Friday, April 2, 2010

Bud Webster's tribute to William Tenn

In JBU, #24 (April 2010).
Note: This is the last issue for JBU. I'm not sure how long this article will stay online at link above, but I suppose it'll be there for at least 2 months that a typical JBU issue stays current?

Noteworthy parts:

  1. Some stories named.

    Of the ones I've read among the ones he names, two are especially good: "Child's Play" (download MP3) is in a sort of tribute to Henry Kuttner & C L Moore, & "Down Among the Dead Men" (download text scans as part of a larger package) is an interesting team building story for managers.
  2. I used to think that "Of Men & Monsters" was his only novel. Webster lists another one too, "A Lamp For Medusa".
  3. A few authors named. I've read all except Goulart - had not even heard his name; Webster says he was a humorist.

    PS: Robert Sheckley is often described as a humorist but only one of his half dozen odd stories I've read - "Hunting Problem" (download) - has actually worked for me. Anyone care to suggest a few really funny titles? (I've read that famous story about TV reality show where a man has to escape his own staged killers - that one didn't work for me).
  4. There is a Tenn bibliography at end.
Related: Stories of William Tenn.

7 comments:

Bud Webster said...

Just FYI, Phil Stephenson-Payne is "reprinting" my Past Masters columns at his website:

http://www.philsp.com/PastMasters/pastmasters_index.html

He'll be adding the Judith Merril soon, and the William Tenn as soon as April is over and done with. I'm also going to give him the "Anthopology 101" columns I've written for the SFWA BULLETIN (among other places) one of these days, so he'll have them as well.

The Past Masters column will continue after Baen's Universe ceases publication in Eric Flint's THE GRANTVILLE GAZETTE, where the first piece will be on Hal Clement.

Bud Webster

Tinkoo said...

Cool - Past Masters has been one of my favorite columns at both Helix & JBU.

I'd never heard of Anthopology 101. Will check. I assume Google can find it?

Will Past Masters be freely available at its new location? Clement is another of my favorites.

Bud Webster said...

"Anthopology 101" is print rather than online and covers old anthologies. Currently, it's running in the SFWA BULLETIN. I'm literally in the middle of a three-part column on Terry Carr; I've also done multi-part columns on Fred Pohl and Robert Silverberg.

As far as I know, GRANTVILLE GAZETTE is free, but I'm really not sure. Google will tell you more.

Tinkoo said...

Which makes "Anthropology 101" inaccessible to both me & my readers. So, it's out of the table.

GRANTVILLE GAZETTE is online, but at least the fiction is not free. I'm not really sure if your column will be free access.

Bud Webster said...

Oh, the Antho columns will be online soon, or as soon as I get the files to Phil, the guy who's put the Past Masters columns up. I just need to get off my butt and do it.

By the way, I'm delighted that you like Past Masters. Thanks.

Bud Webster said...

Okay. Phil has updated his page, and the first dozen "Anthopology 101" columns are now available to be read. I'll also mention, just in passing, that Merry Blacksmith Press had published a collection of the columns in trade paperback.

Tinkoo said...

Thanks, Bud. I'll look it up when I get some time.