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PM's Outspoken Authors #11
New Taboos
Mixing outlaw humor, SF adventure, and cutting social criticism, Shirley draws upon his entire arsenal of narrative and commentary. The title essay, “New Taboos” is his prescription for a radical revisioning of America. A new novella, A State of Imprisonment , is a horrifying and grimly hilarious look at the privatization of the prison industry. “Why We Need Forty Years of Hell,” Shirley’s 2011 TEDx address, presents his proudly contrarian view of the near future. Also featured is our Outspoken Interview showcasing the author’s transgressive sensibility, deep humanity, and mordant wit.
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
4 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
John Shirley
320 books463 followersJohn Shirley won the Bram Stoker Award for his story collection Black Butterflies, and is the author of numerous novels, including the best-seller DEMONS, the cyberpunk classics CITY COME A-WALKIN', ECLIPSE, and BLACK GLASS, and his newest novels STORMLAND and A SORCERER OF ATLANTIS.
He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.
His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.
He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.
John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.
John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.
source: Amazon
He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.
His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.
He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.
John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.
John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.
source: Amazon
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November 21, 2018Öykü, Amerika’nın Arizona Eyaleti’nin, devlet onayınca McCrue Şirketi’nin kontrolünde hapishaneye dönüştürülmesiyle gelişen olayları konu ediniyor. Şirkete verilen ödenekler mahkûm başına hesaplandığından, eyalete yayılan hapishane blokları Dünya’nın her köşesinden yollanan mahkûmlarla doldurulmaktadır. Üstelik hukuki boşluklar mahkûmların mahkûmiyetini kısır bir döngüde uzatıyordur; örneğin, borçları yüzünden ceza alan biri, mahkûmiyeti süresince borcunu ödeyemediği için (!) tekrar hapis cezası almaktadır. Bazı duyumlara göre, yasa dışı göçmenler bile alıkonulmaktadırlar ve hatta şirketin kazancı artırıp giderleri kısma gayreti hukuksuz uygulamalara sebebiyet vermektedir. Araştırmacı gazeteci Faye Adullah da bu iddiaları araştırmaya koyulmuştur. Şirketin sıkı politikaları sebebiyle doğru düzgün bilgiye ulaşamaz ve çareyi, kırgın olduğu nüfuslu bir dostundan yardım istemekte bulur…
Öykü, kötü şirket ve mevcut sistem karşısında ayakta kalmaya çalışan insanların hikâyesi biçiminde ilerliyor. Alışıla gelen bu kalıpla da, denetimden muafiyet kazanmış ve saf kâr amacı güden özel teşebbüslerin kontrolsüzce güçlendiklerinde neler olabileceği, sistemdeki boşluklardan faydalanarak ne gibi kirli işler çevirebilecekleri ve nasıl destek gördükleri, küçük ayrıntılarla anlatılıyor.
Öykünün hedefinde bu tehlikelere dikkat çekmek olduğundan, karakterlerin başına gelenlere ve psikolojilerine haddinden fazla değinilmiyor. Tüm olay, duygu ve durumlar, meselenin vahametini sezdirecek kadar uzun; öykünün haddinden fazla uzamasının önünü alacak kadar kısa. Bölümler de ana hikâyenin kırılma anlarının etrafında şekillenmiş; ilk iki bölüm giriş ve gelişme, son iki bölüm de gelişme ve sonuç mahiyetinde; bölümler de kendi içlerinde, etrafında şekillendikleri doruk noktalarının öncesini ve sonrasını kapsayan uzunluklara sahip. Bu tasarım sayesinde, dört bölüm arasındaki zaman atmalarına rağmen, okur hikâyede ne olup bittiğini hemen kavrayabiliyor.
- Cemalettin Sipahioğlu
İncelemenin tamamı için: https://kayiprihtim.com/inceleme/yeni...
Öykü, kötü şirket ve mevcut sistem karşısında ayakta kalmaya çalışan insanların hikâyesi biçiminde ilerliyor. Alışıla gelen bu kalıpla da, denetimden muafiyet kazanmış ve saf kâr amacı güden özel teşebbüslerin kontrolsüzce güçlendiklerinde neler olabileceği, sistemdeki boşluklardan faydalanarak ne gibi kirli işler çevirebilecekleri ve nasıl destek gördükleri, küçük ayrıntılarla anlatılıyor.
