delightful novel, for Ben Bova uses CYBERBOOKS
to show us the slimy underbelly of New York publishing, a sight
most readers never get to see.
Carl Lewis has invented an electronic book. It's the size of a
paperback book, holds entire books on small optical disks,
displays the text and the color pictures with better resolution
than paper, and has a small keyboard to manipulate the text. The
optical disks are very cheap to produce and the contents can be
distributed by phone, cutting out most of a publisher's costs and
making the books available to consumers for pennies. All of which
makes WAY to much sense--Cyberbooks have to be suppressed.
There are extra complications along the way, like a murderer on
the loose. And don't miss the victims: Mrs. Agatha Marple, Rex
Wolfe (walking his dog Archie), John Watson, Nora Charleston,
Miles Archer, and even the homicide detective who's investigating
the Retiree Murders, Lieutenant Jack Moriarty. If you're up on
your classic detective fiction, bells should be ringing.
It's ridiculous (editors aren't allowed to read on the job,
editors of children's books can't ever have even seen a child),
it's infuriating (don't miss the explanation of "the strategy of
minimal success"), but it's all so much fun that you don't have
time to wonder how much of it is realistic. Until you've finished
CYBERBOOKS--then you wonder, a lot, a WHOLE lot.
CYBERBOOKS is now a Tor paperback! ISBN 0-8125-0319-8 $4.50
PRINCE OF MERCENARIES
by Jerry Pournelle
Baen Books, ISBN 671-69811-7, 1989, $3.95
Review by Darryl Kenning
Jerry Pournelle is one of the few authors whose books I will buy
automatically - no questions asked. His combat SF is legendary,
and the world view he created in the FALKENBERG LEGION series is
so believable that it is almost frightening. His characters have
real depth, and his research is becoming legendary - and that
shows in his stories.
I think I like the Spartan images of Honor, Courage, and
Faithfulness best of all the ideas he presents so eloquently in
his books. PRINCE OF MERCENARIES will stand on its own quite
nicely, but it is clearly meant to fill in one of the gaps in the
life and times of the Falkenbergs Mercenary Legion. Even though
parts of the novel have been previously published (fair warning
now), I found the story to hang together rather well. There is
nothing subtle about the story or its message, but I confess to
enjoying it immensely. It is just a good rousing adventure story
with characters with depth and life.
My only complaint is that so much time goes by between books. Dig
this one out. It should still be on the booksellers shelves. This
novel more firmly entrenches JP as one of the giants of our day.
rating (0 to 5)
*****
-5-
THE ENIGMA VARIATIONS
by John Maddox Roberts
Ace ISBN 0-441-18056-6, 1989, $3.50
This is an adventure tale set in the near future, on earth. An
earth that is largely recognizable but that has veered towards
the "California weird" though not so much as to make it largely
incomprehensible as are so many of the new wave or cyberpunk
stories.
I don't think it will spoil the story if I tell you that the hero
wakes up with a missing memory and some strange compulsions that
set an odyssey into motion. In the end of course, he saves the
day and gets the girl. But...getting there is the fun of it.
I rather enjoyed this book. It was fun to watch the society and
the hero unfold. It's not great literature, but it was a nicely
written, well thought-out story that was fun to read. If you are
looking for something light and adventurous, then I would
recommend it. I hope JMR keeps at it because I think each book is
getting better and better.
rating 3 ***
(a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being a ZOWEEEE!)
AMERICAN APPETITES
by Joyce Carol Oates
(Dutton, 1989)
As the dust jacket says: "AMERICAN APPETITES takes us into
affluent, upper-class suburbia in the late American 1980s, where
a close-knit group of friends draw closer, and apart, when
scandal and tragedy erupt among them." As I see it, this is
another novel of The Shallowness of the American Dream; maybe
better written and with more interesting characters than is
usual, but breaking no new ground.
To all appearances, Ian and Glynnis McCullough have perfect
lives. They have lots of money, lots of things, lots of friends,
rewarding careers, a grown daughter, and a successful 26-year
marriage. Everything is just perfect, right? Wrong. Exactly what
goes wrong is the crux of this story, so I won't spoil it, but
take my word for it that Ian and Glynnis are permanently
affected. Their own loneliness and insecurity moves from
unnoticed background to unmistakeable foreground.
