Approaching Oblivion
Encyclopedia
Approaching Oblivion is a collection of short stories by author Harlan Ellison
. The short stories had appeared in various magazines throughout the early 1970s with the exceptions of "Paulie Charmed the Sleeping Woman" which originally appeared in 1962 and "Ecowareness" which was previously unpublished.
According to the introduction, the book was originally conceived in 1970 as a call to action, that would contain cautionary tales from Ellison's previous books. Over the next four years the book changed to include previously uncollected stories with underlying themes of disillusionment and futility in rebelling. Classic examples along these lines are the dystopian "Knox" and "Silent in Gehenna". Other notable stories include "One Life, Furnished in Early poverty" which depicts a man meeting a younger version of himself as a child and finding himself unable to ease the pains of childhood. The story takes place at Lathrop Grade School in Painesville, Ohio
where the author himself attended elementary school and experienced many painful encounters with antisemitic prejudice recounted in the introduction.
The foreword by fiction author Michael Crichton
paints a picture of Ellison as an energetic, eclectic, uncompromising, and sometimes obstinate individual. It also describes the resistance and resentment felt by many of the people who have worked with Ellison in the movie business.
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
. The short stories had appeared in various magazines throughout the early 1970s with the exceptions of "Paulie Charmed the Sleeping Woman" which originally appeared in 1962 and "Ecowareness" which was previously unpublished.
According to the introduction, the book was originally conceived in 1970 as a call to action, that would contain cautionary tales from Ellison's previous books. Over the next four years the book changed to include previously uncollected stories with underlying themes of disillusionment and futility in rebelling. Classic examples along these lines are the dystopian "Knox" and "Silent in Gehenna". Other notable stories include "One Life, Furnished in Early poverty" which depicts a man meeting a younger version of himself as a child and finding himself unable to ease the pains of childhood. The story takes place at Lathrop Grade School in Painesville, Ohio
Painesville, Ohio
As of the 2010 Census, there were 19,563 people. As of the census of 2000, there were 17,503 people, 6,525 households, and 4,032 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,928.6 people per square mile . There were 6,933 housing units at an average density of 1,160.0 per square mile...
where the author himself attended elementary school and experienced many painful encounters with antisemitic prejudice recounted in the introduction.
The foreword by fiction author Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
paints a picture of Ellison as an energetic, eclectic, uncompromising, and sometimes obstinate individual. It also describes the resistance and resentment felt by many of the people who have worked with Ellison in the movie business.
Contents
- Forward: Approaching Ellison by Michael CrichtonMichael CrichtonJohn Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
- Introduction: Reaping the Whirlwind
- Knox
- Cold Friend
- Kiss of Fire
- Paulie Charmed the Sleeping Woman
- I'm Looking for Kadak
- Silent in Gehenna
- Erotophobia
- One Life, Furnished in Early poverty
- Ecowareness
- Catman
- Hindsight:480 Seconds