Öykünün hedefinde bu tehlikelere dikkat çekmek olduğundan, karakterlerin başına gelenlere ve psikolojilerine haddinden fazla değinilmiyor. Tüm olay, duygu ve durumlar, meselenin vahametini sezdirecek kadar uzun; öykünün haddinden fazla uzamasının önünü alacak kadar kısa. Bölümler de ana hikâyenin kırılma anlarının etrafında şekillenmiş; ilk iki bölüm giriş ve gelişme, son iki bölüm de gelişme ve sonuç mahiyetinde; bölümler de kendi içlerinde, etrafında şekillendikleri doruk noktalarının öncesini ve sonrasını kapsayan uzunluklara sahip. Bu tasarım sayesinde, dört bölüm arasındaki zaman atmalarına rağmen, okur hikâyede ne olup bittiğini hemen kavrayabiliyor.
- Cemalettin Sipahioğlu
İncelemenin tamamı için: https://kayiprihtim.com/inceleme/yeni...
August 11, 2015
Another installment from PM Press’ Outspoken Authors series, this from one of the godfathers of cyberpunk, John Shirley, who I like. This volume includes a new novella, “A State Of Imprisonment”, which imagines a future where unregulated private prisons are the norm and just being in debt can get you locked up – or, in this case, being a nosy reporter. Shirley – never one to be shy about his political views – really sinks his teeth into the premise, which is mostly believable (though I’m not sure how or why a private prison would take up most of Arizona), and tells a pretty good tale. His essay “New Taboos” continues with the theme of corporate greed and general malfeasance, and suggests social ostracism as a solution. Also included is a nice Q&A, and a condensed version of a 2011 TED talk on his vision of the “Real Singularity” over the next 40 to 50 years. You may not agree with his political views, but Shirley is very good at connecting the socioeconomic/political dots, and throws some thought-provoking ideas out there on the grim future that awaits us, and what we might do about it.
April 16, 2025
The story is petrifying and well written near future black mirror. Arizona is a full blown private prison state and journalists will never be able to tell the truth of how horrible it is. The essay and interview are interesting and showcase decent politics.
November 27, 2018
I liked one story which was a scifi prison story. I could have read that for a long time. The two essays not so much.
June 25, 2013
Since the outspoken author series started I have looked forward to this book. John Shirley is my favorite author, and he is certainly outspoken. This format makes for a cool little book that could serve as a great introduction not only to the work of, but the man as well. This book contains a novella called “A State of Imprisonment,” two essays called “New Taboos,” and “Why we need forty years of hell.” and it ends as all books in this series do with a interview with the author.
“State of Imprisonment,” is about a dystopian near future where the State of Arizona is turned into a state wide private prison for debtors. It is excellent novella that scratches the surface of the issues Shirley wanted to bring up but I could have read a whole novel on the topic. There is a wonderful moment of suspense towards the end, but really it is the state of privately run prisons and abuse of power that gets explored here.
For any one who reads Shirley's blog or facebook posts you know he has a tendency to write excellent posts reflecting on the world. The essays are highlights of this collection and makes me think the world could use a full collection of Shirley's non fiction musing. The essay New Taboos is an important exploration of the idea that our society lacks some important taboos. He does it with a bit more style but the author suggests polluting the world, and stealing from the people should be as taboo as shitting in public.
One of my favorite concepts brought up in the book comes in the second essay when Shirley ponders the idea that we might be evolving past empathy because of our massively expanding over population. The interview of course does a wonderful job introducing John Shirley, but the whole book does.
Check it out, it is a fantastic entry in this important series, but you should read all of them.
“State of Imprisonment,” is about a dystopian near future where the State of Arizona is turned into a state wide private prison for debtors. It is excellent novella that scratches the surface of the issues Shirley wanted to bring up but I could have read a whole novel on the topic. There is a wonderful moment of suspense towards the end, but really it is the state of privately run prisons and abuse of power that gets explored here.
For any one who reads Shirley's blog or facebook posts you know he has a tendency to write excellent posts reflecting on the world. The essays are highlights of this collection and makes me think the world could use a full collection of Shirley's non fiction musing. The essay New Taboos is an important exploration of the idea that our society lacks some important taboos. He does it with a bit more style but the author suggests polluting the world, and stealing from the people should be as taboo as shitting in public.
One of my favorite concepts brought up in the book comes in the second essay when Shirley ponders the idea that we might be evolving past empathy because of our massively expanding over population. The interview of course does a wonderful job introducing John Shirley, but the whole book does.
Check it out, it is a fantastic entry in this important series, but you should read all of them.
June 14, 2020
This special collection from the Outspoken Authors series has one novelette, two essays, and an interview with the author.
