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The Science Fiction Fan, v. 4, issue 5, whole no. 41, December 1939
Page 3
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FAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 "STANLEY WEINBAUM: - AN APPRAISAL" BY AUTOLYCUS What would have been the nature of Stanley Weinbaum's maturity? Did his untimely death cut short a career of genius, a career that would have left an enduring mark on the World of literature, or had he already reached his summit? Would he have gone on to higher and higher peaks, or would he have descended into the valley of mediocrity, having once, from a mountain top, seen in the distance the land of everlasting fame. I never knew Weinbaum and have never talked with anyone who knew him, hence I must rely on the evidence -- surely the best evidence after all -- of the writings he left behind. Actually the written evidence indicates the trend of Weinbaum's thought, the nature of his progress, the goal he set. At once I must mention that I have not read all of his romantic novels and adventure stories, and the comments that follow are based entirely upon his output of science-fiction and what may be called "prophecy" or "philospohy". We must admit that some of the early Weinbaum efforts were youthful and puerile, amusing perhaps to the 14 year old but hardly of interest to adults These had best remain unmentioned and unremembered, relegated to the private limbo possessed by every creative bing. I might, at the same time, barely mention and dismiss a later mistake, probably written under pressure, perhaps only a pot-boiler, but certainly far from a masterpiece - I refer, of course to "The Red Peri". It could well have been omitted from the memorial volume as, in my opinion it detracts from rather than adds to the author's
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FAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 "STANLEY WEINBAUM: - AN APPRAISAL" BY AUTOLYCUS What would have been the nature of Stanley Weinbaum's maturity? Did his untimely death cut short a career of genius, a career that would have left an enduring mark on the World of literature, or had he already reached his summit? Would he have gone on to higher and higher peaks, or would he have descended into the valley of mediocrity, having once, from a mountain top, seen in the distance the land of everlasting fame. I never knew Weinbaum and have never talked with anyone who knew him, hence I must rely on the evidence -- surely the best evidence after all -- of the writings he left behind. Actually the written evidence indicates the trend of Weinbaum's thought, the nature of his progress, the goal he set. At once I must mention that I have not read all of his romantic novels and adventure stories, and the comments that follow are based entirely upon his output of science-fiction and what may be called "prophecy" or "philospohy". We must admit that some of the early Weinbaum efforts were youthful and puerile, amusing perhaps to the 14 year old but hardly of interest to adults These had best remain unmentioned and unremembered, relegated to the private limbo possessed by every creative bing. I might, at the same time, barely mention and dismiss a later mistake, probably written under pressure, perhaps only a pot-boiler, but certainly far from a masterpiece - I refer, of course to "The Red Peri". It could well have been omitted from the memorial volume as, in my opinion it detracts from rather than adds to the author's
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