Joyce Carol Oates is a masterful writer, and she does a great
job here in her nineteenth novel, weaving a story of social ties
formed, broken, and reformed in new and unexpected ways. That
said, I do have a couple of criticisms: The plot was just, ever
so slightly, improbable; but that's only a criticism if you were
expecting the Evening News. And the characters were not
recognizable to me, but then I don't travel in quite such classy
circles, so maybe I'm out of touch with the lifestyles and
behavior of the wealthy.
On the whole, though, the book kept me turning the pages. I just
hope Ms. Oates picks a better theme next time. The inadequacies
of the cliched American definition of success (money, power, BMW,
Perrier, Rolex, and other appearances) are, at least to me,
obvious. And I'm just a bit tired of belaboring the point.
AMERICAN APPETITES is now available as an $8.95 trade paperback
from Perennial.
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There is a limit to what you can tell people because there is a
limit to what they can hear. Beyond that point you're only
talking to yourself....It's a lonely predicament.
--from AMERICAN APPETITES by Joyce Carol Oates
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
Joseph Wambaugh In Paperback
----------------------------
The Black Marble (Dell 0-440-10644-3 $4.95)
The Blooding (Bantam 0-553-28281-6 $5.95)
The Blue Knight (Dell 0-440-10607-9 $4.95)
The Choirboys (Dell 0-440-11188-9 $4.95)
The Delta Star (Bantam 0-553-27386-8 $4.95)
Echoes in the Darkness (Bantam 0-553-26932-1 $4.95)
The Glitter Dome (Bantam 0-553-27529-4 $4.95)
Lines and Shadows (Bantam 0-553-27148-2 $4.95)
The New Centurions (Dell 0-440-16417-6 $4.95)
The Onion Field (Dell 0-440-17350-7 $4.95)
The Secrets of Harry Bright (Bantam 0-553-27430-9 $4.95)
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
WHO IS DARRYL KENNING?
Darryl Kenning was born 1 month before the attack on Pearl
Harbor on a cold blustery day in Chicago. A black leather
jacketed motorcycle rider in the glory days of Rock 'n' Roll (the
50's), it seems a bit incongruous that in his mundane life he is
now a City Manager overseeing the operations of a city of over
20,000 in Southeastern Ohio.
After roaming the world from Antarctica to Iceland, and from
Athens, Greece to Oahu (courtesy of Uncle Sammy), he settled into
Ohio University (Athens, Ohio), later living in Detroit during
the riots of the 60's, then on to the Chicago metro area, then
back to Ohio.
Introduced to SF in high school, it has become a life-long hobby,
with over 2,000 paperbacks and other assorted SF-related items
(mostly fanzines) sagging the floors everywhere in the house.
Other interests include: computers, stained glass, and motorhome
traveling in a venerable 1972 Winnebago.
"Until the last couple of years I was really a closet Science
Fiction fan, then I discovered Con's and Fandom - it's amazing
how many of us there are around".
Darryl can be contacted through RFP, on CompuServe (76337,740),
on the ANNEX Bulletin Board (513-274-0821 -- J 3 to join the
Science Fiction conference), or by writing to him directly at:
6331 Marshall Rd., Centerville, Ohio 45459.
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MISCELLANEOUS BOX SCORES
by Darryl Kenning
The Armageddon Blues, D. Moran,.........2
Mona Lisa Overdrive, W. Gibson..........1
A Fearful Symmetry, J. Luceno...........2
The Mountain Walks, R. Green............4
Squadron Alert, R. Green................4
Borders of Infinity, L. McMaster Bujold.5
(scale is 0 to 5, with 5 highest)
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NEW FROM WILEY
SCIENCE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS
BIOLOGY FOR EVERY KID: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work by
Janice Pratt VanCleave
(paper: 0-471-50381-9 $10.95; hardcover: 0-471-51048-3 $24.95)
THE HOUSE OF SCIENCE by Philip R. Holzinger
(paper: 0-471-50061-5 $12.95; hardcover: 0-471-51052-1 $24.95)
SLEUTHING FOSSILS: The Art of Investigating Past Life by Alan M.
