Vol. 1 No. 1, 2011

g N James mpress E mmortal I The $4.00 X

C January 2011January XVol. 1 No. 1.

a Qu A Liter

s c a

rter a

a d ry

ly i

in this issue n e transcribed by Josh Lukin Chandler Davis Conversation with by Sheree Renée Thomas & Battle Flags Literature Black On poem by U S Mount Another Weather: James N F and Debbie N edited by Karen Joy Fowler on Ursula Guin Le K. 80! Memories & Reflections and Jeff VanderMeer edited by AnnVanderMeer Steampunk Reloaded Steampunk II: by Kathe Koja Under Poppy the by Devon Monk A Cup of Normal by M.Rickert Holiday by Karen Joy Fowler Other Stories IDidn't SeeWhat and by N HistoryThe of PeopleWhite B u t a e s k o o ell IrvinPainter r g t H R d e rsula Guin K. Le elens d e w e i v e A otkin r t s i t

Managing Editor: Lew Gilchriist Vo l . 1 No. 1—Ja n u a r y 2011 Reviews Editor: Welcome to The Cascadia Subduction Zone h 3 Nisi Shawl Another Weather: Mount St Helens h 3 Features Editor: poem by Ursula K. Le Guin L. Timmel Duchamp On Black Literature & Battle Flags h 4 Arts Editor: Kath Wilham by Sheree Renée Thomas A Conversation with Chandler Davis h 5 transcribed by Josh Lukin $4.00 Re v i e w s The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter h 6 reviewed by Nancy Jane Moore What I Didn't See and Other Stories by Karen Joy Fowler h 8 reviewed by L. Timmel Duchamp Holiday by M. Rickert h 15 reviewed by Carrie Devall A Cup of Normal by Devon Monk h 16 reviewed by Cynthia Ward H Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja h 17 reviewed by Rachel Swirsky 2 Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded edited by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer h 18 reviewed by Liz Henry 80! Memories & Reflections on Ursula K. Le Guin h 20 edited by Karen Joy Fowler and Debbie Notkin reviewed by Victoria Garcia

Fe a t u r e d Ar t i s t James Ng h 22

Subscriptions and single issues online To order by check, payable to: at: www.thecsz.com Aqueduct Press Print subscription: $15/yr; P.O. Box 95787 Print single issue: $4 Seattle, WA 98145-2787 Electronic Subscription (PDF format): [Washington State Residents $10 per year add 9.5% sales tax.]

Electronic single issue: $3

In This ISSUE Cover banner collagraph of the Cascadia subduction zone by Marilyn Linden-Bode n

h s-ald ieay establishment literary so-called the —

Bo Review] [Book and, frankly, most of of most frankly, and, —

valuable critique of a serious problem problem serious a of critique valuable Shambhala Shambhala Fortune, Good Incredible in published [First

Picoult, among others, are giving us a a us giving are others, among Picoult,

Ursula K. Le Guin Le K. Ursula

trice.com, “[ Jennifer]Weiner and [ Jodi] Jodi] [ and Jennifer]Weiner “[ trice.com,

writes in an August 2011 post on Bea- on post 2011 August an in writes a vapor drifting, a bright veil of stone. of veil bright a drifting, vapor a

of readers are women. As Ron Hogan Hogan Ron As women. are readers of

breathing your lazy steam-plume south, yourself yourself south, steam-plume lazy your breathing

view publications. And yet the majority majority the yet And publications. view

of sunlit air, and see you snowy-flanked snowy-flanked you see and air, sunlit of

t et ndqae srf i ms re- most in shrift inadequate) best at

I watch you, my volcano, through the depths depths the through volcano, my you, watch I

women continually receives short (or (or short receives continually women

not only men but also women. Work by by Work women. also but men only not

a city into feathery clouds of glass. of clouds feathery into city a

ership hungry for discussion of work by by work of discussion for hungry ership

the monstrous overwhelming wave, or still still or wave, overwhelming monstrous the

artwork (visual and written) to a read- a to written) and (visual artwork

to hurl their hot bright hail straight up, send forth forth send up, straight hail bright hot their hurl to

telligent essays, and flashes of creative creative of flashes and essays, telligent

in quaking thunder of tectonic shift shift tectonic of thunder quaking in bring reviews, criticism, interviews, in- interviews, criticism, reviews, bring

storms brew a thousand years before they break break they before years thousand a brew storms aims to to aims Zone Subduction Cascadia The

consequences. consequences. thick fire beneath a ponderous earthen sky: sky: earthen ponderous a beneath fire thick

pushed beneath another, with enormous enormous with another, beneath pushed where lava turns in vast typhoon pavanes, pavanes, typhoon vast in turns lava where

yet merge, of one plate being inexorably inexorably being plate one of merge, yet

a lower, slower weather in the world world the in weather slower lower, a

of sloping fault lines that separate and and separate that lines fault sloping of

Weightless clouds and airy rain drift over over drift rain airy and clouds Weightless

ping and striking and moving magma, magma, moving and striking and ping

ful of the plates shifting below us, slip- us, below shifting plates the of ful

be grounded, here, is to be ever mind- ever be to is here, grounded, be

Another Weather: Mount St Helens St Mount Weather: Another

necessarily means something else. To To else. something means necessarily

cadia subduction zone, “down-to-earth” “down-to-earth” zone, subduction cadia

cliché “down-to-earth.” But in the Cas- the in But “down-to-earth.” cliché i

ultimate symbol of stability: hence the the hence stability: of symbol ultimate

mans like to think of the earth as the the as earth the of think to like mans

) Hu- ) States United the of Volcanoes 1994,

that the world is a solid, eternally stable ball of rock. rock. of ball stable eternally solid, a is world the that above the subduction zone. (Brantley, (Brantley, zone. subduction the above

ary world has not changed and is not changing is like telling oneself oneself telling like is changing not is and changed not has world ary to erupt, forming a chain of volcanoes volcanoes of chain a forming erupt, to

is, itself, a sort of subduction zone writ large. Pretending that the liter- the that Pretending large. writ zone subduction of sort a itself, is, magma rises toward the Earth's surface surface Earth's the toward rises magma

standing is what makes the world we live in. And the world we live in in live we world the And in. live we world the makes what is standing solid rock, some of this newly formed formed newly this of some rock, solid

n hw e ak bu i mtes Sen, eonzn, n under- and recognizing, Seeing, matters. it about talk we how and atures and pressures that partially melt melt partially that pressures and atures

and central rather than marginal. What we see, what we talk about, about, talk we what see, we What marginal. than rather central and and as the plate encounters high temper- high encounters plate the as and

readers a forum for discussion that takes the work of women as vital vital as women of work the takes that discussion for forum a readers plate in a process known as subduction, subduction, as known process a in plate

poetry, fiction, and visual arts. And we will do our best to offer our our offer to best our do will we And arts. visual and fiction, poetry, neath the North American continental continental American North the neath

author. We will blur the boundaries between critical analysis, review, review, analysis, critical between boundaries the blur will We author. forced deep into the Earth's interior be- interior Earth's the into deep forced

crust review work that interests us, regardless of its genre or the gender of its its of gender the or genre its of regardless us, interests that work review is being being is — Plate Fuca de Juan the —

its power. The denser plate of oceanic oceanic of plate denser The power. its less narrowly conceived view of the literary sphere. In short, we will will we short, In sphere. literary the of view conceived narrowly less

ally a mountaintop blows, awing us with with us awing blows, mountaintop a ally want to bring attention to work critics largely ignore and offer a wider, wider, a offer and ignore largely critics work to attention bring to want

xet hog tcnlg. Occasion- technology. through except The relationship between readers and reviewers interests us. We us. interests reviewers and readers between relationship The

ting the relationship between readers and reviewers.” and readers between relationship the ting humans to imperceptible us, beneath

leaving us with what Jennifer Weiner describes as “a disease that’s rot- that’s disease “a as describes Weiner Jennifer what with us leaving earth the moving earthquakes” “slow

man said three years ago. And it hasn’t gotten any better since then, then, since better any gotten hasn’t it And ago. years three said man experience we Frequently future. our in

Book Review director Steve Wasser- Steve director Review Book Times LA former as mediocre,’ quakes lurking in our past and looming looming and past our in lurking quakes

their performance is underwhelming, ‘not only meager but shockingly shockingly but meager only ‘not underwhelming, is performance their asv, lot nmgnbe earth- unimaginable almost massive,

and when it comes to the narrow bandwidth of literature they do cover, cover, do they literature of bandwidth narrow the to comes it when and in the Cascadia subduction zone, with with zone, subduction Cascadia the in

treats contemporary fiction. Which is to say: They ignore most of it, it, of most ignore They say: to is Which fiction. contemporary treats live we Northwest, Pacific the in Here Welcome to The Cascadia Subduction Zone Subduction Cascadia The to Welcome On Black Literature & Battle Flags The founder of the NAACP, Du Bois | was one of those early, testy “gatekeep- Sheree Renée Thomas ers,” the self-appointed guardians of the black image. During the Harlem Re- Sheree Renée Thomas is an award-winning poet, writer, editor, and naissance she helped shepherd, our be- publisher known especially for her Dark Matter series, a collection of loved Zora Neale Hurston, among other some of the best science fiction, fantasy, and horror produced by peo- artists, barely managed to escape his ple of African descent. She is currently working on Dark Matter III, critical gaze unscathed. Hurston referred tentatively named Dark Matter: Africa Rising. Thomas is the publisher to Du Bois as “The Dean of American of Wanganegresse Press and has contributed to national publications Negro Artists” and his fellow black gate- including the Washington Post Book Word, Black Issues Book Review, keepers as “The Niggerati,” but satirist QBR, and Hip Mama. She is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and George Schuyler, the author of the sci- she now lives in New York City. ence fiction novels,Black No More: Being an Account of the Strange and Wonderful A friend recently called to ask me Workings of Science in the Land of the Free about my thoughts on the “state of and Black Empire (the successful retak- black literature” for an article she was ing of Africa from European colonial writing. When she called, I smiled and powers) was less generous to the author glanced at my calendar, thinking, “Is it who gave us The Souls of Black Folk. The that time again?” As serious as a State of character, Dr. Shakespeare Agamem- the Union address, this topic is one that non Beard, head of the “National Social is raised like clockwork among various Equality League,” was Schuyler’s very circles, some public and some otherwise. thinly disguised caricature of W.E.B. Its effect is like a battle flag, a call to ac- Du Bois. In his 1926 Nation article, “The tion. And no matter where your loyalties Negro Art Hokum,” Schuyler chal- lie, whether you think “the state of black lenged the very idea of black art, a stance H literature” is headed to hell in a hand that propelled him into the public eye basket, our literary legacy bamboozled and into a lively debate of the Harlem 4 by the boobtube, hoodwinked by hip Renaissance. Eschewing Du Bois’ idea hop, or if you think we’re in the midst of “a talented tenth,” Schuyler frowned of an exciting new renaissance, you are upon the NAACP founder’s attempts asked to weigh in—and be prepared to to define and safeguard a literary black cite and defend your sources. I’ve come canon. Du Bois believed the roads to the to think of it as an awkward but neces- ballot box, the union hall, and the office sary communal ritual, one that involves were blocked off to black people, but two a powerful praisesong of those that paths remained: the arts and letters. For “Although it’s often came before, a brief, furtive nod toward Du Bois, literature was the language of discussed as if it’s a the future, and a literary beat-down of black freedom, and he worked to guard conversation that is the writers who are trying to carve out it fiercely, supporting some artists while wholly new, truth is, careers in the present, declining read- shunning others who did not meet his we’ve been discuss- ership notwithstanding. Although it’s vision. But if we take his vigilance as ing 'the state of black often discussed as if it’s a conversation paranoia, we might do well to consider literature' since Du Bois that is wholly new, truth is, we’ve been the context. edited Crisis.” discussing “the state of black literature” Why is that? Because the story of our since Du Bois edited Crisis. It’s a peri- literature is also the story of our his- odic pulse check that is also, by exten- tory. Why is that? Because our presence sion, a discussion of the state of black art in this country has been the story of a and freedom. And like any marginalized struggle of voice—of our efforts to main- group whose art and contributions to tain our humanity in the face of horror, our world have been historically under- to lift our voices when others would si- valued, exploited, or maligned, we can lence us, and to define our destinies while get a little testy about the subject, even institutions were mobilized to block our

amongst ourselves.

