Get ready to party like its 1959
Posted on: October 6, 2011
I’ve been feeling a little retro, a little vintage, dare I say it, a little classic lately. a few months ago one of my fave bookstores got in a huge stash of vintage SF, and very time I go there I end up buying some. A friend got me hooked on Andre Norton. I discovered two Frank Herbert titles I’d never even heard of. I’m getting really good at the sniff test.
With so much “new to me” classic SF sitting around, and my terrible habit of saying I’ll get to it later (and then never getting to it), I’ve decided January is going to be VINTAGE MONTH at Little Red Reviewer.
Not so much as “challenge” as a way of making old things new again, I invite you to join me.
Brush off your Doyle, unbury your Asimovs and your Howards and your Burroughs. Dig out your Vernes and Shelleys and Blishs.
More details to come, but this January, prepare to party like it’s 1959.
31 Responses to "Get ready to party like its 1959"
October 6, 2011 at 3:22 pm
I’m in. Thanks for mentioning this in advance, usually these things happen last minute. I’ll wait to hear more about it!
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5 | Jamie Gibbs (@mithrilwisdom)
October 7, 2011 at 1:30 am
This sounds pretty awesome, though I don’t think I own any classics *shock*. I just borrowed old, dog eared copies from friends over the years. I feel kind of ashamed …
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October 11, 2011 at 7:42 pm
there is such a thing as a library you know. . . or a used bookstore perhaps? Most of the titles pictured above were purchased for less than $4.
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October 7, 2011 at 3:17 am
You know, January seems like the perfect vintage sci-fi month. A few years ago I had a general January sci-fi month (though my use of the words “sci-fi” and “month” was fairly liberal – it ended up lasting something like a month and a half and included all manner of fantasy, almost sci-if, dystopian, etc.) and since I’ve yet to repeat the experience, this sounds like an awesome opportunity for it. I’m woefully lacking in my sci-fi knowledge… it’s about time I read some of the classics. Great idea.
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October 11, 2011 at 5:41 am
As January is the start of my annual two-month non-challenge, the Sci Fi Experience, I’ll definitely be joining in. I always make it a point to dip into some good retro SF as well as newer stuff. In addition there are some really exciting classic reads being voted on for the first 6 months of next year in the Classic Science Fiction Book Club so there is bound to be a good read there slated for January.
Got my nearly pristine copy of Star Born in this past week. I have read a bit. Am trying to work time in with it in the midst of all of the other reading.
Exciting that you’ve found some good classic stuff at the used bookstore!
I see Farmer in the Sky in that pile. Thus far I’ve loved all the Heinlein juveniles that I have read, and that one is no exception. I’m thrilled because it looks like one of our book club reads (which is always open for new members, btw) next year looks like it is going to be The Puppet Masters. One of my absolute favorite Heinleins. Can’t wait to re-read and discuss it.
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October 11, 2011 at 7:44 pm
The Puppet Masters and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress are my most favorite Heinleins. If I’m not careful, not only is this vintage thing going to blur into February, but it might end up being mostly Heinlein! I just can’t get enough of him.
How are you liking Star Born? which cover art did you get?
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October 20, 2011 at 12:18 am
I got the cover you show in your post. Love it! And yes, I am enjoying it very much.
By the way, here is the group reading schedule for the Classic SF Book Club for January-June 2012:
2012 Classic Group Reads
January- Foundation by Issac Asimov
February- Puppet Masters by Robert Heinlein
March- The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin
April- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
May- The War Against the Rull by A.E. van Vogt
June- The Day of Triffids by John Wyndham
2012 Modern Group Reads
January- Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh
February- Forge of God by Greg Bear
March- Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
April- To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
May- Embassytown by China Mieville
June- Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold
Since Puppet Masters is a favorite of us both I hope I can convince you to join in on a group read of it and/or to read along with the book club. Same with Foundation for January if you are interested.
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October 20, 2011 at 9:33 pm
I am so in for both January and February!! Any excuse to read The Puppetmasters! After that, I’ll have to play it by ear.
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October 11, 2011 at 9:48 am
Sign me up for the Vintage month. It looks like you made some great purchases. Herbert is one of my favorites. I’m sure you will enjoy reading through these classics. One of the good things about classic sf is the length. It does not take long to read them.
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October 11, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Herbert, along with Heinlein, is one of those authors were anytime I see I title I don’t own, I buy it, no questions asked. and no kidding about the length! Was anything more than 200 pages back then? These days, you gotta slog through 700 pages just to find out it’s part of a never ending series.
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October 11, 2011 at 8:38 pm
The only book I remember being over 200 pages was Dune. I put off reading it for a couple of years because of the length.
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[…] What with the Classic Science Fiction Book Club voting on books for the first half of 2012 and Andrea recently posting about her science fiction treasures from a trip to the local used bookstore I find […]
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October 19, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Okay, Carl got me over here and I’m hooked. Since I’m such a slow reader I may have to start Dec 1, but we won’t mention that to anyone, will we? Also, Redhead, here’s a challenge to you: read something by Clifford D. Simak, A. Bertram Chandler, Cordwainer Smith or Christopher Anvil, because I’m guessing – dither me if I’m wrong – that you’ve not read them yet. If you have, huzzah for ya. We do not live by Heinlein alone, as good as he is.
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October 19, 2011 at 6:13 pm
I put my vote in for Cordwainer Smith. Try to track down a copy of his short story collection, Space Lords. It is fantastic.
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October 20, 2011 at 12:19 am
Richard – you are correct, I’ve not read any of them, but I shall! The Cordwainer Smith sounds like something I’d like.
Earlier today I pulled a stack of Asimovs off my bookshelf that would be perfect for January. . . plus some goodies I’ve purchased, plus a bunch of recommendations. . .there is no way I’m going to be able to read all the classics that I want to read in just one month!
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October 20, 2011 at 4:55 am
I’ve always wanted to ask you, Little Red Reviewer — what’s your secret to being able to get through so many books in so little time?!?
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October 20, 2011 at 10:26 am
I don’t watch hardly any TV, I don’t have any children, and I’m very lucky that my job is such that I’m left to my own devices during down time. Whenever I have a free moment, I’m reading. days without time to read are worse than days without coffee.
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October 20, 2011 at 3:22 pm
I’m with you there, watch some TV (World Series is putting a dent in things), read every day, no kids, etc. The one exception is I do spend a good deal of time gardening, but then I read out there too, when it’s not rainy (I live in Portland, OR)
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October 20, 2011 at 3:41 pm
I don’t watch much tv either, other than the NFL on Sunday and trying to catch some of the baseball playoffs/World Series. Castle is the only show we watch consistently and we don’t really even keep up with that. I do end up having the TV on most nights though as we are usually watching things on streaming, like Midsomer Murders, that we can’t get through tv because we don’t have cable or satellite.
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October 20, 2011 at 9:32 pm
We’ve got a little garden on our apartment balcony, but gardening weather here in Michigan is like 4-5 months a year. And I do like reading outside too! hanging with the plants, cup of coffee in one hand, book in the other. . . springtime heaven!
When Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who and Mythbusters were running new episodes all at the same time, I didn’t get as much reading done. 😉
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October 26, 2011 at 11:45 am
and this is a week I’ve gotten hardly any reading done. Spent the weekend with friends, was travelling for work. . . but I’ve got a long weekend coming up. 😀
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October 27, 2011 at 2:19 am
I love the image of your springtime heaven 🙂 My future dream house has walls lined with bookshelves, and books scattered on coffee tables, dining tables, couches, bedside tables, and beds. And yes, the recent awesome season of Doctor Who really put a dent in my studying habits…
I’ve been meaning to check out Battlestar for many years now…a friend told me a long time ago that I’d very much enjoy it but I still haven’t taken up her recommendation.
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October 30, 2011 at 5:32 pm
Oooh, just remembered, I’ve got Octavia Butler’s Seed to Harvest. Two of those qualify, so I’ll save Verne and Wells for later.
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October 30, 2011 at 10:11 pm
This might be fun, and I’ve got a stack of books that may just qualify.
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January 9, 2012 at 8:31 pm
How could I resist your modified cover of Edmond Hamilton’s CRASHING SUNS! I’ll be rereading some of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ MARS novels in preparation for the film version coming out later in 2012.
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the Little Red Reviewer 
October 6, 2011 at 11:32 am
Wonderful challenge! I’m in!!
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