Subject: (urth) short story project so far

From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 17:36:38 +0000

Well, I am about 33 percent done with Wolfe's published stories after this
next one, "The Doctor of Death Island" ... I plan on skipping two numbers
and returning to "The Eyeflash Miracles" and "Seven American Nights" after
I consider them a bit more.

I would really like to tear through the 80s more quickly than the 70s, and
it should be possible since Wolfe's time on long novels and series vastly
reduced the length and allusive depth of his short fiction. ... However, I
feel that 7 American Nights and probably Cabin on the Coast in the early
80s marked a shift away from SF tropes to more fantastic ones, which are a
bit less easy to mark "objectively" - some stories might actually have
unresolvable mysteries, though I don't think anything written before 1980
actually does.

The write-ups I feel are least satisfactory are "The Green Wall Said", "The
Blue Mouse",  "Paul's Treehouse" - though I think the garment district
uprising in "A Criminal Proceeding" and mentioned briefly in "Operation
ARES" can explain who is actually rioting in that story, "Hour of Trust"
(what is the name of the company running everything, whose symbol is gold
stamped instruments? That write up gave me more problems than you would
think) "The Island of Doctor Death an Other Stories", and perhaps the Thag
stories.

I am most satisfied with "The Changeling", "Many Mansions" - (those houses
are luring people in and are merely dressed up as familiar, tempting human
houses with mimicry, and might even be planting something, human-alien
symbiotic style, inside people through the strong drink), "The HORARS of
War", and "Trip, Trap" write ups.

I already know exactly what type of essays I will be finishing up on Long
Sun, Latro, and Home Fires, but the rest will take some time and I might
not return to New Sun until the majority of the short fiction and shorter
novels are done.

All considered the project might be close to 2,000 pages or so when I am
done.
Of course it would need hefty revision and citation, but lately I have
considered perhaps trying to publish it upon completion - short essays on
the long fiction in front which would be my own thesis based developments,
not comprehensive looks at all, and the story analysis section after that.
A traditional publisher would never touch it, I imagine, and it would be
far too big for a small or university press, but perhaps an ebook would
work.  Anyone think that would be viable?  Should I even, say, try to split
it in half?  Just thought I would see what you guys thought, as this has
been a WHOLE lot of work, even though I love it.
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From: Greg Bates <gregory.a.bates at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 01:03:36 +0000

All I can say is that I've really enjoyed reading this series so far, and
I'd be all for putting it in a book format!

On Thu, Jul 31, 2014 at 1:36 PM, Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com> wrote:

> The write-ups I feel are least satisfactory are "The Green Wall Said",
> "The Blue Mouse",  "Paul's Treehouse" - though I think the garment district
> _______________________________________________
> Urth Mailing List
> To post, write urth at urth.net
> Subscription/information: http://www.urth.net
>
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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 05:13:33 +0000

Thanks Greg I appreciate it!
On Thursday, July 31, 2014, Greg Bates <gregory.a.bates at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Jul 31, 2014 at 1:36 PM, Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','marcaramini at gmail.com');>> wrote:
>
>> Well, I am about 33 percent done with Wolfe's published stories after
>> this next one, "The Doctor of Death Island" ... I plan on skipping two
>> numbers and returning to "The Eyeflash Miracles" and "Seven American
>> Nights" after I consider them a bit more.
>>
>> I would really like to tear through the 80s more quickly than the 70s,
>> and it should be possible since Wolfe's time on long novels and series
>> vastly reduced the length and allusive depth of his short fiction. ...
>> However, I feel that 7 American Nights and probably Cabin on the Coast in
>> the early 80s marked a shift away from SF tropes to more fantastic ones,
>> which are a bit less easy to mark "objectively" - some stories might
>> actually have unresolvable mysteries, though I don't think anything written
>> before 1980 actually does.
>>
>> I am most satisfied with "The Changeling", "Many Mansions" - (those
>> houses are luring people in and are merely dressed up as familiar, tempting
>> human houses with mimicry, and might even be planting something,
>> human-alien symbiotic style, inside people through the strong drink), "The
>> HORARS of War", and "Trip, Trap" write ups.
>>
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','urth at urth.net');>
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From: Mo Holkar <mo at holkar.net>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 08:00:15 +0000

At 18:36 31/07/2014, Marc wrote:
>Of course it would need hefty revision and 
>citation, but lately I have considered perhaps 
>trying to publish it upon completion - short 
>essays on the long fiction in front which would 
>be my own thesis based? developments, not? 
>comprehensive looks at all, and the story 
>analysis section after that.  A traditional 
>publisher would never touch it, I imagine, and 
>it would be far too big for a small or 
>university press, but perhaps an ebook would 
>work.  Anyone think that would be 
>viable?  Should I even, say, try to split it in 
>half?  Just thought I would see what you guys 
>thought, as this has been a WHOLE lot of work, even though I love it.

