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Past Masters and Other Bookish Natterings
Past Masters and Other Bookish Natterings collects some of the very best of Bud Webster’s columns and author profiles drawn from a broad knowledge of the field of literary science fiction and fantasy. Bud is the final word on genre scholarship, and that has never been more evident than in this collection.
385 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
Bud Webster
18 books9 followersBud Webster is a big know-it-all who can empty a room in three minutes just by blabbing trivia about science fiction and fantasy. As a writer, he's responsible for the Bubba Pritchert stories published in ANALOG, and also for numerous articles about the history of the field.
He is also the Estates Liaison for the Science-Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), making it easier for publishers to legally reprint works by classic sf/fantasy authors.
He is also the Estates Liaison for the Science-Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), making it easier for publishers to legally reprint works by classic sf/fantasy authors.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 13, 2013
I knew I'd probably like this book -- I'm fascinated by the history of SF and its practitioners -- so I decided to keep it in the "reading room" (anyone remember Archie Bunker?) so I could enjoy it in small servings over time, and not devour it too hastily. Nevertheless, it wasn't long before I started peeing sitting down and seeking out high-fibre foods. THAT'S how much I enjoyed this book! Because of my personality, my interests and background, it "engage[d] me on a very basic level. That's true for me, at least; I realize I'm not typical." I'm quoting from the book, and I'm glad Bud's not typical either.
The very recent death of Frederik Pohl makes "Past Masters" more poignant and more relevant. Pohl has more entries in the book's index than anyone except Damon Knight. But none of the book's chapters/articles are about Pohl, whereas one of them is about the "SFWA Bulletin," which Knight created and edited. To be fair, one is about C. M. Kornbluth, with whom Pohl was closely associated. But Pohl *permeated* the world of science fiction for nearly eighty years. He won't soon be forgotten. It breaks my heart that Bud had to write pieces about authors whose work -- and sometimes their lives and personalities, like Pohl's -- were of vast importance to science fiction, lest they be forgotten. Murray Leinster. Clifford Simak. C. L. Moore. Hal freakin' Clement--he's only been gone ten years, and he's practically out of print? Criminal! But at least a good chuck of his work is available in Kindle format. (But why is "Mission of Gravity" sold under the name of "Henry Clement Stubbs"? None of his other SF was published under that -- his real -- name, as far as I know.)
So I thank Bud for fighting the good fight, for being our collective memory, and for doing it with style, wit, a sense of humor, and, most of all, utmost respect for science fiction and the fascinating people who created and built it in the last century.
The very recent death of Frederik Pohl makes "Past Masters" more poignant and more relevant. Pohl has more entries in the book's index than anyone except Damon Knight. But none of the book's chapters/articles are about Pohl, whereas one of them is about the "SFWA Bulletin," which Knight created and edited. To be fair, one is about C. M. Kornbluth, with whom Pohl was closely associated. But Pohl *permeated* the world of science fiction for nearly eighty years. He won't soon be forgotten. It breaks my heart that Bud had to write pieces about authors whose work -- and sometimes their lives and personalities, like Pohl's -- were of vast importance to science fiction, lest they be forgotten. Murray Leinster. Clifford Simak. C. L. Moore. Hal freakin' Clement--he's only been gone ten years, and he's practically out of print? Criminal! But at least a good chuck of his work is available in Kindle format. (But why is "Mission of Gravity" sold under the name of "Henry Clement Stubbs"? None of his other SF was published under that -- his real -- name, as far as I know.)
So I thank Bud for fighting the good fight, for being our collective memory, and for doing it with style, wit, a sense of humor, and, most of all, utmost respect for science fiction and the fascinating people who created and built it in the last century.
October 10, 2013
"Past Masters" is Bud Webster's loving attempt to rescue many fine Science Fiction writers from oblivion. Books by writers such as Stanley G. Weinbaum, Cordwainer Smith, H. Beam Piper, Clifford D. Simak and Zenna Henderson, were once easily found on the shelves in both new and used bookstores. This is not the case today and Bud's mission with this collection of columns is to keep the memories of these authors - and their books - alive.
He succeeds admirably, with warmth and wit and genuine affection for his subjects. He also offers some insightful commentary on the craft of writing. I especially enjoyed his assessment of Frederic Brown's method of crafting a short story. I also appreciated his columns on my favorites, Murray Leinster and the husband-and-wife writing team of Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore. (Thanks, Bud.)
Even though Bud's intent is to stir future interest in the writers he discusses, for me, this book is also a time machine, of sorts. It's a pleasant trip back to the "good old days" when books by these authors could be found on the shelves in both new and used bookstores. If you couldn't find them there, well, there were always flea markets, SF conventions and mail-order catalogs. If all else failed, the Strand and Forbidden Planet bookstores, in New York City, were only a few hours away.
If you just want to revisit the past, or if you are looking for future purchases, or both, I highly recommend "Past Masters". It makes for pleasant reading... and re-reading.
"Past Masters" also serves as a great companion volume to Bud's fine discussion of SF anthologies, "Anthopology 101". It could also be thought of as a third and companion volume to the 2 indispensable overviews by Sam Moskowitz, "Explorers of the Infinite" and "Seekers of Tomorrow".
He succeeds admirably, with warmth and wit and genuine affection for his subjects. He also offers some insightful commentary on the craft of writing. I especially enjoyed his assessment of Frederic Brown's method of crafting a short story. I also appreciated his columns on my favorites, Murray Leinster and the husband-and-wife writing team of Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore. (Thanks, Bud.)
