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Originally Posted by DixieGal
Nova by Samuel R. Delaney changed my life.
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NB: his last name has no "e" -- it's Delany.
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It was published in 1969, and I found my copy at an aunt's yard sale in about 1973 or 74. I was a kid, 11 or 12 at the most, and it was the first "real" scifi book I ever read. It was a life-changing book for me to suddenly understand the possibilities of what could be imagined. I've been hooked on scifi - and Delaney - ever since.
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Nova was a brilliant book. I'm also fond of Triton, and have wished someone would collect the "Notes towards the modular calculus" Chip had scattered through that volume as a seperate publication.
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I found a wonderful collection of Delaney stories in a used book store at the beach several years ago, and it's got pride-of-place on my bookshelf. I'm a big fan of older short stories, so forgive me if my taste in reading material seems too old-fashioned.
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I wouldn't call liking Delany old fashioned. I'd call him one of the reigning masters of the field, as adept in shorter lengths (such as "Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-precious Stones", which garnered a Best Short Story Hugo Award in 1970) as in novels.
He's also a very nice guy in person, and fascinating to talk to.
I can't legitimately recommend
all of his work. He did a porno novel called "The Tides of Lust" many years back which may be the most
unerotic book I've ever read, and Dhalgren is best considered a literary experiment (though it was a cult item when published, with lots of folks discussing exactly what Delany was doing in that book.)
But for the most part, pick a Delany off the shelf and expect a good read.
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Dennis