A Publisher's Note introducing the Afterword describes left-wing intellectuals as particularly "dumb" whereas the ones that I know are both intelligent and informed.
However:
as the footnote already quoted should make clear, this is a parody;
I have indeed read some left-wing, in particular Maoist, tracts that were as insulting to the intelligence as M**s*l's:
"We eagerly await that glorious day when fully liberated Hokas assume their rightful place in the classless Union of Beings even now being forged in our own Sector and that will soon and inevitably liberate our entire Galaxy from the capitalist oppressors." (p. 253)
So I will read on... I will be interested to see whether Sandra Miesel, to name the eminent Anderson scholar as opposed to her revolutionary opposite number, combines satire with some discussion of the stories.
For fictional purposes, should we really see the Afterword as fitting into the same timeline as the stories? I would hate to think of Anderson's and Dickson's gentle Interbeing League being replaced by M**s*l's intolerant Union of Beings but we can console ourselves that the claimed inevitability of its Galactic hegemony is mere propaganda!
9 comments:
I'm not aware of Anderson or Dickson going on record as to whether the M**s*l Afterword should be considered canonical.
Best Regards,
Nicholas Rosen
Nicholas,
I am sure they wouldn't. We're not meant to take any of it seriously anyway! (And it could just as well be yet another alternative timeline.)
Paul.
Hi, Nicholas and Paul!
I'm not sure about Gordon Dickson, but Poul Anderson DID accept Sandra Miesel as an authoritative commentator on his works, WITH the stipulation that he was not necessarily bound to accept everything she wrote. And Sandra Miesel is the author of the only lengthy monograph published in English commenting on Anderson's works: AGAINST TIME'S ARROW: THE HIGH CRUSADE OF POUL ANDERSON.
I think we can, indeed should, take seriously what Miesel said about the Hokas in her essay "The Bear That Walks Like a Man." We need to look deeper, beneath the ironic, satirical surface meaning. The satire in that essay was obviously inspired by the comedy seen in the Hoka stories.
By now, however, Paul has far surpassed Miesel at least as regards quantity. Enough for a book, IMO! Perhaps he could collect and edit his best blog pieces for a book?
Sean
Sean,
Thanks but that would be a lot of work which I either don't want to do or would prefer to invest in something else. I have tried approaching publishers on other subjects in the past. If I got into negotiations with a potentially interested publisher, then we would see what might come out of that. You never know, I suppose.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Understood! Just an idea from me I hope you will consider. I actually have a copy of the only other published work about Poul Anderson: Jean-Daniel Breque's ORPHEE AUX ETOILES. The author honored me by giving me a copy of his book after I assisted him in its writing. Alas, it's in French and I hardly know more than a very few words of French! (Smiles)
Sean
Sean,
Your suggestion is a good one. The modicum of knowledge or experience that I have tells me that I could put a lot of effort into preparing a manuscript that I would not be able to sell anywhere. If anything is to happen, I will have to have some very early preliminary negotiations with a publisher who would advise me on issues like: word count; to what extent I need to present an argument instead of merely summarizing plots with comments; several other considerations that I am no doubt unaware of.
Meanwhile, at least, the sorts of things that I have to say and talk about are out here in the open for anyone to address if they think it can be taken any further.
170 page views by 5.30 pm today and I haven't posted today yet.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Thanks for thinking well of my suggestion. Would you also need to show a publisher a preliminary text or outline of this hypothetical book about Poul Anderson? And of course I agree you would need to discuss technicalities like word count and "how" you wrote the book. I do see how you would need to avoid too much SUMMARIZING of Anderson's works.
Just somthing to keep in the back of your mind! (Smiles)
Sean
Sean,
Yes, I think that any publisher reading this will be thinking, "It's up to Shackley to approach us with a reasonably substantial proposal in the first place." There is a chicken and egg situation here.
Paul.
Hi, Paul!
Of course I agree. Or, a publisher might even appoach you to discuss such a possible book.
And I certainly agree with you in regarding M**s*l's hypothetical "Union of Beings" as intolerant. I would also add it's a totalitarian system. The cant seen in M**s*l's essay reminds me all too much of the ideological rubbish the USSR and Maoist China put out.
If the Hoka stories had NOT been meant to be humorous, I can see Anderson and Dickson coming up with some thing like the "Union of Beings" to threaten, menace, and attack the Interbeing League. And that in turn would have forced the League to, regrettably, centralize power and build up a real army and space navy.
Sean
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