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BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story?
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Subject: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 14 Mar 09 - 12:11 AM I remember reading "ATTA", a story about a man who is shruck and becomes part of an ant society. Forgetting for a moment that our hero would actually have become a tiny bit of food for an ant society; do any of the vast Mudcat Intelligencia remember reading this book in the 60s? My intrawebs-fu has yielded little besides the predictable entymology sites. It may have been one of those double pulp books...the Murry Leinster kind of thing. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: katlaughing Date: 14 Mar 09 - 12:29 AM I don't suppose you mean Ant-Man the superhero comic book? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 14 Mar 09 - 02:24 AM Nopers, but thanks for playing the game! It was certainly a late 50s or early 60s book. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Darowyn Date: 14 Mar 09 - 04:41 AM There is an episode in T H White's "The Once and Future King" in which Wart (the young Arthur) spends some time in an anthill, as an ant. The description of the stifling conformity of the trivial chat and mindlessly repetitive music reminds me of something......... Cheers Dave |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: JohnInKansas Date: 14 Mar 09 - 05:02 AM In that era there were a number of movies, mostly playing on mutations due to "RAD-EEE-AY-SHUN" in which giant critters of various ilk invaded small towns - invariably isolated, but populated by one cute female and a lovable hick guy with extensive scientific knowledge. One involving giant ants was placed in an unidentifiable US locale resembling Nevada desert, and another was in a Brazilian(?) jungle somewhere just outside Los Angeles. Rats, cockroaches, spiders, bunny rabbits, and prairie dogs were other popular mutants. (Not to mention the 40-foot tall woman who did nasty things to her unfaithful former(?) boyfriend/lover/husband or whatever.) I never detected sufficient "literate" content in any of these to suspect that there was a book though. (but you did say pulp Sci-Fi) John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Fiolar Date: 14 Mar 09 - 09:08 AM Skivee: Teh book you want information in is by Francis Rufus Bellamy and was first published in 1953 by A.A. Wyn, New York. That edition contained 216 pages. The next publication was in 1954 by Ace Books and was doubled with "The Brain Stealer". The plot is as you describe. A man is hit by lightning and becomes half-an-inch tall, becoming friends with Atta, a warraior ant. Hope that helps. Fiolar |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Fiolar Date: 14 Mar 09 - 09:10 AM Skivee: Please excuse the spelling mistakes. Fiolar |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Leadfingers Date: 14 Mar 09 - 10:06 AM In my Late Teens and very early twenties I collected Paper Back Sci Fi books , but studiously avoided MOST of the Pulp Genre , as I much preferred Asimov , Heinlien , Clarke , at al !! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: GUEST,crazy for old time sci fi Date: 14 Mar 09 - 12:00 PM In a Simpsons episode Martin is campaigning before the class, promising to stock the school libarary with: "The ABCs of Science Fiction...Asimov...Bester...Clarke." Someone pipes up, "Hey, what about Ray Bradbury?" and Martin sniffs haughtily, "I'm aware of his work." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Bill D Date: 14 Mar 09 - 05:36 PM "One involving giant ants .." That was a movie called "Them" (I thought it was a silly movie, even as a young sci-fi fan) I see someone has identified the story of the shrinking man....and I already think IT has a bad plot... ;>) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Mr Fox Date: 14 Mar 09 - 05:42 PM There was also 'A Rustle in the Grass' (I've mercifully forgotten the perpetrator) which was a sort of sub- sub- Watership Down with ants instead of rabbits. Deadly dull, as I recall. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 14 Mar 09 - 05:56 PM Here's a cover picture of Atta |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 14 Mar 09 - 08:21 PM . . . Asimov , Heinlein , Clarke , et al. . . ." Ah, but Asimov , Heinlein , Clarke , and a large number of other writers of SF (and other fields, for that matter, such as detective fiction) got their start in the lurid pulp magazines. Typical lurid cover: CLICKY #1. Note the authors listed on the cover. This magazine was started by Hugo Gernsbach, who nurtured many the better known—and better—writers, including the ones mentioned above and for whom the Hugo science fiction awards were named. CLICKY #2 and CLICKY #3. Here was another goody: CLICKY #4. Once again, note the author's names. I was a real fan of the "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" comic strip along with "Flash Gordon." An uncle of mine who spent WW II in the merchant marine and read SF on his off watch, presented me with a foot high stack of magazines like these that he'd finished reading. I think I was about twelve at the time. My mother freaked out at the lurid covers, but my uncle convinced her that these magazines (printed on cheap pulp paper, except for the slick paper covers) were harmless and just contained good adventure stories. Isaac Azimov's first published story (but the third one he had written), "Marooned Off Vesta," was published in the March, 1939 issue of "Amazing Stories." Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Amos Date: 14 Mar 09 - 10:08 PM A second-hand edition of Atta, by Bellamy, can be found on this site. A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Amos Date: 14 Mar 09 - 10:12 PM Here's the original Atta Cover. S |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 14 Mar 09 - 11:49 PM The Ace Double Book by Bellemy is indeed the one I was thinking of. Thanks for all your researching. As I recall, it was ultimately a morality play. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: GUEST,Shimrod Date: 15 Mar 09 - 06:05 AM "In my Late Teens and very early twenties I collected Paper Back Sci Fi books , but studiously avoided MOST of the Pulp Genre , as I much preferred Asimov , Heinlien , Clarke , at al !!" It's strange how people tend to be so sniffy about 'pulp'. OK so the fiction was often awful - but the covers (thanks, Don for the examples above) were SUBLIME!! In my opinion they are one of the great art forms of the 20th century. The sleaziness, the lurid covers and the often fantastic subject matter are all part of the appeal. Illustrators like Frank R. Paul, Hannes Bok and Ed Emsh all had their own very distinctive styles. My particular favourite was Jack Gaughan who did paperback covers and SF (NOT Sci Fi!) magazine illustrations in the 1960s (way past the 'Golden Age' but still part of the same tradition). I still treasure the examples of his work in my collection - sometimes more than the stories they illustrate. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Peter T. Date: 15 Mar 09 - 07:35 AM And who says folk musicians have no other interests? yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Rapparee Date: 15 Mar 09 - 11:54 AM No other interests? You mean like my copies of Heinlein, Asimov, Leinster, Bradbury, Clarke, James White, E.E. Smith (the entire "Lensman" serie), Cordwainer Smith, De Camp, Pratt, Van Vogt, and a host of others? Not to mention the fantasy/S&S authors.... Mind you I have some of the trashy sort of authors as well: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Moliere, Yeats, Keats, Lorca, Garcia Marquez, and similar sorts of lowlife. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 15 Mar 09 - 09:26 PM SF and "Sci-Fi." SF, shorthand for Science Fiction. "Sci-Fi" first referred to the schlocky, low-budget movies that came out in the 1950s, generally having to do with dire warnings about radiation from our messing around with nuclear power (especially bomb tests) producing mutations like spiders as big as Winnebagos and ants the size of Sherman tanks. And, of course, "Godzilla" and its endless sequels and siblings. Or things like "It Came from Outer Space." Or "Red Planet Mars" (complete with religious message—Jesus preached to the Martians, too!). Or "Plan Nine from Outer Space," so incredibly bad that that, in itself, has made it a classic. Almost by accident, perhaps, this genre actually did produce a few movies that are, indeed, classics, such as "The Day the Earth Stood Still." And "Destination Moon" (much of the design and art work by Chesley Bonestell). "Rocketship XM," which was rushed out to take advantage of the publicity for "Destination Moon," was actually surprisingly good. With exceptions such as these, real science fiction enthusiasts gave most "Sci Fi" movies a vigorous thumbs down. They went to see them of course, but thumbs down nevertheless. Mostly crappy science, totally predictable story lines, and cheesy production values. You can usually tell someone who is not a genuine science fiction enthusiast because they keep referring to science fiction as "Sci-Fi." Probably the first genuine science fiction novel was Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. Rather than simply constructing a fantasy as some assume, she actually attempted to extrapolate from the known science of the day. Scientists had been able to cause dead frogs' legs to twitch and jerk by applying electric current. So she gave Dr. Victor Frankenstein motivation in the form of his grief over a drowned child. He tried to figure out a method of reanimating a dead person through "galvanism"—electricity, about which, not all that much was known at the time. And, of course, the experiment turned out badly. Although a classic in its own right, the movie version (a starring vehicle for Boris Karloff) was actually a pale shadow of the original novel. In the novel, instead of "It's alive! It's alive!" when Dr. F. shot the juice to his creation, cobbled together from spare parts, nothing happened. He thought his experiment had failed. Disappointed and exhausted, he fell into bed and woke from a feverish sleep to find THIS staring down at him. He fainted. When he regained consciousness, the Creature was gone. Later, to his horror, he started hearing stories about an apparition, a giant, stalking the countryside. . . . Don Firth P. S. How about "Volcanic Eruption Spawns Monster" as a movie premise? Well, that's what really happened. In 1816, Mary Wollstonecraft and her lover, poet Percy Shelley (whom she