Phil Glass (William Tenn) 1920-2010
Posted on | February 8, 2010 | No Comments
One of Science Fiction’s master short story writers, Phil Klass, passed away Sunday, February 7, 2010 at age 89. Phil Klass, who may be better known by the pseudonym William Tenn, wrote more than 60 SF stories. Connie Willis in her introduction to the book Immodest Proposals: The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn, Volume 1
wrote:
Tenn’s stories are witty, clever, thought-provoking, ironic, intensely intelligent, touching, and hilarious. And too few and far between. Most of the stories in this collection were written in the fifties and sixties, and, until now, have been hard to find. I’m overjoyed that they will all be in print again and all in one place (though it’s also delightful to come across one in an anthology when you least expect it, and have him seduce or surprise or swindle you all over again), But I wish there were more of them.
He was named Author Emeritus by SFWA in 1999. Some of his more famous short stories (and this list is by no means complete) are:
- Brooklyn Project (1948)
- Venus and the Seven Sexes (1949)
- Down Among the Dead Men (1954)
- The Liberation of Earth (1953)
- Time in Advance (1956)
There is an excellent interview (well really it’s a monologue) with Phil Glass AKA William Tenn at Pulpnet.com. It was recorded at PulpCon 35 in 2006. Phil talks about working with John W. Campbell, Horace Gold and Fred Pohl among many others. He certainly had the gift of gab. If you feel saddened at his passing as I do, this recording will bring smile to your face.
Also there’s an another excellent interview from 2004 when he was on WNYC’s Spinning On Air. Which also has him reading his short story On Venus, Have We Got A Rabbi! [via: SFFaudio]
If you have any recordings of William Tenn, we’d love to post them here. Please contact us.
Isaac Asimov interviewed by Bruce Coville in 1983
Posted on | December 7, 2009 | No Comments
This was an interview for a magazine that was conducted in Isaac Asimov’s New York apartment. Interestingly it was conducted by popular YA author, Bruce Coville in 1983 when he was … well, not as well known. Also taking part in the interview is photographer Bettina Cirone.
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[MP3]
Tags: Bettina Cirone > Bruce Coville > Isaac Asimov > Science Fiction Grand Master > Vintage recording
1977 - Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson - On Collaboration
Posted on | November 29, 2009 | No Comments
Here’s an interesting panel discussion with two Science Fiction Grand Masters, Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson. They wrote some great books in collaboration with each other including the Starchild Trilogy and the under appreciated Saga of Cuckoo series. Fred Pohl collaborated with C.M. Kornbluth on the classic novel The Space Merchants as well as other novels and short stories. His most recent novel is a collaboration with the late Arthur C. Clarke called The Last Theorem. Jack Williamson passed away in 2006.
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“The Art, Science, and Combat of Collaboration.” ConFusion 14, Ann Arbor Inn, Ann Arbor, MI,
January, 1977.
Introduction by Jim Martin. Q&A.
Pohl and Williamson are veterans of collaboration with other authors–including a series of novels done with each other. They offer rare insights into an activity that seems more common in Science Fiction than with other types of literature. They also discuss problems in writing and in getting published.
51:00
Tags: ConFusion > Frederik Pohl > Jack Williamson > Science Fiction Grand Master
Arthur C. Clarke, Alvin Toffler, and Margaret Mead on Man’s Future
Posted on | November 22, 2009 | 1 Comment
What does the future look like from the past? This exciting program with three people that could not better represent the intelligentsia of futurism circa 1970. This recording is from a radio program called “Sound on Film”, a series on films and the people who make them. This episode is entitled “2001–Science Fiction or Man’s Future?” Recorded May 7th, 1970. Joseph Gelman is the moderator.
At the time of this recording Arthur C. Clarke had recently collaborated on the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey with Stanley Kubrick. Alvin Toffler’s mega-influential book, Future Shock, is about to be published. And Margaret Mead is the world’s foremost cultural anthropologist.
An intriguing conversation that still has relevance today.
2001–Science Fiction or Man’s Future?
