Poul Anderson's "How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson" was originally published in this anthology where it would have been read as one of several juvenile short stories, each with a different teenage protagonist. Anyone familiar with Anderson's Psychotechnic League stories would recognize the name, "Adzel," which opens the story although here it appears in a completely different context. A first person narrator refers to his friend or acquaintance:
"Adzel talks a lot about blessings in disguise..."
-Poul Anderson, "How To Be Ethnic In One Easy Lesson" IN Anderson, The Van Rijn Method (Riverdale, NY, 2009), pp. 175-197 AT p. 177.
In this edition, pp. 175-176 are Hloch's informative Introduction from The Earth Book Of Stormgate.
Anyone reading the Technic History for the very first time in this edition will not recognize Adzel's name because this story is a prequel to the earlier published installments.
The narrator, James Ching, uses the verb, "arbite." (p. 178) (?)
James confirms that Adzel was converted to Buddhism while on Earth. (p. 181) (See here.)
I will continue to reread "How To Be Ethnic..." for its details of life in the Solar Commonwealth.
4 comments:
IIRC, Adzel got a scholarship to study on Earth; who was that from?
Dear Mr. Stirling,
Interesting question. Possibly from the Polesotechnic League itself? Or factors working for a member company on Woden saw possibilities in Adzel and arranged for him to get a scholarship. We do know many League companies were eager to get as many competent technicians, scientists, space hands, entrepreneurs, etc., as possible
Sean
Good Morning,
"The League scholarship he'd wangled back on his planet didn't reach far on Earth..." (THE VAN RIJN METHOD, p. 187)
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Aha! I was right, thinking Adzel had gotten a League scholarship. And I would not be at all surprised expenses on Earth would be higher than on many extra-Solar planets. Esp. considering how LARGE Adzel was, and the corresponding need for more food.
Sean
Post a Comment