Murray writes:
Dear Nova Mob members and friends–
A change of plans. This coming Wednesday, we welcome Paul Kincaid by Zoom on The Influential Contradictions of Brian Aldiss.
Paul will be speaking to us from London. Details are below.
Bruce Barnes’s talk on Brick Bradford will be at a later date. It’s postponed to a date yet to be confirmed while another matter currently takes Bruce’s attention. We thank Paul for bringing forward his talk by a month.
Paul brings a fierce intellect and impressive bibliography to bear on the topic of Aldiss. Looking forward to it!
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CALENDAR
2 August – Paul Kincaid on The Influential Contradictions of Brian Aldiss
6 September, 4 October – to be advised
1 November – Ian Mond’s Mondial best books of the year: the world of sf, horror, and fantasy in 2023
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The Influential Contradictions of Brian Aldiss
Wednesday 2 August 2023 – leading UK SF critic Paul Kincaid
The late Brian Aldiss was much loved in Australian SF fandom. Aldiss was a man of many contradictions. Those contradictions are now outwardly expressed in the very nature of UK science fiction today. Paul Kincaid will discuss those contradictions and their expression from the person to the field we see today.
Paul is in the front ranks of the UK’s science fiction critics. He is author of the critical work Brian W. Aldiss published by the University of Illinois Press (2022) available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.
From Paul’s web site: http://www.paulkincaid.co.uk/:
“I first started reading science fiction in my teens, but I became almost obsessively interested in the genre while I was at the University of Ulster. My degree was in Philosophy and History, and those two disciplines have influenced the way I have written about science fiction ever since.
“In 1975 I had my first encounter with fandom and in the next couple of years started writing occasionally for fanzines. By 1978, that turned into writing reviews for various journals.
“There are overviews of what might laughably be called my career at the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and also (rather sparsely and not entirely accurately) at Wikipedia.
“I’ve arranged all my reviews chronologically and also in alphabetical order of author (and where possible linked to the reviews on line). I’ve also listed the various essays, interviews and columns I’ve done. By now, I’ve actually surprised myself by having a number of books published in my name, as well as contributing to quite a number of different volumes. And I’ve even had the occasional piece of fiction published.
“In 1993 I married the wonderful Maureen Kincaid Speller, whose name does crop up a few times on this site. You really should do yourself a favour and check out her blog, Paper Knife.
“For rather more than 30 years I earned my living as an advertising copywriter, and if you’re really interested, there are details of that career here.”
Also at this site I’ve incorporated my ongoing Timeline of British Science Fiction, which will, of course, never be completed, and that often goes into abeyance for months at a time.
Oh, and before I forget, I also blog at Through the Dark Labyrinth and (very occasionally, now) at Big Other, if you feel the need to read even more of my writing.”
Meeting details Nova Mob Wednesday 2 August 2023 –
Paul Kincaid
Please share this invitation with like-minded friends and fans
Face to face
You are invited to an in-person Nova Mob meeting at:
Wednesday 2 August 2023 8.00pm – 9.15pm or so,
first floor Conference Room Kensington Town Hall
30 – 34 Bellair St, Kensington Melbourne VIC 3031
By Zoom – simulcast
For those who prefer not to travel or are unable to attend face-to-face. Zoom session broadcast from the Kensington Town Hall. Questions or comments typed into the Zoom chat will be discussed as the opportunity permits, and you’ll have as much airtime as the other Mob members at the venue.
Wednesday 2 August
8.00pm – 9.00/9.30 pm Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney time
7.30pm – 8.30/9.00pm Adelaide time
11.00am UK London time
Meeting ID: 417 758 3193
Passcode: nova
This is the wholly reliable web link. One for your bookmarks?
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4177583193?pwd=VjdPL1BhSTBNclN2YnRsejN3Y1hlUT09
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Gerald Murnane
An essay by Emmett Stimson in The Guardian posed the question: A homemade avant garde of one’: why is Gerald Murnane revered abroad but divisive in Australia?
“He is without question both the most original and most significant Australian author of the last 50 years, and one of the best writers Australia has produced.”
Critical work “Murnane” launches on 1 August
Dr Emmett Stinson of the University of Tasmania sees his short critical book Murnane launched on 1 August. Its focus is Murnane’s four final novels – Barley Patch, A History of Books, A Million Windows and Border District.
https://www.mup.com.au/books/murnane-paperback-softback
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From the archives
Hugh Walters and the internet archive
The Internet Archive holds many items of science fictional interest.
“Hugh Walters was a British writer of science fiction for children, who is best remembered for creating the Chris Godfrey of U.N.E.X.A. series, about the fictional United Nations Exploration Agency. This ran to 20 volumes, some of which are presented here.
“These are strong stories, well written, aimed at anyone with an interest in the actual Space Race of the 1950s and ’60s.
“Of his writing, Walters said: I believe a good SF story should (1) entertain, (2) educate painlessly, and (3) inspire young people of today to be the scientists of tomorrow.
“The first novel, Blast Off at Woomera, is loosely based on the true fact that Britain and Australia did at one time co-operate in space research, and jointly funded a rocket base for satellite launches at Woomera in Australia.”
Later novels involved alien encounters as the earlier books exhausted settings in the solar system.
Launch pad here for 5 novels and for the Archive’s general search term “science fiction” to search all books
Murray MacLachlan, Convenor
The Adelaide Fan Review 
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