I think if it was me I would make it available 
print-on-demand as well as ebook. It's an extra 
chunk of work to prepare the files, but not a 
huge one compared to the project as a whole. (I 
would buy a printed version but probably wouldn't 
buy an ebook version, and I don't suppose I'm 
alone in that.) I don't know where you were 
thinking of selling the ebook, but some outlets 
make it fairly easy to sell POD and ebook versions in parallel.

Either way though you're probably not going to 
sell a huge number of copies, or make enough 
money to contribute significantly to the time 
you'll have spent. But definition of 'viable' for 
a labour of love like this may be quite a low 
hurdle: would a thousand or so sales make you feel it was worth the effort?

best,

Mo

---

From: Mark Lewin <mark at marklewin.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 08:19:02 +0000

+1 for a print-on-demand version for my Wolfe shelf :)

It's been a great series and has really added to my enjoyment of the
stories themselves. Good job, Marc!

---

From: Daniel Otto Jack Petersen <danielottojackpetersen at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:12:28 +0000

Marc, I haven't been able to do more than peruse a handful of the story
commentaries you've posted here, but I've thoroughly enjoyed what I
perused.

I would read a printed book of them post-haste and with pleasure!

-DOJP

On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 2:03 AM, Greg Bates <gregory.a.bates at gmail.com>

-- 
Daniel Otto Jack Petersen
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From: Piotr Szczęsny <neternalz at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:16:10 +0000

If you are going to ship internationally, I'm down for a copy ;). Also
Marc, did you compiled a list of all Wolfe short stories? If you did, could
you share it, would be great to have it and cross off read stories :).

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From: David Stockhoff <dstockhoff at verizon.net>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:31:19 +0000

I'm in the same boat. What I need is a handy Aramini desk reference!

On 8/1/2014 7:12 AM, Daniel Otto Jack Petersen wrote:
> Marc, I haven't been able to do more than peruse a handful of the
> story commentaries you've posted here, but I've thoroughly enjoyed
> what I perused.  
>
> On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 2:03 AM, Greg Bates <gregory.a.bates at gmail.com
> <mailto:gregory.a.bates at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     All I can say is that I've really enjoyed reading this series so
>     far, and I'd be all for putting it in a book format!
>
>
>     On Thu, Jul 31, 2014 at 1:36 PM, Marc Aramini
>     <marcaramini at gmail.com <mailto:marcaramini at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>         Well, I am about 33 percent done with Wolfe's published
>         stories after this next one, "The Doctor of Death Island" ...
>         I plan on skipping two numbers and returning to "The Eyeflash
>         Miracles" and "Seven American Nights" after I consider them a
>         bit more.
>
>         I would really like to tear through the 80s more quickly than
>         the 70s, and it should be possible since Wolfe's time on long
>         novels and series vastly reduced the length and allusive depth
>         of his short fiction. ... However, I feel that 7 American
>         Nights and probably Cabin on the Coast in the early 80s marked
>         a shift away from SF tropes to more fantastic ones, which are
>         a bit less easy to mark "objectively" - some stories might
>         actually have unresolvable mysteries, though I don't think
>         anything written before 1980 actually does.
>
>         The write-ups I feel are least satisfactory are "The Green
>         Wall Said", "The Blue Mouse",  "Paul's Treehouse" - though I
>         think the garment district uprising in "A Criminal Proceeding"
>         and mentioned briefly in "Operation ARES" can explain who is
>         actually rioting in that story, "Hour of Trust" (what is the
>         name of the company running everything, whose symbol is gold
>         stamped instruments? That write up gave me more problems than
>         you would think) "The Island of Doctor Death an Other
>         Stories", and perhaps the Thag stories.
>
>         I am most satisfied with "The Changeling", "Many Mansions" -
>         (those houses are luring people in and are merely dressed up
>         as familiar, tempting human houses with mimicry, and might
>         even be planting something, human-alien symbiotic
>         style, inside people through the strong drink), "The HORARS of
>         I already know exactly what type of essays I will be finishing
>         up on Long Sun, Latro, and Home Fires, but the rest will take
>         some time and I might not return to New Sun until the majority
>         of the short fiction and shorter novels are done.
>
>         All considered the project might be close to 2,000 pages or so
>         when I am done.
>         Of course it would need hefty revision and citation, but
>         lately I have considered perhaps trying to publish it upon
>         completion - short essays on the long fiction in front which
>         would be my own thesis based developments, not comprehensive
>         looks at all, and the story analysis section after that.  A
>         traditional publisher would never touch it, I imagine, and it
>         would be far too big for a small or university press, but
>         perhaps an ebook would work.  Anyone think that would be
>         viable?  Should I even, say, try to split it in half?  Just
>         thought I would see what you guys thought, as this has been a
>         WHOLE lot of work, even though I love it.
>
>         To post, write urth at urth.net <mailto:urth at urth.net>
>     To post, write urth at urth.net <mailto:urth at urth.net>

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From: Mo Holkar <mo at holkar.net>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:13:22 +0000

At 12:16 01/08/2014, Piotr wrote:

>If you are going to ship internationally, I'm down for a copy ;). 
>Also Marc, did you compiled a list of all Wolfe short stories? If 
>you did, could you share it, would be great to have it and cross off 
>read stories :).

