Great summary - when you mentioned science fiction began to become more mainstream - that was reflected in architecture, kitchen appliances and American motor cars - with fins on the back etc. then a little later the 'cold war' affected the tone of many stories too. I was born in the mid forties & started reading SF in the mid to late fifties.
I tweeted about this video on my @Cultdom account and the 'video image' brings up a 'possible' sensitive image (people need to click to see it) Yet, as you know it's simply a robot sitting on an alien world reading a magazine!
Fantastic video! I'm a big fan of Mike Ashley's books, as well as Sam Moskowitz. I tend to go by the July '39 issue of Astounding as launching the Golden Age ... HOWEVER, not that everything changed overnight with that issue. If course, things were slowly changing, and the true line in the sand is wide, and fuzzy around the edges. But I DO like having a definite edge, so I lean towards the controversial consensus that July '39 was a defendable turning point. Being a 1955 kid, Movies like "The Time Machine" and TV shows like The Time Tunnel drew me towards science fiction, but it was probably Star Trek that made me a true SF fan. As far as reading, my personal Golden Age WAS twelve! I was 12 in the summer 1968 when I bought the paperback of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Shortly after that, I got a big boxed paperback set of Ray Bradbury. Around that time, I started haunting the science fiction sections of local book stores and my collection began in ernest. I am overjoyed to see you settling into the new digs and returning to robust BookTube videos. I'm still looking forward to the return of the human skull on the shelf. Thanks, Shawn!
Thanks. Glad you liked the video. I tend to agree re That issue being the start but as I get older the edges begin to get fuzzier it seems. For a bit of visual feast check out the live I did with Mark earlier. At the 2hr mark I show off some interesting things.
Nice to see you again Shawn! I can’t wait to see all the details about the way in which you’ll arrange your new library! Specially your massive Science Fiction Collection! I wonder if the generalized apocalyptic views of history related to the approaching end of the millennium had anything to do with this burst of creativity.
I also think that the reality shock of the forties is probably the reason why philosophical writing about technology came back hard as science fiction faded away…
Terrific stuff, Shawn! I watched every minute and it seemed to fly by. I always confuse Asimov's "Nightfall" and Campbell's "Night" in my head. Both great stories though. And The Martian Odyssey was indeed an early gem -- particularly that ostrich-like character, whatever it was called. I'd stick with the BS rule, except I've gotta have my Stephen Baxter and Gene Wolfe! 😁 Thanks for the video, and have a good one!
Great video. I agree with you on the bs. I remember reading an interview about the golden age of the late 30s to late 40s when all the new great science fiction writers were publishing their stories in Astounding with the exceptions of Bradbury and Pohl. E. E. Smith's prose in the Lensmen stories improved and elevated it to a great series under the editorship of Campbell.
What a great video! I pretty well agree with you about the new wave of science fiction. I don't love it as a whole, but there are definitely some gems. I like some of Silverberg's new wave stuff and Farmer has some excellent stuff as well. I will be trying Delaney this year, but Dhalgren will have to wait awhile. Haha! Excellent, well articulated video, Shawn. This is going in my science fiction playlist! Scott.
Thank you,❣ I learned a lot. Catching up on videos now :-)
Cool. Nice to see you back. Glad you enjoyed the video and learned something from it.
Yes I agree it is good to have you back in your normal abnormal way
Thank you.
I consider myself a student of science fiction, always trying to learn more. Your videos are so valuable. Welcome back Shawn and thanks for the video.
Thank you. It is fun to be making videos again. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
This was great. I learned a lot. Thanks Shawn.
Thanks Mark. Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Shawn! You are looking and sounding a lot better. Hopefully you are healing up.
Thanks. I have a few hours when I am rested. I wish they'd last longer though.
Great summary - when you mentioned science fiction began to become more mainstream - that was reflected in architecture, kitchen appliances and American motor cars - with fins on the back etc. then a little later the 'cold war' affected the tone of many stories too. I was born in the mid forties & started reading SF in the mid to late fifties.
I tweeted about this video on my @Cultdom account and the 'video image' brings up a 'possible' sensitive image (people need to click to see it) Yet, as you know it's simply a robot sitting on an alien world reading a magazine!
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Bizarre that the image brings up a warning. I suppose naked robots are a no, no.
Hey hey!! It's great to see a video from you Shawn!! ❤❤
Awesome video: Golden age indeed! Love some of the writers: Clifford D.Simak, Issac Asimov!! Been reading a short story every night before bed!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Awesome video!
Fantastic video! I'm a big fan of Mike Ashley's books, as well as Sam Moskowitz. I tend to go by the July '39 issue of Astounding as launching the Golden Age ... HOWEVER, not that everything changed overnight with that issue. If course, things were slowly changing, and the true line in the sand is wide, and fuzzy around the edges. But I DO like having a definite edge, so I lean towards the controversial consensus that July '39 was a defendable turning point.
Being a 1955 kid, Movies like "The Time Machine" and TV shows like The Time Tunnel drew me towards science fiction, but it was probably Star Trek that made me a true SF fan. As far as reading, my personal Golden Age WAS twelve! I was 12 in the summer 1968 when I bought the paperback of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Shortly after that, I got a big boxed paperback set of Ray Bradbury. Around that time, I started haunting the science fiction sections of local book stores and my collection began in ernest.
I am overjoyed to see you settling into the new digs and returning to robust BookTube videos. I'm still looking forward to the return of the human skull on the shelf. Thanks, Shawn!
Thanks. Glad you liked the video. I tend to agree re That issue being the start but as I get older the edges begin to get fuzzier it seems.
For a bit of visual feast check out the live I did with Mark earlier. At the 2hr mark I show off some interesting things.
Nice to see you again Shawn!
I can’t wait to see all the details about the way in which you’ll arrange your new library! Specially your massive Science Fiction Collection!
I wonder if the generalized apocalyptic views of history related to the approaching end of the millennium had anything to do with this burst of creativity.
I also think that the reality shock of the forties is probably the reason why philosophical writing about technology came back hard as science fiction faded away…
Thanks Grix. Hopefully by spring/summer I'll have things sorted.
Terrific stuff, Shawn! I watched every minute and it seemed to fly by. I always confuse Asimov's "Nightfall" and Campbell's "Night" in my head. Both great stories though. And The Martian Odyssey was indeed an early gem -- particularly that ostrich-like character, whatever it was called. I'd stick with the BS rule, except I've gotta have my Stephen Baxter and Gene Wolfe! 😁 Thanks for the video, and have a good one!
Thanks Bryan. Glad you enjoyed it. There's always exceptions to rules, even BS.
Great video. I agree with you on the bs. I remember reading an interview about the golden age of the late 30s to late 40s when all the new great science fiction writers were publishing their stories in Astounding with the exceptions of Bradbury and Pohl. E. E. Smith's prose in the Lensmen stories improved and elevated it to a great series under the editorship of Campbell.
Yes, I did mean to mention Smith specifically and Simak in the sense they were two that improved from the help of Campbell.
What a great video! I pretty well agree with you about the new wave of science fiction. I don't love it as a whole, but there are definitely some gems. I like some of Silverberg's new wave stuff and Farmer has some excellent stuff as well. I will be trying Delaney this year, but Dhalgren will have to wait awhile. Haha!
Excellent, well articulated video, Shawn. This is going in my science fiction playlist!
Scott.
Thanks Scott.
Super enjoyable ...
Thank you.
great video
Thanks Bill.
"I like BS." Agreed.
Great. Maybe it will catch on and I'll be immortalised lol