later married), spent a summer near Geneva, Switzerland with Lord Byron, John William Polidori, and Claire Clairmont. Their plan was to spend a pleasant summer romping in the meadows and reading poetry to each other. But—the 1815 eruption of Tambora caused the "Year without a Summer." The massive eruption of the Indonesian volcano lofted immense amounts of volcanic ash into the upper atmosphere, altering the weather for a couple of years thereafter. Daily temperatures were abnormally low in the northern hemisphere from late spring to early autumn, and famine was widespread because of crop failures. Rained in, overcome by the gloomy weather, and bored stiff, the little party of poets decided to go with the flow and tell each other ghost stories. One night, Mary had a dream in which the whole story came to her. She told it. The others encouraged her to keep it, flesh it out (so to speak!), and turn it into a novel. Which she did. She was 18 at the time, and she finished writing Frankenstein: or a Modern Prometheus when she was 19. It was first published anonymously in London in 1818. Her name first appears as author in the 1831 edition. In addition to being considered by many to be the first genuine science fiction novel, it is also regarded as an early Gothic horror novel. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 15 Mar 09 - 09:36 PM To be fair, perhaps I should change "You can usually tell someone who is not a genuine science fiction enthusiast because they keep referring to science fiction as 'Sci-Fi.'"to read "You can usually tell someone who is not a very knowledgable science fiction enthusiast because they keep referring to science fiction as 'Sci-Fi.'"Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 15 Mar 09 - 11:46 PM "You can usually tell someone who is not a very knowledgable science fiction enthusiast because they keep referring to science fiction as 'Sci-Fi.'" Don, my man. You can also tell someone who is trying not to overrun the line limit for titles of Mudcat threads. I have several dozen yards of scietifically minded fantasicasion festooning my library. Clarke to Azimov to Lem to Dick to Stevenson.I generally prefer my hyper-light drives to glow blue, and my lasers spitting death. On the other hand, if a good story can be told by shrinking a man to the size of an ant, then I'm glad to read it. My fandom is secure, with or without your approval of my terminology. Snort. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 15 Mar 09 - 11:58 PM 'Tain't my terminology, Skivee. I got bloody well told at a Norwescon some years back. I was surrounded by Samuel R. Delaney, Joanna Russ, Editor David Hartmann, and three Klingons at the time. I wasn't about to argue! Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 16 Mar 09 - 12:00 AM . . . and one very angry Smurf! Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 16 Mar 09 - 01:06 AM You are weak. I've been surrounded by Klingons. We drank Blood Wine and Prune juice. Later, I forced them to sing shanties with me. Those Klingon chicks were kinda hawt! http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2054/139/81/1525754197/n1525754197_30173082_3377.jpg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 16 Mar 09 - 01:45 AM I should have noted that I'm the sailor tucked between Lt. Commander Ghutral and his daughters, Khattar and Fhlegma. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Rapparee Date: 16 Mar 09 - 08:27 AM I forgot to mention that I also have AUTOGRAPHED copies of Dana Stabenow's first three books -- all science fiction and good at that. AND I'm (ahem) mentioned in the "thank yous" for Spider Robinson's "Lady Slings The Booze." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Donuel Date: 16 Mar 09 - 10:45 AM I just saw a modern movie about a kid who is able to shrink himself down to ant size with the aid of his grandfather's instruments and journal. Tom Swift may have been the first to explore this theme of different scales of life. I agree that illustrators of the pulp cover art of science fiction is a large part of the appeal. The images are a great starting point to explore the never before seen places. 'Ringworld' painted some remarkable land/forest/skyscapes that was incredibly unique. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: MMario Date: 16 Mar 09 - 10:56 AM Skivee - somehow it doesn't surprise me that you would end up shanty singing with Klingons. Don't suppose anyone did Rhysling's "Green Hills of Earth" did they? (yes, I know, not a true chanty) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: GUEST,Black Hawk on works PC Date: 16 Mar 09 - 11:42 AM Edgar Rice Burroughs had his most famous character shrunk in one of his books called 'Tarzan and the Ant Men'. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: EBarnacle Date: 16 Mar 09 - 01:18 PM I believe the original short story for "Them" was published as "Let the Ants try." By the way, the ads below include one for "Carpenter Ant Professionals, free home analysis." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 16 Mar 09 - 02:01 PM Skivee, when you're talking to someone like William Gibson or Larry Niven or Jerry Pournelle (old drinking buddy of mine), you're guaranteed to get the fish-eye if you refer to what they write as "Sci-Fi." Weak? Nah, not likely. As far as Klingons are concerned, no problem. They may be able to scarf down vast quantities of "goch" (guttural "ch," as in "Bach"), but just confront them with a bowl of Jell-O with miniature marshmallows and watch them screech with terror and dive under the table! For all their brag and bluster, all I need to do is frown a bit and pop the pull-tab on a can of whup-ass and they scatter like city pigeons before a charging bus. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,Now, for sheer terror, you don't want to confront one of THESE when it's in a bad mood! Don Firth P. S. "Luke, I am your father! Uh . . . Luke?" |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: robomatic Date: 16 Mar 09 - 04:34 PM Uh, ain't nothin' wrong with callin' it "Sci-Fi" Nothin' wrong with callin' San Francisco "S-F" (though none dare call it 'Frisco) Last trouble I got into was referring to a plane as a "Taildragger" whereupon the owner of the aircraft accused me of denigrating his baby by calling it anything other than "conventional gearing". Unlike Mr. Firth, I held my ground. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 16 Mar 09 - 04:59 PM I held my ground, but they vaporized the planet. No more ground to hold! Have you ever tried to argue a point with Jerry Pournelle? I bow to the experts. Especially when I'm told something at 140 decibels! Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: M.Ted Date: 16 Mar 09 - 05:58 PM I don't think "Frankenstein" was the pioneering SF work, I figure it more to be one of the tellings of "Faust", but Frankenstein was certainly Faust, who was driven by his personal suffering to seek knowledge, and who ultimately destroyed himself through his own achievements. The thing is that, though it is often pretty sloppy as far on the scale of "great literature" and even sloppier on the science end, SF has a tendency to be a blueprint for the future--our journeys into space, and our development of robotics, automation, and communication technology were imagined into existence by way of SF. Anyway, to appreciate the connection between fiction and fact, check this-- The Real Dr. Frankenstein from the" Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine", May 2002 |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 16 Mar 09 - 07:24 PM Interesting article, M.Ted. Thanks for posting the link. The contention that Frankenstein was the first genuine science fiction novel was not mine. I've read it in a couple of articles on science fiction, and I've also heard it said in Norwescon writers' workshops. As far as they went, I had to agree with their reasoning. It doesn't prevent it from being a reframing of the Faust story. Interesting observation. ##### Regarding "Sci-Fi." Some years ago I met a young woman named Kristine. During the course of the conversation (there were several people there), someone addressed her as "Kris." She politely, but firmly, mentioned that her name was "Kristine." I also know a fellow named William who does not like being called "Bill." "Will" is okay, but please, not "Bill." Our neighbor across the hall goes by "James." I have never heard anyone ever call him "Jim." That's how he introduced himself, and that's what his wife calls him. So I call him "James." A number of well-known writers of science fiction made it plain (not just once, but several times) during science fiction convention workshops that I attended that they feel a bit insulted when their work is referred to as "Sci-Fi." Or, at least, that the person who uses the term in the context of serious science fiction lacks a certain sophistication about the subject. The term "Sci-Fi," they explained, was derived in the 1950s from high spec. audio equipment being referred to as "Hi-Fi," but "Sci-Fi" was generally applied to the spate of concurrent low-quality movies that attempted something resembling science fiction, but was loaded with bad science (often featuring the stereotypical "mad scientist") and predictable plots. They wanted to distance themselves from that particular "Saturday matinee and drive-in theater" movie genre. This is not my idea. Nor for that matter do I have a vested interest one way or the other. But when a science fiction writer tells me that he regards the term as a sort of put-down, I excise it from my vocabulary—in the same way that I don't call my neighbor "Jim" if he prefers to be addressed as "James." Simple politeness. If my science fiction writing friends (and I know a couple of biggies) object to the term "Sci-Fi" being applied to their work, I won't use it. I have no vested interest in the matter myself. Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 16 Mar 09 - 08:30 PM This is starting to feel a bit like a "What is folk?" thread... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 16 Mar 09 - 09:55 PM Yes, I started noticing that resemblance, too. . . . I, for one, am not about to argue with Jerry Pournelle or Frank Herbert about science fiction, or Charles Seeger or Alan Lomax about folk music. I just keep my mouth shut and listen to what they have to say on the sugject. Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: M.Ted Date: 16 Mar 09 - 11:32 PM The contention that SF started with Faust is something that occurs to me when thinking about "Frankenstein". What with degree in Literature and all, I am prepared to trace the linear evolution of the elements in the science fiction genre from The Gilgamesh Epic and Homer though Parzival, Dante, to present day, with forays into the Greater and Lesser Eddas, The Song of Roland, the Song of Norway, and the Song of Bernadette, sidebars on Copernicus, Grace Metalious, Albertus Magnus, Paracelsus, and Three of a Kind;-) Of course, I am completely on board with using "terms of choice"--but I also think that "Pulp" literature is much more important than has ever been acknowledged, and in the fullness of time, it will be realized cowboys, mad scientists, hard-boiled detectives, and their kin are as important to the world as Hamlet and Odysseus-- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Skivee Date: 17 Mar 09 - 02:13 AM Don, ol' pal. I'm a bit amused that admitted gods of a niche literature market would attack one of the very people that are buying their works and paying their bills by quibbling over this terminology. Words should be understood in context. I have a difficult time believing that when you used the term Sci-Fi, you were thinking of giant radioactive space spiders who want to mate with 18 year old human females then eat them alive. The gods were wrong to trash you. They were beating up the choir members of their own church. Your neighbor "Jim" has every right to insist on "James", but he can't insist that you call your car by a particulr name, even if he built the thing. On the other hand, I strongly recommend that fans of ANY artistic endevour read Harlan Ellison's speech "Zenogenesis" for a stunning view of "fans" who deserve to be beaten with sticks. In any case I thank the Brain Trust for finding the Bellamy book. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: MMario Date: 17 Mar 09 - 09:02 AM In addition; regarding the SF vs Sci-Fi, SF is also used for "short fiction" - and there are really two generations that have grown up with "Sci-Fi" being in more or less general usage for Science Fiction. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Rapparee Date: 17 Mar 09 - 09:09 AM I very MUCH object to Science Fiction being lumped with Sword & Sorcery, Fantasy, and Cup & Saucery. Tolkien has more in common with the Eddas or the Nibelungs than with Rhysling or The Grey Lensman. But...wait one...what about "The Incomplete Enchanter" or "Glory Road" or the Lord Darcy stories? Well, ah.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: beardedbruce Date: 17 Mar 09 - 10:41 AM "Tolkien has more in common with the Eddas " Considering that the names he uses are from the Elder Edda.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Rapparee Date: 17 Mar 09 - 12:00 PM Golly gee whiz! They are?? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 17 Mar 09 - 12:27 PM Hey, c'mon!! I just passed along what I was told myself. Don't kill the messenger! Personally, I don't care if it's called "science fiction," "SF," "Sci-Fi," or "late from breakfast." I do, however, draw a distinction between science fiction and fantasy. But this does not imply a qualitative difference.. Good writing is good writing whatever the genre. Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Rapparee Date: 17 Mar 09 - 02:55 PM Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. --Arthur C. Clarke |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: MMario Date: 17 Mar 09 - 03:09 PM And the corallary; I don't remember who said it. Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: robomatic Date: 17 Mar 09 - 03:58 PM Re: Sci-Fi, Don I'm sorry those stuffed (honored and venerable (alter-kokkers)distinguished and experienced) shirts of classical Science Fiction periodicals (now bankrupt)put you through all that. I would very likely have reacted as you if I had reason to continue conversing with 'em. When it comes to nicknames, I inevitably and rapidly call people by the names they wish to be called. I've had the unfortunate experience of having someone newly met presume to tell me how my name is pronounced. (On the other hand, I've returned the favor when their name IS my name). My favorite experience was addressing a newly met David as "Dave" which I inevitably do. "David" he said, "like King David". "Oh," I said, "in that case it is "da-VEED". |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Don Firth Date: 17 Mar 09 - 04:30 PM When I unknowingly used the term "Sci-Fi" in the presence of a couple of the Olympic Gods of Science Fiction, I got well and duly told. It left me with a bit of a nervous tic. From then on at the Norwescons, I was very careful. I haven't been to a Con for well over a decade, so I don't know what's going on in the inner circles these days. It's interesting to note that if you listen a lot to either some science fiction writers and fans or some folk singers and folk music aficionados and take the rules, edicts, laws, and prohibitions they lay down too seriously, it can sure kill the hell out of both creativity and enjoyment! Everybody needs a good, functional "pompous ass detector." Don Firth |
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Subject: RE: BS: Pulp Sci-Fi Ant Story? From: Amos Date: 17 Mar 09 - 04:37 PM I think that was very shirty of them, Don. It's a perfectly good abbreviation. Who do the Gods of Science Fiction think they are, anyway??? A |