Cvancara
(paper: 0-471-62077-7 $12.95; hardcover: 0-471-51046-7 $22.95)
THE NATURALIST'S YEAR: 24 Outdoor Explorations by Scott Camazine
(paper: 0-471-84845-X $14.95)
THE THOMAS EDISON BOOK OF EASY AND INCREDIBLE EXPERIMENTS:
Activities, Projects and Science Fun for All Ages by the Thomas
Alva Edison Foundation
(paper: 0-471-62090-4 $11.95; hardcover: 0-471-62089-0 $22.95)
THE OCEAN BOOK: Aquarium and Seaside Activities and Ideas for All
Ages by The Center for Environmental Education
(paper: 0-471-62078-5 $11.95; hardcover: 0-471-50973-6 $22.95)
CHEMISTRY FOR EVERY KID: 101 Easy Experiments That Really Work by
Janice Pratt VanCleave
(paper: 0-471-62085-8 $10.95; hardcover: 0-471-50974-4 $22.95)
NATURE FOR THE VERY YOUNG: A Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor
Activities by Marcia Bowden
(paper: 0-471-62084-X $11.95; hardcover: 0-471-50975-2 $22.95)
THE OCEANS: A Book of Questions and Answers by Don Groves
(paper: 0-471-60712-6 $12.95)
THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HOLOGRAMS: How They Work and How to Make
Them by Joseph E. Kasper & Steven A. Feller
(paper: 0-471-62941-3 $16.95)
SERENDIPITY: Accidental Discoveries in Science by Royston M.
Roberts
(paper: 0-471-60203-5 $12.95; hardcover: 0-471-50658-3 $19.95)
CLOUDS IN A GLASS OF BEER: Simple Experiments in Atmospheric
Physics by Craig F. Bohren
(paper: 0-471-62482-9 $12.95)
THE BODY IN TIME by Kenneth Jon Rose
(paper: 0-471-51200-1 $10.95; hardcover: 0-471-85762-9 $19.95)
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ALL-TIME BESTSELLING CHILDREN'S BOOKS
The following list is from Publishers Weekly, October 27, 1989.
HARDCOVER
1) The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902)
2) Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt (1940)
3) The Littlest Angel by Charles Tazewell (1946)
4) The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (1957)
5) Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (1960)
6) The Children's Bible
7) The Real Mother Goose illustrated by Blanche F. Wright (1916)
8) Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever by Richard Scarry (1963)
9) One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss (1960)
10) Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss (1963)
11) Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (1974)
12) Dr. Seuss's ABC by Dr. Seuss (1963)
13) The Cat in the Hat Comes Back by Dr. Seuss (1958)
14) The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (1964)
15) Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne, illustrated by Ernest H.
Shepard (1926)
PAPERBACK
1) The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (1968)
2) Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (1974)
3) Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, illustrated by Garth Williams
(1973)
4) Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume (1976)
5) Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder,
illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
6) The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1968)
7) Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder,
illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
8) That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton (1972)
9) Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (1974)
10) Superfudge by Judy Blume (1981)
11) Freckle Juice by Judy Blume (1978)
12) Blubber by Judy Blume (1976)
13) Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder,
illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
14) On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder,
illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
15) Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder, illustrated by Garth
Williams (1971)
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Pornography--those books with pictures and dirty movies--you
would be shocked and surprised at the number of Christians who
are "hooked" on these things.
