And as a dissertation on our caveman ancestors:
"They fought for women as for food.
When "Mays" awoke to warm desire; And this the l.u.s.t that changed to love When fancy lent a purer fire."
Regarding the Franklin chapter, it is stated that "Wise Old Ben" used to insert it between the pages of the Bible and read it to his friends in the City of Brotherly Love, and great was the consternation of many who thought they knew the Scriptures from "cover to cover."
Any new readers of Science Fiction would be glad to read "The Girl in the Golden Atom," "The Fire People" and "The Man Who Mastered Time," by Ray c.u.mmings. I like to read this author"s work, but I believe when he wrote this trilogy of Matter, s.p.a.ce and Time that he reached the heights of his writing. I have never read any subsequent writings of his that I thought exceeded them.
Speaking of the necessity of authors eating, Mr. Lewis states that good stories have never been written on an empty stomach.
Edgar Allan Poe who wrote "Shades" was one of the most brilliant of American writers, and his stomach was empty most of the time. And when this master of ratiocination had on rare occasions a full stomach it was invariably full of "hooch."
As Mr. Lewis speaks as a pedagogue, is it not a physiological fact that an empty stomach clears the mind by diverting the blood stream from the necessity of digesting food? And while I am not advocating any fast cures for authors, some of them (although few in Astounding Stories) would be greatly benefited by trying it.
In conclusion I should like to say to Mr. Lewis and others who take the same slant on reprints, that there are many of the finest writings in Science Fiction and the cla.s.sics which you and I have never even heard of, much less read.
I will close with best wishes for your continued success--Joseph R. Barnes, Cache Junction, Utah.
_Now Feeling Better_
Dear Editor:
Well, I guess I"ve just about gotten you exasperated with all the brickbats I"ve been cannoning into your office.
However, I believe this letter will make you feel a little better.
The latest issue was fine. There wasn"t a story in it that I didn"t enjoy. "The Tentacles from Below" was a surprisingly good story, especially when you consider that I don"t like sea stories. I liked this one very much.
Another extremely great surprise was "Werewolves of War."
From the few notes about it I surmised that it was another one of those hero-dying-and-saving-his-country stories; and it was--but not the kind I expected it to be. The author"s narrative and descriptive abilities were such that I forgot all about the plot running throughout the story. Hang on to that fellow.
The other complete story was also good. The conclusion of the "The Pirate Planet" was also good, as were its preceding instalments. The first instalment of "Phalanxes of Atlans"
was unusual. That"s gonna turn out to be one of the best stories you"ve yet published, or I miss my bet.--G.
Kirschner, Box 301, Temple, Texas.
"_Paper Is Durable_"
Dear Editor:
While reading "The Readers" Corner" in your January issue I noticed a bit of criticism by Edwin Magnuson of Duluth, Minn. In it he said that you have printed some stories containing little or no science. But, first, most of your Readers like a little change in a subject and I advise one or two of these about two or three months apart. Second, the paper is of durable material, for I pa.s.s my magazine to my friends who read it and then return it with very few pages torn. Third, I agree that reprints would be a blessing, for most of your readers have not read stories by c.u.mmings, Breuer, Wells and Vincent. Fourth, the fact that some stories have not a sound scientific basis is quite all right because every fair reader likes his stories fired with some imagination.--Walter Witte, 960 d.u.c.h.ess St., St. Paul, Minn.
_Suggestions_
Dear Editor:
Although I have read every issue of A. S. since it came out, I have never written about it, and this is what I have to say:
First, it is just as good or better than two other Science Fiction magazines that I can name.
Second, in my opinion you have some of the best modern authors, such as c.u.mmings, Meek, Rousseau, Diffin, Vincent and Hamilton. Also others.
The stories have been A-1 with the exception of "Murder Madness," which, in my opinion, does not belong in a magazine of this type, but in a detective story magazine, because that is all it was--a detective story. And when are you going to have a sequel to "The Gray Plague," by L. A.
Eshbach which appeared in the November issue? It deserves one.
The best author on your staff is Captain S. P. Meek, whose Dr. Bird stories cannot be equalled. They are science stories plus.
A few suggestions: an occasional reprint. It would not affect the living conditions of our present day authors and would give us all a chance to read a cla.s.sic of yesterday.
Do not change the size (i. e. width and length); but as for enlarging it in the thickness direction, you have my heartiest encouragement. I notice that one of the other magazines has changed its size, so now you are not alone.
Evening up the edges of the sheets would improve the looks, however. And now that you have had your first birthday, when are you going to start a quarterly? In it you could publish a complete book length novel and seven novelettes. By novel, I mean a story of about one hundred pages or more of your present size, and novelettes fifty pages or more. You could double the price because a quarterly is worth double what a monthly is worth.
Your artists are great, but you could still improve by having them make a full page ill.u.s.tration at the start and one more exciting one as the story progresses.
Well, I think I"ve said enough good things about you and enough suggestions, so until January 1932, adios, au revoir, etc.--Henry Benner, Cowithe, Wash.
_Ouch!_
Dear Editor:
Personally I would rather read a good short story than the ten pages of instructions by Readers published in the March issue. Two pages are plenty, especially when half the criticisms concern paper, size, edges of paper, etc. A. S.
is O. K!
How about that other short?--Don Ward, 6 Ketchel St., Auburn, N. Y.
_Likes Action_
Dear Editor:
I have just finished the February issue of Astounding Stories. All of the stories were so good I couldn"t tell you which one is the best. "The Phalanxes of Atlans" and "The Tentacles from Below" were very good. I liked "The Black Lamp," too. It is up to the standard of the rest of the Dr.
Bird stories. "The Pirate Planet" ended very beautifully.
However, I did not like that about Sykes getting killed.
"Werewolves of War" was good. It ended differently from most of the other stories. Most of them end with the hero escaping, but in this the hero was killed. It had a very good plot.
I got my first copy of Astounding Stories last July and I haven"t missed a copy since. Why not put out Astounding Stories twice a month, or make it a weekly? I hate to have to wait a whole month before I get another copy.
I believe that the best story I have ever read in this magazine was "The Invisible Death," by Victor Rousseau.
The reason I like Astounding Stories better than any other Science Fiction magazine is that most of the other magazines have too much science and not enough action.--Dale Griffith, 437 Carson St., San Antonio, Texas.
"_To Satisfy Myself_"
Dear Editor:
It has been long since I read the February issue of your magazine and I"m waiting anxiously for the March issue.