Cont. on p. 10 n

the extreme repression of the Left after after Left the of repression extreme the

Cont. on p. 11 p. on Cont. device. It was a a was It device. nuclear a explode to able DAVIS: Yeah. I think that the switch to to switch the that think I Yeah. DAVIS:

Soviets that the American power was was power American the that Soviets

complicated.”

it was not just a question of showing the the showing of question a just not was it

that your initial response was, “It’s more more “It’s was, response initial your that

that we that — person first that use to hate I —

movement?” And so forth. I believe believe I forth. so And movement?”

not just a question of showing the Soviets Soviets the showing of question a just not

Red Scare for? For crushing the labor labor the crushing For for? Scare Red

than most people who talk about it. It was was It it. about talk who people most than

materialist explanation? What was the the was What explanation? materialist

Let me just be more explicit about this this about explicit more be just me Let

a very idealist explanation. What’s the the What’s explanation. idealist very a

which everybody could see in the offing. the in see could everybody which ny said, “It strikes me now that that’s that’s that now me strikes “It said, ny

In the division of spoils after the victory, victory, the after spoils of division the In were completely disoriented. And Dela- And disoriented. completely were

to get arguing power against the Soviets. Soviets. the against power arguing get to world was turned upside down and they they and down upside turned was world

bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki was was Nagasaki and Hiroshima bombing by the great Fred Small, and that their their that and Small, Fred great the by

Truman’s cabinet, the decisive reason for for reason decisive the cabinet, Truman’s devil Red,” if I may quote a folk song song folk a quote may I if Red,” devil

confidentially told was the purpose. In purpose. the was told confidentially rah the devil Nazi’s down, long live the the live long down, Nazi’s devil the rah

a junior officer: that was what he’d been been he’d what was that officer: junior a by the sudden turn in 1946-1947: “Hur- 1946-1947: in turn sudden the by

Of course, he didn’t make that up. He was was He up. that make didn’t he course, Of social experiment, were taken by surprise surprise by taken were experiment, social

and thought, hm, this is an interesting interesting an is this hm, thought, and Arthur.” Arthur.”

and Forties, looked at the Soviet Union Union Soviet the at looked Forties, and “We’ve got to beat the Russians to Port Port to Russians the beat to got “We’ve

people who had, throughout the Thirties Thirties the throughout had, who people being sent to the Far East in 1946, 1945. 1945. 1946, in East Far the to sent being

of the Red Scare, based on the fact that that fact the on based Scare, Red the of and colleague’s account of why he was was he why of account colleague’s and

what he thought was an understanding understanding an was thought he what changed. And I like to quote my friend friend my quote to like I And changed.

said that when he was fifteen, he came to to came he fifteen, was he when that said political needs of the American rulers rulers American the of needs political

spoke briefly to you after the talk. He talk. the after you to briefly spoke first thing that happened was that the that was happened that thing first

the Red Scare in the 1950s, when he he when 1950s, the in Scare Red the I think that the hysteria came later. The The later. came hysteria the that think I

how he perceived people going through through going people perceived he how same as saying it’s idealist: I don’t know. know. don’t I idealist: it’s saying as same

my friend Chip Delany brought up of of up brought Delany Chip friend my finding the explanation. Maybe that’s the the that’s Maybe explanation. the finding 5

was the phenomenological account that that account phenomenological the was I thought it was the wrong approach to to approach wrong the was it thought I

my taste after Thursday’s talk. And that that And talk. Thursday’s after taste my thought it was wrong, not in detail, but but detail, in not wrong, was it thought

other topic that was raised too briefly for for briefly too raised was that topic other intellectuals having second thoughts. I I thoughts. second having intellectuals

LUKIN: I wanted to follow up on an- on up follow to wanted I LUKIN: 1945 was not a matter of some liberal liberal some of matter a not was 1945

follows is that last half-hour of that discussion. that of half-hour last that is follows

disability studies, noir fiction, and other exciting fields. exciting other and fiction, noir studies, disability something more like a public interview. What What interview. public a like more something

Press of Mississippi: 2008) and has published articles on on articles published has and 2008) Mississippi: of Press Wooden Shoe event, Dr. Lukin had suggested suggested had Lukin Dr. event, Shoe Wooden

(University (University States United 1950s the in Fiction Protest followed-by-audience-questions format. For the the For format. followed-by-audience-questions

Invisible Suburbs: Recovering Recovering Suburbs: Invisible of editor the is He Disability. fiction fans on September 10, all in the lecture- the in all 10, September on fans fiction

that institution's Interdisciplinary Faculty Committee on on Committee Faculty Interdisciplinary institution's that University on September 9, and a talk to science science to talk a and 9, September on University

Josh Lukin teaches at Temple University and belongs to to belongs and University Temple at teaches Lukin Josh talk in Buffalo on August 11, a talk at Temple Temple at talk a 11, August on Buffalo in talk

edited by Josh Lukin, had included a bookstore bookstore a included had Lukin, Josh by edited

and social justice. justice. social and

, , Davis Chandler of prose Selected Beauty: in Walks

in 1961 to award grants to students working for peace peace for working students to grants award to 1961 in

previous events associated with the release of of release the with associated events previous It It

the Davis-Putter scholarship fund, founded by his father father his by founded fund, scholarship Davis-Putter the

from the Red Scare years to the present day. The The day. present the to years Scare Red the from

and is a trustee of of trustee a is and Intelligencer Mathematical The edits He

fered and learned, remembered and forgotten, forgotten, and remembered learned, and fered

activist and a civil libertarian on an international scale. scale. international an on libertarian civil a and activist

orous discussion of what the U.S. Left has suf- has Left U.S. the what of discussion orous

found work in Canada, where he continues to be a peace peace a be to continues he where Canada, in work found

of that conversation, transcribed here, was a vig- a was here, transcribed conversation, that of

full-time employment in the United States, he ultimately ultimately he States, United the in employment full-time

store, Wooden Shoe Books. The last half-hour half-hour last The Books. Shoe Wooden store,

Committee on Un-American activities. Blacklisted from from Blacklisted activities. Un-American on Committee

cated audience at Philadelphia’s anarchist book- anarchist Philadelphia’s at audience cated

imprisoned in 1960 for non-cooperation with the House House the with non-cooperation for 1960 in imprisoned

oh ui st on eoe sal u dedi- but small a before down sat Lukin Josh

writer Chandler Davis was fired from his job in 1954 and and 1954 in job his from fired was Davis Chandler writer

On September 11, 2010, Chandler Davis and and Davis Chandler 2010, 11, September On The mathematician, essayist, poet, and science fiction fiction science and poet, essayist, mathematician, The

Transcribed by Josh Lukin Josh by Transcribed

Wooden Shoe Books, Philadelphia Books, Shoe Wooden

| A Conversation with Chandler Davis, Davis, Chandler with Conversation A n An Even Better Grip on Race marily in African American neighbor- hoods. I thought I had a good grip on The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter race in the U.S. W.W. Norton & Co., March 2010, 496 pages, $27.95. But as it turned out, there were large Reviewed by Nancy Jane Moore gaps in my knowledge, particularly about the construction of the idea of the white “[B]eing white these days is not what race over the years. Painter introduces it used to be,” Nell Irvin Painter says—not us to “the earliest known human classi- without irony—at the conclusion of this fication scheme,” developed by Francois book, pointing out that the “attractive Bernier, a physician, and published in qualities” once attributed only to white 1684. It classed people as Europeans (in people are now to be found in Venus and which he included American Indians); Serena Williams, Oprah Winfrey, Colin the people of sub-Saharan Africa; the Powell, and the President of the United Russians and most Asians; and alone in States. In fact, Painter herself—a history the last category, the Lapps. “It was real- professor emerita at Princeton who is ly no odder than the thousands of other African American—probably falls into racial schemes to follow,” Painter says. the expanded category of white now in No odder, really, than the one we were use. After all, as Painter says, “race is an taught in school that divided us into idea, not a fact”: our improved under- Caucasoid, Negroid, and Mongoloid, and standing of human genetics has made it was rather fuzzy on where various peo- clear that the racial distinctions so care- ple—such as the Native Americans or in- fully constructed over the centuries are digenous Australians—actually fit in that without biological foundation. taxonomy. In between those two systems Not that racism has died out, as were any number of pseudo-scientific ra- Painter makes clear—a point amplified cial delineations, all of them putting some H by racist comments on her book found definition of “white” at the top. in Amazon.com’s customer reviews. In Painter’s look at Ralph Waldo Em- 6 fact, her discourse on the enlargement erson (an abolitionist considered the of American whiteness can be read as foremost intellectual of his day) and his an argument that we as a society have obsession with being Saxon has generat- simply decided at various points in our ed controversy among those who revere history that some people once consid- Emerson. But her detailed discussion of ered other—but not all of them—will be his work in this area rings true to me, accepted as white. To understand how perhaps because I know far too many this came about, we need to understand white people who oppose discrimination the historical context in which whiteness politically and yet do not really believe was defined. That’s what Painter gives us African Americans, Latin American in this important and fascinating book. immigrants, or others deemed nonwhite I must admit that I originally bought are intellectually their equals. History because I loved the idea of a For Emerson, Saxon meant English— book on white people written by an Af- he apparently also rejected Germans— rican American. After all, any number and it specifically did not include the of books about African Americans and Irish, who were often considered sub- others considered nonwhite have been human. By the latter half of the 19th written by white people; it was well past century, Painter writes, drawing on her time for someone to return the favor. reading of Emerson and Thomas Car- While I was curious about how Paint- lyle, “The Anglo-Saxon myth of racial er would look at white people, I didn’t superiority now permeated concepts of expect to learn anything from History. race in the United States and virtually

Reviews After all, I grew up as white in segre- throughout the English-speaking world. gated Texas during the years of the Civil To be American was to be Saxon.”

Rights Movement, and then lived in One point Painter makes that haunts

Washington, DC, for many years, pri- me is that the white ideal of beauty for n

against those from the rest of the world. world. the of rest the from those against

born Americans of Anglo-Saxon descent descent Anglo-Saxon of Americans born

simply white versus black, but native native but black, versus white simply publications.

thesis that white in that period was not not was period that in white that thesis well as in several other other several in as well

as as Chronicles WisCon the waiting for it to disappear. to it for waiting immigration that give force to Painter’s Painter’s to force give that immigration

in several volumes of of volumes several in endures. Just don’t hold your breath breath your hold don’t Just endures. was at its height. It is these sections on on sections these is It height. its at was

and reviews have appeared appeared have reviews and the tools to undermine the racism that that racism the undermine to tools the immigration to the U.S. from Europe Europe from U.S. the to immigration

line venues, and her essays essays her and venues, line

readable for the lay person can give us us give can person lay the for readable the 19th and early 20th centuries, when when centuries, 20th early and 19th the

gies, magazines, and on- and magazines, gies,

who can parse this history and make it it make and history this parse can who immigrant and nativist movements of of movements nativist and immigrant

in a number of antholo- of number a in

The clear voices of scholars like Painter Painter like scholars of voices clear The u ter da pp p n aiu anti- various in up pop ideas their but

Her fiction has appeared appeared has fiction Her

and history have improved markedly. markedly. improved have history and over slavery as the Civil War dawned War Civil the as slavery over —

co-op Book View Café. Café. View Book co-op

echo the Know-Nothings, the science science the Know-Nothings, the echo not last long as a group a as long last not they splintered splintered they —

ber of the online writer’s writer’s online the of ber

But while the politics of today may may today of politics the while But The Know-Nothings themselves did themselves Know-Nothings The Publishing. She is a mem- a is She Publishing.

ethnicity. from Mexico and Central America. Central and Mexico from from PS PS from Inconsistencies

used to separate poor people by race and and race by people poor separate to used efforts directed mainly at immigrants immigrants at mainly directed efforts Conscientious Conscientious collection

happened except in the racist rhetoric rhetoric racist the in except happened Islamic crusades, and anti-immigrant anti-immigrant and crusades, Islamic Aqueduct Press and the the and Press Aqueduct

from from Changeling of author could argue that such a shift has already already has shift a such that argue could with today’s Tea Party movement, anti- movement, Party Tea today’s with

is the the is Moore Jane Nancy cessful blacks have become white. One One white. become have blacks cessful founded in 1850, without seeing parallels parallels seeing without 1850, in founded

white in the same way economically suc- economically way same the in white anti-Irish and anti-Catholic movement movement anti-Catholic and anti-Irish

moeihd hts il eoe non- become will whites impoverished of the Know-Nothings, the virulently virulently the Know-Nothings, the of

have a reduction in whiteness in which which in whiteness in reduction a have grants. One cannot read her discussion discussion her read cannot One grants.

