A sort of inadequate memorial tribute to John Sladek.

August 22, 2002 1:57 AM

A sort of inadequate memorial tribute to John Sladek. A twenty-year old interview with an author you've probably never heard of. More literary than Douglas Adams, and at least as funny. Think Terry Gilliam if he'd become a writer rather than a director (the most obvious comparison I could think of, them both being Yanks who emigrated to England). I could have added some more links, but if I tell you that he's even funnier in print you'll be googling away for yourself. Sad thing is, he's dead.
posted by chrisgregory (6 comments total)

I still have problems thinking that 1982 is twenty years ago. Tell me that something is two decades old and I'm immediately way back somewhere in the early seventies. 1982 seems much closer than twenty years.

Great interview though. I (mis)spent a large part of my youth reading sci-fi (who didn't?) but I'm constantly amazed at the huge back catalogue of sci-fi novels and writers of which I've never heard... it's like looking into the black slab in 2001 - "my god... it's full of stars!" I'll have to seek out some Sladek.
posted by humuhumu at 2:55 AM on August 22, 2002

Man, I didn't even know that John Sladek was already dead! This is a dark time for science fiction; Douglas Adams and Poul Anderson and Damon Knight all died in the last year or so, with more to come....

Thanks for the link.
posted by interrobang at 8:33 AM on August 22, 2002

interrobang: ---and Jay Haldeman and George Alec Effinger (who was MY age) and Ron Walotsky (the artist)---sad times, indeed.

But thanks for the link, chrisgregory. I'd somehow missed that interview and it was a delight to read. John was a sweet, sweet man, and the interview brought his voice back to my inner ear. I plan to spend the weekend rereading all the Sladek books in the house and wishing there were more of them!
posted by realjanetkagan at 11:48 AM on August 23, 2002

Yeah, and I forgot R.A. Lafferty. *sigh*.
posted by interrobang at 11:59 AM on August 23, 2002

For a taste of John Sladek's fine madness, read Stop Evolution in its Tracks!
posted by realjanetkagan at 12:18 PM on August 23, 2002

And, looky here! An interactive story by John Sladek!
posted by realjanetkagan at 12:33 PM on August 23, 2002