Announcing Vintage Science Fiction Month!
Posted November 15, 2013
on:It’s almost December. you know what that means? that means it’s almost January. And we all know what that means!
January means the return of Vintage Science Fiction month!
Shiny new stuff is well, shiny and new, and we all love it. But what came before it? Your favorite author happened to mention they were inspired by the writing of Jack Vance or H.P. Lovecraft or Andre Norton or James Blish? Aren’t you curious about how your favorite authors put their own spin on the dying earth and chthonic horrors? To get a little philosophical, by knowing where I came from, I can better see where I stand, and better see where we’ve yet to go. This January, let’s find out.
As in past years, I’ve arbitrarily decided 1979 is the magic year for determining if something is vintage or not, and as in past years I’ll ask that anyone participating link up their review in the Vintage Science Fiction tab at the top of the page. This January, blog about a book or a comic book or a movie or a radio show or an author from before 1979 and let me know about it so I can come visit your blog. It’s that easy. Feel free to grab the red spaceship image above, and use it as a badge-y thing.
That’s just the cake. Here’s the icing:
– I’m looking for guest posters. Lots of them. If you are interested in writing a guest post I want to hear from you! Topics are pretty open – you can discuss a particular book or series, an anthology you liked, award winning books, do a bio on an author or an editor, talk about short story magazines of the time, talk about scifi cover art, talk about a movie or a TV show, talk about a particular time period in science fiction history, even real science of the time (hello, early space program!) as long as whatever you are talking about is Science Fiction/Fantasy or real Science related and is from 1979 or earlier. I want to promote you, your website, and your favorite vintage science fiction.
– Even if you are not involved with Hugo nominating or voting, head over to the LonCon/WorldCon page to learn about the Retro Hugos, and their lengthy lists of works from that time period. The magic year is 1938, and I am still on the prowl to find a lot of these titles.
– Vintage science Fiction month coincides really nicely with the SciFi Experience at Stainless Steel Droppings. Here’s a link to last year’s SciFi Experience post, and keep your eye out for Carl’s upcoming announcement about this year’s SciFi Experience!
Where can you get all this cake and icing?
I’m a huge fan of dead trees in used bookstores. If the binding is in decent shape and the book isn’t too stinky (or sometimes even if it is), $20 can go pretty far in the right used bookstore. Prefer not to buy used? Plenty of classics are still in print, you can easily find Jules Verne, Mary Shelley, Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein at your local bookstore, with that fresh printing press smell. Try your local library as well and interlibrary loan services as well.
Never read anything old, and don’t even know where to start? Scroll through the reviews and links in the Vintage SciFi tab, see what catches your eye.
If you prefer to go high tech, try Project Gutenberg for titles that are in the public domain. They even have a Science Fiction bookshelf (with wow, copies of Astounding magazine!) and a Fantasy bookshelf! Not too shabby, eh?
Interstellar Patrol leaves for stars uncharted in T minus approximately six weeks. there’s a Back to the Future joke in there somewhere, but in the meantime, don’t be left behind (or would that be ahead?)!
got questions? got comments? wanna let me know how excited you are for this?
45 Responses to "Announcing Vintage Science Fiction Month!"
I’m in, of course, and look forward to a focus on the classics to end my two month science fiction event. Very excited that it is finally this time of year so that we can talk about these things.
Count me in on a guest post, would be an honor. And thanks for keeping this alive.
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Eeeep I am DEFINITELY joining! I shall do some thinking about post types after Sci-Fi Month, but I’d be up for doing a guest post =) A brilliant excuse to read some of the older ‘classics’ I’ve been looking forward to.
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[…] you here. You know the question just as I did – what is that next event? Stop over here to find out the details on the Little Red Reviewer’s blog (the Force is strong with this […]
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I will be in your area of space for this event. You WILL allow me to guest post on your puny world web write thing. Resistance is useless. You will hear from me again as this conjunction of existence and event approaches. You shall expect me to adjust your awareness in a way which is worthy of my greatness.
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Oh, meant to do this last year, but got all confused with Carl’s n’ stuff. I’ll try to keep things more orderly this time around. Good excuse to plunder Project Gutenberg.