myself wondering if eventually we will will we eventually if wondering myself ered less than white, particularly immi- particularly white, than less ered

a concept is not yet on its way out. I find find I out. way its on yet not is concept a times of vicious attacks on those consid- those on attacks vicious of times

leaps and bounds, superior whiteness as as whiteness superior bounds, and leaps periods of enlargement also include include also enlargement of periods

have become white." become have

the haves and have-nots is growing by by growing is have-nots and haves the ment” of American whiteness. Those Those whiteness. American of ment”

cally successful blacks blacks successful cally

In a country in which the gap between between gap the which in country a In voted to what Painter calls the “enlarge- the calls Painter what to voted 7

the same way economi- way same the

manently other and inherently inferior.” inherently and other manently A sizeable portion of the book is de- is book the of portion sizeable A

become nonwhite in in nonwhite become

yearning to characterize the poor as per- as poor the characterize to yearning from the construction of the white man. white the of construction the from

poverished whites will will whites poverished

whiteness, driven by an age-old social social age-old an by driven whiteness, arate the construction of the white race race white the of construction the arate

whiteness in which im- which in whiteness

a dark skin endures as the opposite of of opposite the as endures skin dark a female.” It appears to be difficult to sep- to difficult be to appears It female.”

will have a reduction in in reduction a have will

observation: “Nonetheless, poverty in in poverty “Nonetheless, observation: ers are lesser, gendered, and, by default, default, by and, gendered, lesser, are ers

dering if eventually we we eventually if dering

racism. She finishes the book with this this with book the finishes She racism. observes, “Alongside the Saxons, all oth- all Saxons, the “Alongside observes,

“I find myself won- myself find “I

harbors no illusions about the end of of end the about illusions no harbors In her discussion of Emerson’s work, she she work, Emerson’s of discussion her In

once considered less than white, Painter Painter white, than less considered once found those ideas leaping from the page. page. the from leaping ideas those found

can Americans, along with many others others many with along Americans, can race is not Painter’s primary point, but I I but point, primary Painter’s not is race

has now expanded to include some Afri- some include to expanded now has struction of gender and construction of of construction and gender of struction

And while the idea of race in the U.S. U.S. the in race of idea the while And The interrelationship between con- between interrelationship The

against the blacks,” Painter writes. Painter blacks,” the against not beautiful. not

black racism and seeing oneself as white white as oneself seeing and racism black fused. A powerful woman is inherently inherently is woman powerful A fused.

real American often meant joining anti- joining meant often American real current gender relationships are so con- so are relationships gender current

identity coded according to race, being a a being race, to according coded identity ness of the slave, no wonder even our our even wonder no slave, the of ness

Rights Movement. “With real American American real “With Movement. Rights color but also by the inherent powerless- inherent the by also but color

who grew up during the years of the Civil Civil the of years the during up grew who a particular shape of the face and skin skin and face the of shape particular a

against blacks very familiar to those of us us of those to familiar very blacks against eiie euy s eie nt ut by just not defined is beauty feminine

was built in part on the discrimination discrimination the on part in built was ed into the 18th and 19th centuries. If If centuries. 19th and 18th the into ed

clude these others of European heritage heritage European of others these clude of human beauty,” an ideal that persist- that ideal an beauty,” human of

ing from the page." the from ing The enlargement of whiteness to in- to whiteness of enlargement The Sea region Sea came to figure as epitomes epitomes as figure to came —

found those ideas leap- ideas those found Nordic face and a tall, muscular body.” muscular tall, a and face Nordic Georgians, and Caucasians of the Black Black the of Caucasians and Georgians,

primary point, but I I but point, primary edrd s female as gendered iconography gave gave iconography American worker a a worker American the the Circassians, Circassians, the —

of race is not Painter’s Painter’s not is race of luxury slaves, those valued for sex and and sex for valued those slaves, luxury vo Halberg Avro and “the CP’s worker worker CP’s “the and —

gender and construction construction and gender beginning in medieval times. “[T]he “[T]he times. medieval in beginning Finnish heritage, was originally named named originally was heritage, Finnish

between construction of of construction between Viking, Italian, and Ottoman traders traders Ottoman and Italian, Viking, nls-onig names English-sounding Gus Hall, of of Hall, Gus —

“The interrelationship interrelationship “The were captured and sold into slavery by by slavery into sold and captured were members of the Communist Party took took Party Communist the of members

women came from white women who who women white from came women As Painter notes, in the 1950s even reviled reviled even 1950s the in notes, Painter As n Borders and Boundaries—Separate and Merging all Fowler’s stories, however dark, momentary flashes of light flicker and glitter, What I Didn’t See and Other Stories by Karen Joy Fowler keeping one’s brain ticking over, pulling Small Beer Press, September 2010, 202 pages, $24. the reader deep into each story’s world. Reviewed by L. Timmel Duchamp Even in the harrowing “The Pelican Bar,” written in a cool, even, distanced voice, “There is a darkness inside all of us the author’s choice of details commands that is animal,” Keith Harmon, narrator the reader’s full emotional engagement. of Karen Joy Fowler’s “The Dark,” says. Here she conflates a familiar sci-fi trope — Against some things untreated or with the horrors of real-life Tranquil- untreatable diseases, for example, ity Bay, an infamous “rehab” center that or old age—the darkness is all we “…in all Fowler’s stories, starved, tortured, and otherwise abused are. Either we are strong enough however dark, momentary children whose parents paid the center animals or we are not…. When flashes of light flicker tens of thousands of dollars a year for men are turned into animals, it’s and glitter, keeping one’s a regimen of “tough love.” Through her hard for them to find their way brain ticking over, pulling abuse, Mama Strong seeks to strip all back to themselves. When children the reader deep into each that is human from the children in her are turned into animals, there’s no — story’s world." charge sending them into “the dark,” as self to find. Harmon would put it, reducing them to The story Harmon tells, as winding and animal existence. For two years Norah, twisting as the vast network of tunnels the tale’s protagonist, resists as best she under Cu Chi that he visits in Vietnam, can, clinging to the small bit of self she worries at the border between human is able to maintain. The experience of — — and animal, a difference generated by torture not the act of torturing sends both culture and wellbeing. At the cen- humans into “the dark.” When we name ter of the story lurks a feral boy raised the inhumanity that inhabits torturers, H by coyotes, who may or may not be a when we say they aren’t “human,” we certain long-missing child, a presence name them aliens or demons or monsters 8 as maddeningly elusive to narrator and rather than animals. “The Pelican Bar” reader as the border between animal and takes us to the place where the animal, human. The most striking moment of human, and alien are visceral states of “The Dark” occurs as Harmon is crawling being, albeit in constant flux; its key mo- through the tunnels, when his curiosity ment lays bare the border between alien leads him to “poke about a bit.” He finds and human. But stark as its landscape himself lost, crawling for days as it seems is, the tale offers us little packages for to him, only to be told when he emerges our imaginations to unwrap. How many that he’d been in the tunnels for three times since I first read “The Pelican Bar” hours. It’s a nightmarish incident, one have I gone back to the matter of the that puts the reader on the spot. What birthday presents Norah received the day Harmon thinks happened might have; before she was sent away to hell? but he also might have been hallucinat- Norah’s mother drove to the mall. ing. In telling this tale, Fowler has char- She had cried all morning, and acteristically imposed an ironic distance now she was returning the iPod between the narrative and the reader shuffle to the Apple store and the that demands that the reader decide one expensive clothes to Nordstrom’s.

way or another—on pain of teetering be- She had all her receipts, and ev- tween two interpretations—interminably erything still had the tags, plus she uncertain, perpetually indecisive. was sobbing intermittently, but un- Reading the stories in What I Didn’t controllably, so there was no prob- See is a bit like Harmon’s experience of lem getting her money back. crawling around lost in the tunnels and “Always” explores another border

afterwards swearing something hap- zone, this one created by the difference

pened that perhaps did not. And yet, in that immortality makes to how one lives n

black men/white men; black men/white men/white black men; men/white black

ferences (human/primate; male/female; male/female; (human/primate; ferences

n calne a eis f iay dif- binary of series a challenges and

“What I Didn’t See,” which exposes exposes which See,” Didn’t I “What

ticularly the Nebula-winning title story, story, title Nebula-winning the ticularly

explore other boundary zones boundary other explore See par-

—

What I Didn’t Didn’t I What in stories other few A

conscious) nature. nature. conscious)

animal (i.e., not not (i.e., animal non- and self between

scious) nature." scious) but to blur or even erase the boundary boundary the erase even or blur to but

non-animal (i.e., not con- not (i.e., non-animal is not to transcend one’s animal nature, nature, animal one’s transcend to not is

boundary between self and and self between boundary the natural world. To be immortal, then, then, immortal, be To world. natural the

but to blur or even erase the the erase even or blur to but “darkness,” but an oceanic merging with with merging oceanic an but “darkness,”

transcend one’s animal nature, nature, animal one’s transcend culture is not a descent into Harmon’s Harmon’s into descent a not is culture

be immortal, then, is not to to not is then, immortal, be ests diverged.” Here detachment from from detachment Here diverged.” ests

ing with the natural world. To To world. natural the with ing ht it a dig gi, u inter- our again, dying was Wilt that

'darkness,' but an oceanic merg- oceanic an but 'darkness,' Wilt leaves, they stay in touch, but “now “now but touch, in stay they leaves, Wilt

is not a descent into Harmon’s Harmon’s into descent a not is And she “talk[s] less and less.” When When less.” and less “talk[s] she And

"Here detachment from culture culture from detachment "Here sively harder to relate to other humans. humans. other to relate to harder sively

is rendered eternal.” She finds it progres- it finds She eternal.” rendered is

“tree time.” For “only the natural world world natural the “only For time.” “tree

outside the commune the outside and moves into into moves and

—

even culture or the larger human world world human larger the or culture even

ways, she quickly loses interest in art in interest loses quickly she ways, or or

—

was forever,” she says. But living in Al- in living But says. she forever,” was

that art was about beauty and that beauty beauty that and beauty about was art that 9

ing she is immortal. “I’d always supposed supposed always “I’d immortal. is she ing

i artrs rfud epne o believ- to response profound narrator’s

what interests me most about it is the the is it about most me interests what

commune’s eventual decline and demise, demise, and decline eventual commune’s

over long after you’ve closed the book. the closed you’ve after long over describes life in the commune and the the and commune the in life describes

humane. They’ll leave you mulling them them mulling you leave They’ll humane. is no hardship.” Although the narrative narrative the Although hardship.” no is

All of its dozen stories are witty and and witty are stories dozen its of All with Brother Porter [the cult’s leader] leader] cult’s [the Porter Brother with

I highly recommend this collection. collection. this recommend highly I the men mustn’t get is that sleeping sleeping that is get mustn’t men the

palpable. the other women remarks, “The thing thing “The remarks, women other the

rates them and makes their differences differences their makes and them rates side her plate at dinner. Still, as one of of one as Still, dinner. at plate her side

ness of their desires that decisively sepa- decisively that desires their of ness she finds the Queen of Hearts lying be- lying Hearts of Queen the finds she

you go, Mother” go, you from her twin. Ironically, it is the same- the is it Ironically, twin. her from until the night when when night the until

—

the married couples”), she thinks “There “There thinks she couples”), married the and has no trouble distinguishing her her distinguishing trouble no has and subduction zone. zone. subduction

are forbidden to sleep together (“even (“even together sleep to forbidden are has from the start preferred Charlotta Charlotta preferred start the from has home in the Cascadia Cascadia the in home

cult sleep in separate dormitories and and dormitories separate in sleep cult peting but cooperating. But Raphael Raphael But cooperating. but peting . She makes her her makes She . Struggles

Encounters, Celebrations, Celebrations, Encounters, she learns that men and women of the the of women and men that learns she a distant city in a foreign country, com- country, foreign a in city distant a

