James E. Gunn (1923–2020)
Auteur de The Listeners
A propos de l'auteur
Séries
Œuvres de James E. Gunn
The Best of Astounding: Classic Short Novels from the Golden Age of Science Fiction (1992) 22 exemplaires
The Listeners [short fiction] 6 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 45, No. 9 & 10 [September/October 2021] (2021) — Contributeur — 6 exemplaires
Introduction to Nebula Award Stories 10 5 exemplaires
Feeding Time [short story] 4 exemplaires
Kindergarten 4 exemplaires
Academic Viewpoint by James Gunn 3 exemplaires
The Old Folks [short fiction] 3 exemplaires
The Misogynist 2 exemplaires
Tsylana 2 exemplaires
The North Wind 2 exemplaires
The Giftie 2 exemplaires
The End-of-the-World Ball 2 exemplaires
Guilt 2 exemplaires
Breaking Point [short story] 2 exemplaires
Wherever you may be 2 exemplaires
The Beautiful Brew 2 exemplaires
A Monster Named Smith {short story} 2 exemplaires
Progetto Stelle 2 exemplaires
The Reluctant Witch 2 exemplaires
Crisis: Annihilation 2 exemplaires
Return From The Stars 1 exemplaire
The Boy With Five Fingers 1 exemplaire
DMZ & Eric Solstein present John W. Campbell's Golden Age of Science Fiction featuring Lunch with John W. Campbell… 1 exemplaire
In Our Stars 1 exemplaire
Singular Days 1 exemplaire
Reclaiming The Stars 1 exemplaire
Quantum Theory 1 exemplaire
Road to Science Fiction, The 1 exemplaire
If I Forget Thee {novella} 1 exemplaire
Tales from the Spaceship Geoffrey 1 exemplaire
The Final Commandment: Trey's Story 1 exemplaire
Patterns 1 exemplaire
The Voices 1 exemplaire
Consciousness: 4107's Story 1 exemplaire
The Escape of the Adastra: Asha's Story 1 exemplaire
Transcendental Mission: Riley's Story 1 exemplaire
Weighty Matters: Tordor's Story 1 exemplaire
Arriving at Terminal: Xi's Story 1 exemplaire
The Ganymede Gambit: Jan's Story 1 exemplaire
Attack On Terminal: The Pilgrim's Story 1 exemplaire
The Waiting Room: The Pedia's Story 1 exemplaire
Against The Stars 1 exemplaire
"Space is a Lonely Place" (in The End of the Dreams) 1 exemplaire
THE TARNISHED LADY 1 exemplaire
The War of the Worlds 1 exemplaire
This Fortress World 1 exemplaire
(Halcón 52) Estación espacial 1 exemplaire
La estación espacial 1 exemplaire
Oltre l'ignoto (Transcendental Trilogy, #1) 1 exemplaire
The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, #1-3) 1 exemplaire
Fury 1 exemplaire
A Word For Freedom 1 exemplaire
Ghost Fleet; Fondly 1 exemplaire
The Slaves Of Venus 1 exemplaire
"The Power and the Glory" (in Breaking Point) 1 exemplaire
Green Thumb 1 exemplaire
"The Man Who Owned Tomorrow" (in Breaking Point) 1 exemplaire
"Teddy Bear" (in Breaking Point) 1 exemplaire
"Cinderella Story" (in Breaking Point) 1 exemplaire
Machine a bonheur -la #50 1 exemplaire
The Immortals 1 exemplaire
Survival Policy 1 exemplaire
Witches Must Burn 1 exemplaire
The Girls Who Were Really Built 1 exemplaire
Everyday Is Christmas 1 exemplaire
Skin Game 1 exemplaire
The Stilled Patter 1 exemplaire
Little Orphan Android 1 exemplaire
The Last Word 1 exemplaire
"The Joy Ride" (in The End of the Dreams) 1 exemplaire
Trial By Fire 1 exemplaire
Uncreated Night and Strange Shadows 1 exemplaire
The Sun Came Up Last Night! 1 exemplaire
Elixir 1 exemplaire
Amoung the Beautiful Bright Children 1 exemplaire
The Futurist 1 exemplaire
Man of Parts 1 exemplaire
The Gingerbread Man 1 exemplaire
The Day the Magic Came Back 1 exemplaire
The Lens of Time 1 exemplaire
"On Style" (in Those Who Can) 1 exemplaire
Open Warfare 1 exemplaire
Witch Hunt 1 exemplaire
Oeuvres associées
Mapping the World of Harry Potter: An Unauthorized Exploration of the Bestselling Fantasy Series of All Time (2005) — Contributeur — 320 exemplaires
Taking the Red Pill: Science, Philosophy and Religion in The Matrix (2003) — Contributeur — 301 exemplaires
Thunder and Roses: Volume IV: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon (1997) — Introduction, quelques éditions — 192 exemplaires
Gateways: A Feast of Great New Science Fiction Honoring Grand Master Frederik Pohl (2010) — Contributeur — 95 exemplaires
Nebula Awards 30: SFWA's Choices For The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Of The Year (Nebula Awards Showcase) (1980) — Contributeur — 86 exemplaires
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVII, No. 3 (March 1977) (1977) — Contributeur — 28 exemplaires
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCV, No. 6 (June 1975) (1975) — Contributeur — 21 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 41, No. 11 & 12 [November/December 2017] (2017) — Contributeur — 20 exemplaires
Envisioning the Future: Science Fiction and the Next Millennium (2003) — Contributeur — 19 exemplaires
King Kong Is Back!: An Unauthorized Look at One Humongous Ape! (Smart Pop series) (2005) — Contributeur — 18 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 41, No. 9 & 10 [September/October 2017] (2017) — Contributeur — 17 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 42, No. 1 & 2 [January/February 2018] (1960) — Contributeur — 11 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 42, No. 3 & 4 [March/April 2018] (2018) — Contributeur — 11 exemplaires
Analog Science Fiction and Fact: Vol. CXXXVI, No. 1 & 2 (January/February 2016) (2016) — Contributeur — 8 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 41, No. 7 & 8 [July/August 2017] (2017) — Contributeur — 7 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 43, No. 11 & 12 [November/December 2019] (2019) — Contributeur — 5 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 44, No. 3 & 4 [March/April 2020] (1983) — Contributeur — 4 exemplaires
Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 44, No. 11 & 12 [November/December 2020] (2020) — Contributeur — 3 exemplaires
Space Science Fiction March 1953 — Contributeur — 3 exemplaires
Readings in Cosmology and Extragalactic Astronomy: Physics 361-01 Cosmology, Spring Semester 1995 (1995) — Contributeur — 1 exemplaire
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Nom légal
- Gunn, James Edwin
- Autres noms
- James, Edwin
- Date de naissance
- 1923-07-12
- Date de décès
- 2020-12-23
- Sexe
- male
- Nationalité
- USA
- Lieu de naissance
- Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Lieux de résidence
- Kansas City, Missouri, USA
- Études
- University of Kansas (BS ∙ Journalism)
- Professions
- professor (English)
editor
novelist
short-story writer - Organisations
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (President)
Center for the Study of Science Fiction (Director)
United States Navy
University of Kansas (Director of Public Relations) - Prix et distinctions
- Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award (2007)
SFRA Pilgrim Award (1976)
Membres
Critiques
Listes
Prix et récompenses
Vous aimerez peut-être aussi
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Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 161
- Aussi par
- 84
- Membres
- 4,194
- Popularité
- #5,996
- Évaluation
- 3.9
- Critiques
- 77
- ISBN
- 222
- Langues
- 9
The story begins in the small town of Millville when a new company appears on the scene who, for a (huge) price, guarantee your happiness. Joshua Hunt’s initial scepticism gradually falters and, long dissatisfied with his life, he signs up for their services. What he finds himself increasingly drawn into is something called “hedonics”; but what is it exactly—a new form of psychotherapy, a new science or religion even? At its heart is a rigorous programme of self-discipline, using a combination of medical advances (if these really are “advances”) and an array of techniques for self-imposed mind-control. And Hedonics Inc. are ambitious: this is a whole ideology; and their aim, ultimately, is to create a new and perfect society. “That action is best which produces the greatest happiness of the greatest numbers.” And, “As long as we have these techniques available, nothing—no one—can make us unhappy. Like gods, we hold our own happiness in our own hands.” Mm, well maybe; but this is already sounding like Orwell, and the “perfect society” a dystopia.
A couple of extra things to say about this book. First, it’s divided into three parts, each set further into the future than the last, and was originally published (1954 and ̕55) as three novellas in various science-fiction magazines. Gunn claimed it wasn’t a classic “fix-up” though, that he wrote and sold them with this eventual single novel in mind.
And second, if you read it yourself be prepared for some pretty cringe-inducing 1950s stuff, such as this (talking about the colonisation of Venus): “It took Man four hundred years to conquer the relatively benign North American continent. In less than half that time he would change Venus’s alien, poisonous nature. Already he had tamed her, sweetened her breath, softened her hard bosom. Now he was making her fertile.” Gaah, I mean, where do you start? The way he saw himself, Western civilisation, colonisation, ourselves as a species, the environment, the planet and, of course, women all expressed in forty-five words! (But then, I have no doubt whatsoever that in another seven decades from now our descendants will be cringing, every bit as aghast, at our attitudes).
But if you can put up with that sort of thing, this is a really good read—some of the details in particular highly imaginative. I’m guessing it was mainly meant as a send-up of the Church of Scientology (“hedonics” a parody of scientology’s “dianetics”), which was brand-new back in the 1950s. I can’t help feeling, though, that Gunn must surely have also been influenced, as so many people were, by Orwell’s still-fresh nightmare which had been published only seven years earlier.… (plus d'informations)