"No one ever wrote like Smith, with his special blend of intense myth-making and rich invention!"-- Publishers Weekly Cordwainer Smith was one of the original visionaries to think of humanity in terms of thousands of years in the future, spread out across the universe. This brilliant collection, often cited as the first of its kind, explores fundamental questions about ourselves and our treatment of the universe (and other beings) around us and ultimately what it means to be human. In "Scanners Live in Vain" we meet ...
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"No one ever wrote like Smith, with his special blend of intense myth-making and rich invention!"-- Publishers Weekly Cordwainer Smith was one of the original visionaries to think of humanity in terms of thousands of years in the future, spread out across the universe. This brilliant collection, often cited as the first of its kind, explores fundamental questions about ourselves and our treatment of the universe (and other beings) around us and ultimately what it means to be human. In "Scanners Live in Vain" we meet Martel, a human altered to be part machine--a scanner--to be able withstand the trauma space travel has on the body. Despite the stigma placed on him and his kind, he is able to regrasp his humanity to save another. In "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" we get to know the underpeople--animals genetically altered to exist in human form, to better serve their human owners--and meet D'Joan, a dog-woman who will make readers question who is more human: the animals who simply want to be recognized as having the same right to life, or the people who created them to be inferior. In "The Ballad of Lost C'mell" the notion of love being the most important equalizer there is--as first raised in "The Dead Lady of Clown Town"--is put into action when an underperson, C'mell, falls in love with Lord Jestocost. Who is to say her love for him is not as valid as any true-born human? She might be of cat descent, but she is all woman! And in "A Planet Named Shayol" it is an underperson of bull descent, and beings so mutilated and deformed from their original human condition to be now considered demons of a hellish land, who retain and display the most humanity when Mankind commits the most inhumane action of all.
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Seller's Description:
Used Good. Edited by JJ Pierce. Text is in English. Size-H: 7', W: 4.25', D: 1' This item is Used and is listed as being in Very Good condition. Some edge wear. There are some creases on the spine. FF00000002944 Firefly Bookstore sells items online and in our store front. We try to add images and descriptions when we can, but if you need additional information or photos of the books we list, please contact us.
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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 376 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Very Good. No Jacket. Book Second paperback ed. Very good condition, moderate over all wear, bookstore stamp on first page, large black mark on bottom of page edges.
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Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. Book Club edition. (science fiction) A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Cordwainer Smith, nom de plume of Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, is a man you would have wanted to live longer. At that, his life was lived to the most full. There are so many highlights to mention that influenced his writing style; suffice it to know that he was the godson of Sun Yat Sen, founder of the Chinese Republic, that he himself was Professor of Far East politics, that he spoke six languages, that he could sit informally in a room at the Pentagon -- the list is vast.
It all adds up when reading each and every one of his short stories, a field in which he excelled in sci-fi. That background of his would get him employed any time and anywhere, but it also put the potency of the exotic into all his stories (with the exception of one sci-fi novel, there were all those tales to love and enjoy).
His sensitive nature nature he reserved from people and poured into his craft. The aphorisms were a compilation of his knowledge derived from his acquaintance with those six languages.There is not one story derivitive of all his output. Be aware, though, that his output spoke of love of mankind and its evolutions over millennia - it's all there in his timeline. His was a truly unique and highly lauded voice in this genre.
When we read an author we meet him mind to mind. Dr Linebarger gave us 38 years out of his 53.