Narrative Power: Power: Narrative of editor that lets certain men get laid.” When When laid.” get men certain lets that sky, whom they’ve pursued, together, to to together, pursued, they’ve whom sky,

fiction. She is also the the also is She fiction. said, because a cult is just a set of rules rules of set a just is cult a because said, twins are in love with Raphael Kaplin- Raphael with love in are twins

numerous pieces of short short of pieces numerous can always tell a cult from a religion, she she religion, a from cult a tell always can she herself would do. Certainly both both Certainly do. would herself she

the Marq’ssan Cycle, and and Cycle, Marq’ssan the

mother had given her some advice: “You “You advice: some her given had mother any situation any which is, of course, what what course, of is, which —

, , Time n i Dancing , Body

tor tells us that when she left home, her her home, left she when that us tells tor her twin Charlotta will do or want in in want or do will Charlotta twin her

Love’s Love’s of author the is

mortality to all his followers. The narra- The followers. his all to mortality she assumes that she can predict what what predict can she that assumes she

Duchamp Timmel L.

with a charismatic leader promising im- promising leader charismatic a with ior must always be identical to her own; own; her to identical be always must ior

friend, Wilt, came to Always, a commune commune a Always, to came Wilt, friend, means that her twin’s desires and behav- and desires twin’s her that means

before World War II, she and her boy- her and she II, War World before The narrator imagines that twinship twinship that imagines narrator The

rator describes how, as a young woman woman young a as how, describes rator boundary zone between identical twins. twins. identical between zone boundary

immortality is illusion or fact). The nar- The fact). or illusion is immortality fascinating “Last Worders” explores the the explores Worders” “Last fascinating

in and perceives the world (whether that that (whether world the perceives and in women), and “Halfway People.” The The People.” “Halfway and women), On Black path. From our earliest works on these are a niche within a niche. While cel- Literature & shores, the slave narratives, we used our ebrating every publishing achievement, words, our voices to tell our story and we are also plagued by Du Bois’ “double Battle Flags to change hardened hearts and minds, consciousness.” We know it’s unfair, un- (cont. from p. 4) persuading them to help join our fight reasonable, but the few black works that for freedom. And when emancipation are published each year have the mis- came, we learned that the struggle wasn’t fortune of having to bear the burden over. From the first freedom schools to of nearly 400 years of history. When a the black women’s club movements with black writer creates a new work, no mat- their book clubs and mission to increase ter what genre, it bears the weight of 40 literacy, we continued to use our words, million different dreams of what it means our poetry, to change negative percep- to be black and how that is best drama- “Our literature was tions, to change and improve our lives. tized in literature. Whose writing could expanding just as our With the onslaught of time, our stories stand under such pressure? Faced with so vision for ourselves ex- shape-shifted from slave narratives to many negative images of us, in literature panded. After years of the proto-science fictional imaginings of and beyond, we want works that reflect struggle to prove that early pioneers such as Martin Delany and other realities, because we know all too we did in fact have Sutton E. Griggs who created works that well how our words can be used against voice, slowly we began depicted bold acts for freedom, successful us. When confronted with an image we to embrace the idea slave uprisings that began in Mississippi do not like, we are reminded of just how that black literature and spread to Cuba. Pauline Hopkins took powerful our words and the images they did not have to be just the lost empire genre, added romance, evoke truly are. Remember, Susan Smith one color.” and created professional, educated black only had to imagine that a black man had characters at a time when popular culture terrorized her and murdered her children, preached pathology. She took her charac- and a whole nation seemed to believe it ters to Africa as explorers when scientific was true, even as the facts revealed other- H journals discussed alternate origins for us. wise. The poet Cornelius Eady brilliantly With every era, perhaps all the way up to turns this idea on its head in his collec- 10 the ’60s, black literature was one of social tion, Brutal Imagination. We all can point protest. As more and more women writ- to exceptions, those talented wordsmiths ers began to add their voices, the mission who have overcome the tremendous began to change. Social protest began to challenges that all writers face—getting give way to experimentation and works published, but then we sulk after we have that uniquely recorded the time that of- read their last lines, turned the page, and fered glimpses into the interior, emotion- closed the book, because we want more, al lives of black characters beyond the much more. If we can still name only a external politics that affected them. Each handful of successful writers in certain “In a way, black new voice, each new milestone achieved, genres, and we must keep repeating the writers are still fight- added to what we began to imagine for same names for others, well, we begin to ing for freedom, the ourselves. Our literature was expanding question just how far we have arrived. freedom to tell their just as our vision for ourselves expanded. In a way, black writers are still fight- individual stories in After years of struggle to prove that we ing for freedom, the freedom to tell their original, novel ways did in fact have voice, slowly we began to individual stories in original, novel ways and to have those embrace the idea that black literature did and to have those stories be treated as stories be treated as not have to be just one color. “universal” and not as the chronicles “universal” and not We wanted access to the rainbow, but of a people; that is, one-dimensional, as the chronicles of a as Ntozake Shange wrote so well, that monolithic. people; that is, one- rainbow is not enough. It’s 2010 and we The “state of black literature” changes dimensional” are still periodically faced with ancient, because we are changing, our world is dusty stereotypes of minstrelsy and wel- changing. As the poet Nikky Finney fare mamas, coonin’ and suckin’ the na- wrote, “the world is round,” and we are tion dry. As a minority in this country, constantly attempting to push the bound-

we are well aware that our works are a aries and define what it means to live in it

mere drop in the publishing bucket. We and create art on our own terms. n

that’s part of the same thing, and I agree agree I and thing, same the of part that’s

Cont. on p. 12 p. on Cont.

DAVIS: Yes, yes, that’s right, yes. I think think I yes. right, that’s yes, Yes, DAVIS: of the SDS leaders… SDS the of

your astonishment with the machismo machismo the with astonishment your ready shown ourselves to be… be… to ourselves shown ready

that you’d heard before; and you spoke of of spoke you and before; heard you’d that UINE EBR W hd al- had We MEMBER: AUDIENCE

the fact that you were hearing many ideas ideas many hearing were you that fact the

increase the casualties. the increase

tion with the New Left notwithstanding notwithstanding Left New the with tion

get a firestorm, which would of course course of would which firestorm, a get

In Buffalo, you spoke of your gratifica- your of spoke you Buffalo, In

they tried it in Dresden that they could could they that Dresden in it tried they

the New Left than Richard Nixon did.” did.” Nixon Richard than Left New the

ing Hamburg; but it wasn’t known until until known wasn’t it but Hamburg; ing

1995, you wrote, “I no more predicted predicted more no “I wrote, you 1995,

cause Bremer Harris was all for flatten- for all was Harris Bremer cause

then of course in a later reminiscence in in reminiscence later a in course of then

ate experiment in a new way to kill. Be- kill. to way new a in experiment ate

your 1960 essay “…From an Exile” and and Exile” an “…From essay 1960 your

nuclear weapon in that it was a deliber- a was it that in weapon nuclear

New Left: things look kind of bleak in in bleak of kind look things Left: New

in the case of Dresden, it was like the the like was it Dresden, of case the in

on a couple of occasions of the rise of the the of rise the of occasions of couple a on

bombing of Hamburg and Dresden; and and Dresden; and Hamburg of bombing

LUKIN: You have spoken and written written and spoken have You LUKIN:

re Roeet a aie t h fire- the at alive was Roosevelt true:

happy to resume their Red Hunt. Red their resume to happy DAVIS: I think that’s right. It’s also also It’s right. that’s think I DAVIS:

DAVIS: Yeah. A lot of people were were people of lot A Yeah. DAVIS:

gaged in kind of a demonic strategy. demonic a of kind in gaged

opportunity. wasn’t that different. You’re already en- already You’re different. that wasn’t

1930s that was looking for an an for looking was that 1930s the cities, the move to the atomic bomb bomb atomic the to move the cities, the

anticommunism in the late late the in anticommunism ies. It seems like once you’re firebombing firebombing you’re once like seems It ies.

ful enough element of radical radical of element enough ful icans were firebombing the Japanese cit- Japanese the firebombing were icans

LUKIN: There was a power- a was There LUKIN: a problem with that. Because the Amer- the Because that. with problem a

AUDIENCE MEMBER: I have a bit of of bit a have I MEMBER: AUDIENCE

Fulton, Missouri. Fulton,

nist policy took place before before place took policy nist I don’t understand this. understand don’t I

the switch to an anticommu- an to switch the

making extreme demands. demands. extreme making

with Fulton, Missouri; but but Missouri; Fulton, with

ing to be quite conciliatory. He was not not was He conciliatory. quite be to ing

came later. Maybe beginning beginning Maybe later. came

the Soviets in Europe that he was will- was he that Europe in Soviets the

the anticommunist hysteria hysteria anticommunist the

shown in the case of negotiations with with negotiations of case the in shown

tion of anticommunism; but but anticommunism; of tion

a loyal follower of FDR; and FDR had had FDR and FDR; of follower loyal a

draw on the established tradi- established the on draw

the cabinet of Harry Truman who was was who Truman Harry of cabinet the

communist again, they could could they again, communist

and it’s interesting that it happened in in happened it that interesting it’s and

expedient to be bitterly anti- bitterly be to expedient

it’s a correct political power analysis, analysis, power political correct a it’s

a while, so that when it was was it when that so while, a

the only one who says this, but I think think I but this, says who one only the

ent to keep quiet about it for for it about quiet keep to ent

it’s interesting…I don’t know why I’m I’m why know don’t interesting…I it’s

ts ut ht t a expedi- was it that just it’s

against the Soviets in the Far East. And And East. Far the in Soviets the against

that was true during the war; war; the during true was that

to have power to make extreme claims claims extreme make to power have to

abundant propaganda. But But propaganda. abundant

the U.S. had to appear demonic in order order in demonic appear to had U.S. the

position to it. Supported by by Supported it. to position

needs of the power relations were that that were relations power the of needs

position to it. And well-financed op- well-financed And it. to position

cruel than Nero or Caligula or…but the the or…but Caligula or Nero than cruel

had a socialist program, there’s been op- been there’s program, socialist a had

I’m not saying that Truman was more more was Truman that saying not I’m

before anticommunism! As long as we’ve we’ve as long As anticommunism! before

was capable of it, unless he did it? Now, Now, it? did he unless it, of capable was

before anticommunist hysteria. It’s not not It’s hysteria. anticommunist before

the Soviets have believed that Truman Truman that believed have Soviets the

important to understand this, and this is is this and this, understand to important

bloodthirsty an action. And how would would how And action. an bloodthirsty

know the reason for this. But I think it’s it’s think I But this. for reason the know

bloodthirsty a program, or taken that that taken or program, a bloodthirsty

the Soviet Union in Europe, and I don’t don’t I and Europe, in Union Soviet the

ple. No other tyrant had ever had that that had ever had tyrant other No ple.

the line farther away from the center of of center the from away farther line the

meant killing a hundred thousand peo- thousand hundred a killing meant

in Malaysia. They were willing to draw draw to willing were They Malaysia. in

cruelty as to be willing to do it, even if it it if even it, do to willing be to as cruelty

ended in the Philippines, was ended ended was Philippines, the in ended

American power had such superhuman superhuman such had power American

they succeeded. Communist power was was power Communist succeeded. they

question of showing the Soviets that the the that Soviets the showing of question

ther East than Korea, in the Pacific; and and Pacific; the in Korea, than East ther

rw h ln o Sve pwr o far- no power Soviet of line the draw

(cont. from p. 5) p. from (cont.

