David G. Hartwell (1941-2016)

David G. Hartwell, 74, passed away after a fall that resulted in a brain injury. I had the privilege of participating in a small group "literary beer" at the Worldcon in Spokane in 2015 (pictured) where Hartwell held forth on some of the authors whose books he has edited -- Gene Wolfe and Philip K. Dick were mentioned -- and he spoke enthusiastically about books he had acquired for publication in 2016.

To quote the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: "He was perhaps the single most influential book editor of the past forty years in the American sf publishing world." The only thing I would change in that sentence is the over-cautious "perhaps."

Related links:
Kathryn Cramer: Til Death Us Did Part
Locus Online: David G. Hartwell (1941-2016)
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: David G. Hartwell

SF Encyclopedia on Thomas M. Disch

"Because of his intellectual audacity, the chillingly distanced mannerism of his narrative art, the austerity of the pleasures he affords, and the fine cruelty of his wit, Disch was perhaps the most respected, least trusted, most envied and least read of all modern sf writers of the first rank. "

From the Science Fiction Encyclopedia, Third Edition, on Thomas M. Disch, as pointed out by Scott Edelman on Twitter.

Link:
SFE: entry on Thomas M. Disch

SF Encyclopedia 3rd Edition goes live

The much-anticipated (by science fiction nerds like me) and newly expanded online edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is now available in its "beta" version. The scope of the project is enormous. The Second Edition, which appeared in print in 1995, was approximately 1.3 million words. The beta version of the Third Edition is about 3 million words, with the "completed" version expected to total 4 million words. Completed is a relative term for online editions. Monthly updates are planned for some time after completion. Nor are these padded entries, providing endless trivia about minor authors. They tend to be brief, sometimes overly so to this reader, with longer entries for longer and more significant careers. This is not a Wikipedia-style project. It is edited by John Clute, David Langford, Peter Nicholls, and Graham Sleight, with several knowledgeable contributors. It is a scholarly and critical guide, packed with information and enlivened with well-informed critical judgments.

I listened this morning to Cheryl Morgan's Salon Futura podcast where she interviews Graham Sleight about the SF Encyclopedia and it provides an excellent overview of the scope and goals of the several-years-long project. Sleight compares the project, in part, with the wonderfully opinionated Biographical Dictionary of Film by David Thomson, whose book I admire.

In browsing the new online edition I've already found it to be addictive and fascinating. The subdued star-map background is pleasant and not distracting. Toward the end of the text describing Gene Wolfe's career I came across the phrase "he wears the fictional worlds of sf like a coat of many colours", which is beautifully stated. Elsewhere in the Encyclopedia I've found gaps that I hope will be filled soon. Congratulations to all involved for reaching this beta release milestone.

Related links:
SFE: The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, Third Edition
Cheryl Morgan's Salon Futura podcast on The Encyclopedia of SF
SFE: entry for Gene Wolfe

Roundup of recent links

SF Encyclopedia to be free online
The third edition of the prestigious Science Fiction Encyclopedia will be made available free online later this year with monthly updates through the end of 2012. Future plans include versions for electronic devices. Read the SF Encyclopedia announcement.

Hemingway wasn’t paranoid
Supposedly Ernest Hemingway descended into paranoia and then took his own life. Records obtained using the Freedom of Information Act present a different version. The unscrupulous director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, had Hemingway under surveillance for decades, including phone taps. Read the New York Times article.

Best SF and Fantasy books of 2011 so far according to Amazon editors
1. Among Others by Jo Walton
2. Embassytown by China Miéville
3. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah E. Harkness
4. 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America by Albert Brooks
5. Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
6. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Cory
7. Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
8. The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
9. The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham
10. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
I’ve read the first two novels and agree that they are likely among the best SF and Fantasy books of the year so far. I am at least tempted by most of the remaining books on the list. Read the Amazon list.