HARLAN ELLISON — APPROACHING OBLIVION — Walker & Co (NY) (1974) (BCE 6400)

Description: HARLAN ELLISONAPPROACHING OBLIVIONWalker & Co (NY) (1974)(BCE 6400) CONDITION: GOOD or better, with some shelfwear. Old price mark on front flyleaf. Commentaries on line: Ellison retains his ability to shake the senses and rattle the nerves. He has a way with metaphor, storyline and characterization that is all his own and creating the ability to shock, stun or wring your heartstrings. His main characters (usually male) are people forced into extraordinary circumstances who then flail or lash out in an effort to make sense of it all. Whether they happily subside into mediocrity or scale the heights of infamy or fame, they and the stories they inhabit leave a person feeling decidedly queer after it.Read this book. Put it away for a few years and read it again. It is a book worth reading repeatedly if only to see how excellent it remains even after you’ve grown and changed into an alien creature. There are eleven stories herein, all of which contain a negative futuristic element of some sort. True to Ellison's usual form, he managed to be terrifying, misanthropic, achingly human, outrageously funny, and heartbreaking, sometimes in the same story. One of the lesser known Ellison collections, it remains a favorite that I recommend to everyone. the dedication itself is thought provoking, but the stories are what Ellison is known for and in this book we find the ideas coming fiercely and at fever pitch. One story, short enough to maintain a significant sting and relevant to all, is the work "Ecowareness" - a story of the Earth waking up from a nap to find that we have disturbed its slumber, so it starts relentlessly wiping us out so it can have peace and quiet again. I imagine this was written with tongue solidly in cheek, but it still maintains a sense of not only social commentary, but the commentary on the human condition that Ellison willingly throws out in his works. The other tales are equally unique and dangerously relevant as the one I describe and while every one of Ellison's tales may not be your cup of tea, I would hate to meet the person who could not find one quoteable line or thought provoking story in this work. There is no such thing as a bad Ellison collection. The man rocks. However there is one story here that would be worth the price of admission even if all the others sucked (they don't). "I'm Looking for Kadak" is a very funny tale about Jewish aliens trying to form a Minyan for worship. It helps to know more than a little Yiddish to read this story. But never fear. Ellison provides a glossary. How thoughtful! This is one of Ellison's least well-known collections but still features some wonderful writing even though none of his truly iconic award-winners are included. It's a short book by current standards, but packs quite a punch nonetheless. All of the stories fall within the confines of the speculative genre this time around. My favorites are I'm Looking For Kadak, Ecowareness, and One Life Furnished in Early Poverty. ______________________ {I'll always combine shipping costs and refund any excess shipping charges for multiple-copy book orders.}For all "buy it now" items, please use ADD TO CART if you plan to order more than one item at the same time.______________ WOW! I wrote a book!!! — Come on! Take a look!! ———Just go here:http://www.ebay.com/itm/CTHULHU'S-COUSINS-and-Other-Weirdnesses-W-Paul-Ganley-Wildside-Press-2016-/255154711891?hash=item3ace43fc32 ___________________________________________________________Want to look at my other fantasy & mystery offerings (including Brian Lumley first editions)? CLICK HERE(and if you like what you see there, why not bookmark it for future visits!)

Price: 9.5 USD

Location: Buffalo, New York

End Time: 2024-09-16T03:49:24.000Z

Shipping Cost: 4.8 USD