Even though Bud's intent is to stir future interest in the writers he discusses, for me, this book is also a time machine, of sorts. It's a pleasant trip back to the "good old days" when books by these authors could be found on the shelves in both new and used bookstores. If you couldn't find them there, well, there were always flea markets, SF conventions and mail-order catalogs. If all else failed, the Strand and Forbidden Planet bookstores, in New York City, were only a few hours away.
If you just want to revisit the past, or if you are looking for future purchases, or both, I highly recommend "Past Masters". It makes for pleasant reading... and re-reading.
"Past Masters" also serves as a great companion volume to Bud's fine discussion of SF anthologies, "Anthopology 101". It could also be thought of as a third and companion volume to the 2 indispensable overviews by Sam Moskowitz, "Explorers of the Infinite" and "Seekers of Tomorrow".
April 7, 2015
Enjoyed this book quite a bit, and while some better-read folks might find a lot of these reviews and discussions of older SF and pulp authors redundant or unneeded, I now have at least five more authors whose works I need to look into because I'd not heard of them.
From a collector's and researcher's standpoint, I need to get a copy of this book (as I read a library copy) for the bibliographies alone. If nothing else, Webster did a stand-up job compiling a lot of info that hadn't previously been collated save for the biggest names.
From a collector's and researcher's standpoint, I need to get a copy of this book (as I read a library copy) for the bibliographies alone. If nothing else, Webster did a stand-up job compiling a lot of info that hadn't previously been collated save for the biggest names.
February 24, 2017
I enjoyed many of the essays very much.
I would have given the book 4 stars, but it includes a recommendations for Clifford Simak and Zenna Henderson, two of my least favorite "classic" SF authors. Also, there's a dialog with Jerry Pournelle, one of my favorite SF authors, about the future of the ebooks that must have been recorded a few years ago, as it is terribly dated.
I would have given the book 4 stars, but it includes a recommendations for Clifford Simak and Zenna Henderson, two of my least favorite "classic" SF authors. Also, there's a dialog with Jerry Pournelle, one of my favorite SF authors, about the future of the ebooks that must have been recorded a few years ago, as it is terribly dated.
September 22, 2018
Past Masters is a wholly fascinating look at some of science fictions master writers there is many mini biographies of some of the genre's most famous writer's. There is also a look at some who may have been, but died too soon. Also a look at the early days of the Science Fiction Writers Association.
All of these are told in a loving and often humorous way. Bud Webster was known as a super fan and even had a few of his own stories published. He died in 2016. If you are at all interested in biographies of science fiction writers and some inside looks at the field, then I highly recommend this breezy read.
All of these are told in a loving and often humorous way. Bud Webster was known as a super fan and even had a few of his own stories published. He died in 2016. If you are at all interested in biographies of science fiction writers and some inside looks at the field, then I highly recommend this breezy read.
July 20, 2013
Der Band sammelt Autorenprofile und themenbezogen Aufsätze, die das Urgestein des F&SF, Bud Webster, zuvor zum größten Teil bereits als Online-Veröffentlichungen vorgelegt hat.
Webster hat ein ambivalentes Verhältnis zur Buchkritik, er hält es ähnlich wie Hermann Hesse und beschäftigt sich lieber mit Autoren und Büchern, die ihm gefallen haben. Böse Verrisse wird man hier also vergeblich suchen.
Dem Buch ist Websters Begeisterung für das Genre anzumerken, vor allem aber seine jahrzehntelange Beschäftigung damit. Auch wer sich selbst seit langem in dem Feld tummelt, wird vieles Neue erfahren.
Das Buch ist mit Humor und Einsicht geschrieben und wirklich gut zu lesen. Die Listen, für die Webster ein ausgemachtes Faible hat, geben in den jeweiligen Aufsätzen und Profilen einen schnellen Überblick über Titel und Veröffentlichungen zu den Autoren. Dabei ist Webster kein Pulp-Magazin zu unbedeutend oder zu klein, er kennt sie alle und gibt sie als Quellen an. Ein wunderbares Nachschlagewerk, in dem man auch einfach schmökern kann. Schade nur, dass Webster sich im Umfang der Kolumnen deutlich beschränkt hat, denn man spürt, dass er zu den Themen noch sehr viel mehr Insiderwissen ausplaudern und in die Tiefe gehen könnte.
Webster hat ein ambivalentes Verhältnis zur Buchkritik, er hält es ähnlich wie Hermann Hesse und beschäftigt sich lieber mit Autoren und Büchern, die ihm gefallen haben. Böse Verrisse wird man hier also vergeblich suchen.
Dem Buch ist Websters Begeisterung für das Genre anzumerken, vor allem aber seine jahrzehntelange Beschäftigung damit. Auch wer sich selbst seit langem in dem Feld tummelt, wird vieles Neue erfahren.
Das Buch ist mit Humor und Einsicht geschrieben und wirklich gut zu lesen. Die Listen, für die Webster ein ausgemachtes Faible hat, geben in den jeweiligen Aufsätzen und Profilen einen schnellen Überblick über Titel und Veröffentlichungen zu den Autoren. Dabei ist Webster kein Pulp-Magazin zu unbedeutend oder zu klein, er kennt sie alle und gibt sie als Quellen an. Ein wunderbares Nachschlagewerk, in dem man auch einfach schmökern kann. Schade nur, dass Webster sich im Umfang der Kolumnen deutlich beschränkt hat, denn man spürt, dass er zu den Themen noch sehr viel mehr Insiderwissen ausplaudern und in die Tiefe gehen könnte.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews