Sunday, 8 December 2024

Winter Solsice

"Tiger by the Tail."

"Winter solstice was the occasion of religious ceremonies followed by feasting and merriment." (p 266)

"'This is the night when the sun turns, remember. A new year offers new hope.'" (p. 267)

This is appropriate to read at this time of year. Can we count this part of "Tiger by the Tail" as another Christmas story by Poul Anderson? On the monotheist hypothesis, the single god knows of, and should surely heed, religious ceremonies on Terra, Scotha and elsewhere. At least, I imagine that he would. Monotheists, of course, disagree among themselves.

Addendum: House move this Thursday. Fewer posts between now and then. After that, a break, hopefully only for a few days.

8 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I never thought before of considering "Tiger" a Christmas story, but I can see the analogy. I usually reread "The Season of Forgiveness" at this time of the year.

And I believe God knows of everything that is happening thru out the universe.

Ad astra! Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

That illustration made me wonder if there were other ways of boxing a paperback set of the Flandry stories:

1. ENSIGN FLANDRY
2. A CIRCUS OF HELLS and THE REBEL WORLDS, in one volume
3. AGENT OF THE TERRAN EMPIRE
4. FLANDRY OF TERRA
5. A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS with A STONE IN HEAVEN, in one volume

Or would number 5 be too bulky?

Ad astra! Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

My suggested number 5 might not be too bulky if most of the illustrations for the Ace Books edition of A STONE IN HEAVEN were omitted. But I would like to keep a few of the most striking of those illustrations.

Ad astra! Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

You and Mrs. Shackley must be very busy trying to get sorted out and settled down in your new home. Hope all goes well.

I've been wondering, should Sandra Miesel's essays written for ENSIGN FLANDRY and A STONE IN HEAVEN be kept for my proposed packaging of a paperback boxed set of the Flandry stories? I'm inclined to say "yes," despite not quite agreeing with everything she wrote.

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

Oh, we can disagree with some of what she wrote! That is part of the exercise.

Paul.

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

Sheila is more practical and organizes most of what happens. I am more theoretical as you can tell from this blog.

Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Of course! And I'm still vexed by her unsatisfactory Technic Chronology, over which both of us have labored, proposing corrections.

Ad astra! Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Well, I'm sure you do your share of simply boxing stuff! (Smiles)

Ad astra! Sean