Thanks for clearing up the "anti- GLB" question.
Quote:
I suppose what I don't understand is how you manage to divorce the two knowledge bases you have in the appreciation of Ellison's work. If you knew nothing about him and were reading his work, then I wouldn't see any conflict. But knowing that he's such an arsehole and so annoying, how do you not bring that with you to the reading? How do you just ignore that piece of information?
EDIT: saying all that I say about Ellison, I do have a grudging admiration for him, because at least he's not some faceless little corporate shill with no personality. He does take risks and that I do admire, even if I don't like his writing or his ridiculous anti-technology and sharing stances.
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I wrote a long response to this, but I pressed a "wrong button" on my netbook, and it is gone now.
Let me paraphrase my lengthy response: I LOVE Ellison's work, mostly his essays on movies, life, and writing. "An Edge To My Voice" got me through some insane $h!t in the 80's. His introductions to "Dangerous Visions" and "Again. Dangerous Visions" helped me learn how to introduce subjects in an entertaining, topical and respectful manner.
His fiction stories often fascinate me, infuriate me, and rarely leave me unthinking. "The Glass Teat" and "The Other Glass Teat" are seminal responses to bland entertainment and corporate misdirection.
The guy is sue-happy, He is not someone I would want to have as an enemy, or a close friend.
But he is a hell of a writer, humanist, anthologist and provocateur
I will take him for a night's read over most anyone.
But, that's just me. YMMV.