Ellison Responds To Review

Harlan Ellison took an unaccustomed walkabout on the internet yesterday and left a “bread and butter thank you note” among the comments on Joachim Boaz’ largely favorable review of his 1974 collection Approaching Oblivion. It’s clear he was also peeved by some of the commenters. Here’s an excerpt:

I’m pleased as punch for the three (or possibly four, depending on your scale of values) star review of one of my older books.  While it dismays me to have the word “preachy” bruited so freely, I chalk it up to the lack of understanding of cultural context brought to my work by readers who did not live through that inclement era of American culture.  Callow, one might call such detractors; I would never do that.  For it might further convince them that such misperceptions as that spouted by one of your communicants, re: the Connie Willis myth, bears a tinge of ratiocination and reality.