DON'T Read Recommendations

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Now for The Complete Lythande by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Bought from Book View Cafe in a sale in December last year.

Originally Posted by pdurrant

A nice collection of fantasy short stories, and there was some interesting overlap (in terms of secondary characters) with my calibre-created omnibus from earlier this year.

My opinion of the stories is still the same, but after reading the revelations at Teleread and Stephen Goldin's site, I won't be reading or buying any more works by Marion Zimmer Bradley or Elizabeth Waters. Consider this a don't-read recommendation.

Here's one tiny extract from one of MZB's deposition in one of the court cases. Not the most damning by far, but one that I can post at MobileRead.

Q. So at the time that David* was 15, David informed you that he believed that your then husband was not propositioning him because at that point David was too old for Walter’s tastes?

A. I think that’s what he said. To the best of my memory, that’s what he said.

* MZB's son.

[Fbone]

Are her children beneficiaries of Zimmer Bradley's literary estate?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Are her children beneficiaries of Zimmer Bradley's literary estate?

There's a Literary Works Trust that holds her copyrights an administers her literary estate. There's a trustee, Ann Sharp, and Elizabeth Waters works for the Trust.

The Trust is, apparently, an unincorporated entity resident in California.

I am lead to believe that the only beneficiary of the Trust is Elizabeth (Lisa) Waters:

"MZB’s partner Lisa Waters is the only beneficiary from the sale of MZB’s books (per her daughter Moira, a dear friend I’ve know since my teens). If anyone would like to benefit MZB’s surviving children, Moira suggests looking up her brother Mark Greyland’s incredible art." — "Chris S."

[BelleZora]

Very hard to read. I've never been particularly interested in an author's private life, but I'll never be able to read Zimmer Bradley again.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

There's a Literary Works Trust that holds her copyrights an administers her literary estate. There's a trustee, Ann Sharp, and Elizabeth Waters works for the Trust.

The Trust is, apparently, an unincorporated entity resident in California.

I am lead to believe that the only beneficiary of the Trust is Elizabeth (Lisa) Waters:

"MZB’s partner Lisa Waters is the only beneficiary from the sale of MZB’s books (per her daughter Moira, a dear friend I’ve know since my teens). If anyone would like to benefit MZB’s surviving children, Moira suggests looking up her brother Mark Greyland’s incredible art." — "Chris S."

Thanks for the info. It appears Waters was her domestic partner.

[mgbino]

MZB is a terrific example of a terrible, terrible human being with incredible talent.

[DiapDealer]

Always liked her brother Paul's writing better.

[taosaur]

Originally Posted by mgbino

MZB is a terrific example of a terrible, terrible human being with incredible talent.

I'll take your word for that second part. She's one of those authors I've seen around quite a bit, but my instincts always said, "Nope, nothing to see here."

[cadele]

How sickening. I remember reading one of her books years ago but don't have any on my shelves.

You have to hope there is a special room in hell for these people.

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by taosaur

I'll take your word for that second part. She's one of those authors I've seen around quite a bit, but my instincts always said, "Nope, nothing to see here."

To be fair, it depends what you like to read...

If you're a fan of classic, pulp style Sci-Fi, then I think you'd probably like her Darkover books.

If you don't like that kind of stuff, then your instincts are probably right.

[Apache]

It is amazing how something like this can be kept hidden for so long. My favorite book was Hunters of the Red Moon. I read many times over the years. I will not be reading it again.
Apache

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by Apache

It is amazing how something like this can be kept hidden for so long. My favorite book was Hunters of the Red Moon. I read many times over the years. I will not be reading it again.
Apache

Actually, this has been public knowledge for quite some time. For some reason. the SF community (with the exception of Stephen Goldin, whose step-son was a direct victim) chose to ignore it.

[Kasper Hviid]

@mgbino: Nothing new here - the fan-base are seldom able to acknowledge when their idols appears to have glaring faults.

An classic example of this is Woody Goldbergs "rape-rape" comment. We can also take a look at TV host Jimmy Savile. He couldn't have gotten so far without his fanbase.

I once criticized that The Pirate Bay hosted "somewhat-legal" child porn torrents. Their users were enraged ... at me for criticizing their belowed site.

There's also the serial rapist Assange, whose insane defence is accepted by his fans.

[mgbino]

Originally Posted by Kasper Hviid

@mgbino: Nothing new here - the fan-base are seldom able to acknowledge when their idols appears to have glaring faults.

It's one thing for fans to ignore it, but I think it's insane that her peers ignored it too. Particularly considering that one of the victims was a child of a peer.

[drofgnal]

I read Mists of Avalon. After a while I told myself, 'yea, I get it, you hate men.'