--Jimmy Swaggart
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1989 WORLD FANTASY AWARDS
The winners of the World Fantasy Awards were brought to our
attention just a couple of days too late to make the last issue,
so here they are, finally:
Best Novel: KOKO by Peter Straub
Best Novella: "The Skin Trade" by George R.R. Martin
(from NIGHT VISIONS 5 from Dark Harvest)
Best Short Fiction: "Winter Solstice, Camelot Station" by John
M. Ford (from INVITATION TO CAMELOT)
Best Anthology: THE YEAR'S BEST FANTASY: FIRST ANNUAL COLLECTION
edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
Best Collection: a tie:
ANGRY CANDY by Harlan Ellison
STOREYS FROM THE OLD HOTEL by Gene Wolfe
Best Artist: Edward Gorey
Special Award (Professional): a tie:
Robert Weinberg
Terri Windling
Special Award (Non-Professional): Kristine Kathryn Rusch & Dean
Wesley Smith for their quarterly hardcover magazine, PULPHOUSE
Lifetime Achievement Award: Evangeline Wolton
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BESTSELLERS 1980-1988
F = Fiction NF = Nonfiction
1980: THE COVENANT by James Michener (F)
CRISIS INVESTING by Douglas R. Casey (NF)
1981: NOBLE HOUSE by James Clavell (F)
THE BEVERLY HILLS DIET by Judy Mazell (NF)
1982: E.T., THE STORYBOOK by William Kotzwinkle (F)
THE JANE FONDA WORK-OUT BOOK by Jane Fonda (NF)
1983: RETURN OF THE JEDI, THE STORYBOOK by Joan Vinge (F)
IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE by Bob Waterman & Tom Peters (NF)
1984: THE TALISMAN by Stephen King & Peter Straub (F)
IACOCCA by Lee Iacocca (NF)
1985: THE MAMMOTH by Jean Auel (F)
IACOCCA by Lee Iacocca (NF)
1986: IT by Stephen King (F)
FATHERHOOD by Bill Cosby (NF)
1987: THE TOMMYKNOCKERS by Stephen King (F)
TIME FLIES by Bill Cosby (NF)
1988: THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN by Tom Clancy (F)
THE EIGHT-WEEK CHOLESTEROL CURE by Robert Kowalski (NF)
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MORE AWARDS:
READERCON AWARDS
The Readercon Small Press Awards are presented for best small
press books, magazines, and illustrations published in 1988.
Best Novel: FOOL ON THE HILL by Matt Ruff (Atlantic Monthly)
Best Single Author Collection: CO-ORBITAL MOONS by Robert
Frazier (Oceanview Press)
Best Anthology: NIGHT VISIONS #6 (Dark Harvest)
Best Short Work: THE DROWNED MAN'S REEF by Charles de Lint
(Triskell Press)
Best Non-Fiction/Criticism: STROKES: ESSAYS AND REVIEWS
1966-1986 by John Clute (Serconia Press)
Best Jacket Illustration: FIRST MAITZ by Don Maitz (Ursus)
Best Interior Illustration: Michael W. Kaluta, METROPOLIS
(Donning Starblaze)
Best Value in Bookcraft: Chris Drumm booklets
Best Re-Issue: VALIS by Philip K. Dick (Kerosina Books)
Best Fiction/Poetry Magazine: INTERZONE, edited by David Pringle
et al
Best Review/Criticism Magazine (tie): MYSTERY SCENE and
NY REVIEW OF SCIENCE FICTION
Best Magazine Design: MIDNIGHT GRAFITTI edited by Jessie
Horsting
BRITISH FANTASY AWARDS
For material published in 1988.
August Derleth Award for Best Novel: THE INFLUENCE by Ramsey
Campbell
Best Short Story: "Fruiting Bodies" by Brian Lumley
Best Artist: Dave Carson
Best Small Press: Dagon
Best Newcomer: John Gilbert
Special Award: R. Chetwynd-Hayes
ANTHONY AWARDS
The attendees of Bouchercon presented these awards for books
first published in 1988.
Best Novel: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS by Thomas Harris
Best First Novel: A GREAT DELIVERANCE by Elizabeth George
Best Paperback Original: SOMETHING WICKED by Carolyn Hart
SHAMUS AWARDS
The Private Eye Writers of America presented these awards for
material first published in 1988.
Best Novel: KISS by John Lutz
Best Short Story: "The Crooked Way" by Loren D. Estleman
Best First Novel: FEAR OF THE DARK by Gar Anthony Haywood
Best Paperback Original: DIRTY WORK by Rob Kantner
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What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done
reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific
friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever
you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.
--J.D. Salinger (THE CATCHER IN THE RYE)
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NEW FROM CARROLL & GRAF:
PURSUIT OF FEAR
by William Beechcroft
William Beechcroft evokes Washington as well as Len Deighton
recreates London. And just as we have a good idea of how the
British Secret Service works through Mr. Deighton, so Mr.
