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I'll chime in with the others: I'd certainly buy the book(s) and
read them. And probably refer to them on re-reading the stories. I
don't always agree with your interpretations, but they are always
fun to read.<br>
<br>
Some years ago, the college where I teach had created a way for
students to get a little bit of academic credit for taking part in a
"book seminar" meeting once a week. They wanted faculty
participation, so I volunteered and chose as my book <i>The Island
of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories</i>. It was
fun, but most of the students thought the stories were far too
difficult. One came to me at one point and said "You do realize that
most of these book seminars are <i>much</i> easier than this, don't
you?" Alas, no, I didn't realize. <br>
<br>
The college later stopped the book seminars, probably because they
felt students were getting credit for very little work...<br>
<br>
I hope you will keep at it. I'm having fun, and feel grateful for
the immense amount of work you've clearly put into this.<br>
<br>
Fernando<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 7/31/2014 1:36 PM, Marc Aramini
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAF1072yEAtsbr0G+sPrubw-U__5gTDYkT8dscZJfSdqXeE=PdQ@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
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<div>Well, I am about 33 percent done with Wolfe's published
stories after this next one, "The Doctor of Death Island" ...
I plan on skipping two numbers and returning to "The Eyeflash
Miracles" and "Seven American Nights" after I consider them a
bit more. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I would really like to tear through the 80s more quickly
than the 70s, and it should be possible since Wolfe's time on
long novels and series vastly reduced the length and allusive
depth of his short fiction. ... However, I feel that 7
American Nights and probably Cabin on the Coast in the early
80s marked a shift away from SF tropes to more fantastic ones,
which are a bit less easy to mark "objectively" - some stories
might actually have unresolvable mysteries, though I don't
think anything written before 1980 actually does.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The write-ups I feel are least satisfactory are "The Green
Wall Said", "The Blue Mouse", "Paul's Treehouse" - though I
think the garment district uprising in "A Criminal Proceeding"
and mentioned briefly in "Operation ARES" can explain who is
actually rioting in that story, "Hour of Trust" (what is the
name of the company running everything, whose symbol is gold
stamped instruments? That write up gave me more problems than
you would think) "The Island of Doctor Death an Other
Stories", and perhaps the Thag stories.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I am most satisfied with "The Changeling", "Many Mansions"
- (those houses are luring people in and are merely dressed up
as familiar, tempting human houses with mimicry, and might
even be planting something, human-alien symbiotic
style, inside people through the strong drink), "The HORARS of
War", and "Trip, Trap" write ups.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I already know exactly what type of essays I will be
finishing up on Long Sun, Latro, and Home Fires, but the rest
will take some time and I might not return to New Sun until
the majority of the short fiction and shorter novels are done.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>All considered the project might be close to 2,000 pages or
so when I am done. </div>
<div>Of course it would need hefty revision and citation, but
lately I have considered perhaps trying to publish it upon
completion - short essays on the long fiction in front which
would be my own thesis based developments, not comprehensive
looks at all, and the story analysis section after that. A
traditional publisher would never touch it, I imagine, and it
would be far too big for a small or university press, but
perhaps an ebook would work. Anyone think that would be
viable? Should I even, say, try to split it in half? Just
thought I would see what you guys thought, as this has been a
WHOLE lot of work, even though I love it.</div>
</div>
<br>
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<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
=============================================================
Fernando Q. Gouvea <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.colby.edu/~fqgouvea">http://www.colby.edu/~fqgouvea</a>
Carter Professor and Chair
Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
Colby College Editor, Carus Mathematical Monographs
5836 Mayflower Hill Editor, MAA Reviews
Waterville, ME 04901 <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.maa.org/publications/maa-reviews">http://www.maa.org/publications/maa-reviews</a>
If you're told about vampires, it's a good thing to be told about stakes at the same time.
-- Terry Pratchett, in "Let There Be Dragons"
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