Science Fantasy News, Science Fantasy Society, A. Vincent Clarke, Vince Clarke, Ken Bulmer, British science fiction fandom, 1952 Convention

SCIENCE FANTASY NEWS MINOR No 3

Issued as a supplement to SFN 3, and included with the 'Booklet' to all non-Science Fantasy Society members of the British Fantasy Library.

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BRITISH FANTASY LIBRARY

With SFNews 3 and SFNM 3 is included the BFL Booklist No 11, containing various proposals by John Gunn concerning the organisation of the BFL.

A quorum of the SFS Committee, consisting of Secretary Fears and Members Clarke, Duncombe and Tubb have discussed these proposals and have reached general agreement on the following points.

(1) In the best interest of all parties concerned, the SFS should accept the invitation to take over central co-ordination of the BFL.

(2) As there are some 50 members of the BFL who are not members of the SFS, a general merger (ie. with a common subscription, etc.) is not possible at present, although this point should be left open for future discussion.

(3) Failing the discovery of a member of the SFS or BFL who has sufficient time, space, and energy to administer the library alone, the plan of dividing the library into sections should be followed.

(4) If divided, the number of sections should be kept as small as possible, to eliminate extra postage.

(5) Every effort should be made to have these sections in a small area, to enable a central meeting of librarians at frequent intervals.

(6) Amalgamation of the 'Cosmos Library' with the BFL will be discussed with librarians.

(7) As central administration of the B.F.L. entails responsibility for the issue of a 'Directory of Anglo-Fandom', which was advertised and should have appeared some time ago, the SFS Committee will look into the matter, and a progress report should be made in the near future.

(8) Suggestions, criticisms, and comments on the above will be welcomed by the Committee, and if necessary a referendum on particular points will be carried out.

(9) Suggestions, etc., intended for the Committee should be sent to :- E.C.Tubb 27 Clarendon Gardens London W.9.

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S.F.S. INFORMATION

'Introducing the SFS', an article by Ken Slater in SFN 1, has been brought up to date and reprinted in a handy booklet, which also contains data on the SFS Administration and the addresses of all fanzine publishers, s-f libraries, etc., in the U.K. A copy is sent to every new member, or can be obtained from :-

'SFNews' c/o A.Vincent Clarke 16, Wendover Way Welling, Kent.

The SFS CONTACT BUREAU, for the promotion of international correspondence and trading between fans, is open to all BFL and SFS members. It is already in touch with a number of US fans. Write to :-

'SFS Contact Bureau' c/o L.E.Bartle 16, Milford Rd., Walton Stafford

An informal gathering of fans, the London Circle, meets every Thursday evening in the Saloon Bar of the 'White Horse Tavern', E.C.4.

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QUOTES, NOTES, NEWS & REVIEWS (A Supplement to S.F.News 3)

The longer it takes to duplicate a news-zine, the more news there is to be duplicated. Which takes longer to duplicate, which means more incoming news, which is a beautiful example of the vicious circle. We have here some items which came in after SFN 3 was duplicated, but before it was sent out.

First printed in the U.S., Ward Moore's 'Greener Than You Think' (Gollancz, 12/6d) is satirical s-f, concerning the irresistible spread of vegetable life when a chemical is discovered which allows plants to grow in any substance, tied in with the original salesman's rise to the futile position of international capitalist.

George Orwell's '1984' (Secker and Warburg, 10 /-) (allegedly) horrified the critics almost to the 'Ape and Essence' level. Orwell's future 'civilisation' is composed of 3 strictly controlled states or 'Airstrips' which are always at war with each other, and the restrictions of World War 2 are here extrapolated to the nth degree. The control of each Party member's mind, with the suppression of critical thinking, is each States constant endeavour, and provides the neccessary conflict for the hero.

'The Moment of Truth', by Storm Jameson (Macmillan, 7/6d), sets a group of refugees from the successful invasion of England on to a lonely Scottish airfield, and poses the question -- who is going to catch the Last Plane Out ?

It's happened at last! Shasta Publishers (U.S.) announce the forthcoming publication of Bob Heinlein's entire 'Future-History' series - 23 stories (mostly from ASF, but including some from SatEvePost and some new ones) in five books, ending with a sequel to 'Common Sense' (and 'Universe') which concludes the whole series.

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SFMinor. Pub: A.V.Clarke, 16 Wendover Way, Welling, Kent.