"A State of Imprisonment" is a really horrifying and depressing SF story about how Arizona was turned into a giant privatized prison and followed two characters, the prisoner Rudy and a reporter named Faye. I think I found it horrifying and depressing because, despite the ridiculousness of an entire state being converted into a prison, the main aspects of this story felt all too realistic in how corporations with money and power act and how people can become complicit in it.
The two essays were interesting; "New Taboos" was just Shirley railing (rightly!) against business CEOs behaving badly and comes up with "new taboos" to help indoctrinate our children against this behavior; "Why We Need Forty Years of Hell" is from a TEDx speech he delivered where he talks about the future. I really liked this line from it: "Mastery of technology must include acknowledgement of its dark side. Mastery of technology means acceptance of limitations." The interview with Terry Bisson I found to be interesting, as I definitely didn't know anything about John Shirley before this.
I might check out his A Song Called Youth cyberpunk trilogy, if I can convince myself I won't be too disheartened by the end of it.
"A State of Imprisonment" is a really horrifying and depressing SF story about how Arizona was turned into a giant privatized prison and followed two characters, the prisoner Rudy and a reporter named Faye. I think I found it horrifying and depressing because, despite the ridiculousness of an entire state being converted into a prison, the main aspects of this story felt all too realistic in how corporations with money and power act and how people can become complicit in it.
The two essays were interesting; "New Taboos" was just Shirley railing (rightly!) against business CEOs behaving badly and comes up with "new taboos" to help indoctrinate our children against this behavior; "Why We Need Forty Years of Hell" is from a TEDx speech he delivered where he talks about the future. I really liked this line from it: "Mastery of technology must include acknowledgement of its dark side. Mastery of technology means acceptance of limitations." The interview with Terry Bisson I found to be interesting, as I definitely didn't know anything about John Shirley before this.
I might check out his A Song Called Youth cyberpunk trilogy, if I can convince myself I won't be too disheartened by the end of it.
October 29, 2019
Ayrıntı bilimkurgu dizisinde şu ana kadar okuduğum 4. ve son kitap oldu. Kitapta Tutsaklık Hali, Yeni Tabular, Kırk Yıllık Cehennem Neden Gerekli ve diziyi hayata geçiren Terry Bisson'un yazar ile yaptığı söyleşi bulunmaktadır. Diğer 3 kitaba göre daha çok beğendiğim bir kitap oldu.
Tutsaklık Hali; hapishanede farklı aylarda gerçekleşen 4 olayın anlatıldığı bir öykü serisi olmuş. Yeni düzende hapishaneler özelleştirilmiş, robotik gardiyanların olduğu ve tüm eyaletin hapishaneye döndürüldüğü, milyonlarca mahkumun olduğu bir işe dönüşmüştür.
Yeni Tabular; yasaların engelleyemediği olaylarda nasıl davranılması gerektiği anlatılmıştır.
Kırk Yıllık Cehennem Neden Gerekli ise yeni teknolojik gelişmelerin sonuçlarının nasıl olabileceğine dair öngörülerde bulunulan bir makaledir.
Tutsaklık Hali; hapishanede farklı aylarda gerçekleşen 4 olayın anlatıldığı bir öykü serisi olmuş. Yeni düzende hapishaneler özelleştirilmiş, robotik gardiyanların olduğu ve tüm eyaletin hapishaneye döndürüldüğü, milyonlarca mahkumun olduğu bir işe dönüşmüştür.
Yeni Tabular; yasaların engelleyemediği olaylarda nasıl davranılması gerektiği anlatılmıştır.
Kırk Yıllık Cehennem Neden Gerekli ise yeni teknolojik gelişmelerin sonuçlarının nasıl olabileceğine dair öngörülerde bulunulan bir makaledir.
November 24, 2025
This short book is one good short story, one utopian and somewhat naive essay on "how to make the world a better place", and an interview with the author.
The short story is a near future, somewhat Swiftian, warning about the dangers of privately run prisons. It is actually a very good story. Exciting, good twists, good characters, and a nice plot arc.
The essay is sophomoric. The world needs new taboos to make the evil billionaires stop doing bad things. The author makes some good points, and has the courage to actually prescribe a solution, but the thinking is shallow, and the solution requires "good think".
I enjoyed the interview. The author has had an interesting life and has interesting opinions.
The short story is a near future, somewhat Swiftian, warning about the dangers of privately run prisons. It is actually a very good story. Exciting, good twists, good characters, and a nice plot arc.
