Driftglass

by Samuel R. Delany

Paperback, 1980

Status

Available

Call number

813.5

Library's review

Indeholder "The Star Pit", "Dog in A Fisherman's Net", "Corona", "Ayes, And Gomorrah", "Driftglass", "We, In Some Strange Power's Employ, Move On A Rigorous Line", "Cage of Brass", "High Weir", "Time Considered As A Helix of Semi-Precious Stones", "Night and the Loves of Joe Dicostanzo".

"The Star
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Pit" handler om ???
"Dog in A Fisherman's Net" handler om ???
"Corona" handler om ???
"Ayes, And Gomorrah" handler om ???
"Driftglass" handler om ???
"We, In Some Strange Power's Employ, Move On A Rigorous Line" handler om ???
"Cage of Brass" handler om ???
"High Weir" handler om ???
"Time Considered As A Helix of Semi-Precious Stones" handler om ???
"Night and the Loves of Joe Dicostanzo" handler om ???

???
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Publication

Panther (1980), Paperback

Description

'Delany's works have become essential to the history of science fiction' New Yorker Samuel Delany is one of the most radical and influential science fiction writers of our age, who reinvented the genre with his fearless explorations of race, class and gender. Driftglass is the definitive volume of his stories, featuring neutered space travellers, telepathy, Hells Angels and genetically modified amphibious workers. 'Delany's books interweave science fiction with histories of race, sexuality and control. In so doing, he gives readers fiction that reflects and explores the social truths of our world' The New York Times

User reviews

LibraryThing member Murphy-Jacobs
Of course, this book comes with a story.

1982, junior year of high school, my SF and fantasy reading expanding out in desperation from the serious traumas of my life. This book lived in a particular set of shelves in the middle of my school's "media center". I remember that the cover caught my
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attention. I picked it up and started reading. I fell right into the first story, sensing a level of experiences and ideas new to me, so new they were guaranteed to take me out of my own life for a while. I checked it out.

I read the book in a few days, then reread it. And, in time, I returned it to the library.

Cut to a few months later, just before the end of the school year. I returned to that spot in the library, that particular shelf, and that book. I'd combed my favorite used and new stores without finding a copy, but I knew I had to have that book. I needed to be able to get back into that world, all those worlds, all those places that hinted at things I wanted, needed, couldn't get at 17 years old living in a small town in Florida. I'd already hunted down other Delany books by then, but I had to have this one. So I opened the cover and checked the list in the back -- this was before bar codes and computer tracking, in the dark ages -- and the list had no dates stamped in it since I'd checked it out last. In fact, I was the only person to check it out in two years, and only one other person had checked it out before me. So I checked it out again. And, after my two weeks were up, I reported it lost. I paid the $5.00 fine. I put it on my shelf.

I still have that copy. I feel no guilt about it. That's how much I wanted it.
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LibraryThing member figre
I’d forgotten how great this collection is.

I’m guessing I read this first while in high school, and I recall revisiting it a number of times. But, eventually, it fell somewhere in the library and I got involved in reading other things. Then, recently, something reminded me of “Time Considered
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as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones” and I picked up this volume to re-read it. Interestingly, as I read “Time…” I realized that wasn’t the story I was remembering; I was recalling “Aye, and Gomorrah”. Which I then re-read. But then, I remembered “Driftglass” and had to read that. And by then, I was re-reading the entire collection because, as I said, I’d forgotten just how good this collection is.

If you haven’t read Delany’s short fiction, this is the place to start. And if you have, then this collection is still a wonderful synopsis of some of his finest early writing. “Time…” and “Aye, and Gomorrah” are both Nebula award winners, and “Time…” is a Hugo winner. And, I’m not sure how some of the others didn’t win also. All these stories combine to present an interesting picture of alienation and fear/handling of change. That is not to say they are connected stories (in fact, there is little linking them except some themes and the author) but, as a whole they explore similar subjects. In particular, exploring alienness, whether it be external or internal. There are more exhaustive and later collections of Delany’s work, but this is a great short collection that has few weak spots.
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LibraryThing member clong
An interesting collection of stories from the always ambitous pen of Samuel Delany. Some of these stories read almost like sketches for Dhalgren, most obviously the Angels in "We, in Some Strange Power's Employ, Move on a Rigorous Line," and the party scene in "Time Considered as a Helix of
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Semi-Precious Stones." Bellona shows up as a place name in a couple of them as well. Another example which seems to point to Delany working through different variations on a concept can be seen in almost identical discussions about holographs in two of the stories included here, "High Weir" and "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones." Delany's writing is at times dense, at other times almost lyrical. He frequently plumbs the most intimate thoughts of his characters. My favorites from the collection were "The Star Pit," "Dog in a Fisherman's Net," "Corona," and "We, in Some Strange Power's Employ, Move on a Rigorous Line." "Aye, and Gomorrah," one of Delany's most famous stories, has never done much for me.
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LibraryThing member mrgan
Trippy and florid like Bradbury at his purplest, with notes of Vonnegut's impatient shouting at the page. Delany's voice is memorable and his themes and details lovely, though the plots meander without delivering, and the humor is often too on-the-nose.
LibraryThing member quondame
Very interesting stories.

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1971 (collection)
1967 (short story)

Physical description

320 p.; 17.6 cm

ISBN

0586049169 / 9780586049167

Local notes

Omslag: Chris Foss
Omslaget viser to store rumskibe, der krydser hinandens spor
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi

Pages

320

Library's rating

Rating

(75 ratings; 4)

DDC/MDS

813.5
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