NP but LAST AND FIRST MEN

[David Morris]

For a speculative future historian, having a “Vision” would seem a
requirement. I read SciFi as light stuff between more “serious” stuff. But
really good SciFi can be very thought provoking. And reading stuff from the
30’s can be mind-blowing in how far-reaching and correct their vision can
be.

Let me know if this one is worth reading

On Wed, Jun 22, 2022 at 5:35 AM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:

> Olaf Stapledon wrote a couple famous SF novels
> before Tom was even born...but they have stayed
> in print because they are good and still read, it seems.
>
> I have wanted to read them but never have. I came across
> a copy of them and have opened the one in the subject header.
>
> I wanted to share this definition of "vision" from his intro
> to the original American edition because I often write
> of TRP's vision and ask myself if I could define vision
> if challenged since I too know detailing what Pynchon "believes"
> about real life things is a fool's game. But a vision is not that.
>
> "But visions, if they are to be permanently helpful, must embody
> the whole breadth and depth of experience. They must not be crude,
> extravagant, lopsided. They must be conceived not only with originality
> but with sanity, even if sanity has to take up a new orientation in
> consequence
> of the new vision."
>
> But I only decided to write and send this because of a later paragraph from
> him in his
> earlier-written Preface. Will follow very soon.
> --
> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>