Length–54:18
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Tags: 2001: A Space Odyssey > Alvin Toffler > Arthur C. Clarke > Futurism > Margaret Mead > radio program > Stanley Kubrick > Vintage recording
Fred Pohl and SFOHA
Posted on | August 30, 2009 | No Comments
While doing this year’s corporate update, I ran across an interesting bit of history: Most of us already knew that Lloyd Biggle was the first president of SFOHA, but did you know Frederik Pohl, Howard DeVore, and Thomas D Clareson were also on our first board of directors? Other incorporators were Marshall Tymn, Nolan Shaw, and Alex Berman.
It is interesting to find this tidbit, because we were just discussing how many Pohl recordings we have in the archives at the last meeting… should we do something special for him, while he’s still around?
Cryptic ConFusion 2009 - Six new recordings!
Posted on | August 27, 2009 | No Comments
Recorded early this year, we’ve got six vibrant panel discussions from ConFusion.
Cryptic ConFusion 2009 Jan. 23 - 25
[M] designates moderator
Sat Jan 24 10am
Plot: What turns great ideas into short stories or novels?
Description: We all know where ideas come from, don’t we? But what are we supposed to do with them after that? How do we translate those ideas into successful stories and novels? Come and find out!
(Kelley Armstrong, Violette Malan [M], Paul Melko, Catherine Shaffer and Sandee Rodriguez)
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Or download the MP3.
Sat Jan 24 11am
Did Captain Kirk own a wallet?
Economics and SF how has science fiction has portrayed economics of the future over the years how have things changed, what are some of the enduring themes?
(Cory Doctorow, Tobias Buckell [M], Philip Edward Kaldon, Paul Melko and Matthew Stewart-Fulton)
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MP3.
Sat Jan 24 12pm
Setting: Haven’t I been here before?
How important is setting to a reader’s understanding and enjoyment of the story? Is setting the real difference between S and SF? Are we overusing the settings we have, and are there any new ones?
(Violette Malan [M], Karl Schroeder, Catherine Shaffer, Doselle Young and Jim Frenkel)
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Sat Jan 24 1PM
Meet the New Boss: Young adult SF
How it is the same and different from adult SF and how it has evolved over the years and where it is going. Will it overtake Paranormal Romance and become the next big thing?
(Cory Doctorow, Kelley Armstrong, Anne Harris [M], Jim Frenkel, Doselle Young, Steven Harper Piziks)
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Sat Jan 24 3pm
Big Brother is Watching You!
Personal privacy in the electronic age we now have or will have chips on everything we own including pets, where is this all going? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
(Cory Doctorow, David Rozian, Steve Buchheit, Karl Schroeder [M], Catherine Shaffer)
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Sun Jan 25 12pm
Podcasting — the future of it
(Cat Rambo, Matthew Stewart-Fulton, Alexander Bouchard, and Rick Jackson)
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Recorded by Rick Jackson on a Zoom H4
Tags: Alexander Bouchard > Anne Harris > Cat Rambo > Catherine Shaffer > ConFusion Science Fiction Convention > Cory Doctorow > David Rozian > Doselle Young > Fantasy > Future Economics > Jim Frenkel > Karl Schroeder > Kelley Armstrong > Matthew Stewart-Fulton > Paul Melko > Personal Privacy > Philip Edward Kaldon > Plot > Podcasting > Sandee Rodriguez > Science Fiction > Science Fiction Convention > Setting > Steve Buchheit > Steven Harper Piziks > Tobias Buckell > Violette Malan > YA Science Fiction > Young Adult Science Fiction
Four recordings from Penguicon 2009
Posted on | August 17, 2009 | No Comments
Here’s four recordings I made while at Penguicon. Listen and enjoy:
Copywhat Copyrights! Open Source Licensing in Literature
(Eric Raymond, Daniel Hogan, Rick Jackson)
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Creating a Wikinomic Online Community
(Sarah Elkins, Rick Jackson)
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Legal Issues and Podcasting
(Steve Eley, Rick Jackson)
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Selling Your Soul - Marketing Your Work on a Limited Budget
(Daniel Hogan, Jim C. Hines, Rick Jackson, David Crampton)
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Recorded by Rick Jackson on a Zoom H4
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Tags: Daniel J. Hogan > Eric Raymond > Jim C. Hines > Penguicon > Rick Jackson > Sarah Elkins > Steve Eley
The New SFOHA site
Posted on | May 17, 2009 | No Comments
We’re working on setting up the new site. Please be patient. Pardon the digital dust and all that.