Beechcroft reveals the inner workings of a secret Washington in a
new thriller with shocking parallels to the Iran/Contra case. He
takes us inside and shows us the world of realpolitik, confirming
all our worst suspicions.
Here a company of sophisticated con men exploit the wealthy
right-wingers so successfully milked in real life by Oliver
North. The suspense never falters in this rousing tale as young
Steve Gammon finds his missing brother's decapitated body on the
shore of an Hawaiian island. Who killed him and his associate, an
elderly lawyer--and why? The trail leads to D.C. where Steve
begins to assemble bits and pieces of information into an ugly
picture of torture and death. But his investigation has marked
him for murder. If he is to survive he must move more quickly and
with more cunning than his enemies.
ISBN 0-88184-510-8 Cloth 272 pages $17.95
REDISCOVERIES II
edited by David Madden & Peggy Bach
Like a browse through a wonderful second-hand book shop, perusing
this volume of "discoveries" of underappreciated books provides
many gentle pleasures. In forty-nine short essays writers such as
John Updike, Gore Vidal, Maxine Kumin, Hortense Calisher, Norman
Mailer, Elmore Leonard and Mary Lee Settle select and celebrate
their favorite works of neglected fiction.
"A literary goldmine! An important and fascinating work. Readers
will be turned on to some very deserving books."
--The Los Angeles Times
ISBN 0-88184-528-0 Trade Paper 340 pages $9.95
THE COMPLEAT WEREWOLF
and Other Tales of Fantasy and Science Fiction
by Anthony Boucher
This collection by eminent mystery and science fiction critic
Anthony Boucher assembles the best of his short fictions. Boucher
was an Edgar Award winner and became a major influence in the
often merging fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror as
founder of THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION.
The title story is a classic mix of lycanthropy, private eyes,
fiendish Nazi agents and wisecracking humor. In a similar vein,
this anthology also includes witty variations on horror themes:
"Snulbug", about a deal with a demon; "The Ghost of Me", a
doppleganger story with a new twist; and "The Bite", a rare
straight horror tale about desert-dwelling mutants. The other
stories are: "The Pink Caterpillar", "Q.U.R.", "Robinc",
"Expedition", "We Print the Truth".
"The best of Boucher's fantasy tales may be the most famous of
his stories, the novella THE COMPLEAT WEREWOLF. Boucher shows two
of his virtues as a writer: effective comic reversal of cliches
to produce surprise and delight, and an often literary
resonance."
--Science Fiction Writers
ISBN 0-88184-557-4 Mass Market 256 pages $4.50
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Literature plays an important role in our country, helping the
Party to educate the people correctly, to instill in them
advanced, progressive ideas by which our Party is guided. And it
is not without reason that writers in our country are called
engineers of the human soul.
--Nikita Khrushchev
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
THE STRANGE LUCK OF WALTER JON WILLIAMS
Not too long ago, Tor SF author Walter Jon Williams got a very
pleasant surprise: his science fiction novel HARDWIRED (Tor,
1986) was prominently featured in a national advertising campaign
for Nissan Motors' new "Infiniti" automobile.
Apparently the Powers That Be decided that some law of good
fortune had been violated. When Williams returned from the World
Science Fiction Convention in Boston to linger over the pages of
his newest Tor hardcover ANGEL STATION, he got a most unpleasant
shock: not only was there a rash of very strange typographical
errors on page 9 of the book, but fully seventeen lines of type
were completely missing from page 354.
When Williams called TOR's editorial staff in New York to report
the errors, they immediately checked the press run of the book.
Sure enough, the defects were present in every copy--despite the
fact that all previous proof sheets, and the book's bound
uncorrected galleys, were free of the errors. This isn't
"business as usual" for TOR.
Although an occasional typo slips by the proofreading process,
and minor errors creep into final copies, nothing of this sort
has ever happened to a Tor book before.
How did it happen? Well, no one knows exactly--but the evidence
points to some sort of software error in the generation of the
final "repro proof" long after the stages at which books are
normally checked and proofread in house. For example, the typos
on page 9 all involve characters that are exactly five letters
off in sequence from the correct characters. TOR is offering to
replace all defective copies of the ANGEL STATION hardcover with
corrected copies from a new printing.
To receive a correct copy, simply remove pages 1 through 6 (three
leaves) and send them, along with your name and address, to
Customer Service, St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York
NY 10010, Attn: ANGEL STATION Replacement. This offer is open to
individuals and dealers alike, though copies of the removed pages
must be received for each copy the owner wants replaced.
Alternately, collectors who wish to keep their "true first"
edition, typos and all, may write to Tor's own editorial offices
at 49 West 24th St, New York NY 10010 for an errata sheet
correcting the errors, which includes the missing text.
Meanwhile, Tor's editors are leaving nothing to chance where
Williams's work is concerned. They've set up a special Walter Jon
Williams Task Force to make sure the author's next work, a
short story collection called FACETS scheduled for publication as
a hardcover in January 1990, escapes the strange luck of Walter
Jon Williams. For further information, contact Patrick Nielsen
Hayden, Administrative Editor, (212) 741-3100.
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
I like to tell people the difference between humor and horror is
that it stops being humor when it starts being you.
--Stephen King
:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:
BACK ISSUES
ELECTRONIC EDITION: Check the BBSs in the Directory first. If
what you want isn't available, send $5 to us for a disk
containing ALL available issues. Disk will be formatted using
PC/MS-DOS (for IBM clones). Specify 3-1/2" or 5-1/4" floppy.
PRINT EDITION: Send $1.50 for each issue requested.
Checks: Make checks payable to Cindy Bartorillo.
Address: See masthead on Table of Contents page.
ISSUES AVAILABLE:
#1: Premier issue: 1988 World Fantasy Awards; Books I'm Supposed
to Like, But Don't; Pronunciation Guide to Author's Names;
Christie Characters on Film; Featured Author: Richard Matheson;
Baseball & Cricket Mysteries; Stephen King Checklist; Time Travel
Books
#2: Summer Reading Issue: Award Winners & Nominees; Beach Bag
Books; Featured Author: Stanley Ellin; Splatterpunk; Murderous
Vacations; The Psychology of Everyday Things; The Shining; SF
Fan-Lingo; Pseudonyms
#3: Books About Books Issue: Two-Bit Culture; Christopher Morley;
84 Charing Cross Road; Assorted References; Bibliomysteries; Deep
Quarry; Featured Author: Harlan Ellison
#4: Hollywood Issue: Recent Awards; About Hollywood; Silver
Scream; Death of a Salesman; Joe Bob Briggs; The Hollywood
Mystery; Featured Author: Fredric Brown; The Dark Fantastic;
Darryl Kenning Reviews
#5: Halloween Issue: Hugo Awards; Year's Best Horror Stories
XVII; Tracy Kidder; Supernatural Mysteries; Thomas Harris;
Falling Angel Heart; Ray Garton; New From Underwood-Miller;
Featured Author: Robert R. McCammon; The Modern Halloween Shelf;
Darryl Kenning Reviews; The Ultimate Stephen King Character Quiz
#6: Computers & Robots Issue: 1989 World Fantasy Award
Nominations; Donald M. Grant, Publisher; Cyberpunk & Neuromancer;
Computer Books; Digital Delights; Nightmare On Elm Street, The
Comic; Banned Books; Featured Author: Josephine Tey; Mystery
Terminology; Darryl Kenning Reviews; Books On A Chip; New From
Carroll & Graf; Computer Cowboy Reading; and the usual
#7: Happy Holidays Issue: New From Carroll & Graf; Featured
Author: Charles Dickens; A Christmas Carol; Religious Reading;
An Incomplete Education; Great Endings; New From Simon &
Schuster; New From Underwood-Miller; Christmas Mysteries and
Other Yuletide Reading; On Line With Steve Gerber; The Last
Christmas Trivia Quiz; and the usual
#8: True Crime Issue (the one you're looking at now)
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GREAT BEGINNINGS TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWERS
A-17 F-7 K-10 P-15
B-13 G-5 L-20 Q-3
C-1 H-18 M-16 R-8
D-4 I-14 N-9 S-2
E-11 J-6 O-19 T-12
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