headers
Eli Bishop | 7 Jul 2008 02:30

rest in peace, Disch


Maybe everyone here already knows this, but: Thomas M. Disch died two
days ago in New York, reportedly suicide.

Along with Delany, Vonnegut, and a handful of others, he wrote things
that seem to me like some of the greatest treasures of human culture
in the last hundred years... except I can't really tell, because to me
they're just like vital organs of my own mind and heart now.

I knew people who knew him, but I never met him -- and, to be honest,
I would've been a little afraid to meet him given the opportunity,
because the bitterness of his public persona had reached Kingsley Amis
proportions. Reading his online journal was often like looking into an
open wound, which once in a while would divulge a pearl of humor or a
ridiculously good poem. Being a selfish reader, among all the pain on
display what bothered me most was that he had never reconciled with
Chip (over something that, from the little I know about it, was too
stupid to repeat). Well, either we're all reconciled in the end, or it
won't matter.

I was going to write something about having just seen The Polymath,
but I'm too damn sad now.

Eli

------------------------------------

== Posted to delany-list, hosted at yahoo groups ==
== A mailing list for the discussion of the works of Samuel R. Delany. ==Yahoo! Groups Links
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 3 comments |
headers
Amy Harlib | 7 Jul 2008 12:17
Picon
Favicon

Re: rest in peace, Disch


aharlib <at> earthlink.net
I'm very sad to read this.
He will be missed.
Amy

>
> Maybe everyone here already knows this, but: Thomas M. Disch died two
> days ago in New York, reportedly suicide.
>
> Along with Delany, Vonnegut, and a handful of others, he wrote things
> that seem to me like some of the greatest treasures of human culture
> in the last hundred years... except I can't really tell, because to me
> they're just like vital organs of my own mind and heart now.
>
> I knew people who knew him, but I never met him -- and, to be honest,
> I would've been a little afraid to meet him given the opportunity,
> because the bitterness of his public persona had reached Kingsley Amis
> proportions. Reading his online journal was often like looking into an
> open wound, which once in a while would divulge a pearl of humor or a
> ridiculously good poem. Being a selfish reader, among all the pain on
> display what bothered me most was that he had never reconciled with
> Chip (over something that, from the little I know about it, was too
> stupid to repeat). Well, either we're all reconciled in the end, or it
> won't matter.
>
> I was going to write something about having just seen The Polymath,
> but I'm too damn sad now.
>
> Eli
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
nivekgnir | 7 Jul 2008 22:21

Re: rest in peace, Disch

RIP.

--- In delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com, "Eli Bishop" <ibitzkay <at> ...> wrote:
>
> 
> Maybe everyone here already knows this, but: Thomas M. Disch died two
> days ago in New York, reportedly suicide.
> 
> Along with Delany, Vonnegut, and a handful of others, he wrote things
> that seem to me like some of the greatest treasures of human culture
> in the last hundred years... except I can't really tell, because to me
> they're just like vital organs of my own mind and heart now.
> 
> I knew people who knew him, but I never met him -- and, to be honest,
> I would've been a little afraid to meet him given the opportunity,
> because the bitterness of his public persona had reached Kingsley Amis
> proportions. Reading his online journal was often like looking into an
> open wound, which once in a while would divulge a pearl of humor or a
> ridiculously good poem. Being a selfish reader, among all the pain on
> display what bothered me most was that he had never reconciled with
> Chip (over something that, from the little I know about it, was too
> stupid to repeat). Well, either we're all reconciled in the end, or it
> won't matter.
> 
> I was going to write something about having just seen The Polymath,
> but I'm too damn sad now.
> 
> Eli
>
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
nivekgnir | 7 Jul 2008 23:45

Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

Thought I'd resurrect this little thread for an update.

Chip is still expanding the book. When I first reviewed it, it had
become a 55,000 word novel grown out of the original 16,000 word
novella. It's now nearly 97,000 words and growing. 

And it's marvelous. Chip has added more SF and light future history
elements. This has added quite a bit of texture to the novel in that
it more clearly feels as though we have jumped into the future. The
relationships and characters are deeper and more complex. 

But the best part is that it's pure, brilliant Delany. The more I read
it, the more I love this book.

I can't wait for it to be finished so everyone can have a chance to
experience this fantastic novel.

--Kevin

--- In delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com, "nivekgnir" <kdring <at> ...> wrote:
>
> 
> Issue 7 of Black Clock magazine contains "In the Valley of the Nest
> of Spiders", a 16-thousand word novella by Samuel R. Delany. Through
> the Valley of the Nest of Spiders,due from Bamberger Books in the summer
> or fall of 2008, is a more than threefold expansion of that work. The
> novel follows Eric, a young man just eleven days shy of his seventeenth
> birthday.
> 
> It would not be unreasonable to look at Through the Valley of the Nest
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 3 comments |
headers
David Carlton | 8 Jul 2008 06:28

Re: Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:45:23 -0000, "nivekgnir" <kdring <at> pacbell.net> said:

> Thought I'd resurrect this little thread for an update.
> Chip is still expanding the book. When I first reviewed it, it had
> become a 55,000 word novel grown out of the original 16,000 word
> novella. It's now nearly 97,000 words and growing. 

> And it's marvelous. Chip has added more SF and light future history
> elements. This has added quite a bit of texture to the novel in that
> it more clearly feels as though we have jumped into the future. The
> relationships and characters are deeper and more complex. 

> But the best part is that it's pure, brilliant Delany. The more I read
> it, the more I love this book.

