University of South Florida Scholar Commons Digital Collection - Science Fiction & Fantasy Digital Collection - Science Fiction & Fantasy Publications 4-1-1975 SFRA ewN sletter 39 Science Fiction Research Association Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/scifistud_pub Part of the Fiction Commons Scholar Commons Citation Science Fiction Research Association, "SFRA eN wsletter 39 " (1975). Digital Collection - Science Fiction & Fantasy Publications. Paper 171. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/scifistud_pub/171 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Digital Collection - Science Fiction & Fantasy at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Digital Collection - Science Fiction & Fantasy Publications by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ISSN 0048-9646 SFRA . newsletter The SFRA NEWSLETTER is the official publication-of the Science Fiction Research Association, and is published monthly for the membership. Editorial correspon­ dence should be directed to the editors, Beverly Friend, 3415 W. Pratt, Lincolnwood, IL 60645 or H. W. Hall, 3608 Meadow Oaks Ln., Bryan, TX 77801. Books for review and announcement should be directed to H. W. Hall, Book Review Editor. SFRA membership inquiries should be directed to Dr. Tom Clareson, Box 3196, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691. No. 39 April 1975 A STRANGE EXAMINATION by Muriel Becker, Montclair State College, New Jersey The sixteen students in K 1504-1492-02, Seminar in Comparative Literature: Science Fiction, rejected totally the limitations of the fall '74 examination schedule (Wednesday, December 18, 10:15-12:15, for Classes with First or Only Meeting on T or R at 12:00). A discussion ensued. One month and four days passed. On the assigned date, with the time extended to 5 P.M .• "the ballrooms of the Student Center at Montclair State College housed the sixteen students, their instructor, and their several hundred guests. In Ballroom C, SF films, varying in length from nine to ninety minutes ran continuously; in Ballroom B, SF books were swapped, ali ens appeared througfrut the wi zardry of make-up, dart-l i ke pro­ jectiles aimed at the galaxies, and trekkies wandered "where no man had gone before"; meanwhile, in Ballroom A, Fred Pohl talked about being a "card carrying member of First Fandom," the mentalist Bob Cassidy courted death, and among other events, the faculty guests beat the students in an SF College Bowl. Both guests and the students (despite their ignominious loss) passed the examination. RENEWAL NOTE This is the last issue of the Newsletter to go out on the 1974 mailing list. Those who have not yet renewed should send checks to Ivor Rogers, Box 1068, Des Moines, IA 50311 immediately to insure receiving all SFRA mailings. CONFERENCES AND INSTITUTES ***July 7-25, 1975: INTENSIVE ENGLISH INSTITUTE ON THE TEACHING OF SCIENCE FICTION, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. The Institute will provide a back­ ground in the history and literary aspects of SF upon which teachers can build a course or a foundation for further study. Three hours of academic credit will be offered to qualified students. Enrollment will be limited; no applications will be accepted after June 6, 1975. For further information, contact James Gunn, English Department, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045. ***April 11-13,1975: REGIONAL SCIENCE FICTION CONFERENCE, University of Colol'ado, Denver. The conference will focus on the study and teaching of SF with concen­ tration in five' areas of investigation: scholarly criticislIl, teachinq, libl'ary collections, publication, and discussions with Juthors. (Editor's Note: The SFRA NEWSLETTER No. 39 Page 2 announcement of this conference was received too late to be published in the Newsletter prior to the conference.) ***April 26, 1975: SCIENCE FICTION IN THE CLASSROOM-A WORKSHOP, Ottawa University, Ottawa, Kansas. The Workshop will be led by Bernard Hollister and Beverly Friend. Registration, including a luncheon is $10.00. Registration and queries should be sent to: Horton Presley, Box 127, Ottawa University, Ottawa Kansas 66067. A detailed schedule will be sent to all applicants. ***Rockford College, Rockford, Illinois, focused on the theme "Images of the Future" in their Interim 1975 program Jan. 6-11, 1975. The program featured courses in "Facing the Future: a look at Tomorrow through Science Fiction" and "Jules Verne: Marvelous Visions of the Future - The Earth, the heavens, and the sea." The program also included a play, "Solitaire," by Robert Anderson, which is set in a "Computerized future where marriage has been abolished, life is lived in mech­ anized hotel rooms, and voluntary self-destruction is a citizenls ultimate ser­ vice to the state." SF films shown included Metropolis, Things To Come, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Andromeda Strain, Westworld, and THX-1138. (Beverly Friend and Thomas R. Giddens) ***The third annual NCTE Secondary School English Conference to be held at the Muehlebach Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, April 18-20 will have a program titled "Science Fiction: Forecasts of Human Potential. II Invited speakers include Bernard Hollister and Beverly Friend. (Beverly Friend) NEWS AND NOTES ***The Garland Publishing Company (10 East 44th St., New York, N.Y. 10017) has announced "The Garland Library of Science Fiction," a collection of 45 impor­ tant works of science fiction, selected by Lester del Rey, and including del Reyls Science Fiction, 1926-1976, a critical history of SF. This collection concentrates on more recent books than other available collections. A des­ criptive brochure is available from the publisher. (H.W. Hall) ***Avon Books has announced the following titles for their IIScience Fiction Re­ discovery Series" (SFRA Newsletter #34, p. 5): Robert Silverberg, Man in the Maze; Norman Spinrad, The Iron Dream; Philip Jose Farmer, Inside, Outside; Edgar Pangborn, A Mirror for Observers; Eric Frank Russell, The Great Explo­ sion; Chad Oliver, The Winds of Time; John Christopher, No Blade of Grass; Piers Anthony, Omnivore; Harry Harrison, Bill, The Galactic Hero; Hugo Gerns­ back, Ultimate World; Poul Anderson, Three Hearts and Three Lions; Kenneth Bulmer, City Under The Sea; E.C. Tubb, Space Born; Edgar Pangborn, The Judge­ ment of Eve; Rex Gordon, First On Mars. A new title will be issued each month, beginning with Silvergergls Man in the Maze in January, 1975. (H.W. Hall) ***There is a possibility that Pennsylvania State University Press will publish at least a selection of the papers read at the SFRA Conference held at Penn State, Sept. 1973. (Arthur O. Lewis) ***It is worth $4.00 (prices go up May 1) supporting membership for the Mid­ Americon, if only to get their progress reports. Report #2 begins "An Illus­ trated History of the World Science Fiction Convention" by Fred Patten and covers NYCON, New York, 1939, CHICON, Chicago, 1940, and DENVENTION, Denver, 1941. Material on early conventions is very difficult to come by. Only two conven­ tions have had their proceedings published, CHICON III, the 20th World Conven­ ion, :'12L; ';;1 ChiCaCjO in 1952, and DISCOi'L 21 st h.::ld iil '!Jash'illC)ton, D.C. in ('G3, buth by /'.c!ljent:Publishe~'s J.nd nOI'! out of print. SFRA NEWSLETTER No. 39 Page 3 Patten's research covers the large fanzine collections of Forrest Ackerman, Bruce Pe1z, Donald Wo11ehim, Bob Tucker, and Harry Warner, and the answers to direct inquiry addressed to these men. Therefore it covers a relatively untapped area by scholars. Further information can be obtained from MidAmericon, P.O. Box 221, Kansas City, Missouri, 64141, or Fred Patten, 11863 W. Jefferson Blvd., Apt. 1, Cul­ ver City, California, 90230. (Beverly Friend) ***Greenwood Press (51 Riverside Ave., Westpont, Conn. 06880) announced a collec­ tion of "Science Fiction Periodicals, 1926-1970" in their latest catalog as "in production." The collection is edited by Tom C1areson, and is scheduled for summer 1975 release. The catalog lists fifteen titles, including Amazing, Comet, Cosmic Stories, Extrapolation, Fantastic Adventures, Miracle Stories and Planet stories. Prices are to be announced later. (H. W. Hall) ***The University of Notre Dame Press (Notre Dame, Indiana 46556) has published Structural Fabulation: an essay on Fiction of the future, by Robert Scholes, a critical and theoretical study of the SF field. The book is priced at $6.95. The Newsletter will carry a full review as soon as possible. (H. W. Hall) ***Ace Books reintroduced their "Ace Science Fiction Special" line in April 1975 with two books: From the Legend of Bie1, by Mary Staton, and Red Tide by D.O. Chapman and Deloris Lehman Tarzan. The earlier "Ace Specia1" line of SF books was well received and included some excellent books. SF teachers may wish to watch this line for new titles for classroom use. (H. W. Hall) ***Mankind at the Turning Point: The Second Report to the Club of Rome, edited by Mihaj10 Mesarovic and Edward Pestal. (N.Y.: Dutton, 1974), is a "scientific but smoothly readable analysis of man's long-term prospects II and, along with the first report to the Club of Rome, should be of great interest to SF teachers. (H. W. Hall) ***Dr. Arlen Ray Zander (Department of Physics, East Texas State University, Com­ merce, Texas, 75428), Professor of Physics at ETSU, has prepared "Science Fic­ tion: Fact or Fantasy" an illustrated lecture. Dr. Zander's lecture touches on the probability of extraterrestrial life, communications with the extra­ terrestrial life, and the functions of science fiction. The lecture is liberally illustrated by slides. Dr. Zander also coordinates an interdisciplinary science fiction course at ETSU. For further information, contact Dr. Zander at the address above. (H. W. Hall) ***Due to an editorial error, the review of Bernard Hollister's Another Tomorrow is SFRA Newsletter No. 36, Jan.