The essay is sophomoric. The world needs new taboos to make the evil billionaires stop doing bad things. The author makes some good points, and has the courage to actually prescribe a solution, but the thinking is shallow, and the solution requires "good think".
I enjoyed the interview. The author has had an interesting life and has interesting opinions.
December 27, 2019
There are a short story, a couple of essays, and an interview. I picked this book because it was short and I am behind in my Goodreads Challenge. It turned out to be interesting reading. State of Imprisonment takes place in the future, which could be a strait path from privately managed prisons now, or maybe not. Either way, it was a good short read.
The essays were a bit more dense, but also interesting. The interview is more casual, although I might have gotten more out of it had I been keeping up with science fiction for the last few decades.
I will try out some more of John Shirley's books.
The essays were a bit more dense, but also interesting. The interview is more casual, although I might have gotten more out of it had I been keeping up with science fiction for the last few decades.
I will try out some more of John Shirley's books.
October 14, 2022
Amerikada Arizona eyaletinin tamamını kapsayan devasa bir hapisane konulu iki öykü ve yazarın görüşleri ile yapılan bir söyleşinin yer aldığı kitap.
Devasa hapishane fikri dışında orijinal bir fikir barındırmıyor.
Devasa hapishane fikri dışında orijinal bir fikir barındırmıyor.
March 10, 2024
Man, I admire the late, lamented Terry Bisson all the more since he'd managed to get even John Shirley to work much harder than usual, with results far better than what he's usually turning out these days. A neat collection in a fine series.
July 4, 2018
Okurken çok keyif aldım. Kısa hikaye ve sonunda shirley le yapılan söyleşi var. Tadı damağımda kaldı:)
March 18, 2019
Kitap üçe ayrılıyor. Bir kısa öykü, sosyolojik çözümleme ve yazarla söyleşi. Özellikle uzayan ömürlerin toplumsal eşitsizlikle belirlenmesi bölümüne tekrar bakılabilir
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January 3, 2020Çoğunluğun beğenmediğini görüyorum ama benim için güzel bir okuma oldu.
February 20, 2020
Çerezlik
December 12, 2021
Turning the entire state of Arizona into a for-profit prison doesn't seem particularly far-fetched, to be honest.
August 5, 2013
this little book was really good! i am really enjoying this outspoken authors series that PM Press is doing as it is introducing me to a lot of good authors i have somehow missed. and john shirley is one of them. the first story, a state of imprisonment, was amazing. i wanted to push back some against the cynical ending but it is hard to argue with... new taboos was a bit hokey i thought. while i don't disagree that all those behaviors are terrible and people should not engage in them, the taboo framework was not something compelling to me. why we need forty years in hell was interesting. it was a sort of treatise from shirley on the state of things, his predictions to where this will lead and then an explanation of what a future world could look like. he envisions a sort of techno-cratic capitalist future where crises of capitalism are regulated via super intelligent machines etc. it makes for a pretty picture but it seems to miss what is axiomatic about capitalism - that the drive for profit within capitalism overrides any other consideration. the crises are not flukes. lastly, the interview was really good and enlightening. shirley is a very interesting person who i plan to read more from!
December 1, 2016
A hodge-podge collecting a short novella, an essay, a TED Talk and an interesting interview conducted by Terry Bisson.
The novella wasn't the best thing ever, but it kept me reading--the idea that the entire state of Arizona would become a private prison is typical of Shirley's works. I appreciate the left-leaning nature of his writing and want to get more of it--our library has a woeful collection.
The new taboos was an interesting exercise, but the interview was great.
The novella wasn't the best thing ever, but it kept me reading--the idea that the entire state of Arizona would become a private prison is typical of Shirley's works. I appreciate the left-leaning nature of his writing and want to get more of it--our library has a woeful collection.
The new taboos was an interesting exercise, but the interview was great.
August 28, 2013
Although the novelette is a bit clunky, the overall political narrative as continued in the nonfiction articles lifts the interest.
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2013/0...
http://opionator.wordpress.com/2013/0...
March 12, 2015
The story (State of Imprisonment) was quite good: what if privatized prisons got so powerful they could take over Arizona? Who would check to make sure rights are respected when so much money can be made? His essay and interview were both mediocre.
May 18, 2016
That was different....Includes an interview. Fascinating, short collection of possibilities… the future is here, anyone paying attention? “…I believe in having a moral and ethical compass, but I’m down on dogmatism.”
April 25, 2015
great stories and discussions about very current issues. He was one of the original cyberpunk writers and continues to rock on in the post punk era too.
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July 24, 2018It was short but tasteful. Setting is pretty much like.. now?
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews