Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick has been published by the Library of America. Library of America is a non-profit publisher dedicated to keeping in print critical editions of the greatest authors of the United States. This publication gives Dick the status of a serious writer if not a literary author. Other authors published by the Library of America include Hawthrone and Emerson and Faulkner, literary giants. Dick is also the first science fiction writer to be included in this roster which suggests to me that he is the best science fiction writer of the late twentieth century.

Even for fans of science fiction Dick’s books stand out as being bizarre. Many of his stories explore how technology twists our perception of reality. He asks if the existence of artificial humans changes what it is to be human? How does precognition change the politics of daily life in the present? For Dick the future was extremely weird. As we know embrace the information rich world of political blogs and reality TV we see that Philip K. Dick was right.

Ever hear of the reptilians?

Read about the strange world of David Icke in this essay by James Trimarco located at Strangehorizons.com. Let him know what you think.

I wrote last month about horror fiction. Today I am going to follow the same path and review a specific reference work in the field, St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost and Gothic Writers. This work is available in the reference section of Gulfport Public Library. It is a large and expensive book which would probably only be purchased by an extremely devoted fan of the genre with deep pockets, so we are lucky to have it here at the library.

The book is organized alphabetically by the last names of the authors it covers. This makes it easy to use. Old favorite authors are easy to find. Also this is the perfect volume to pick through at random to let serendipity lead you to a new author you are not familiar with. I find that kind of activity a lot of fun. It is like looking around in an old bookstore you have never been in before never knowing what new discovery is waiting around the corner on a dusty shelf.

The entries on the authors are fairly long and detailed. This is definitely a good thing. I just turned to Stephen King’s entry. It begins with a listing of the standard information that you might expect. Some interesting facts are encountered here. Before getting any of his books published, King worked both as a janitor and a laborer in an industrial laundry, as well as, an English teacher at Hampden Academy in Maine. He has been a full time writer from 1973 to the present. The entry listed his published novels. Then his novels published under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman are listed. Next his short stories are listed. Then his plays are listed. Next his “other” publications are listed including a collection of poetry. Film adaptations, biography, bibliography, critical studies and theatrical activities finish the listings.

Next is the real meat of the article. In this final section you find statements about the lasting value of King’s work and the criticism he has received from his peers. The author notes that without Stephen King’s influence on the genre not only would bookstore fail to have horror sections, but even this book, St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost and Gothic Writer, might not exist. I find it interesting that King is also compared to J. R. R. Tolkien. There similarity is that they both single-handedly created new genres, modern fantasy and modern horror. The author goes as far as to compare King to another British writer, Charles Dickens. Both Stephen King and Charles Dickens were able to capture their age, the author writes. King’s depiction of horror captures the fears and troubles of the late 20th century.

So that is how the entries are organized and what kinds of information they convey. This is a good resource for fans of the genre. The lists of publications alone could lead to interesting discoveries. So if you want to learn more about your favorite spooky writers this is one place to go.

Next month is October. October makes me think about Halloween. And Halloween makes me think about horror fiction. I am a fan of horror fiction, an aficionado of the macabre, if you will.

If you are a reader of science fiction or fantasy you may well be familiar with the raised eye brows of friends and family who think you should be reading something more “serious.” Horror fiction probably has the worse reputation of all. Not only are you reading something that is not “serious” but you are reading something morbid, gross and downright evil. These critics seem to forget that ghosts and vampires and werewolves and even Lovecraft’s Great Old Ones are pretty tame compared to what you see in the newspaper any day of the year. Still these ghouls and goblins do scare us. Why? I think these creatures act as portals through which we peer to see ourselves, our inner monsters.

In my mind I divide horror fiction in two large categories, the old stuff and the new stuff. The new stuff includes Stephen King, Bently Little, Clive Barker, and Poppy Z. Brite. The old stuff includes Edger Allen Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, M.R. James, and Algernon Blackwood. The old stuff was for the most part focused on the form of the short story. And many of the stories have the feel of sitting around a camp fire and telling a disturbing tale until late at night.

The new stuff is focused to a large extent on the novel, the thick bestseller, the page turner. Stephen King is associated with this form of storytelling. If you are a fan or not of his writing it is hard to deny that Mr. King has had an impressive career, and his name has been associated in the popular culture with the horror genre more than anybody else except , perhaps, for Poe. Not only are his books popular, but his stories have appeared as television shows and as films. One of his most ambitious works was the seven volume Dark Tower series. These books were about an epic adventure. While the horrific element was evident, the books also had significant fantasy and science fiction leanings.

What I call the old stuff (Poe, Lovecraft, Blackwood) resonates the most with me. While the plots of many of these old tales may be simple if not predicable the language is rich and creates powerful moods and atmospheres. Unlike racing through a thriller or mystery to see how the plot unfolds, these old horror stories encourage us to slow down and enjoy ornate sentences that seem to come from a strange if not distant world.
So this October visit a local library and try a book of horror stories, old or new. Forget the world and sink into a story that is fitting for the season.

Autumn does not officially begin until September the twenty-third, and it is still hot here in Florida, but I feel like summer is over. Maybe in part I feel this way because now I drive back and forth to work with the yellow school buses. I remember those buses from my youth. We did not have air conditioned buses in my day. It was hot in there and sticky. And often it was decided on those bus rides who were to be bullied and who were not.

Public school was a long time ago. And it certainly feels like a long time ago. But the memories of yellow school buses are sharp and clear: driving past a graveyard all covered in fog like an old horror movie, seeing the flashing lights of a fire engine zip through the dark. On the first day back I was nervous. And it is the first days that I remember the most.

The character of the library changes as the new school year begins. The mornings are quiet. Senior citizens come in for the morning papers and to check email. Young mothers with the children too young for school look at books and movies. Late afternoon brings students with homework and sometimes special research projects. The photocopy machine and the printer are busy. A new school year begins.

Today I was working on the web page preparing for next month, and something occurred to me. Why not post our events calendar for September on this blog in advance for anyone who wants to plan ahead? So here it is:

Afterschool Fun with Crafts: Fridays, September 8 and 15 at 4:00 p.m.

Scrapbookers Club for Adults and Teens: Saturday, September 9 at 1:00 p.m. Bring your pictures, books and questions, and prepare to have a great time! Scrapbookers meet on the second Saturday of each month. Make beautiful pages of memories for yourself and your family. Some supplies available, but you need to furnish you own 12x12 scrapbook album. For more information, call Kay Boatwright at the Library, 893-1074.

Socrates Café: These monthly discussion groups were inspired by the book The
Six Questions of Socrates. Author Christopher Phillips traveled the world to lead informal groups, engaging people in the manner of the ancient Greek philosopher, for whom “the questions are more important than the answers.” Thursday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m., and Friday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m.

Suncoast Computer Users: Thursday, September 14 at 6:00 p.m.

Storytime and Crafts: Saturday, September 16 at 3:00 p.m.

SummerCoffeeTalk: Our summer season of monthly book discussions, “Long Ago and Far Away,” continues with Diamonds are Forever, by Ian Fleming. Join us for coffee, light refreshments, and lively conversation on Thursday, September 21. Coffee is ready at 9:30 a.m., discussion starts at 10 o’clock. Copies of the book may be reserved at the Reference Desk. (Our Fall season of CoffeeTalk begins October 19 with The Flamingo Rising, by Larry Baker, this year’s “Read Around Pinellas” community-read selection.)

Genealogy Discussion Group: Saturday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m. This is not a formal class, just an opportunity to meet and share experiences and information with others interested in delving into their family history. FMI, call Kay Boatwright at the Library, 893-1074.

Gulfport Creative Writers: Wednesday mornings, 9:15 a.m.-12:00 Noon.

G.E.D. Classes: Prepare for the high school equivalency examination. Mondays & Wednesdays, 5:00-8:00 p.m. (except City or school holidays), through Lakewood Community School. FMI, call 893-2955.

Great Minds Think Alike


I was thinking about putting together a discussion group about the paranormal, esoteric and supernatural. I was inspired to do this my own interests and by the number of patrons who asked about these subjects at the reference desk. Patrons have asks for everything from texts on the tarot to aliens to magic spells.

Considering these interests I was surprised and impressed when I was looking at the monthly schedule of events here at Gulfport Library and saw a group was coming in to discuss P.D. Ouspensky and the Fourth Way Spiritual Path. Ouspensky was a Russian philosopher with interests in the mystical. He combined geometry and psychology in what he called higher dimensions of existence. He is best known for his early work with the mystic teacher and author G. I. Gurdjieff.

I have always had an interest in the esoteric, paranormal and supernatural. I am a fan of supernatural horror fiction. My favorite writers include: H. P. Lovecraft, Algernon Blackwood and M.R. James. I have also had an interest in the stories and practices of those who believe they have actually experienced something paranormal.

The Fourth Way Spiritual Path: Video and discussion based on the book The Fourth Way, by P. D. Ouspensky. Presented by the Fourth Way Study Group. Saturday, August 19, 1:00 p.m.