That Old Science Fiction Sourdough Jackson Robert Vardeman Gail Barton 9781936966103 Books
Download As PDF : That Old Science Fiction Sourdough Jackson Robert Vardeman Gail Barton 9781936966103 Books
Perhaps the “Cliff’s Notes” of classic science fiction, writer Sourdough Jackson’s essays keep alive the books, authors, editors, publishers, magazines, and movies that made science fiction the successful subject and industry it is today. From the Communist front organization that spawned numerous SF greats, to who coined the term “sci-fi,” Jackson’s love and deep knowledge of SF is obvious in That Old Science Fiction, originally published as a monthly column in DASFAx, the newsletter of the Denver Area Science Fiction Association. That love is brought to you here, complete with a foreword by Robert Vardeman, author of The Cenotaph Road and dozens of other science fiction novels.
That Old Science Fiction Sourdough Jackson Robert Vardeman Gail Barton 9781936966103 Books
Normally, a collection of essays, no matter the subject, wouldn't make me smile fondly and occasionally even chuckle, but this one did. Sourdough Jackson is writing about "old science fiction," which makes me bristle a bit ( how can it be "old" when I recall all the authors, books and issues discussed so vividly, as if only yesterday?), but were I to ask young SF fans about them they wouldn't know what I was talking about, probably. For them, these aspects of science fiction are part of a world as lost as some unattainable mesa in South America where dinosaurs roam. By the same token, their brave new world of speculative fiction seems vapid to me, filled with timidity, impenetrable fantasy trilogies and rampant political correctness, a world I declined to enter when I realized my favorite science fiction writers had either stopped writing or were dead. I miss that lost world, very much so, which is probably why I appreciate Jackson's book so much. It's like a nice visit with an old friend I haven't seen in a long time, a chance to hash over the good old days, before things went awry. And yet, like all good visitors, Jackson brought more than faded dreams and a bottle of cheap wine. As familiar as I was the books, the people who wrote them, and the fan feuds over them, Jackson brought new ideas and insights, so as I reminisced about old favorites I also considered them in new lights and from new perspectives. A most enjoyable visit indeed.Product details
|
Tags : That Old Science Fiction [Sourdough Jackson, Robert Vardeman, Gail Barton] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Perhaps the “Cliff’s Notes” of classic science fiction, writer Sourdough Jackson’s essays keep alive the books, authors,Sourdough Jackson, Robert Vardeman, Gail Barton,That Old Science Fiction,Thursday Night Press Limited,1936966107,Essays,Literary Collections Essays,Literary essays,Literature - Classics Criticism
People also read other books :
- Fast Fabulous Gourmet Cookbook Pacific Rim Edition Shan Boggs 9781939032164 Books
- Lena Revised A Love Story edition by Sabrina E L B Scales Literature Fiction eBooks
- Lord of the Night edition by Connie Mason Romance eBooks
- CHIEF An Artemus Newton Thriller Book 1 edition by Roger Blakely Literature Fiction eBooks
- Android Programming for Techies Richard Zastrow 9781532882531 Books
That Old Science Fiction Sourdough Jackson Robert Vardeman Gail Barton 9781936966103 Books Reviews
The author collects in this volume a number of essays he has published over the years concerning classic SF, defined roughly as pre-1965. The essays are well written and informative and while I doubt anyone will agree with everything the author says, I for one disagree with his take on Lovecraft, the reader will find each essay thought provoking and entertaining.
There is no plot to this book, which is simply a collection of a series of columns on science fiction in the golden age and some authors before. As a person who grew up with the genre during the golden age, I appreciated the articles on the authors and books of the period, most of which I have read. I also look forward to future volumes, if they are forthcoming.
I loved this book, and immediately went looking for other Sourdough Jackson books on science fiction. This is the only one that I found, and I hope that he remedies that problem before too very long ;) His passion for the science fiction of the past is similar to my own, and I appreciated the new insights I found here. The individual articles are very readable, and he generally looks back on his own life and when he first encountered these old classics, what he thought of them at the time, and how his opinion may have changed in the decades since. His review of a magazine I'd actually heard very little about, Fred Pohl's "If," was great stuff. Of course, I'd heard of the various classics published in "If," but any real info about the magazine itself before this was minimal. I appreciated having several blank areas filled in.
I think the highest praise one can give to a book written about other books is that it makes you want to read (or re-read) the books and authors it discusses. Sourdough Jackson's book has me doing just that. A collection of monthly columns, this little gem covers a wide range of authors, editors and publishers and brings back loving memories on each page, for both the author and - no doubt - many of his readers. I lost count of how many times these pages have revived pleasant memories for me, after 40 + years of reading the good old SF.
Sourdough Jackson sometimes reminds me of Forrest J. Ackerman, with his infectious enthusiasm and encylopedic knowledge. Most of his columns discuss pre-1965 topics, but he also discusses a few recent works, such as the first volume of a Robert A. Heinlein biography and a tribute to Jack Williamson. Each column runs only a few pages, yet is packed with information, insights and reminiscences. But, I also appreciate the fact that Mr. Jackson gives his honest opinion of these authors, works and events... and he pulls no punches. He tells you when a certain author leaves him cold. He also offers threads of insight into such matters as the mechanics of story-telling, the history of SF fandom and others. So, I think the description is correct in saying this book can serve as a "Cliff's Notes" for Classic SF.
I highly recommend this book for SF "fen" who want to discover (or remember) "the way the future was".
Normally, a collection of essays, no matter the subject, wouldn't make me smile fondly and occasionally even chuckle, but this one did. Sourdough Jackson is writing about "old science fiction," which makes me bristle a bit ( how can it be "old" when I recall all the authors, books and issues discussed so vividly, as if only yesterday?), but were I to ask young SF fans about them they wouldn't know what I was talking about, probably. For them, these aspects of science fiction are part of a world as lost as some unattainable mesa in South America where dinosaurs roam. By the same token, their brave new world of speculative fiction seems vapid to me, filled with timidity, impenetrable fantasy trilogies and rampant political correctness, a world I declined to enter when I realized my favorite science fiction writers had either stopped writing or were dead. I miss that lost world, very much so, which is probably why I appreciate Jackson's book so much. It's like a nice visit with an old friend I haven't seen in a long time, a chance to hash over the good old days, before things went awry. And yet, like all good visitors, Jackson brought more than faded dreams and a bottle of cheap wine. As familiar as I was the books, the people who wrote them, and the fan feuds over them, Jackson brought new ideas and insights, so as I reminisced about old favorites I also considered them in new lights and from new perspectives. A most enjoyable visit indeed.
0 Response to "≡ Descargar Free That Old Science Fiction Sourdough Jackson Robert Vardeman Gail Barton 9781936966103 Books"
Post a Comment