the American power politics wanted to to wanted politics power American the

Chandler Davis Davis Chandler that’s quite right. But it’s also true that that true also it’s But right. quite that’s

that it happened before Roosevelt died; died; Roosevelt before happened it that A Conversation with with Conversation A A Conversation with DAVIS: And SNCC. Yeah, it was quite by the woman science fiction writer who Chandler Davis surprising that progress which we said with respect to my story, “Yes! That’s thought had been made, not in society the way it was! I was there!” (cont. from p. 11) but in the thinking of the Left, turned LUKIN: This is the Marxist-feminist out to have been forgotten. Now, I don’t novelist Eleanor Arnason, whose Mam- know why there was less understanding moths of the Great Plains from PM Press of feminism and I think even in hind- is available here in this store. sight, looking back forty-five years, it’s DAVIS: It’s interesting, because my story not obvious. It’s not clear what part of is not about the world I experienced. this was due to a new generation com- Which, granted, is the world she expe- ing up, which hadn’t experienced the rienced. But at the same time, showing a sexual liberation of the 1920s and hadn’t little bit more acute version of the absurd learned the lessons of the 1920s, and to sex-role stereotypes that we had brings what extent it was due to some people them into relief and could give her this never having learned the lesson at all. reaction, reversing the time-status of a And I think that the ideas of feminism, science fiction story. Because my story which were around and which you can was intended to be a future fiction. find with delight in reading things from the 1920s or for that matter sometimes LUKIN: The story in question is “It from the 1820s, could be in the culture Walks in Beauty,” which gives the book without becoming, without seeming its title and certainly plays a big role in natural to young people in the culture. the fact that Aqueduct Press published And I don’t know the reason for that. I it. This is the fiftieth book published by think it’s most interesting. that feminist publishing house, and the first male-authored volume. And some people say, Well, okay, you have to fight these battles again in every The story includes insights that were, as I H generation; but that’s not true. Because try and suggest in the introduction, con- every generation begins with a set of as- sistent with some Communist thought 12 sumptions which are in the air, and the on gender roles that I found in the mid- assumption that our kids have growing 1930s… up is not that the little girls are going to "I had a feminist DAVIS: Yeah, we really should have have to wear a burqa when they’re ten 2 upbringing. And I Neal and Ann Koblitz here to debate years older. There are certain assump- think that, though my this with you, because they felt that you tions which are different from one cul- parents were Reds, they gave the Communists of the Thirties too ture to another, from one generation to had exposure to a kind much credit. another. So it’s certainly not true that we of feminism which was LUKIN: I tried very hard, or I thought have to go through all the same things not universal in the I was trying hard, to indicate that these again. But it is true that there’s a great Left movement of that were not universal insights. deal of amnesia; and in the case of sex time either." roles, the amnesia is partly because chil- DAVIS: They were not universal in- dren don’t completely believe that their sights. I had a feminist upbringing. And experience is the same as their parents’. I think that, though my parents were And they take their cues other places. I Reds, they had exposure to a kind of see many families in which things have feminism which was not universal in the to be gone through again, because the Left movement of that time either. Not children haven’t listened to their parents, in the Sixties, but also not in the Thirties. or don’t believe their parents…. And the sources of their feminism were in part, you know, Margaret Sanger; and LUKIN: Or the parents neglected to say my mother’s mother worked at Hull things. House. DAVIS: Yeah. Yeah. I think we’re better LUKIN: Jane Addams. off now. And I’m not saying that I think

my discussion of the subject in the 1950s DAVIS: So there’s a different kind of

is now dated. I was quite complimented Left, with its own ideology, which coex- n

Cont. on p. 14 p. on Cont.

aggressiveness with which the class war war class the which with aggressiveness have. I don’t know. don’t I have.

ist strictures are so hard to fight. The The fight. to hard so are strictures ist cial philosophy as the Marxists claim to to claim Marxists the as philosophy cial

that points out exactly how the capital- the how exactly out points that differences and have policy and have a so- a have and policy have and differences

you present an analysis or a description description a or analysis an present you society without attempting to resolve our our resolve to attempting without society

politics are a distraction. And indeed, indeed, And distraction. a are politics sible to feel that we were thinking about about thinking were we that feel to sible

without saying Those damned identity identity damned Those saying without arching urgent priority issue made it pos- it made issue priority urgent arching

dler, without turning into Todd Gitlin, Gitlin, Todd into turning without dler, it may be that the existence of an over- an of existence the that be may it

other example. You do all this, Chan- this, all do You example. other body was listening to everybody else. But But else. everybody to listening was body

ing progress of gay liberation, to use an- use to liberation, gay of progress ing wonderful, for a few years, because every- because years, few a for wonderful,

wasn’t as clear as it is today the amaz- the today is it as clear as wasn’t ever heard of before! And I thought it was was it thought I And before! of heard ever

and the antiracist front. At that time, it it time, that At front. antiracist the and members of organizations nobody had had nobody organizations of members

been progress on the feminist front front feminist the on progress been there would be Buddhists and CPers, and and CPers, and Buddhists be would there

acknowledge very elegantly that there’s there’s that elegantly very acknowledge the U.S. military, and in our little band band little our in and military, U.S. the

in your 1995 speech, you managed to to managed you speech, 1995 your in in against Canadian collaboration with with collaboration Canadian against in

that when you addressed these issues issues these addressed you when that could get a delegation up to Ottawa to sit sit to Ottawa to up delegation a get could

LUKIN: I think we should not. I think think I not. should we think I LUKIN: I really embraced that in the 1960s. We We 1960s. the in that embraced really I

the ideological openness was wonderful. wonderful. was openness ideological the […]

Left’s openness? I don’t know. I thought thought I know. don’t I openness? Left’s

ing ourselves for that? that? for ourselves ing

participation already there in the New New the in there already participation

the capitalists. Now, should we be blam- be we should Now, capitalists. the

sues now in order to get the maximum maximum the get to order in now sues

back with regard to taking power from from power taking to regard with back

do so much organizing around single is- single around organizing much so do

regard to antiracism. And we’re farther farther we’re And antiracism. to regard

openness to ideas? Is the reason that we we that reason the Is ideas? to openness

feminism. And we’re farther along with with along farther we’re And feminism.

So does this originate with the New Left’s Left’s New the with originate this does So that we’re farther along with regard to to regard with along farther we’re that

13 science fiction. science than economic. That is, I think it’s clear clear it’s think I is, That economic. than

but that should be an objective of sincere sincere of objective an be should that but progress have been Cultural Left rather rather Left Cultural been have progress

hangs together. I don’t say it always does, does, always it say don’t I together. hangs assertion that the things that have made made have that things the that assertion

have a vision of how the whole society society whole the how of vision a have kind of thing you’re talking about, the the about, talking you’re thing of kind

beyond single-issue, because it should should it because single-issue, beyond gone backward. And I have heard the the heard have I And backward. gone

rious science fiction should inevitably go go inevitably should fiction science rious progress. And others have not, or even even or not, have others And progress.

ae nuh cec fcin rtr. Se- writers. fiction science enough have Thirties through the Sixties have made made have Sixties the through Thirties

together..” future progress. Well, maybe we don’t don’t we maybe Well, progress. future thought of as Left campaigns in the the in campaigns Left as of thought

whole society hangs hangs society whole the objectives together into a picture of of picture a into together objectives the DAVIS: Some of the things that we we that things the of Some DAVIS:

a vision of how the the how of vision a ganize around single issues and don’t fit fit don’t and issues single around ganize

don’t have that kind of Left today. Left of kind that have don’t

because it should have have should it because philosophy of social change; that we or- we that change; social of philosophy

Left and the Old Left were about. You You about. were Left Old the and Left

beyond single-issue, single-issue, beyond cism is often made now that we have no no have we that now made often is cism

the kinds of things that the early New New early the that things of kinds the

should inevitably go go inevitably should know how to evaluate that. But the criti- the But that. evaluate to how know

to some extent there’s been an eclipse of of eclipse an been there’s extent some to

“Serious science fiction fiction science “Serious time has passed since the 1960s; so I don’t don’t I so 1960s; the since passed has time

even national structural issues. So that that So issues. structural national even

cism that’s often made now, and a lot of of lot a and now, made often that’s cism

tity more than broader international or or international broader than more tity

concreteness? I don’t know. This is a criti- a is This know. don’t I concreteness?

et hts bu te oiis f iden- of politics the about that’s Left

matic, theoretical…did it need to lose lose to need it theoretical…did matic,

been more or less eclipsed by a Cultural Cultural a by eclipsed less or more been

td Dd t ed o oe h program- the lose to need it Did uted.

that] the political-economic Left has has Left political-economic the that]

tegh, hc wr nwy contrib- newly were which strengths,

think that part of the problem today [is [is today problem the of part that think

New Left for a few years had its own own its had years few a for Left New

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do you you Do MEMBER: AUDIENCE

Well that’s a good question, because the the because question, good a that’s Well

questions? questions?

DAVIS: What did the New Left forget? forget? Left New the did What DAVIS:

contribute. Or interrogate or offer offer or interrogate Or contribute.

the New Left? New the

ourselves. So I’d like to ask people to to people ask to like I’d So ourselves.

from the Old Left when you observed observed you when Left Old the from

seventy-five minutes mostly between between mostly minutes seventy-five

was there anything else that you missed missed you that else anything there was

LUKIN: We’ve been talking up here for for here up talking been We’ve LUKIN:

LUKIN: In addition to feminist insights, insights, feminist to addition In LUKIN:

lasted a few years. few a lasted

with socialism; and that all reached me. reached all that and socialism; with

the New Left Garden of Eden only only Eden of Garden Left New the

isted with socialism but is not identical identical not is but socialism with isted Certainly it didn’t last long. Certainly Certainly long. last didn’t it Certainly A Conversation with has been fought, and how difficult resis- such thing as a democratic deliberation. Chandler Davis tance is. I don’t think this is anti-anarchist: my (cont. from p. 13) DAVIS: I find that some young peo- tendency is to resist that kind of thing. ple who accept our program in human LUKIN: “Anarchy means ‘without lead- rights and social relations still think that ers,’ not ‘without order,’” as a great comic capitalism is inevitable. That’s different book3 once said. from saying that it’s good: even Adam DAVIS: That’s right. Smith didn’t say it was good. People say, LUKIN: I wonder whether there is not, How do you get away from it? Of course however, a subtext, a coherent set of val- people will buy cheap and sell dear: how ues among the various liberatory move- can you fight it? It certainly didn’t seem ments that get labeled identitarian; that obvious when I was young. I guess that there is a kind of 1960s liberatory ideal, maybe there’s some things that haven’t not the coherent program of internation- been talked about very much for fifty al socialism, but something having to do years. But whatever the reasons, some with how those freedoms work or should things have been forgotten. work, that’s common to all of them. AUDIENCE MEMBER: Can I throw DAVIS: I’d like to believe it: I certainly out an argument from a mathematician’s see coherence in common understand- point of view? When you talk about the ing and common assumptions about val- openness, and about the single-issue ues in the Left today which is similar to campaigns, I think a lot of people are the- what I loved in the Left society in previ- orizing that today by thinking about it in ous generations. But that’s not to say that terms of bifurcation or phase transition. the ideology is coherent. But it may have We believe that all of these single-issue more coherence than is made explicit. campaigns might actually self-organize and cross a critical threshold. Like Pauli LUKIN: More questions, observations, H and the theorem about criticality in per- challenges, instigations, confrontations, 14 colations in graphs, as being sort of like refudiations? No? Okay. Thank you. single-issue campaigns, ’cause basically Thank you, Chandler. you can build these percolation networks DAVIS: Yeah, thank you. through graphs, and then sort of cascade and cause a new society. What do you ENDNOTES think of that argument? 1. See Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain DAVIS: That’s interesting. It resembles Speech” in Fulton, Missouri, on March the program of attacking the structure 5, 1946, which presented Soviet everywhere. Which maybe is a more expansionism as a immediate and simpleminded version of the same thing, global threat and claimed that Moscow right? In other words, that our program had absolute control over powerful ‘Communist fifth columns’ in a great should be to make such a situation as many nations, which imperiled ‘Christian Yeats was despairing about. That the civilization.’” structure cannot hold. 2. Ann, professor of Women and Gender LUKIN: Anarchy is loosed upon the Studies at Arizona State University, and world! Neal, professor of Mathematics at the University of Washington, are long- DAVIS: I was claiming in one of the time progressive activists. In 1985, the other talks in this ridiculous barrage that Koblitz’s founded the Kovalevskaia Fund, Josh is having me unleash on Philadel- honoring Sofia Kovalevskaia (Russian phia—I was claiming that it’s actually mathematician and revolutionary), for against democratic objectives to tear the the encouragement of women in science, fabric of society. That on the contrary, we technology, and medicine in Asia, Africa, need social fabric to be sufficiently intact and Latin America. that people can interact. And that in pe- 3. Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s V for

riods of chaos, there’s no such thing as a Vendetta.

democratic decision, because there’s no n

into the alien the into and vice-versa. vice-versa. and

— n

the human ability to endure seemingly seemingly endure to ability human the horror, and surprise, turning the familiar familiar the turning surprise, and horror,

role in community and relationships, and and relationships, and community in role the usual genre expectations by evoking evoking by expectations genre usual the

of cynicism, the nature of truth and its its and truth of nature the cynicism, of is accomplished within stories that satisfy satisfy that stories within accomplished is

often similar: lost innocence, the dangers dangers the innocence, lost similar: often around in very interesting ways. Yet this this Yet ways. interesting very in around

of ten thousands recounts. recounts. thousands ten of ferences, however, the stories’ themes are are themes stories’ the however, ferences, cal theory are examined, or at least jostled jostled least at or examined, are theory cal

from Minnesota, the land land the Minnesota, from best interests at heart. Despite such dif- such Despite heart. at interests best cupations of feminist academic and politi- and academic feminist of cupations

West in 2007 and writes writes and 2007 in West may be real and may or may not have her her have not may or may and real be may discourse, and similar conceptual preoc- conceptual similar and discourse,

She attended Clarion Clarion attended She finds herself in a town where witches witches where town a in herself finds writing or telling stories), representation, representation, stories), telling or writing

(Sam’s Dot Press, 2010). 2010). Press, Dot (Sam’s

ghostly experiences; and a little girl who who girl little a and experiences; ghostly thorship (many of the protagonists are are protagonists the of (many thorship

Tales MinnSpec 20 Lights:

a Vietnam War veteran’s memories of of memories veteran’s War Vietnam a ieaue I ti vi, ujciiy au- subjectivity, vein, this In literature.

