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Samuel Delany and the Past and Future of Science Fiction
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- ThomPete 11y agoCan anyone explain to me what that article had to do with the past and future of science fiction? I am seriously trying to understand.
- JadeNB 11y agoIt seems pretty explicit about it, although "the past and present of science fiction" might be a better descriptor. For example, here are quotes where the past: > Delany came of age at a time when the genre [of science fiction] was indeed characterized by gee-whiz futurism, machismo adventuring, and white, heterosexual heroes. is contrasted with the present: > In the contemporary science-fiction scene, Delany’s race and sexuality do not set him apart as starkly as they once did. EDIT: Actually, I hesitate to presume on the legendary New Yorker proofreaders / fact checkers, but shouldn't it be 'macho' (an adjective), not 'machismo' (a noun), 'adventuring'?
- AdeptusAquinas 11y agoThe final comments also support the theme: Some of the more conservative authors presently complaining are doing so, Dulaney thinks, because they fear the growing presence of a more diverse community and a wider acceptance of the same. Trends which will continue to grow into the future. I think this might be attributing too much malice to the author in question though; Larry C seems more like a somewhat thoughtless writer annoyed that his low-brow entertainment books are not considered to have the same merit as Dulaney's stuff, backed up by an echo chamber online community.
- linksnapzz 11y agoPerhaps Larry C. could raise his profile with the New Yorker by joining NAMBLA. I'm sure that it was an innocent oversight on Bebergal's part to omit that detail about Delaney from the piece.
- JadeNB 11y agoNone of the following is a defence (his attitude on NAMBLA is deeply squicky to me); but, as far as I know, Delany (not Delaney) was never a member of NAMBLA. The closest that some quick Googling finds is the famous quote: > I read the NAMBLA [Bulletin] fairly regularly and I think it is one of the most intelligent discussions of sexuality I've ever found. Will Shetterly has a conversation with Delany on the subject at http://shetterly.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-conversation-with-samuel-r-delany.html http://shetterly.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-conversation-with-sa... .
- MaysonL 11y agoRe that, see: http://shetterly.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-conversation-with-samuel-r-delany.html http://shetterly.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-conversation-with-sa... An email conversation about NAMBLA and sexuality with Samuel Delaney.
- WaxProlix 11y agoIt could be interpreted as a noun-noun compound; "machismo adventuring" would be akin to "cave spelunking" or "ego exploring". Probably a typo.
- theophrastus 11y agoHeadlines are too often written prior to the editing process, however one can (at least) find reference to past and future science fiction writers in this late passage: "“It’s socio-economic,” he said. In 1967, as the only black writer among the Nebula nominees, he didn’t represent the same kind of threat. But Delany believes that, as women and people of color start to have “economic heft,” there is a fear that what is “normal” will cease to enjoy the same position of power."
- ItsDeathball 11y agoI'm gonna sound like a conspiracy nut here, but it seems like a side-channel attack on Gamergate (via Sad Puppies), coupled with the "we're on the right side of history" meme. I'm not saying I support either of those, but after following them for a while it's hard not to pick up on biased coverage in the media.
- matt_morgan 11y agoWhat was biased about it?
- ItsDeathball 11y agoUpon re-reading, nothing particularly egregious. There is the characterization of Sad Puppies as a movement to push women and nonwhites out of the Hugo Awards, when I believe the motivation is that the participants want their fun sci-fi escapism to be evaluated as such and not by how well it coincides with the Hugo panel's politics. Of course, the net effect of their effort has been, in practice, to favor white male authors, so the article is accurate at face value. I wouldn't expect the author to go in detail into something only tangentially related, either. It's just bothersome to see every controversy in traditionally geeky hobbies lately reduced to "white male bigots form hate mob," so even a relatively neutral mention feels biased sometimes.
- devindotcom 11y agoIt's not that cryptic. Delany and the author are highlighting the roles of marginalized communities in the genre, how they have changed (or not) over time, and what might change in the future.
- devindotcom 11y agoInteresting little profile of Delany. I didn't realize he was so prolific and still writing. And I'm not quite sure where to start his work.... probably not Dhalgren, right?
- richardfontana 11y agoI'd suggest starting with _[Trouble on] Triton_. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triton_%28novel%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triton_%28novel%29
- WaxProlix 11y agoI started with Babel-17 and then read Nova and Stars In My Pocket... before getting into the short stories a bit (Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones was the first, I think). He's a master, and his works are in a real sense masterworks. Whatever you start with, you'll probably find something to enjoy.
- HeyLaughingBoy 11y agoStars in my pocket... is an Epic. Definitely worth it, but like Dune, it took me years of trying to get past page 100. Once past, they were both amazing works, but, oh do they start of sooo slowly.
- WaxProlix 11y agoI never had a problem with either of them, for some reason, but E.R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros had that effect on me pretty heavily. To this day I've never read more than 100 pages of that book in a single attempt (where attempt can be a couple weeks of concerted effort).
- waterlesscloud 11y agoHis novel Nova is probably the best place to start. The short story "Aye, And Gomorrah" is a pretty good spot too.
- EvanAnderson 11y ago
- stuxnet79 11y agoInteresting. I've still never read Delany despite the fact that he's the only commercially successful, black sci fi author I know.
- HeyLaughingBoy 11y agoIt's interesting that despite the phrase "...the face that stared back was as Negroid as my own.." in one of his short stories, it didn't occur to me that he was black until reading it in some interview or something. If I gave the line any thought at all, I probably dismissed it as poetic license or something.
- physicsyogi 11y agoThere are two others, Steven Barnes and (the late) Octavia Butler. Besides being great storytellers, Butler won the MacArthur Prize and Steve has written episodes for a variety of TV shows over the years. Each was (arguably) commercially more successful than Delany. If Butler were still living I'm sure she'd have been interviewed as well.
- MaysonL 11y agoWalter Mosley writes a fair amount of science fiction and fantasy, as well as his perhaps better known and more commercially successful mysteries.
- mucker 11y agoNice to see that those who are pro child molestation still getting press. Classy New Yorker.
- fernly 11y ago[Citation required]