Werthead Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Ellison's behaviour may have been informed by declining faculties, which doesn't excuse them or some of his other arsehole moments. It's worth noting that in the 1970s he also had a reputation for being one of a very small number of writers willing to stand up to people like Asimov when their behaviour was out of control at conventions. He was apparently known to "Asimov-watch" and physically insert himself between Asimov and young women if he thought Asimov was going to pounce. Again, that doesn't excuse his later behaviour. The 1960s and 1970s were pretty fucked up in fandom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 But -- HE did the same shyte at the same time. 1 hour ago, Werthead said: The 1960s and 1970s were pretty fucked up in fandom. Except HE and Asimov and all the others -- including Marian Zimmer Bradley and her cohert -- were NOT fandom. They were what fandom organized itself around. And I saw MZB too, and it was -- well, gross, like she was this Messiah or something, and her imaginary world was actual and she was the ruler and how dare anyone question anything about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Well the 7th seal is fucking broken when I start agreeing with Zorral this much. Oh, and MZB was who I was thinking of I think last night. Foul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlyaP Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 2 minutes ago, Darth Richard II said: Oh, and MZB was who I was thinking of I think last night. Foul. The child sex abuse allegations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Lots more then that. I'll let you look it up with you want, but let's say allegations is putting it too mildly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlyaP Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 8 minutes ago, Darth Richard II said: Lots more then that. I'll let you look it up with you want, but let's say allegations is putting it too mildly. So, uh, what's laid out in her Wiki page - is that the sum total of the horror? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 13 hours ago, Werthead said: The 1960s and 1970s were pretty fucked up in fandom. The Breendoggle (reluctance to ban a convicted peodophile) is a perfect example of just how fucked up it was: https://breendoggle.fandom.com/wiki/Breendoggle_Wiki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Didn't this really break out in the 1990's? I am not recalling so well, but when MZB's daughter publicly detailed her assault and abuse at the hands of her mother and her gang, it was pretty hard to put back under the pooh-pooh carpet. ~~~~~~~~~~ BTW. today there was a long segment on our public radio station about American Dirt. It was pretty interesting. If there's any interest in doing so, it can be heard streaming here: https://www.wnyc.org/story/american-dirt-and-publishings-problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 2 hours ago, Zorral said: Didn't this really break out in the 1990's? I am not recalling so well, but when MZB's daughter publicly detailed her assault and abuse at the hands of her mother and her gang, it was pretty hard to put back under the pooh-pooh carpet. ~~~~~~~~~~ BTW. today there was a long segment on our public radio station about American Dirt. It was pretty interesting. If there's any interest in doing so, it can be heard streaming here: https://www.wnyc.org/story/american-dirt-and-publishings-problem I think it came out in the early 1990s when there was a civil suit involving MZB but not well publicized. It wasn't until 2014 that MZB's daughter made public her allegations of child sexual abuse by her mother and Walter Breen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Ah -- Thank you! At least I remembered correctly about it breaking -- at least within the community -- in the 1990's. It was in the early 2000's, part of my post 9/11 alignments, that I began withdrawing ... slowly ... from SFFWA. Plus I was living in other parts of the world more than at home, through 2016, so these matters tended to slip slide away from attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kairparavel Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 <sigh> Quote The following books will be on display with their Diverse Edition covers: Alice in Wonderland Romeo and Juliet Three Musketeers Moby Dick The Secret Garden The Count of Monte Cristo Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Emma The Wizard of Oz Peter Pan Treasure Island Frankenstein Each title had five culturally diverse custom covers designed to ensure the recognition, representation, and inclusion of various multiethnic backgrounds reflected across the country. The new covers are a part of a new initiative to champion diversity in literature. https://www.amny.com/education-2/barnes-noble-fifth-avenue-to-launch-sales-of-classic-novels-with-new-covers-promoting-diversity/ Promoting well-known stories of long dead authors instead of spotlighting actually diverse and perhaps unknown authors and stories is so very much a lazy gesture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyoshi Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 13 minutes ago, kairparavel said: <sigh> https://www.amny.com/education-2/barnes-noble-fifth-avenue-to-launch-sales-of-classic-novels-with-new-covers-promoting-diversity/ Promoting well-known stories of long dead authors instead of spotlighting actually diverse and perhaps unknown authors and stories is so very much a lazy gesture. I saw this. People are rightfully pissed. Like... why not just promote books by diverse voices. I believe there's something called "own voices stories." Why not just promote that instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartofice Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 16 minutes ago, kairparavel said: <sigh> https://www.amny.com/education-2/barnes-noble-fifth-avenue-to-launch-sales-of-classic-novels-with-new-covers-promoting-diversity/ Promoting well-known stories of long dead authors instead of spotlighting actually diverse and perhaps unknown authors and stories is so very much a lazy gesture. Maybe just maybe people are more likely to want to read the ‘well known stories of long dead authors’? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 8 minutes ago, Kyoshi said: I saw this. People are rightfully pissed. Like... why not just promote books by diverse voices. I believe there's something called "own voices stories." Why not just promote that instead? Geeze, they gonna put some gypsies on the cover of Emma? How much more stupid can publishing get? Well, look how more stupid the political parties continue to get. Recall how the "communities of diversity" condemned netflix's practice of showing thumbnails for its offerings with 'art' that had African Americans, or Asian, or female figures to their subscribers netflix seemed to believe were of that heritage -- and then the film or series was all white centered characters and matters? False advertising genuinely pissed people right the eff off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyoshi Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 It's actually shocking though. Surely (some of) these books have descriptions of the characters in the story... but if the cover is a dude with a turban, or a chick with dreadlocks... that just... I guess I'm just trying to understand how anyone thought this was a good idea. Like: who came up with the idea and why weren't they immediately frowned on and told "shame"? Who approved this? How did NO ONE at any point in this process think this was a bad idea? It makes no sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyoshi Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 41 minutes ago, Heartofice said: Maybe just maybe people are more likely to want to read the ‘well known stories of long dead authors’? But why market it under the diversity banner? That's misleading and... ...I just lost interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heartofice Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 6 minutes ago, Kyoshi said: But why market it under the diversity banner? That's misleading and... ...I just lost interest. I guess to try and not exclude people who might feel excluded. Feel like there are better battles to try and fight here.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raja Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 9 minutes ago, Kyoshi said: I guess I'm just trying to understand how anyone thought this was a good idea. Because the publishing industry is white. Very white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard II Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Ha, B*N has already cancelled their plans for that. I just saw that now and was going to come in here to ask wtf they were even talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlyaP Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 2 hours ago, Raja said: Because the publishing industry is white. Very white. This is an awesome report, thank you for providing it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.