> I can't wait for it to be finished so everyone can have a chance to
> experience this fantastic novel.

Thanks for the news!

David Carlton
carlton <at> bactrian.org

------------------------------------

== Posted to delany-list, hosted at yahoo groups ==
== A mailing list for the discussion of the works of Samuel R. Delany. ==Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delany-list/
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 2 comments |
headers
Patrick Kapty | 8 Jul 2008 04:30
Picon
Favicon

Re: Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

Glad to hear it!
Guess it's too much to hope that sometime soon he'll write
the sequel to "The Stars in my Pocket..." (hint) (hint)
I've been waiting a loooooong time for that one!!!

-- Patrick

----- Original Message ----
From: nivekgnir <kdring <at> pacbell.net>
To: delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, July 7, 2008 2:45:23 PM
Subject: [delany-list] Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

Thought I'd resurrect this little thread for an update.

Chip is still expanding the book. When I first reviewed it, it had
become a 55,000 word novel grown out of the original 16,000 word
novella. It's now nearly 97,000 words and growing. 

And it's marvelous. Chip has added more SF and light future history
elements. This has added quite a bit of texture to the novel in that
it more clearly feels as though we have jumped into the future. The
relationships and characters are deeper and more complex. 

But the best part is that it's pure, brilliant Delany. The more I read
it, the more I love this book.

I can't wait for it to be finished so everyone can have a chance to
experience this fantastic novel.
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 501 comments |
headers
keefboof | 8 Jul 2008 09:40
Picon
Favicon

Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

Do we have a release date for this novel yet?

--- In delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com, David Carlton <carlton <at> ...> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:45:23 -0000, "nivekgnir" <kdring <at> ...> said:
> 
> > Thought I'd resurrect this little thread for an update.
> > Chip is still expanding the book. When I first reviewed it, it had
> > become a 55,000 word novel grown out of the original 16,000 word
> > novella. It's now nearly 97,000 words and growing. 
> 
> > And it's marvelous. Chip has added more SF and light future 
history
> > elements. This has added quite a bit of texture to the novel in 
that
> > it more clearly feels as though we have jumped into the future. 
The
> > relationships and characters are deeper and more complex. 
> 
> > But the best part is that it's pure, brilliant Delany. The more I 
read
> > it, the more I love this book.
> 
> > I can't wait for it to be finished so everyone can have a chance 
to
> > experience this fantastic novel.
> 
> Thanks for the news!
> 
> David Carlton
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 1 comment |
headers
nivekgnir | 8 Jul 2008 16:36

Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

Well, it was originally slated for Summer/Fall of this year. But since
it's already Summer and he's still working on it, that doesn't seem
very likely.

--- In delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com, "keefboof" <keefboof <at> ...> wrote:
>
> Do we have a release date for this novel yet?
> 
> 
> 
> --- In delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com, David Carlton <carlton <at> > wrote:
> >
> > On Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:45:23 -0000, "nivekgnir" <kdring <at> > said:
> > 
> > > Thought I'd resurrect this little thread for an update.
> > > Chip is still expanding the book. When I first reviewed it, it had
> > > become a 55,000 word novel grown out of the original 16,000 word
> > > novella. It's now nearly 97,000 words and growing. 
> > 
> > > And it's marvelous. Chip has added more SF and light future 
> history
> > > elements. This has added quite a bit of texture to the novel in 
> that
> > > it more clearly feels as though we have jumped into the future. 
> The
> > > relationships and characters are deeper and more complex. 
> > 
> > > But the best part is that it's pure, brilliant Delany. The more I 
> read
> > > it, the more I love this book.
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |
headers
nivekgnir | 8 Jul 2008 16:39

Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

I've dropped that same hint, myself. You are not alone in wanting to
see that book become a reality.

--- In delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com, Patrick Kapty <pkapty <at> ...> wrote:
>
> Glad to hear it!
> Guess it's too much to hope that sometime soon he'll write
> the sequel to "The Stars in my Pocket..." (hint) (hint)
> I've been waiting a loooooong time for that one!!!
> 
> -- Patrick
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: nivekgnir <kdring <at> ...>
> To: delany-list <at> yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, July 7, 2008 2:45:23 PM
> Subject: [delany-list] Re: A new Delany novel is on its way
> 
> 
> Thought I'd resurrect this little thread for an update.
> 
> Chip is still expanding the book. When I first reviewed it, it had
> become a 55,000 word novel grown out of the original 16,000 word
> novella. It's now nearly 97,000 words and growing. 
> 
> And it's marvelous. Chip has added more SF and light future history
> elements. This has added quite a bit of texture to the novel in that
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 503 comments |
headers
Erich Schneider | 8 Jul 2008 19:39
Picon
Favicon

Re: Re: A new Delany novel is on its way

"nivekgnir" <kdring <at> pacbell.net> writes:

> I've dropped that same hint, myself. You are not alone in wanting to
> see that book become a reality.

When I saw him read at Clarion last year, his general attitude seemed
to be "don't hold your breath, I have several other projects I want to
do before I think about doing that one". And after having put it down
for almost 25 years, I can't say I blame him. Still, I'm probably not
alone in having shaken my head ruefully when, in _1984_, I read
letters with things like "I think I'll get _Splendor_ knocked out in
another 6 weeks or so".

--

-- 
Erich Schneider  erich <at> caltech.edu

------------------------------------

== Posted to delany-list, hosted at yahoo groups ==
== A mailing list for the discussion of the works of Samuel R. Delany. ==Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delany-list/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/delany-list/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)
(Continue reading)

Permalink | Reply | 0 comments |

Gmane