March 14, 2014

Sci-Fi 1: Science Fiction of the 20th Century & Other Wonders

 detail photo by Styrous®


Sometimes my life truly feels like a science fiction novel. I have always had consequences that have materialized because of a chain of discreet and unusual events that led up to them. Change any one of those events along the way and the result would have been entirely different. Speaking in sci-fi-eze, in alternate universes the ultimate outcome would be varied in each as at least one sequence would have been divergent in some way; another 'me' would have done, said or somehow experienced a dissimilar consequence.

What sparked this observation is my purchase of a book a couple of days ago, Science Fiction of the 20th Century, an illustrated history, by Frank M. Robinson. It was a series of four or five incidences that brought me to the store where I found it; each step in the series was something I don't normally do.

I won't go into each detail that led up to the finding of the book other than to recount what the man said when I purchased it, "This book came in just a few hours ago." It was as if the book had been placed there for me to find it; that it was meant for me. I say this because even though I had perposely avoided checking out the book case where it was (I'm trying desperately to AVOID buying things; I'm trying to get RID of stuff), as I was leaving the store my eyes landed on the spine of the book in the bookshelf. My eyes didn't scan the shelves of the case; they fell dead square ON it.

 
Science Fiction of the 20th Century spine detail
detail photo by Styrous®

I was drawn to it like the proverbial moth to the flame. I started to leaf through it and found reproductions of pulp science fiction magazines from the 30's, 40's and 50's; many of which I have in storage and I had completely forgotten about. TOTALLY!

When I was 12 or so, I had my first sci-fi experience reading the novel by John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, a 1951 post-apocalyptic novel about a plague of blindness; it scared me out of my wits and I've been a fan of sci-fi ever since. I began collecting pocket book (paper back) sci-fi novels from the early 50's until the early 70's. Science Fiction of the 20th Century was my reference book come to waken me to long lost memories of times that have been very, very special to me.





Science Fiction of the 20th Century
photo by Styrous®





It was as if someone or something had put it there for me to find, to remind me of who knows how many other treasures I may have stashed away. So, another avenue has opened up for me. Now I have new treasures in addition to the reel-to-reel tapes to offer on eBay. Somebody up there must like me.





Science Fiction of the 20th Century
by Frank M. Robinson
photo by Styrous®



The reproductions are marvelous!







Frank M. Robinson
Science Fiction of the 20th Century 
Collectors Press, 1999,
256pp, $59.95
ISBN: 1888054298 (ISBN13: 9781888054293)


Collectors Press
15655 SW 74th Ave # 200,
Portland, OR 97224
(503) 684-3030


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I'm really curious as to what it would be like to meet me in one of those alternate universes? What would I say to me? I hope it would be, "Job well done."


Styrous©  ~Thursday, March 14, 2014

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