After all, isn't fan just short for fanatic ? James Griffin, Still Another Vlad faN >From: "A.S. Zanoni" <chica at dreamcafe.com> >Reply-To: fairhair at gmail.com >To: dragaera at dragaera.info >Subject: Fandom >Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 14:20:25 -0700 > >dragaera-request at dragaera.info wrote: > >Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:07:52 -0400 >From: Kenneth Gorelick <pulmon at mac.com> >Subject: Re: Jim Baen - October 22, 1943 - June 28, 2006 > >On Jun 29, 2006, at 8:58 AM, eshivak wrote: > > > > All, > > > > > > Sorry if I'm the bearer of ill tidings but according to David Drake > > > (I'm on his newsletter group) Jim Baen died yesterday. > > > > > > Mr. Drake says it FAR better than I ever could... > > > > > > http://david-drake.com/baen.html > > > > >Thanks so much for sharing. I have been an avid SF reader since 3rd >grade (ca 1959) although I am not a "fan" in the sense of Fandom. I >don't know much about the players in the field but I know the authors >whom I enjoy. This is the only list I read (and occasionally write). >Baen's books were among the ones I looked for, because I enjoyed his >writers. > >The giants of my youth are mostly gone (Heinlein, Asimov, Campbell, >etc.) and now it seems those of my middle years are at risk. (As an >aside, survivors of thalamic stroke generally are not a happy crew-- >Mr. Baen had the better possible outcome). > >Please pass my thanks to Mr. Drake for his eloquence. > >Ken > >------------------------------ > >Fandom. > >I don't know why many sf/f readers feel they are not "part of fandom". >There isn't a rule that says a Real Fan has to attend conventions... or run >a fanzine/ezine... or wear costumes that match a particular motif... or >write fanfic... or be on sf/f newsgroups... or participate in running >conventions... or write letters to F&SF or Asimov's [or even read either of >'em]... or be part of a local sf/f group that may or may not do any number >of those things. > >I could go on and on. I'll spare you. > >You don't even have to *just* be a reader. Yes, that happens to be the >core of my being a fan, but surely I am no guide to anyone else. > >It still freaks me out that people in NASA follow Star Trek avidly. [No, I >don't know why, it just does.] Nothing wrong with that either. I like >Babylon 5 and Firefly, but you certainly don't have to, or even think that >they're of any value. =shrug= > >I'd say all that matters is that you enjoy what YOU call science fiction, >or spec fiction, or whatever you call it. Or fantasy. Or horror. >Including any flavor combination of those lovely marketing categories. >Nothing wrong with the lines being blurred as to what you're reading >either. > >These are all my opinions. Can't blame them on the parrot. :> > > > >Aside: > >Am sorry for the loss of Jim Baen. I am most sorry for those who grieve >for him... Thank you, Eric, for the updates. > >*--- > >--- >A.S. Zanoni >Personal Assistant to Steven Brust > >Steven's Travel & Event Schedule: >http://www.angelfire.com/fang/dreamcafe_chica