I’ll happily give guest-posting a go, if you’ll have me. I’ll go easy on the bukkake references, I promise 😉
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[…] 2014. As we have done the past few years, we will be coupling the Experience with Andrea’s Vintage Science Fiction Month which runs through the month of January […]
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[…] 2014. January coincides with Nymeth and Iris’ Long-Awaited Reads Month and Andrea’s Vintage Science Fiction Month, which I think is quite neat. None of them are challenges, but they’re all events all […]
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[…] and Personal discretion recommended) A Reception For James White (1981) via File 770 (photos) It’s Vintage Science Fiction Month Again! (Think I’m gonna decant me some 1926….) and here LI-Con, New Convention, […]
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[…] read the books yet and I have played the games. I’ve tried to match the gaming posts up with the Vintage Science Fiction Month, so you get some vintage gaming posts in January and a look at some of the newer games I’ve […]
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[…] brings Vintage Science Fiction Month. 1979 is the magic year, Project Gutenberg is your friend, and I’m on the lookout for Science […]
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I’m in this year again. I’m exploring Le Guin’s work and think that will work for the Vintage Science Fiction month. 🙂
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[…] Vintage Science Fiction Month – Little Red Reviewer hosts this annual extravaganza every January. All and sundry investigate pre-1979 SF and write about it. There will be all sorts of Easter eggs on this one, and it looks like I will be writing a guest post. (Of course there will be articles here and elsewhere about the era.) Notable this year is the announcement of a retro Hugo award for 1938, so intrepid readers will be digging into whatever came out then as well. […]
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[…] January 1, 2014, Little Red Reviewer will be hosting Vintage Science Fiction month. Any work of science fiction published prior to 1979 qualifies. I know I will be reading […]
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I’m in! I’ve got a few vintage SF books sitting on the 2014 TBR pile…can definitely line a couple up for January!
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[…] in January and runs through the end of February. (Also, they will be adding to the Experience Andrea’s Vintage Science Fiction Month which runs through the month of January 2014. If you love vintage science fiction check out Vintage […]
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[…] Also, Dolce Bellezza‘s Japanese Literature Challenge 7 continues throughout January, and Vintage Science Fiction Month hosted by the Little Red Reviewer has just begun. Then, of course, there’s all the exciting […]
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[…] read this book for Carl’s 2014 Sci-Fi Experience and Andrea’s Vintage Science Fiction month. Stop by both blogs to find out […]
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[…] ends on Wednesday, 20th of November, so if you want to get in a bid on something, now is the time!Vintage Science Fiction Month – Little Red Reviewer, AKA Andrea Johnson, blogger extraordinaire, will be boldly going once […]
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[…] in the last Sunday Spotlight post, Andrea at Little Red Reviewer is up to her awesome tricks again. Vintage Science Fiction Month is coming back around, and I cannot wait! You know, it takes something pretty special to make me […]
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[…] read this book for Carl’s 2014 Sci-Fi Experience and Andrea’s Vintage Science Fiction month. Stop by both blogs to find out […]
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Okay, my one review for Vintage Sci-Fi Month:
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin — now live.
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2014/01/the-left-hand-of-darkness-hainish-cycle.html
Related (early) Post:
Spotlight: Ursula K. Le Guin and The Hainish Cycle
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2013/12/spotlight-ursula-k-le-guin-hainish.html
My post joining you all, also posted early:
Joining: The 2014 Sci-Fi Experience & Vintage Sicence Fiction Month
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2013/12/joining-2014-sci-fi-experience-vintage.html
Thank you!
Hilcia @ Impressions of a Reader
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[…] about the event! Andrea posted about her Vintage Sci-Fi Challenge for next year – go and sign up! We had authors retweeting the event! And another publisher! I loved this photo of Dan and […]
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1 | Lisa (@EffingRainbow)
November 15, 2013 at 8:22 am
I am all kinds of excited for this, and I have sooo much reading/listening/post writing to do! Speaking of which, I spy a copy of “The Case Against Tomorrow” in your pics – I plan on reviewing this. Among other things. 😀
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Andrea J
November 15, 2013 at 5:30 pm
woo hoo! I enjoyed The Case Against Tomorrow, I’m looking forward to hearing what you thought of it. 😀
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