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Fanfare, v. 1, issue 3, August 1940
Page 11
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FANFARE LOUIS RUSSELL CHAUVENET by Earl Singleton (Second in a series of informal biographical sketches of the Strangers) One of the best known fansthe STranger Club can boast, Russell has been moderately fanactive for about the last three years, publishing in Spaceways, Cosmic Tales, and Le Vombiteur. Just recently he has brought out his own magazine, Detours, which has apparently achieved immediate success. To appear monthly until at least June, 1942, from now on Detours will constitute one of Russell's chief contributions to fandom. Like most fans, Russell became interested in Sf. at an early age. It was the old Amazing that did it. When he was eleven years old, in an open admiration--unsuccessfully discouraged by parents, teachers, and friends--for the Vorkuls in Skylark Smitty's Spacehounds of the I.P.C. Russell now has a large collection of Astounding, Amazing, and Wonder, but lately his interest in the pro mags has been lagging. About a year ago he almost quit them compeltely; and today, only Astounding and Unknown are coming through with his money's worth. What is Russell like? Well, he's about five feet eleven inches tall, weighs perhaps 160 pounds, wears glasses, has dark brown hair cut in almost regulation crew style, is very good looking, has a taste for green ink and multicolor hektographing, likes: quiet clothes, all board games, pingpong, tennis, softball, sailing, model boats, swimming, anagrams, Golden Book, olives, and Sf. better than fantasy; dislikes: cheese, jello, war, jail (he's been there), James Joyce, and Gertrude Stein. And here are some of his comments on a few Sf. writers: "I am prejudiced in favor of anyone who realizes the brotherhood of man and takes a cosmopolitan, humanistic view. H.G. Wells has this broad vision. His writings are in no way extraordinary as writing, but they have unlimited imaginative appeal. The outlines of his stories are solid enough to satisfy a hasty reading for amusement--yet there are sketches, suggestions, and ideas enough to provide much food for speculation. The Door in the Wall, for example, poses a far more interesting question than The Lady or the Tiger. I like Wells equally as a science-fiction writer and as a social prophet and interpreter...(Russell characterises the "classics" as being superior to most of the present day Sf., and then goes on)...Only Don A. Stuart has written stories I'd rank with the classics. Some of the new boys--L. Sprague de Camp in particular---write amusing stuff, but it doesn't have depth and validity. Heinlein's If This Goes On is a good example. The structure of the dictatorship is not satisfactorily explained. The revolution succeeds too easily, and the very ancient idea of 'Land Battleships' is farcical...I think Olaf Stapleton; although he tends to tediousness on occasion, this is a minor defect. Particularly is Star Maker interesting for discussions of other types of life...Stuart at his best (in Forgetfulness) writes with a clear, cold economy of words, carrying an impressive theme to a forceful conclusion. This is not at all true of J.W.C.'s super-epics, which are overdone. ..John Taine has a smooth semi-poetic style (e.g., in The Time Stream and The Purple Sapphire). He can also write with commendable succinctness of action. This pecular combination of aesthetic and blood-and---thunder values, when just right, is splendid; but when not, is horrible (Tomorrow)...Stanton A. Coblentz has perhaps overdone his 'satire', but
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FANFARE LOUIS RUSSELL CHAUVENET by Earl Singleton (Second in a series of informal biographical sketches of the Strangers) One of the best known fansthe STranger Club can boast, Russell has been moderately fanactive for about the last three years, publishing in Spaceways, Cosmic Tales, and Le Vombiteur. Just recently he has brought out his own magazine, Detours, which has apparently achieved immediate success. To appear monthly until at least June, 1942, from now on Detours will constitute one of Russell's chief contributions to fandom. Like most fans, Russell became interested in Sf. at an early age. It was the old Amazing that did it. When he was eleven years old, in an open admiration--unsuccessfully discouraged by parents, teachers, and friends--for the Vorkuls in Skylark Smitty's Spacehounds of the I.P.C. Russell now has a large collection of Astounding, Amazing, and Wonder, but lately his interest in the pro mags has been lagging. About a year ago he almost quit them compeltely; and today, only Astounding and Unknown are coming through with his money's worth. What is Russell like? Well, he's about five feet eleven inches tall, weighs perhaps 160 pounds, wears glasses, has dark brown hair cut in almost regulation crew style, is very good looking, has a taste for green ink and multicolor hektographing, likes: quiet clothes, all board games, pingpong, tennis, softball, sailing, model boats, swimming, anagrams, Golden Book, olives, and Sf. better than fantasy; dislikes: cheese, jello, war, jail (he's been there), James Joyce, and Gertrude Stein. And here are some of his comments on a few Sf. writers: "I am prejudiced in favor of anyone who realizes the brotherhood of man and takes a cosmopolitan, humanistic view. H.G. Wells has this broad vision. His writings are in no way extraordinary as writing, but they have unlimited imaginative appeal. The outlines of his stories are solid enough to satisfy a hasty reading for amusement--yet there are sketches, suggestions, and ideas enough to provide much food for speculation. The Door in the Wall, for example, poses a far more interesting question than The Lady or the Tiger. I like Wells equally as a science-fiction writer and as a social prophet and interpreter...(Russell characterises the "classics" as being superior to most of the present day Sf., and then goes on)...Only Don A. Stuart has written stories I'd rank with the classics. Some of the new boys--L. Sprague de Camp in particular---write amusing stuff, but it doesn't have depth and validity. Heinlein's If This Goes On is a good example. The structure of the dictatorship is not satisfactorily explained. The revolution succeeds too easily, and the very ancient idea of 'Land Battleships' is farcical...I think Olaf Stapleton; although he tends to tediousness on occasion, this is a minor defect. Particularly is Star Maker interesting for discussions of other types of life...Stuart at his best (in Forgetfulness) writes with a clear, cold economy of words, carrying an impressive theme to a forceful conclusion. This is not at all true of J.W.C.'s super-epics, which are overdone. ..John Taine has a smooth semi-poetic style (e.g., in The Time Stream and The Purple Sapphire). He can also write with commendable succinctness of action. This pecular combination of aesthetic and blood-and---thunder values, when just right, is splendid; but when not, is horrible (Tomorrow)...Stanton A. Coblentz has perhaps overdone his 'satire', but
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