You can find such a list on the WolfeWiki:
http://www.wolfewiki.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=WolfeWiki.StoriesListByDate

best,

Mo

---

From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:18:50 +0000

Thanks for the support, guys!

On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 5:31 AM, David Stockhoff <dstockhoff at verizon.net>
wrote:

>>> I already know exactly what type of essays I will be finishing up on
>>> Long Sun, Latro, and Home Fires, but the rest will take some time and I
>>> might not return to New Sun until the majority of the short fiction and
>>> shorter novels are done.
>>>
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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:21:14 +0000

Here is the list compiled from the wolfe wiki with doubled stories
removed and with a few missing ones added in.

X Easter Sunday

  X1951. The Case of the Vanishing Ghost

  X1951. The Grave Secret

  X1965. The Dead Man

  X1966. Mountains Like Mice

  X1967. Screen Test

  X1967. The Green Wall Said

  X1967. Trip, Trap

  X1967. Volksweapon

  X1968. House of Ancestors

  X1968. The Changeling

  X1969. Paul's Treehouse

  X1970. A Method Bit in "B"

  X1970. Car Sinister

  X1970. Eyebem

  X1970. How the Whip Came Back

  X1970. King Under the Mountain

  X1970. Morning-Glory

  X1970. Of Relays and Roses

  X1970. Remembrance to Come

  X1970. Sonya, Crane Wessleman, and Kittee

  X1970. The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories

  X1970. The Packerhaus Method

  X1970. The HORARS of War

  X1970. Thou Spark of Blood

  X1970 Operation Ares

  X1971. Slaves of Silver

  X1971. Sweet Forest Maid

  X1971. The Blue Mouse

  X1971. The Toy Theater

  X1971. Three Million Square Miles

  X1972. "A Story" by John V. Marsch

  X1972. Against the Lafayette Escadrille

  X1972. Alien Stones

  X1972. Beech Hill

  X1972. It's Very Clean

  X1972. Loco Parentis

  X1972. Mathoms from the Time Closet

  X1972. Robot's Story

  X1972. Tarzan of the Grapes

  X1972. The Fifth Head of Cerberus

  X1972. The Headless Man

  X1972. The Recording

  X1972. V. R. T.

  X1973. An Article About Hunting

  X1973. Beautyland

  X1973. Continuing Westward

  X1973. Feather Tigers

  X1973. Going to the Beach

  X1973. Hour of Trust

  X1973. How I Lost the Second World War and Helped Turn Back the
German Invasion

  X1973. La Befana

  X1973. Peritonitis

  X1973. The Death of Dr. Island

  X1973. Westwind

  X1974. Cues

  X1974. From the Notebook of Dr. Stein

  X1974. Melting

  X1974. The Dark of the June

  X1974. The Death of Hyle

  X1974. The Rubber Bend

  1974. Forlesen

  X1975 Peace

  X1975. Civis Laputus Sum

  X1975. St. Brandon (Excerpt)

