Ahira's Hangar

I of course am between jobs right now. And I am taking a regular credit course at my local community college www.harpercollege.edu/. Course title is Literature of Science Fiction. Instructor is Elizabeth Hull, current wife of Frederick Pohl. I think the course will be way fun. Our reading list is as follows:
1) Asimov The Gods themselvesp
2) Clarke Childhood's end
3) Heinlein Moon is a harsh mistress
4) LeGuin Left hand of darkness
5) Pohl Gateway
6) Tepper The Fresco
7) Vonnegut Cat's Cradle
Science Fiction hall of fame, vol. 1 anthology editor Robert Silverberg
9) The Hard SF renaissance anthology editor Hartwell and Cramer

YMMV, ttfn taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>

That sounds like it'll be great, Taras! Tell me how you like Gateway -- I have always liked that book a lot. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Jem is on of my favorite Sci-Fis! Never read gateway do tell me/us about it and enjoy! I read five on the list! <i></i>

I to have read the Heinlein and the Clarke, before now. I read the Clarke when I went back to college in 1977 and the Heinlein, I think I might have been in HS, and I do not remember when I read LoHD. But I am really looking forward to the class. I am thinking it will be good. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i>Edited by: taraswizard at: 1/27/04 9:48 pm
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Ok, folks this is gonna be a little long.

I come with a perhaps a unique personal history to my college course. About 36 or so yrs ago when I started HS, my freshman (9th grade) english instructor who was in her early 60s (my guess) at the time so had probably started teaching HS before WWII, had an interesting policy. Regarding our required book reports she would not allow us to read SF books, at all. She used to tell a story about one student a few years before us had sneacked in a book report on Fahrenheit 451, but that was the last time she would allow such a thing. And if one did a book report on a YA book it would only get a C+ as the highest mark given.

How about that!! Of course my HS was kinda non-run of the mill. Out of my graduating class of about 330, we only had about 30 National Honor Society members (in California this was known in those days as California Scholarship Federation) taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>

G'day TW,

In another thread around here, I stated that Asimov & Heinlein are still my favourite authors.

Here's the good news. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is arguable Heinlein's best book. I can't say it's my personal favourite, 'cause with about a dozen odd to chose from, it's tough to have a single favourite...but this one's close.

Now the not so good news. Whille The Gods Themselves is often voted by fans and critics as Asimov's best book...it's not his easiest read. It's definitely different, and I'll be very interested to hear how a contemporary reader finds a piece of the master that was first published in the early 70's.

And...just as a bonus...Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle is brilliant.

Adios
Rockin' & in The Land of Oz
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HA!

When I started High School 33 years ago the same was true for me!

In Lit class the teacher had never heard of Tolkien and SF/Fantasy was not present on ANY reading list.

But oh the things they did put on that list (still bearing scars from Ethan Frome)!

Hope the class is fun. I DID take a Lit class in college on Tolkien. Dropped it after 2 weeks. I took exception with the teacher continually making statements about "what Tokien meant by this" when at times I perceived things differently. I think it kinda of sealed my fate when I asked her "Oh, so JRR told this to you himself or the course guide you have is from him?" She said "no, its an analysis". Which I followed with "Which is exactly what I have given you. What makes one analysis better then the other? The fact of the matter is that there is only one person who really knows - and he's dead."

Needless to say, she was not impressed. Sounds like yours will be much better though. <i></i>

"The fact of the matter is that there is only one person who really knows - and he's dead."

David Letterman's dead? I didn't know that.

G'day Terry, we seem to keep running into each other. Glad the books doing well.

Adios
Rockin' & in The Land of Oz <i></i>

Tom,
interesting about the instructor making the continuing statment 'what Tolkien really meant to say', since JRR was not writing allegory (eventhough Lord of the Rings is not an allegory, and BTW Tolkien had a dislike for allegory, I would argue that the entire story has allegorical elements), there should be little need for this type of discussion. Allegorical stories need that type of explanation. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>

I know Tolkien always said that LotR wasn't allegorical & that, indeed, he had a strong dislike of allegory in general...so we have to accept that there isn't any contemporary allegory in his books.

But... his stated aim was to recreate the lost mythology of Britain, and isn't all mythology allegorical?

Or is it metaphorical? I always get them mixed up.

Adios
Rockin' & in The Land of Oz
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