Ask Gene Wolfe

Michael Richman · 12 May 1997, 23:22 · from whorl-v0005.mbox · original

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From: Michael Richman <mrichman at mail.cybernex.net>
Subject: (whorl) Ask Gene Wolfe
Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 23:22:44
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[Posted from WHORL, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]

>From: m.driussi at genie.com
>Subject: (whorl) Ask Gene Wolfe
>Date: Mon, 12 May 97 20:30:00 GMT
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>[Posted from WHORL, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]
>

>In my regular correspondence with Gene Wolfe I asked him if he would
>have the time for a round-table interview (about THE BOOK OF THE LONG
>SUN) by snail mail, composed of questions from the Whorl list
>audience.  He has agreed to this scheme, writing, "Collect some
>questions and I'll proceed to dodge them."
>

>=3Dmantis=3D

Gene Wolfe seems to be very fond of pretenses that turn out to be the truth
(one might almost call them 'True Lies' if one were extraordinarily brave).

For example, Patera Silk thinks he's only pretending to sabotage the
Trigivante Derigible, when in fact instead of cutting off the fuel he's cut
off the lubricating oil, causing the engine to freeze.  Earlier, he plans to
fool the Trigivante general into believing Maytera Mint is alive by setting
a place at the table for her, but by the time the dinner begins he's already
learned that Mint is in fact alive.

I would like to ask him what is his attraction to situations like this?

Michael Richman
380 Homans Av
Closter, NJ  07624
mrichman at bc.cybernex.net

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