Northern Northern in appears Won’t”

revolutionary struggle; a fairy infestation; infestation; fairy a struggle; revolutionary ciate with explicitly feminist theory and and theory feminist explicitly with ciate

ning story, “Can’t Stop, Stop, “Can’t story, ning

America where children are tools in a a in tools are children where America and intellectual sense of wonder I asso- I wonder of sense intellectual and

fiction contest. Her win- Her contest. fiction

the parenting of werewolves; a future future a werewolves; of parenting the questioning: a certain kind of emotional emotional of kind certain a questioning:

Oddcon 2010 speculative speculative 2010 Oddcon

The overall effect is doubt, uncertainty, uncertainty, doubt, is effect overall The activists are executed in public rituals; rituals; public in executed are activists won first place in the the in place first won

territory. myths; a future where reproductive rights rights reproductive where future a myths; recently recently Devall Carrie

take the focus out of such stories’ usual usual stories’ such of out focus the take of women in traditional heroic tales and and tales heroic traditional in women of

a convoluted frame of associations that that associations of frame convoluted a a love affair with a ghost; the inner lives lives inner the ghost; a with affair love a

ries least layered and complex hang on on hang complex and layered least ries ios: a woman transforming into a deer; deer; a into transforming woman a ios:

o ltey ei wt. vn hs sto- those Even with. begin blithely to Other stories concern varying scenar- varying concern stories Other

assumptions Rickert invited the reader reader the invited Rickert assumptions catastrophe. times other at and

and obvious “givens” that undermine the the undermine that “givens” obvious and grace, or fate, luck, called sometimes forces

and entertain doubts about similarly large large similarly about doubts entertain and the of mercy the at individuals to mean

ings, and what these things things these what and ings, end happy and and prods the reader to make associations associations make to reader the prods and

ships, memory, rebirth, commemoration, commemoration, rebirth, memory, ships, same time it also subtly nudges, pokes, pokes, nudges, subtly also it time same

- relation family, as such concepts related tasy and science fiction traditions. At the the At traditions. fiction science and tasy

ts n niie nergto o holiday- of interrogation incisive an It’s the book fits solidly into mainstream fan- mainstream into solidly fits book the

for all the buttons it ostentatiously pushes. pushes. ostentatiously it buttons the all for such as reproductive rights. In this sense sense this In rights. reproductive as such

surprisingly complex emotional response response emotional complex surprisingly sibility, and categorically feminist topics topics feminist categorically and sibility, i

not heart-warming, but it does provoke a a provoke does it but heart-warming, not sus uh s oiis proa respon- personal politics, as such issues

child sexual abuse. This holiday story is is story holiday This abuse. sexual child large, provocative questions about “big” “big” about questions provocative large,

structures and elements pose pose elements and structures Holiday’s of charges from father his exonerating

the reader. the protagonist as he tries to write a memoir memoir a write to tries he as protagonist nist theory?" nist

ations at the heart of the stories act on on act stories the of heart the at ations assumed by the dead girls who visit the the visit who girls dead the by assumed heart of much femi- much of heart

way in which the seemingly simple situ- simple seemingly the which in way his clown costume. Holiday is the name name the is Holiday costume. clown his question also at the the at also question

feminist book, it would be because of the the of because be would it book, feminist by serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr. and and Jr. Gacy Wayne John killer serial by is love?” Isn’t that that Isn’t love?” is

by other males. But if I were to call it a a it call to were I if But males. other by with a nod to the horror archetypes evoked evoked archetypes horror the to nod a with the stories is “What “What is stories the

subordinated or dominated in some way way some in dominated or subordinated documentary “Capturing the Friedmans,” Friedmans,” the “Capturing documentary most if not all of of all not if most

tagonists are female, or male characters characters male or female, are tagonists Benet Ramsey and the subjects of the the of subjects the and Ramsey Benet tion at the heart of of heart the at tion

ers because many of its active, aware pro- aware active, its of many because ers layer of quasi-nostalgia, alluding to Jon- to alluding quasi-nostalgia, of layer “A common ques- common “A

because the author is a woman, and oth- and woman, a is author the because headlines dated enough to add a creepy creepy a add to enough dated headlines

Some might label this a feminist book book feminist a this label might Some The title story “Holiday” draws on news news on draws “Holiday” story title The

heart of much feminist theory? feminist much of heart ert’s work. ert’s

is love?” Isn’t that question also at the the at also question that Isn’t love?” is epy netig ulte o M Rick- M. of qualities unsettling deeply

of most if not all of the stories is “What “What is stories the of all not if most of ment highlights both the variety and the the and variety the both highlights ment

worlds. A common question at the heart heart the at question common A worlds. into that frame, but the book’s arrange- book’s the but frame, that into

frame of mind into generically fantastical fantastical generically into mind of frame It’s a stretch to fit some of the stories stories the of some fit to stretch a It’s

fect an intrusion of a literal and realistic realistic and literal a of intrusion an fect holiday-themed collection with a twist. twist. a with collection holiday-themed

even thrive. Many of the stories also ef- also stories the of Many thrive. even published short stories is billed as a a as billed is stories short published

impossible situations and then to heal or or heal to then and situations impossible previously eleven of collection This

Reviewed by Carrie Devall Carrie by Reviewed

Golden Gryphon Press, November 2010, 164 pages, $24.95. pages, 164 2010, November Press, Gryphon Golden

by M. Rickert Rickert M. by Holiday

Looking Outside the Ordinary the Outside Looking n n Deceptively Titled Refreshment male” pursuit, Maddie isn’t the only character who knits. A male teen-heartthrob A Cup of Normal by Devon Monk vampire knits, too. And the sexy, kick- Fairwood Press, September 2010, 264 pages, $16.99. ass, blood-drinking love interest owns a Reviewed by Cynthia Ward whole darn yarn shop. He-man vampire knitters? That’s a delightfully radical re- Formerly the site of Fritz Leiberesque vision not merely of vampires but of the examinations of how the numinous has whole macho-man myth. infiltrated contemporary cities, the urban Knitting is not the only “feminine” art fantasy subgenre is now so altered by featured in the collection. In the surreal- feminism that it is dominated by gun- istic fantasy “Stitchery,” Tilly sews dead and stake-toting modern women who critters back to patchwork life. While kill and love vampires, shapeshifters, and she ultimately saves her two-headed other supernatural sorts. One rising star lover’s life via his talent, not her own, she of UF’s second wave is Devon Monk, couldn’t have done it without the help of an old woman who literally knits time. “'Dusi' has many author of the Allie Beckstrom novels . “Stitchery” strikes a balance, affirming strengths, yet also (Magic to the Bone et al ). Since her se- the importance of women and acknowl- evokes the am- ries eschews vampires, stakes, and other edging the importance of men. In the bivalence inher- now-clichéd UF elements it’s probably lyrical fantasy “Leeward to the Sky,” a ent in some of not a surprise that Monk’s first short fic- woman must spin the finest sails ever to feminism’s unintend- tion collection, A Cup of Normal, offers a grace a ship until a persistent man’s love ed consequences." mix of science fiction and several fantasy subgenres. finds and frees her. In the clever fairy tale One of the collection’s better stories, “Moonlighting,” a housecleaning pixie is the opener, “Dusi,” was first published compelled to crossdress and takes a pecu- in the October 1999 issue of Realms of liar pleasure in serving a cranky ogre. In H Fantasy before anyone was applying the the horrifying, Geoff Ryman-like story UF label to contemporary girls’ adven- “Menders,” mothers who appear to be 16 ture/fantasy/romances. “Dusi” has many intelligent alien silkworms are forced to strengths, yet also evokes the ambivalence breed, then boil their newborn children inherent in some of feminism’s unintend- to produce a unique and highly desirable ed consequences. The titular character is form of thread. This disturbing critique the Medusa of legend. Thanks to revi- of slavery, feudalism, and capitalism sionism Dusi has become an active her- keeps its biting edge when we learn that . oine: she slew the mythical sea-serpent, its aliens are quite other than expected not that liar Perseus. In modern times Not all the tales in Normal achieve the sharpness of “Menders,” the beauty Cynthia Ward has pub- she sells as statues the animals she turns of “Leeward to the Sky,” or the balance lished stories in Asimov’s to stone. Since her gaze literally petri- fies, it makes sense that Dusi wouldn’t of “Stitchery.” Many may vex feminists Science Fiction Magazine, - Garden of the Perverse, and go out much. However, she stays home with their melding of feminist and pre other anthologies and mag- till heterosexual love walks in her door, feminist attitudes. But that post-feminist azines. With Nisi Shawl, which may be too reminiscent of Dis- approach helps to make Monk’s decep- she coauthored Writing the ney’s Snow White trilling “Someday My tively titled first collection a superior as- Other: A Practical Approach prince Will Come” for many feminists. sembly of off-kilter fantasy and science (Aqueduct Press, 2005), Another story, “Skein of Sunlight,” fiction. based on their diversity features a cancer survivor tough enough writing workshop, Writ- not only to resist a vampire’s will but to ing the Other: Bridging Cultural Differences for whip out her knitting needles to defend "In the clever fairy tale Successful Fiction. Ward herself from attack. “Sunlight’s” Mad- “Moonlighting,” a house- is completing a novel. She die is another strong, admirable female cleaning pixie is compelled lives in Los Angeles. UF protagonist who may provoke mixed to crossdress and takes a feelings in feminists when she’s rescued peculiar pleasure in serving

by a male love interest. Still, though a cranky ogre."

“Sunlight” centers on a traditionally “fe- n

displaying the the displaying secrets, his with ous Cont. on p. 19 p. on Cont. difficult to keep track of the exception- the of track keep to difficult

seen before. And Istvan is gener- is Istvan And before. seen of the unusual structural choices. It was was It choices. structural unusual the of

the players of the Poppy have never never have Poppy the of players the The period setting may explain some some explain may setting period The

ning construction, fabrication, that that fabrication, construction, ning the original text. original the

intricate and odd: a level of cun- of level a odd: and intricate events that would have been marginal to to marginal been have would that events

wool, strings and wires and levers levers and wires and strings wool,

from its topic, examining characters and and characters examining topic, its from

they perform." they

eyeballs and hair of silk or boiled boiled or silk of hair and eyeballs

like a book that had slanted slightly aside aside slightly slanted had that book a like

in part because of how how of because part in

and glue, muslin and plaster, carven carven plaster, and muslin glue, and

et opligy convincing compellingly felt at times, times, at —

cares about the characters characters the about cares

made of wood and sacking-cloth sacking-cloth and wood of made

tails. Its late nineteenth century setting setting century nineteenth late Its tails.

the characters, and one one and characters, the

: : farceurs the them, calls he mecs les

pered by concentration on concrete de- concrete on concentration by pered

because one cares about about cares one because

cases and traps for the puppets, puppets, the for traps and cases

The story has an epic quality, tem- quality, epic an has story The

about the performances performances the about

all the rest of [Istvan’s] luggage is is luggage [Istvan’s] of rest the all

the brothel has become a pawn in a war. a in pawn a become has brothel the to the plotline; one cares cares one plotline; the to

right alongside them: alongside right slowly unfolding backdrop reveals that that reveals backdrop unfolding slowly performances are integral integral are performances

with delight and excitement, and I’m I’m and excitement, and delight with tional turmoil unsettles the house, the the house, the unsettles turmoil tional as this one does. The The does. one this as

puppets, the brothel’s employees react react employees brothel’s the puppets, craves increasingly ignore her. As emo- As her. ignore increasingly craves its dazzle as luminously luminously as dazzle its

theater. When Istvan enters with his his with enters Istvan When theater. as the two men whose comradeship she she comradeship whose men two the as about the theater capture capture theater the about

though, was in its descriptions of the the of descriptions its in was though, history, Decca becoming ever more dour dour more ever becoming Decca history, "Few books I’ve read read I’ve books "Few

Where the book really took flight, flight, took really book the Where desiring each other, but repulsed by their their by repulsed but other, each desiring

strange love triangle love strange drew me powerfully. me drew Istvan and Rupert Rupert and Istvan —

its master, Rupert. The three navigate a a navigate three The Rupert. master, its characters with only a single section section single a only with characters

mistress, Decca, and former lover of of lover former and Decca, mistress, mistook for the protagonist. Even minor minor Even protagonist. the for mistook

Istvan, brother to the brothel’s severe severe brothel’s the to brother Istvan, ity, especially Lucy, whom I originally originally I whom Lucy, especially ity,

Unmasked, the stranger is revealed as as revealed is stranger the Unmasked, acters glittered with still more complex- more still with glittered acters

with what turns out to be a puppet. puppet. a be to out turns what with everyone? u mn scnay char- secondary many But —

a stranger rapes one of the whores whores the of one rapes stranger a often is anyone a prodigy, desired by by desired prodigy, a anyone is often

opens in the titular brothel when when brothel titular the in opens Poppy pass effortlessly in any social class? How How class? social any in effortlessly pass

Under the the Under Koja’s Kathy of One Act How often are homeless children able to to able children homeless are often How i

free!…is that not miraculous?” not that free!…is ee u, ept big romanticized being despite fun, were —

whom he would pass on the street for for street the on pass would he whom The main duo, Rupert and Istvan, Istvan, and Rupert duo, main The

stick it in her, lazy doped-up Jennie Jennie doped-up lazy her, in it stick acters were enough. were acters

money he barely has for the chance to to chance the for has barely he money of trick. Its well-drawn, interesting char- interesting well-drawn, Its trick. of

nie can make a man compete to spend spend to compete man a make can nie the book didn’t need to rely on that kind kind that on rely to need didn’t book the

pns gade ta Sinn Jen- Spinning that grandee, Spanish reads I’m not sure what happened. But But happened. what sure not I’m reads

Pearl can be a Seraphim, or Laddie a a Laddie or Seraphim, a be can Pearl ciently mysterious that even after several several after even that mysterious ciently

A brothel employee elaborates, “That “That elaborates, employee brothel A in Oe ioa po pit a suffi- was point plot pivotal One sion.

tumed beast, a mermaid from the sea…” the from mermaid a beast, tumed ihodn ifrain o rae ten- create to information withholding

- cos a or angel an with, dally or watch, The novel also seemed coy at times, times, at coy seemed also novel The

and in the private rooms: that is one may may one is that rooms: private the in and novel’s disparate elements. disparate novel’s

theatrical, it marries the two, both onstage onstage both two, the marries it theatrical, appeared to be the thread uniting the the uniting thread the be to appeared

lieving the erotic arts already twin to the the to twin already arts erotic the lieving nal, titular setting, which had previously previously had which setting, titular nal,

- Be execution. and intent of gaiety certain ces s el s bnoig h origi- the abandoning as well as acters

concrete details." concrete

from its lower-caste brethren in town is a a is town in brethren lower-caste its from sloughed a number of interesting char- interesting of number a sloughed

by concentration on on concentration by

“What most distinguishes this brothel brothel this distinguishes most “What junctive leap from act one to act two two act to one act from leap junctive

epic quality, tempered tempered quality, epic

organs… paragraph to paragraph. The oddly dis- oddly The paragraph. to paragraph

“The story has an an has story “The

being gutter slang for a woman’s female female woman’s a for slang gutter being sometimes moved, unmarked, from from unmarked, moved, sometimes

Act One’s villain, Jurgen Vidor. “‘Poppy’ “‘Poppy’ Vidor. Jurgen villain, One’s Act because of a fickle point of view that that view of point fickle a of because

“It is a sort of vulgar word play,” muses muses play,” word vulgar of sort a is “It ally large cast of characters, especially especially characters, of cast large ally

Reviewed by Rachel Swirsky Rachel by Reviewed

Small Beer Press, October 2010, 376 pages, $24. pages, 376 2010, October Press, Beer Small

by Kathe Koja Koja Kathe by Poppy the Under

Banqueting on Nineteenth Century Theater and Sexual Desire Sexual and Theater Century Nineteenth on Banqueting n n Rise Up Reloaded! Andersen story opposing the virtuous nightingale and its soulless mechanical Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded, e counterpart in a fable of feminine sacri- dited by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer fice. Shweta Narayan’s mechanical bird, Tachyon Press, November 2010, 430 pages, $14.95. the Artificer, tells the emperor nested Reviewed by Liz Henry wisdom-stories of jeweled clockwork robot inventors and lovers while taking Ann and Jeff VanderMeer’s Steam- a bold stance on sacrifice and vengeance, punk Reloaded anthology is an excit- as well as what it’s acceptable to do with ing companion to their first volume of technology—what should and shouldn’t Steampunk. The stories and essays led me be created. through a maze of anti-colonial politics Aqueduct Press readers will surely be to meet alien space-time terrorists, robot fired up by Cathrynne M. Valente’s femi- gunslingers, moody artistic cyborg strip- nist/robot anarchist revolutionary broad- pers, buried spaceships called to life by sheets in “The Anachronist’s Cookbook.” fairies, mysterious paper-and-typewriter She had me at the title, but the story and bloggers and sockpuppets, and a couple where it led were better than I’d imag- of intrepid squid. Paired with Steampunk, ined they could be. Valente’s heroine of this anthology is great for understanding the street, factory, and airship engine shifts in the zeitgeist of speculative fic- room made me want to declaim from tion today. the rooftops about the politics of a world William Gibson’s classic story “The that doesn’t exist and yet still does. This Gernsback Continuum” outlines a map story is the perfect revolutionary femi- of the steampunk landscape, developing nist steampunk manifesto! a ghostly territory where we narrowly es- The Inca Empire, with its mighty air- cape the colonial or fascist past’s vision of ships and ceremonial llamas, discovers us as the inevitable future. Even if you’ve Anglish Londres in Stephen Baxter’s H read this story before, read it again—it “The Unblinking Eye.” The story’s hero- sets the anthology’s mood so well. 18 ine, a lady of the court of Charlemagne “A Serpent in the Gears” by Marga- XXXII, meets a South Continent man ret Ronald was a great surprise, outra- from Kakadu named Dreamer and learns geously awesome. Its heroes set forth a fantastic secret when the airship crosses on an airship for a diplomatic and sci- the Equator on its way to Cuzco. I have entific expedition that is just seething to admit I thought of the very silly song under its surface, chock full of spies and “The Night the Aztecs Stormed Glas- secret agents, international politics and gow” at first, but the story’s key twist hit domestic class tensions. The brave, faith- me hard with sadness. Liz Henry’s poems, ful valet tells a story of encountering the Jess Nevins’s “Lost Pages from The translations, stories, and bones of clockwork dragons powered by Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana” articles have appeared in thaumic reservoirs. The expedition head went deep into politics and history, lur- Lodestar Quarterly, Po- is the mobility-assisted Professora, my etry, Two Lines, Cipactli, ing me in with incredibly plausible de- favorite character in the whole book and Fantastic Metropolis, and scriptions of British naval officer Thomas the one I’d most like to role-play in a Strange Horizons. She Cochrane and British engineer Isambard game. “Serpent” passes the Bechdel test edited The WisCon Chron- Kingdom Brunel creating tanks with with flying colors while being enjoyably icles: Carnival of Feminist disastrous results. Nevins shows other SF for Aqueduct Press. At pulpy. I’d love to read the results if and historical automata such as Tipu’s Tiger bookmaniac.org, she blogs when Ronald fully develops its premise being developed into deadly and super- about feminism, writing, into a novel—or a series. and technology, and is a “The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor faily weapons of war. Nevins’ long quo- co-founder of feministsf. Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar” brings tations from “primary sources” were very net and geekfeminism.org. Persian and South Indian roots of clas- well done. — sic speculative literature into play with Margo Lanagan’s “Machine Maid” well, I can’t say I enjoyed its perturbing its mechanical birds and people. I read

depiction of a freaked-out immigrant to

it as a firm denial of the Hans Christian the Australian outback as she unlocks n

. Dreamsnake novel McIntyre's

Magma piece with her commentary on Vonda Vonda on commentary her with piece Magma

Ursula LeGuin will author the first Grandmother Grandmother first the author will LeGuin Ursula

if not the bedrock of, today's speculative fiction. fiction. speculative today's of, bedrock the not if

formative works comprise important veins within, within, veins important comprise works formative

in fiction and nonfiction today. These selected selected These today. nonfiction and fiction in

and continue to influence contemporary writers writers contemporary influence to continue and

in sci-fi, feminism, and other fields that have shaped shaped have that fields other and feminism, sci-fi, in

for commentary on important works from the past past the from works important on commentary for

to the machinery of power." of machinery the to

launch "Grandmother Magma," a continuing feature feature continuing a Magma," "Grandmother launch beings, and cthuloid horrors horrors cthuloid and beings,

cyborgs, robots, magical magical robots, cyborgs,

will will Zone Subduction Cascadia The of issue next The

tance by people, aliens, aliens, people, by tance

gone wrong, and of resis- of and wrong, gone

—

quely fucked up revolution revolution up fucked quely Coming to the Zone the to Coming

the aesthetic is of a baro- a of is aesthetic the

Reloaded Steampunk "For

on stage. on

history wonks very happy. very wonks history 19 is successful because I’d love to see this this see to love I’d because successful is

litical thinkers, retro-technophiles, and and retro-technophiles, thinkers, litical

debut in 2011. I hope the production production the hope I 2011. in debut

- po fans, pulp make should It power. of will will Poppy of half first the of adaptation

and cthuloid horrors to the machinery machinery the to horrors cthuloid and Koja’s biography indicates that a stage stage a that indicates biography Koja’s

aliens, cyborgs, robots, magical beings, beings, magical robots, cyborgs, aliens, taking another. taking

gone wrong, and of resistance by people, people, by resistance of and wrong, gone rc meal rich a savoring each bite before before bite each savoring —

is of a baroquely fucked up revolution revolution up fucked baroquely a of is wanted to read it as slowly as I might eat eat might I as slowly as it read to wanted

the aesthetic aesthetic the Reloaded Steampunk For Each section was a burst of images. I I images. of burst a was section Each

genres, and steampunk as an aesthetic. aesthetic. an as steampunk and genres, person” but there was so much texture. texture. much so was there but —

sion about politics, technology, literary literary technology, politics, about sion

tired of sexual sadism symbolizing “bad “bad symbolizing sadism sexual of tired

http://rachelswirsky.com. http://rachelswirsky.com.

