Science Fiction

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,605 posts) Fri Dec 25, 2020, 10:43 PM Dec 2020

Sad news to report.

Last edited Sat Jul 2, 2022, 09:14 PM - Edit history (1)

James E. Gunn died two days ago at the age of 97. To say he was a giant in the field doesn't begin to cover it. I took his writing workshop back in the early 90s and to this day I remember the entire experience with awe.

My personal proudest moment was when, after not having seen him for a decade or so, I walked into a room that he was in, he looked up, saw me, came right over and gave me a hug! Wow.

Here are links to a couple of obits:

https://www2.ljworld.com/news/ku/2020/dec/24/gunn-dad-of-science-fiction/

https://locusmag.com/2020/12/james-gunn-1923-2020/

I am so glad I got to know him.

7 replies

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Highlight:

Sad news to report. (Original Post) PoindexterOglethorpe Dec 2020 OP

He WILL be missed, and AmyStrange Dec 2020 #1

Gunn wrote one of the best science fiction novels ever, IMO: "The Listeners" friendly_iconoclast Dec 2020 #2

That sounds fascinating! ShazzieB Dec 2020 #6

I remember reading *The Immortals* as a kid... First Speaker Dec 2020 #3

Society in "The Immortals" breaks down into technologically advanced serfdom friendly_iconoclast Dec 2020 #7

That is sad news indeed! lastlib Dec 2020 #4

Very sad. murielm99 Dec 2020 #5

AmyStrange

(7,989 posts)

1. He WILL be missed, and

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Original post)

Fri Dec 25, 2020, 10:52 PM

Dec 2020

-

thank you for sharing.
==========

friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)

2. Gunn wrote one of the best science fiction novels ever, IMO: "The Listeners"

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Original post)

Fri Dec 25, 2020, 11:33 PM

Dec 2020

One of the first novels to deal with SETI, the search for extraterrestial intelligence.
Well worth a look if you haven't read it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Listeners_(novel)

ShazzieB

(18,510 posts)

6. That sounds fascinating!

Reply to friendly_iconoclast (Reply #2)

Sat Dec 26, 2020, 03:38 AM

Dec 2020

I googled it, and it sounded so good I just ordered a copy from Amazon.

First Speaker

(4,858 posts)

3. I remember reading *The Immortals* as a kid...

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Original post)

Sat Dec 26, 2020, 12:02 AM

Dec 2020

...still holds up well. They made a terrible TV series about it...and a couple of his short-story collections were some of my first SF reads, in 1966. And, of course, *The Listeners*--now *that's* the book they should have made a movie out of...instead of *Contact*. (Which is OK. "Listeners" would have been great.) Rest in peace, sir.

friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)

7. Society in "The Immortals" breaks down into technologically advanced serfdom

Reply to First Speaker (Reply #3)

Sun Dec 27, 2020, 02:41 AM

Dec 2020

Doesn't seem far-fetched now, does it?

lastlib

(24,790 posts)

4. That is sad news indeed!

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Original post)

Sat Dec 26, 2020, 12:21 AM

Dec 2020

A true giant of sci-Fi! I have a copy of his work The Road To Science Fiction, and recall reading The Immortals (but never connected it to the TV series--stupid of me!)

for Dr. Gunn. Requiescat In Pace, sir!

murielm99

(31,410 posts)

5. Very sad.

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Original post)

Sat Dec 26, 2020, 03:24 AM

Dec 2020

RIP

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