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Phanny, v. 3, issue 3, December 1944

Page 8

8                P H A N N Y                  8
______________________________

Like Gray, I prefer rhyme and rhythm, although I do not consider rhyme of major importance. Outstanding in the collection are "Oblivion," "The Dreamer," "Morning and Night," "Night Magic," and "The Mad Muse."
THE FANTASY COMMENTATOR #2 and #3; (B+) and (A) respectively. The pleasing format and good mimeography, together with the authoritative comments on fantasy books and authors, put this publication near the top in the publishing and non-fiction categories. However, Searles assumption of the powers of censorship, and his rather boorish attitude toward FAPA activity which lies outside his own narrow circle of interests (which he rather egotistically asserts are the only true concerns of the organization) temper the enthusiasm with which I might otherwise greet each issue of F.C.
   Your samples of the "page-per-book bibliography", together with the one in HORIZONS, have convinced me that the project is both worthwhile and feasible. I prefer the form used by Harry, as being more within range of the members; but I see no reason why either form might not be used, as suited the preference of the reviewer. I'd like to contribute a few reviews myself, but there is no immediate probabilility of that. (Searles probably draws a long sigh of relief, thereat [?]; any reviews I might produce would certainly lack that ring of authority).
   I'm genuinely glad to learn that "Green Thoughts" is not typical of Collier; quite frankly, I consider it tripe of the most insipid sort, only partly relieved by a few clever pokes at the vanity of the reader. I realize, also, that it is impossible to judge a writer by one short sample of his work; but it is too bad that misleading examples appear with such annoying regularity in anthologies. I notice you complain of the same thing in connection with Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural.
   SaM's talent for writing about the "Good Old Days" appears to advantage in "Forgotten Fantasies." Of all the stories he mentions--and I've read most of them--(except those in WT) my fondest memories are of "The Mother." I'd forgotten the title, but the mere mention of it brought back the whole tender tale, as clearly as if I had read it but yesterday. "Crucible of Power," also, awakened a responsive chord.
   A word on your pet peeve. I'll admit that discussions of the why and wherefor of a curving baseball have little to do with fantasy--although the behavior of a rotating sphere in a very dense atmosphere might be a factor in a "heavy planet" story--but discussions of possible future worlds certainly lies within the realm of science fiction; in fact, most of these discussions have developed from ideas suggested in stories by popular authors. My own interest in weird fiction is almost nil; my interest in stories of the future, and in possible "real" futures which may develop from present day conditions, is rather intense. I therefore consider discussions of racial relations, political ideologies, or the socionomic results of technical advances, well within the FAPA field. A consierable number of others, including some who have been members from the beginning, seem to share that opinion. Some of us have, occasionally, found your detailed discussions of the works of certain Weirdists rather dull; but up to now, none of us have demanded that you discontinue them, nor are we likely to do so. Neither, I think, will we discontinue the topics which we like.
   I wonder, incidentally, if you consider Chauvenet's discussion of the Negro question either "wholly emotional" or "wholly theoretical?" Or mine, for that matter; I think I'm fairly familiar with both the Middle Western and the Southern aspects of the problem.
SARDONYX (A) Chauvenet is back! Not the disinterested looker-on, but the keenly analytical LRC of other days. And that is good; very good indeed. I really feared, Russ, that your marriage meant the practiced[?] end of your participation FAPA. No doubt a number of others felt the same.
   "The World of John Bristol Speer" is really, of course, the World of Louis Russell Chauvenet. It is a strange world, and and interesting one, but one which I would not care to share with him. However, were it not for modern hearing aids for the "hard of hearing," I might well be sharing it with him ten years hence; my hearing is not what it used to be.
   "Suggested Ethics For Fandom" rather completely eliminates my previously

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8 P H A N N Y 8 ______________________________ Like Gray, I prefer rhyme and rhythm, although I do not consider rhyme of major importance. Outstanding in the collection are "Oblivion," "The Dreamer," "Morning and Night," "Night Magic," and "The Mad Muse." THE FANTASY COMMENTATOR #2 and #3; (B+) and (A) respectively. The pleasing format and good mimeography, together with the authoritative comments on fantasy books and authors, put this publication near the top in the publishing and non-fiction categories. However, Searles assumption of the powers of censorship, and his rather boorish attitude toward FAPA activity which lies outside his own narrow circle of interests (which he rather egotistically asserts are the only true concerns of the organization) temper the enthusiasm with which I might otherwise greet each issue of F.C. Your samples of the "page-per-book bibliography", together with the one in HORIZONS, have convinced me that the project is both worthwhile and feasible. I prefer the form used by Harry, as being more within range of the members; but I see no reason why either form might not be used, as suited the preference of the reviewer. I'd like to contribute a few reviews myself, but there is no immediate probabilility of that. (Searles probably draws a long sigh of relief, thereat [?]; any reviews I might produce would certainly lack that ring of authority). I'm genuinely glad to learn that "Green Thoughts" is not typical of Collier; quite frankly, I consider it tripe of the most insipid sort, only partly relieved by a few clever pokes at the vanity of the reader. I realize, also, that it is impossible to judge a writer by one short sample of his work; but it is too bad that misleading examples appear with such annoying regularity in anthologies. I notice you complain of the same thing in connection with Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural. SaM's talent for writing about the "Good Old Days" appears to advantage in "Forgotten Fantasies." Of all the stories he mentions--and I've read most of them--(except those in WT) my fondest memories are of "The Mother." I'd forgotten the title, but the mere mention of it brought back the whole tender tale, as clearly as if I had read it but yesterday. "Crucible of Power," also, awakened a responsive chord. A word on your pet peeve. I'll admit that discussions of the why and wherefor of a curving baseball have little to do with fantasy--although the behavior of a rotating sphere in a very dense atmosphere might be a factor in a "heavy planet" story--but discussions of possible future worlds certainly lies within the realm of science fiction; in fact, most of these discussions have developed from ideas suggested in stories by popular authors. My own interest in weird fiction is almost nil; my interest in stories of the future, and in possible "real" futures which may develop from present day conditions, is rather intense. I therefore consider discussions of racial relations, political ideologies, or the socionomic results of technical advances, well within the FAPA field. A consierable number of others, including some who have been members from the beginning, seem to share that opinion. Some of us have, occasionally, found your detailed discussions of the works of certain Weirdists rather dull; but up to now, none of us have demanded that you discontinue them, nor are we likely to do so. Neither, I think, will we discontinue the topics which we like. I wonder, incidentally, if you consider Chauvenet's discussion of the Negro question either "wholly emotional" or "wholly theoretical?" Or mine, for that matter; I think I'm fairly familiar with both the Middle Western and the Southern aspects of the problem. SARDONYX (A) Chauvenet is back! Not the disinterested looker-on, but the keenly analytical LRC of other days. And that is good; very good indeed. I really feared, Russ, that your marriage meant the practiced[?] end of your participation FAPA. No doubt a number of others felt the same. "The World of John Bristol Speer" is really, of course, the World of Louis Russell Chauvenet. It is a strange world, and and interesting one, but one which I would not care to share with him. However, were it not for modern hearing aids for the "hard of hearing," I might well be sharing it with him ten years hence; my hearing is not what it used to be. "Suggested Ethics For Fandom" rather completely eliminates my previously