- discus roundtable thoughtful long, a also

bles the villains read as flat, and I’m I’m and flat, as read villains the —

. Visit her website at at website her Visit . Dark relation to punk and steampunk. There’s There’s steampunk. and punk to relation

lingering experience. I could make quib- make could I experience. lingering

Through the Drowsy Drowsy the Through in

fashion, maker, and hacker cultures in in cultures hacker and maker, fashion,

an intense, intense, an Poppy reading make cast ling

lected by Aqueduct Press Press Aqueduct by lected

the descriptions and histories of DIY, DIY, of histories and descriptions the

Intelligent descriptions and a compel- a and descriptions Intelligent

Nebula awards and col- and awards Nebula

anthology very well. I especially liked liked especially I well. very anthology

perform.

ed for the Hugo and the the and Hugo the for ed

h ciia esy rudd u the out rounded essays critical The

characters in part because of how they they how of because part in characters fiction has been nominat- been has fiction

beating wings. beating

the characters, and one cares about the the about cares one and characters, the circle of cats. Her short short Her cats. of circle

hilarious and cool, with its improbable improbable its with cool, and hilarious pathetically expanding expanding pathetically performances because one cares about about cares one because performances

was a stroke of genius, genius, of stroke a was Prometheus The with her husband and a a and husband her with gral to the plotline; one cares about the the about cares one plotline; the to gral

the North American Explosive Society. Society. Explosive American North the Bakersfield, California, California, Bakersfield, one does. The performances are inte- are performances The does. one

the Panama Canal and visit the head of of head the visit and Canal Panama the lives in in lives Swirsky Rachel capture its dazzle as luminously as this this as luminously as dazzle its capture

submarine to view the 1969 opening of of opening 1969 the view to submarine Few books I’ve read about the theater theater the about read I’ve books Few

ber and aluminum flying-fish airship/ flying-fish aluminum and ber

thing they care to ask. to care they thing

A Danish scientist gets in an India rub- India an in gets scientist Danish A

seeming pleased to answer every- answer to pleased seeming

1869 translated by Dwight R. Decker. Decker. R. Dwight by translated 1869

tear-bulbs and the blood-drips, blood-drips, the and tear-bulbs

helm Bergsoe is a Danish story from from story Danish a is Bergsoe helm

Fyn Fs (rmtes” y Vil- by (Prometheus)” Fish “Flying

(cont. from p. 17) p. from (cont. brilliantly written and left a big impact. big a left and written brilliantly

the secrets of her robot maid, but it was was it but maid, robot her of secrets the Review of Under the Poppy Poppy the Under of Review n Her Enduring Legacy Internet periodical StrangeHorizons.com, provides a solid dissection of “On the 80! Memories and Reflections on Ursula K. Le Guin High Marsh,” explaining how it defies Karen Joy Fowler and Debbie Notkin, editors (or ignores) many of the accepted rules Aqueduct Press, October 2010, 232 pages, $19. of SFnal storytelling, and why it suc- ceeds anyway. Hartman’s essay would Reviewed by Victoria Garcia be particularly useful and enlightening In honor of Ursula Le Guin’s 81st for young writers and those who teach birthday, Aqueduct Press has released an and edit them. Several pieces focus on anthology celebrating her life and work. Le Guin’s philosophical, intellectual, and The book collects pieces long and short, political contributions to the field. Elea- "A warm, eclectic, and academic and casual, in poetry and prose, nor Arnason’s “Seven Ways of Looking often highly rewarding fiction and nonfiction. A warm, eclectic, at Le Guin” does a particularly good job read, the book is rec- and often highly rewarding read, the of this, touching on Taoism, feminism, ommended for Le Guin book is recommended for Le Guin fans anthropology, aging, and more. fans and those inter- and those interested in the history and 80! also contains quite a few reminis- ested in the history practice of writing science fiction. cences by notable fiction writers about and practice of writing This book is unusual in that it was how Le Guin’s work and teaching shaped science fiction." originally designed for a readership of their creative lives. While all of these are one. Last year, well before Aqueduct worthwhile, many of them tread similar issued it as a quality paperback, it was ground and tend to blend together after a printed in a single-copy edition. Hand- while. There are several stand-outs, how- bound in green leather, it was presented ever, such as Eileen Gunn’s discussion of to Le Guin in honor of her 80th birthday. how Le Guin’s experiments with subjec- 80! is the manifestation of decades of tivity and point of view provided her with love and admiration, awe and gratitude. an alternative to the textual experiments H As such, it is a rather humbling thing to of writers like Frederick Barthelme. Also behold. outstanding is Ellen Kushner’s piece on 20 Though the book’s focus is narrow, how, as a teen, she came to love Le Guin the scope of Le Guin’s influence has more than Tolkien, at the risk of becom- been broad indeed, and the best parts of ing a pariah among her Middle Earth- the anthology reflect this breadth. MJ adoring friends. Hardman, a professor of anthropology Other pieces provide gentle insight and linguistics, writes about the effect into Le Guin as a human being. Vonda Le Guin’s work had on the evolution McIntyre’s essay, which has a pleasingly of Hardman’s own theories of com- punchy tone, talks about Le Guin’s love munication and her efforts to preserve of robot toys, her musical taste, and her endangered languages. This unique and “mutinous” tendencies as a teacher. Julie valuable article does an excellent job of Phillips’s contribution (one of the meati- both underscoring Le Guin’s impact and est and most satisfying in the book) dis- introducing the reader to a fascinating tills decades of research and interviews field of study and a compelling cause. into a fascinating 20-page biographical Deirdre Byrne frames Le Guin’s work survey. In it we learn about Le Guin’s in terms of the therapeutic narrative, family, and about how war, anthropology, showing the ways Le Guin’s storytelling and make-believe shaped her childhood. captures core psychological truths about We also learn about the genesis of the abuse, dehumanization, healing, and the Orsinian tales and about the whirlwind creation of self. shipboard romance with young histo- Other contributors discuss the ef- rian Charles Le Guin, which grew into fect that Le Guin’s work has had on a sustaining partnership that survives to the evolution of science fiction. Some this day. focus on wordcraft and narrative form. A handful of the contributors chose to

Jed Hartman, a founding editor of the celebrate Le Guin through fiction. These entries are among the most powerful in n

does that admirably." that does

namely, Le Guin. This book book This Guin. Le namely,

reading something else something reading —

it makes you long to be be to long you makes it

all of its finest moments moments finest its of all i

book like this is that at at that is this like book

"The real hazard of a a of hazard real "The

. Darkness of Hand Left The finish go to

Edie: Edie: Sedgewick, Edie muse Warhol on mirably. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need need I me, excuse you’ll if Now, mirably.

Stein and George Plimpton’s 1994 book book 1994 Plimpton’s George and Stein namely, Le Guin. This book does that ad- that does book This Guin. Le namely,

little dog. dog. little

help but compare this work to Jean Jean to work this compare but help you long to be reading something else something reading be to long you —

grumpy but well-loved well-loved but grumpy

and more analytical depth. I couldn’t couldn’t I depth. analytical more and

that at all of its finest moments it makes makes it moments finest its of all at that ator John Aegard, and a a and Aegard, John ator

more detail, more historical framing, framing, historical more detail, more The real hazard of a book like this is is this like book a of hazard real The her husband, comics cre- comics husband, her

often found myself yearning for more: more: for yearning myself found often day present. day She lives in Seattle with with Seattle in lives She

rather than a main course. As I read, I I read, I As course. main a than rather and elsewhere. elsewhere. and Review, book, but it would be a truly lousy birth- lousy truly a be would it but book,

in many ways it feels like an appetizer appetizer an like feels it ways many in Polyphony, The Indiana Indiana The Polyphony, in a human being might make a compelling compelling a make might being human a

fiction has been published published been has fiction And yet, as engaging as the book is, is, book the as engaging as yet, And ment of a person’s import as an artist and and artist an as import person’s a of ment

in the male fruit fly. Her Her fly. fruit male the in delivers a solid bite. solid a delivers toog ad ipsint assess- dispassionate and thorough A

of fertility and infertility infertility and fertility of

tion, “The Closet,” is taut and fleet, and and fleet, and taut is Closet,” “The tion, The comparison may be unfair, though: though: unfair, be may comparison The

studies the cellular bases bases cellular the studies

on esls iial sat contribu- smart similarly Kessel’s John

intellectual satisfaction that that satisfaction intellectual does not. not. does 80!

of Washington, where she she where Washington, of

fantasy, and each one is a pure delight. delight. pure a is one each and fantasy, ness of source material provide a level of of level a provide material source of ness

biology at the University University the at biology

tive to dreamscape to dragon-centered dragon-centered to dreamscape to tive range, candor, and rich- and candor, range, Edie’s kind. are

is a graduate student in in student graduate a is

ag i tn fo sieo-ie narra- slice-of-life from tone in range and biker gangs; and not all their words words their all not and gangs; biker and

Garcia Elizabeth Victoria

and the uses of storytelling, these tales tales these storytelling, of uses the and realms: from high society, rehab clinics, clinics, rehab society, high from realms:

Guinian themes such as aging, ethics, ethics, aging, as such themes Guinian of life beyond the creative and academic academic and creative the beyond life of

part of the book’s heart. Taking on Le Le on Taking heart. book’s the of part Plimpton’s informants come from walks walks from come informants Plimpton’s

the Beyon’Dusa group form a significant significant a form group Beyon’Dusa the y t subject its by but many of Stein and and Stein of many but —

as, Ama Patterson, and Pan Morigan of of Morigan Pan and Patterson, Ama as, ple who knew, loved, or were stunned stunned were or loved, knew, who ple

Andrea Hairston, Sheree Renée Thom- Renée Sheree Hairston, Andrea composed of reminiscences by the peo- the by reminiscences of composed

the book. A group of short stories by by stories short of group A book. the . Like Like . Girl American is largely largely is Edie , 80! Imperial Steamworks James Ng

James Ng (pronounced Ing) comes more like the West. James began was born in Hong Kong, where to wonder—what if China had been the he spent most of his childhood first to modernize during the turn of drawing monsters and robots, the last century, if China had become making his own elaborate card- the standard that other countries had to board toys, and playing soccer. work towards, what would things look Ever since, he has been on the like today? Perhaps China would still move between Hong Kong, be in imperial rule. Maybe skyscrapers Vancouver, Chicago, and New would look like Chinese temples. Cars York. His travels have greatly would look like carriages. And maybe influenced him, allowing him we would have fantastical machines that to combine eastern and west- look both futuristic and historic. ern cultures in his artwork. It wasn’t until James started post- As a small child, James al- ing his series online that he heard the ready knew he wanted to be term “steampunk,” as people began to Key Keeper an artist. He learned to use crayons to call it that. In fact, the use of so many draw before he could use chopsticks to steam machines in his artwork is di- eat. James started art classes at age three, rectly linked to his personal interests: and never stopped. After high school in he depicts the era during the turn of the Hong Kong, he went to the Art Insti- century when steam power was the very tute of Chicago on a scholarship and thing that drove the English Industrial later transferred to the School of Visual Revolution. Now James refers to his se- H Arts in New York to finish his Bachelor ries as “Chinese Steampunk.” For him, in Fine Arts. though, it’s not just a play on merging 22 What you see here are pieces from two types of visuals. It is quite represen- James’s Imperial Steamworks series, tative of himself as a person, his interests which he began working on in 2008. and thoughts. The idea for the project stemmed from Various pieces from the Steamworks his interests and his environment while have appeared in print and have won growing up. awards. In 2009, “Immortal Empress” James considers research critical to and “Imperial Airship” were in the So- his work. He read a lot of Chinese his- ciety of Illustrators show, with the ship tory books before beginning to work on winning a scholarship award. And James the series. He also read about the In- was honored with the Digital Artist 2009 dustrial Revolution in England. He has award for the piece “Night Patrol.” This studied the Chinese Qing Dynasty and spring, another of James’s incredibly in- the modernization of non-European tricate pieces, “Thought Process,” which countries. The Qing Dynasty was the is not part of the Steamworks series, will last dynasty in Imperial China; during be the cover illustration for The WisCon this period of time China was invaded Chronicles, Vol. 5: Writing and Racial by other countries that had already gone Identity, edited by Nisi Shawl. (Check it through an industrial revolution. The out on his website.) foreign powers forced them to sign un- What’s next for this dense and evoca- fair trade treaties and to give up land to tive work? James’s dream project would foreign rule. His home, Hong Kong, was be for a company to buy the series as one of these lands. Since then, Western an idea to be made into a universe for a countries have set the bar for being “the computer game or movie, then hire him

Featured Artist modern city.” The standard of modern- as art director for the whole project. That

ization is basically westernization—as would be one awesome visual world for

China becomes more modern, it also be- us all to explore! n

Court Band Court

http://www.jamesngart.com/

can purchase prints of the pieces shown here: here: shown pieces the of prints purchase can

To see more James’s work and find out how you you how out find and work James’s more see To

Imperial Inventor Imperial

i Imperial Airship Imperial " A Novel of what might have been A Novel of what might have been spirit, love and loss" $4.00 An amazing journey of struggle and Redwood and Wildfire Redwood by Andrea Hairston Winter 2011 Releases from Aqueduct Press — Pearl Cleage teries of their world. struggle to make sense of the mys- intelligent, resourceful characters richly depicted culture in which its Each story opens a window into a These stories span Jones’s career. Short fiction by Gwyneth Jones — of power structures." sociology, and radical analyses in light of real human history, standard building blocks of SF the reader to reconsider the " Jones's sharp writing forces Publishers Weekly, The Universe of Things The , 11/8/2010

The Cascadia Subduction Zone PO Box 95787 Seattle, WA 98145-2787