MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - My First (and only) Meeting with Larry Niven

RickyMaveety · 06-10-2008, 05:23 PM

I read a lot more sci-fi when I was in high school, college and in my early adult years than I do now. But, back in about 1978 or 79, I was working at UCLA Medical Center. I generally worked Sunday through Wednesday, ten hour days, so I always had three day "weekends."

One Wednesday I went down to the bookstore in Westwood (as I recall it was not strictly a sci-fi bookstore, but it had a really large sci-fi section) and purchased a copy of "Ringworld." Didn't know anything about it, or the author, it was just a random grab.

I picked it up that next Thursday morning, began to read it, and did not put it down until I had finished it. At that point, I ran full tilt back to the bookstore, and began to pull one copy of each Larry Niven book I could find off the shelf. I think I had about 12 or 13 books stacked up in my arms, and I was desperatelly looking for more.

A man who had been watching me walked up to me and asked me what I was doing. My reply to him was as follows:

"I just finished this book called Ringworld, and it was the best thing I've read in sooooo long!! If any of this guy's books are even a third as good as that one was, I am going to have the best f**king three day weekend of my life. I am going to stock up on food, and just read and read and read, and I'm not going to stop until I absolutely have to. If you have any appreciation for great science fiction, you will buy this man's books."

I then took my stack to the checkout. At which point, the checkout clerk said "Are you going to have these autographed?"

I said, "Huh?"

"Are you going to have these books autographed. I saw you talking to the author back there. I just wondered if you were going to have him sign them."

I said, "Excuse me?"

"You do know you were talking to Larry Niven back there, don't you."

At that point, realizing that I had just made the biggest fool of my self since I spent the better point of 20 minutes talking with Steve McQueen and not recognizing him (and came very close to telling him that - if he were just a bit taller, he'd look just like Steve McQueen), I just paid for the books and got the hell out of there.

It was one of the best damned three day weekends of my life. The man writes so well, I actually hurt with enjoyment from reading those books.

Anybody else have any stories from personal life they'd like to share??

06-10-2008, 05:23 PM	#1
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	My First (and only) Meeting with Larry Niven I read a lot more sci-fi when I was in high school, college and in my early adult years than I do now. But, back in about 1978 or 79, I was working at UCLA Medical Center. I generally worked Sunday through Wednesday, ten hour days, so I always had three day "weekends." One Wednesday I went down to the bookstore in Westwood (as I recall it was not strictly a sci-fi bookstore, but it had a really large sci-fi section) and purchased a copy of "Ringworld." Didn't know anything about it, or the author, it was just a random grab. I picked it up that next Thursday morning, began to read it, and did not put it down until I had finished it. At that point, I ran full tilt back to the bookstore, and began to pull one copy of each Larry Niven book I could find off the shelf. I think I had about 12 or 13 books stacked up in my arms, and I was desperatelly looking for more. A man who had been watching me walked up to me and asked me what I was doing. My reply to him was as follows: "I just finished this book called Ringworld, and it was the best thing I've read in sooooo long!! If any of this guy's books are even a third as good as that one was, I am going to have the best f**king three day weekend of my life. I am going to stock up on food, and just read and read and read, and I'm not going to stop until I absolutely have to. If you have any appreciation for great science fiction, you will buy this man's books." I then took my stack to the checkout. At which point, the checkout clerk said "Are you going to have these autographed?" I said, "Huh?" "Are you going to have these books autographed. I saw you talking to the author back there. I just wondered if you were going to have him sign them." I said, "Excuse me?" "You do know you were talking to Larry Niven back there, don't you." At that point, realizing that I had just made the biggest fool of my self since I spent the better point of 20 minutes talking with Steve McQueen and not recognizing him (and came very close to telling him that - if he were just a bit taller, he'd look just like Steve McQueen), I just paid for the books and got the hell out of there. It was one of the best damned three day weekends of my life. The man writes so well, I actually hurt with enjoyment from reading those books. Anybody else have any stories from personal life they'd like to share??