  X1975. Straw

  X1975. Thag

  X1975. The Hero as Werwolf

  X1975. When I Was Ming the Merciless

  X1975. Tracking Song

  X1975. Silhouette

  X1976 Devil in a Forest

  1976. The Eyeflash Miracles

  X1976. Three Fingers

  X1977. Many Mansions

  X1977. The Marvelous Brass Chessplaying Automaton

  X1977. To the Dark Tower Came

  X1978. Our Neighbour by David Copperfield

  1978. Seven American Nights

  1978. The Doctor of Death Island

  X1979. The Woman Who Loved the Centaur Pholus

  X1979. War Beneath the Tree

  X1980. A Criminal Proceeding

  1980. In Looking-Glass Castle

  1980. Kevin Malone

  1980. Suzanne Delage

  1980. The Adopted Father

  1980. The Detective of Dreams

  1980. The God and His Man

  THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN

  1981. A Cabin on the Coast

  X1981. The Tale of the Student and His Son

  X1981. The Woman the Unicorn Loved

  1981. Date Due

  1982. Cherry Jubilee

  X1982. Folia's Story: The Armiger's Daughter

  1982. Last Day

  1982. My Book

  1982. The Last Thrilling Wonder Story

  1983. A Solar Labyrinth

  1983. Creation

  1983. Death of the Island Doctor

  1983. The River

  1983. From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton

  1983. At the Volcano's Lip

  1983. In the Mountains

  1983. In the Old Hotel

  1983. On the Train

  1983. The Cat

  1983 Love Among The Corridors

  1984 Bibliomen

  1984. Redbeard

  1984. The Map

  1985. The Boy Who Hooked the Sun

  1985. The Green Rabbit from S'Rian

  1985. The Nebraskan and the Nereid

  X1985. The Woman Who Went Out

  X1985. FREE LIVE FREE

  1986. Checking Out

  1986. Choice of the Black Goddess

  1986. The Peace Spy

  1987. All the Hues of Hell

  1987. Empires of Foliage and Flower

  1987. In the House of Gingerbread

  1987. Parkroads: A Review

  1987. The Arimaspian Legacy

  1987. The Most Beautiful Woman on the World

  1987. The Other Dead Man

  SOLDIER SERIES

  THERE ARE DOORS

  1988. Alphabet

  1988. At the Point of Capricorn

  1988. Game in the Pope's Head

  1988. Houston, 1943

  1988. Lukora

  1988. Read Me

  1988. Sightings at Twin Mounds

  1988. The Flag

  1988. The Tale of the Rose and the Nightingale (And What Came of It)

  1989. How the Bishop Sailed to Inniskeen

  1989. Slow Children at Play

  1989. The Friendship Light

  1989. The Tale of the Four Accused

  PANDORA BY HOLLY HOLLANDER
CASTLEVIEW

  1990. Lord of the Land

  1990. The Haunted Boardinghouse

  1990. The Monday Man

  1991. The Old Woman Whose Rolling Pin Is the Sun

  1991. The Seraph From Its Sepulcher

  X1992. The Largest Luger

  X1992. The Last Casualty of Cambrai

  1992. The Legend of Xi Cygnus

  1992. The Sailor Who Sailed After the Sun

  1993. And When They Appear

  1993. Useful Phrases

  1994. Queen of the Night

  BOOK OF THE LONG SUN

  1995. The Death of Koshchei the Deathless

  1995. The Ziggurat

  1996. Ain't You 'Most Done?

  1996. Bed And Breakfast

  1996. Bluesberry Jam

  1996. Counting Cats in Zanzibar

  1996. One Two Three for Me

  1996. The Man in the Pepper Mill

  1996. To the Seventh

  1996. Try and Kill It

  1997. Flash Company

  1997. No Planets Strike

  1997. Petting Zoo

  1997. Wolfer

  1998. The Night Chough

  1998. The Wrapper

  1999. A Fish Story

  1999. A Traveler in Desert Lands

  1999. Has Anybody Seen Junie Moon?

  1999. How I Got Three Zip Codes

  1999. The Tree Is My Hat

  1999. The Walking Sticks

  BOOK OF THE SHORT SUN

  2000. Pocketsful of Diamonds

  2000. The Eleventh City

  2000. The Fat Magician

  2001. Copperhead

  2001. In Glory Like Their Star

  2001. Queen

  2001. Viewpoint

  2002. From the Cradle

  2002. Mute

  2002. Shields of Mars

  2002. The Dog of the Drops

  2002. The Waif

  2002. Under Hill

  2002. A Walking Tour of the Shambles

  2003. Black Shoes

  2003. My Name is Nancy Wood

  2003. Calamity Warps

  2003. Castaway

  2003. Graylord Man's Last Words

  2003. Hunter Lake

  2003. Of Soil And Climate

  2003. Talk of Mandrakes

  2003. The Lost Pilgrim

  2004. Golden City Far

  2004. Monster

  2004. Prize Crew

  2004. Pulp Cover

  2004. Rattler

  2004. The Little Stranger

  2005. Comber

  2005. The Card

  2005. The Gunner's Mate

  2005. The Vampire Kiss

  2005. Christmas Inn

  WIZARD KNIGHT

  2006. Bea and Her Bird Brother

  2006. On a Vacant Face a Bruise

  2006. Sob in the Silence

  2006. The On-Deck Circle

  2006. Build-A-Bear

  2006. Six from Atlantis

  2006. The Old Woman in the Young Woman

  2007. Green Glass

  2007. Memorare

  2007. The Hour of the Sheep

  2007. The Magic Animal

  2007. Unrequited Love

  PIRATE FREEDOM

  2009. Donovan Sent Us

  2009 Last Drink Bird Head

  EVIL GUEST

  2010. Bloodsport

  2010. Innocent

  2010. Josh

  2010. King Rat

  2010. Leif in the Wind

  SORCERER’S HOUSE

  2011. Why I Was Hanged

  2011. Planetarium in Orbit

  2011 The Giant

  HOME FIRES

  2012. Dormanna

  2012 Lithosphere Whale

  2013 Uncaged

  2013 Frost Free

  2013 Sea of Memory

  THE LAND ACROSS

---

From: Nessun Saprà <nessun-sapra at web.de>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 15:34:37 +0000

Good list, Marc. I have some slightly different publication dates in mine (which I have to check again). I am missing "Kid Sister", "A visit from his confidant" and "Dumpster World", though. Since the Bibliomen editions are different, you might include "Captain Roy" and "Seaman" which are only in the 1995 edition. And I am not sure about "Last Drink Bird Head". Wasn’t that the title of the whole volume?

Best, Nessuno

-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Urth [mailto:urth-bounces at lists.urth.net] Im Auftrag von Marc Aramini
Gesendet: Freitag, 1. August 2014 16:21
An: The Urth Mailing List
Betreff: Re: (urth) short story project so far

Here is the list compiled from the wolfe wiki with doubled stories removed and with a few missing ones added in.

X Easter Sunday

  X1951. The Grave Secret

  X1965. The Dead Man

  X1967. Screen Test

  X1967. Trip, Trap

  X1967. Volksweapon

  X1968. The Changeling

  X1969. Paul's Treehouse

  X1970. Car Sinister

  X1970. Eyebem

  X1970. Morning-Glory

  X1970. The HORARS of War

  X1970 Operation Ares

  X1971. Slaves of Silver

  X1971. Sweet Forest Maid

  X1971. The Blue Mouse

  X1971. The Toy Theater

  X1972. Alien Stones

  X1972. Beech Hill

  X1972. It's Very Clean

  X1972. Loco Parentis

  X1972. Robot's Story

  X1972. The Headless Man

  X1972. The Recording

  X1972. V. R. T.

  X1973. Beautyland

  X1973. Feather Tigers

  X1973. Hour of Trust

  X1973. How I Lost the Second World War and Helped Turn Back the German Invasion

  X1973. La Befana

  X1973. Peritonitis

  X1973. Westwind

  X1974. Cues

  X1974. Melting

  X1974. The Death of Hyle

  X1974. The Rubber Bend

  1974. Forlesen

  X1975 Peace

  X1975. Civis Laputus Sum

  X1975. Straw

  X1975. Thag

  X1975. Tracking Song

  X1975. Silhouette

  X1976 Devil in a Forest

  X1976. Three Fingers

  X1977. Many Mansions

  1980. Kevin Malone

  1980. Suzanne Delage

  1980. The Adopted Father

  THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN

  1981. Date Due

  1982. Cherry Jubilee

  1982. Last Day

  1982. My Book

  1983. A Solar Labyrinth

  1983. Creation

  1983. The River

  1983. In the Mountains

  1983. In the Old Hotel

  1983. On the Train

  1983. The Cat

  1984 Bibliomen

  1984. Redbeard

  1984. The Map

  X1985. FREE LIVE FREE

  1986. Checking Out

  1986. The Peace Spy

  1987. The Other Dead Man

  SOLDIER SERIES

  THERE ARE DOORS

  1988. Alphabet

  1988. Houston, 1943

  1988. Lukora

  1988. Read Me

  1988. The Flag

  1990. Lord of the Land

  1990. The Monday Man

  X1992. The Largest Luger

  1993. Useful Phrases

  1994. Queen of the Night

  BOOK OF THE LONG SUN

  1995. The Ziggurat

  1996. Bed And Breakfast

  1996. Bluesberry Jam

  1996. To the Seventh

  1996. Try and Kill It

  1997. Flash Company

  1997. No Planets Strike

  1997. Petting Zoo

  1997. Wolfer

  1998. The Night Chough

  1998. The Wrapper

  1999. A Fish Story

  1999. The Tree Is My Hat

  1999. The Walking Sticks

  BOOK OF THE SHORT SUN

  2000. The Eleventh City

  2000. The Fat Magician

  2001. Copperhead

  2001. Queen

  2001. Viewpoint

  2002. From the Cradle

  2002. Mute

  2002. Shields of Mars

  2002. The Waif

  2002. Under Hill

  2003. Black Shoes

  2003. Calamity Warps

  2003. Castaway

  2003. Hunter Lake

  2003. Talk of Mandrakes

  2003. The Lost Pilgrim

  2004. Golden City Far

  2004. Monster

  2004. Prize Crew

  2004. Pulp Cover

  2004. Rattler

  2005. Comber

  2005. The Card

  2005. The Gunner's Mate

  2005. The Vampire Kiss

  2005. Christmas Inn

  WIZARD KNIGHT

  2006. Sob in the Silence

  2006. The On-Deck Circle

  2006. Build-A-Bear

  2006. Six from Atlantis

  2007. Green Glass

  2007. Memorare

  2007. The Magic Animal

  2007. Unrequited Love

  PIRATE FREEDOM

  2009. Donovan Sent Us

  EVIL GUEST

  2010. Bloodsport

  2010. Innocent

  2010. Josh

  2010. King Rat

  2010. Leif in the Wind

  SORCERER’S HOUSE

  2011. Why I Was Hanged

  2011 The Giant

  HOME FIRES

  2012. Dormanna

  2012 Lithosphere Whale

  2013 Uncaged

  2013 Frost Free

  2013 Sea of Memory

  THE LAND ACROSS

---

From: Dan'l Danehy-Oakes <danldo at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 15:39:56 +0000

Marc,

I think it would be worth shopping it to university publishers wihtout the
novels - "The Short Fiction of Gene Wolfe" or something like that. Yes, it
would be long, but I've seen some huge volumes from U-presses.

On Fri, Aug 1, 2014 at 8:34 AM, Nessun Sapr? <nessun-sapra at web.de> wrote:

> Good list, Marc. I have some slightly different publication dates in mine
> (which I have to check again). I am missing "Kid Sister", "A visit from his
> confidant" and "Dumpster World", though. Since the Bibliomen editions are
> different, you might include "Captain Roy" and "Seaman" which are only in
> the 1995 edition. And I am not sure about "Last Drink Bird Head". Wasn’t
> that the title of the whole volume?
>
> Best, Nessuno
>

-- 
Dan'l Danehy-Oakes
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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:27:51 +0000

Yes, that was the whole volume, Last Drink Bird Head. I will look up
the individual story title.  I had never heard of Dumpster World
before, a mock review of his own fiction, but found it online.  Can't
find anything about "A visit from his confidant" ... what is that and
where is it?  Do you have a copy? Kid Sister is nonfiction so I didn't
include it but will talk about it when I cover "How I Got Three Zip
Codes" as well as the intro to Brian Hopkins Phoenix, which is the
same story told in Kid Sister more poetically.

---

From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:31:07 +0000

> would be long, but I've seen some huge volumes from U-presses.

The novels are discussed with fairly short essays and have some of my
best observations - latro as ares, Skip as sleeper assassin, Number
Five as the only human, Marsch as shadow child, Typhon as Silk's
father, Ben Free as America, etc. I would want it to be a holistic
kind of work.  That would probably only add maybe 150 pages. Maybe
200.

---

From: Dan'l Danehy-Oakes <danldo at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:31:50 +0000

Then I would suggest two volumes, "the short fiction of" and "the novels
of."

-- 
Dan'l Danehy-Oakes
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From: Nessun Saprà <nessun-sapra at web.de>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:44:49 +0000

"A visit ..." is a Mark-Twain-Story, published in: Brody, Ellen; Duffy, Richard (eds.): Readercon 22: Souvenir Book (2011), pp. 65?6. PN me for a copy. Nessuno

-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Urth [mailto:urth-bounces at lists.urth.net] Im Auftrag von Marc Aramini
Gesendet: Freitag, 1. August 2014 18:28
An: The Urth Mailing List
Betreff: Re: (urth) short story project so far

Yes, that was the whole volume, Last Drink Bird Head. I will look up the individual story title.  I had never heard of Dumpster World before, a mock review of his own fiction, but found it online.  Can't find anything about "A visit from his confidant" ... what is that and where is it?  Do you have a copy? Kid Sister is nonfiction so I didn't include it but will talk about it when I cover "How I Got Three Zip Codes" as well as the intro to Brian Hopkins Phoenix, which is the same story told in Kid Sister more poetically.

---

From: Matthew King <automatthew at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 17:00:38 +0000

On Aug 1, 2014, at 11:31 AM, "Dan'l Danehy-Oakes" <danldo at gmail.com> wrote:

> Then I would suggest two volumes, "the short fiction of" and "the novels of."
> 

Book of the Short Fiction, Book of the Long Fiction

---

From: Antonin Scriabin <kierkegaurdian at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 17:05:03 +0000

Is it possible Tor would be interested? They seem to be fans of Wolfe and
publish things like collections in honor of Vance and the Peace reprinting.
Another possibility is McSweeneys. They have published all sorts of
strange, big projects, like Vollman's 3,000 page, 7 volume "Rising Up and
Rising Down". Not sure if Wolfe would be hipster-cool enough for them,
however.
On Aug 1, 2014 12:45 PM, "Nessun Sapr?" <nessun-sapra at web.de> wrote:

> "A visit ..." is a Mark-Twain-Story, published in: Brody, Ellen; Duffy,
> Richard (eds.): Readercon 22: Souvenir Book (2011), pp. 65?6. PN me for a
> copy. Nessuno
>
> Yes, that was the whole volume, Last Drink Bird Head. I will look up the
> individual story title.  I had never heard of Dumpster World before, a mock
> review of his own fiction, but found it online.  Can't find anything about
> "A visit from his confidant" ... what is that and where is it?  Do you have
> a copy? Kid Sister is nonfiction so I didn't include it but will talk about
> it when I cover "How I Got Three Zip Codes" as well as the intro to Brian
> Hopkins Phoenix, which is the same story told in Kid Sister more poetically.
>
> > Good list, Marc. I have some slightly different publication dates in
> mine (which I have to check again). I am missing "Kid Sister", "A visit
> from his confidant" and "Dumpster World", though. Since the Bibliomen
> editions are different, you might include "Captain Roy" and "Seaman" which
> are only in the 1995 edition. And I am not sure about "Last Drink Bird
> Head". Wasn’t that the title of the whole volume?
> >
> > Best, Nessuno
> >
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From: Robert Pirkola <rpirkola at hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 19:53:12 +0000

I also really appreciate the work you've been doing on the short story project Marc and having looked at a couple of the stories deeply and written about them cannot imagine the amount of time and energy it has required for you to keep this up for as long as you have (and hope to continue doing)!  I have actually been making a "book" of your writings from the project, with add-ins of interesting posts from urth list members, for my own personal use.  I have been doing light editing to it as I go along (I am up to your post on Operation ARES, which I coincidentally just finished reading) and it is at about 126 pages in a Word document.  When I catch up to where you are at present, I can send it to you if you want.  In any event, keep cranking away, it is a very worthwhile project and one that hopefully one day can stand next to the Andre-Driussi, Gordon, and Borski books as go-to secondary source material for serious Wolfe readers.  		 	   		  
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From: entonio at gmail.com <entonio at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 01:10:03 +0000

I've been wanting to say something about this since the beginning but only now did I find the time. My first thought was precisely that you should split it according to the type of work. As to the publishing, please avoid the kind of outfit that would make this a $200 edition! If you do end up publishing it electronically, great, but don't give it away for 2c either. This is a beautiful work. 

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From: Gerry Quinn <gerry at bindweed.com>
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 11:42:18 +0000

> I'm in the same boat. What I need is a handy Aramini desk reference!

It could be called 'The Wolfe Short Story Companion' or something. Maybe 
some clever title could be invented that alludes to the companions that 
frequently attach themselves to the protagonist in Wolfe's stories.

- Gerry Quinn
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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 12:14:12 +0000

My first thought was something dramatic like "between the light and the
shadow: the fiction of Gene Wolfe" (implying the undistorted object itself,
but without resorting to "sun" in place of light) but I rather liked the
clever book of the short fiction/book of the long fiction.

Since I have more or less reached the 80s, this isn't entirely off topic- I
actually think the increasing influence of Kafka, while it had atmospheric
impact in a positive way for New Sun, problematizes interpretation of
Wolfe.  It makes the difficulty in discerning absurdity from elision a bit
more prominent. The Borgesian metafiction is easier to identify and more
localized (parkroads, last thrilling wonder story).  The syncretic
fairiefolk of cabin on the coast/friendship light/Monday men/twin
mounds also open up infinite frames of reference - does logic apply as
assiduously as it did in almost everything written before 1980?

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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 12:46:18 +0000

And as I was showering, a great and terrible fear overcame me that I had
written Kefka instead of Kafka once again.  Final Fantasy's Kefka's
influence on Wolfe would problematize reality itself.
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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 02:29:28 +0000

A quick note and public thank you to Matthew King for putting me in touch
with a publisher willing to consider the work - the basic idea is to split
the book in twain, stopping at about 1987, so the first volume, if it is
accepted (let's not get too hasty) would have about half the stories. That
would give me time to work on the second half, which would probably be
slightly shorter.

I am editing the beginning stories extensively now and incorporating some
of the astute observations of the list, so hopefully no one will mind being
referred to by name in the text if I quote them. I am also trying to
tighten up the prose - some of the early stories were pretty rough.  Thank
you guys for all your kind words and support.   I am also very happy with
the pricing options the publisher has for physical and digital copies, so I
am hoping he will accept the draft.  Time to get busy, as some of the
entries need some severe stylistic polish, which I can see two years
removed from their composition.

Thanks again!
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From: Fernando Q. Gouvea <fqgouvea at colby.edu>
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 16:51:39 +0000

I'll chime in with the others: I'd certainly buy the book(s) and read 
them. And probably refer to them on re-reading the stories. I don't 
always agree with your interpretations, but they are always fun to read.

Some years ago, the college where I teach had created a way for students 
to get a little bit of academic credit for taking part in a "book 
seminar" meeting once a week. They wanted faculty participation, so I 
volunteered and chose as my book /The Island of Doctor Death and Other 
Stories and Other Stories/. It was fun, but most of the students thought 
the stories were far too difficult. One came to me at one point and said 
"You do realize that most of these book seminars are /much/ easier than 
this, don't you?" Alas, no, I didn't realize.

The college later stopped the book seminars, probably because they felt 
students were getting credit for very little work...

I hope you will keep at it. I'm having fun, and feel grateful for the 
immense amount of work you've clearly put into this.

Fernando

On 7/31/2014 1:36 PM, Marc Aramini wrote:
> However, I feel that 7 American Nights and probably Cabin on the Coast 
> in the early 80s marked a shift away from SF tropes to more fantastic 
> ones, which are a bit less easy to mark "objectively" - some stories 
> might actually have unresolvable mysteries, though I don't think 
> "The Blue Mouse",  "Paul's Treehouse" - though I think the garment 
> district uprising in "A Criminal Proceeding" and mentioned briefly in 
> "Operation ARES" can explain who is actually rioting in that story, 
> "Hour of Trust" (what is the name of the company running everything, 
> whose symbol is gold stamped instruments? That write up gave me more 
> problems than you would think) "The Island of Doctor Death an Other 
> houses are luring people in and are merely dressed up as familiar, 
> tempting human houses with mimicry, and might even be planting 
> something, human-alien symbiotic style, inside people through the 
> strong drink), "The HORARS of War", and "Trip, Trap" write ups.
>
> Long Sun, Latro, and Home Fires, but the rest will take some time and 
> I might not return to New Sun until the majority of the short fiction 
> and shorter novels are done.
>
> All considered the project might be close to 2,000 pages or so when I 
> am done.
> considered perhaps trying to publish it upon completion - short essays 
> on the long fiction in front which would be my own thesis 
> based developments, not comprehensive looks at all, and the story 
> analysis section after that.  A traditional publisher would never 
> touch it, I imagine, and it would be far too big for a small or 
> university press, but perhaps an ebook would work.  Anyone think that 
> would be viable?  Should I even, say, try to split it in half?  Just 
> thought I would see what you guys thought, as this has been a WHOLE 
> lot of work, even though I love it.
>

-- 
=============================================================
Fernando Q. Gouvea         http://www.colby.edu/~fqgouvea
Carter Professor and Chair
Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
Colby College              Editor, Carus Mathematical Monographs
5836 Mayflower Hill        Editor, MAA Reviews
Waterville, ME 04901       http://www.maa.org/publications/maa-reviews

If you're told about vampires, it's a good thing to be told about stakes at the same time.
   -- Terry Pratchett, in "Let There Be Dragons"

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From: Marc Aramini <marcaramini at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 17:37:10 +0000

Thanks Fernando.  When I started it I imagined it as a bit more interactive
than it became (but I also think I got better at it) - the insights posters
like Craig had on the  metaphysical implication of Maya in The Dead Man,
for example, were astouding. If you have alternative readings to some of
the stuff please feel free to respond to the write ups. The eventual
conclusions I think are "correct" for fifth head and short sun would have
never come to me alone without significant list help.

Back in 2003 or so I taught Shadow of the Torturer to a college class or
two, and I used to teach "The Changeling" and "Suzanne Delage" between
2012-2013.  Thanks to Gwern's little website on that one, they would find
my name right away. (Before the worst conceivable scenario imaginable wound
up costing me that position last December, unjust and traumatic ... and now
I have been sending college teaching applications all over the US, and not
one interview, none. philistines in HR departments.  Believe it or not I
work in a gym now ...  but I do hope to teach college again, as it was the
only fulfilling job I had in my life, unless writing counts.)

On Sun, Aug 3, 2014 at 9:51 AM, Fernando Q. Gouvea <fqgouvea at colby.edu>
wrote:

> them. And probably refer to them on re-reading the stories. I don't always
> agree with your interpretations, but they are always fun to read.
>
> to get a little bit of academic credit for taking part in a "book seminar"
> meeting once a week. They wanted faculty participation, so I volunteered
> and chose as my book *The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and
> Other Stories*. It was fun, but most of the students thought the stories
> were far too difficult. One came to me at one point and said "You do
> realize that most of these book seminars are *much* easier than this,
> don't you?" Alas, no, I didn't realize.
>
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From: Jeffery Wilson clueland.com <jwilson at clueland.com>
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 04:37:54 +0000

On 8/3/2014 12:37 PM, Marc Aramini wrote:
> Before the worst conceivable scenario
> imaginable wound up costing me that position last December, unjust
> and traumatic

Condolences on your personal Oleanna..

 > .. and now I have been sending college teaching
> applications all over the US, and not one interview, none. philistines
> in HR departments.  Believe it or not I work in a gym nowa finished novel?

So can we look forward to a finished Aramani novel?

-- 
Jeff Wilson - < jwilson at clueland.com >
A&M Texarkana Computational Intelligence Lab
< http://www.tamut.edu/cil >

---

From: David Stockhoff <dstockhoff at verizon.net>
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 15:16:08 +0000

The Wolfe Short Story and Companions' Companion . . . ?

Something like that. Cleverer.

On 8/2/2014 7:42 AM, Gerry Quinn wrote:
> It could be called 'The Wolfe Short Story Companion' or something. 
> Maybe some clever title could be invented that alludes to the
> companions that frequently attach themselves to the protagonist in
> Wolfe's stories.
>
> - Gerry Quinn
>
>

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