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The Harlan Ellison Hornbook
Over the course of his legendary career, Harlan Ellison has defied─and sometimes defined─modern fantasy literature, all while refusing to allow any genre to claim him. A Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Horror Writers Association as well as winner of countless awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker, Ellison is as unpredictable as he is unique, irrepressible as he is infuriating. E-Reads is proud to publish over thirty titles in Ellison’s brilliant catalog, now available in an elegant new package featuring Ellison himself. Genius never felt so combustible.-A major collection of Harlan Ellison’s incomparable, troublemaking, uncompromising, confrontational essays and newspaper columns, THE HARLAN ELLISON HORNBOOK mines deep into the author's colorful past. Failed love affairs, departed pets, a defense of comic books--in lesser hands these subjects would be pablum or treacle. When Harlan Ellison is behind the typewriter, mundanity becomes an all-out intellectual brawl. Emotionally moving and verbally stimulating, these columns can't be missed, especially Ellison's article on controversial comedian Lenny Bruce or the chilling account of the author's trip to visit a death row inmate in San Quentin State Prison.
417 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1990
27 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
Harlan Ellison
1,076 books2,841 followersHarlan Jay Ellison (1934-2018) was a prolific American writer of short stories, novellas, teleplays, essays, and criticism.
His literary and television work has received many awards. He wrote for the original series of both The Outer Limits and Star Trek as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; edited the multiple-award-winning short story anthology series Dangerous Visions; and served as creative consultant/writer to the science fiction TV series The New Twilight Zone and Babylon 5.
Several of his short fiction pieces have been made into movies, such as the classic "The Boy and His Dog".
His literary and television work has received many awards. He wrote for the original series of both The Outer Limits and Star Trek as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; edited the multiple-award-winning short story anthology series Dangerous Visions; and served as creative consultant/writer to the science fiction TV series The New Twilight Zone and Babylon 5.
Several of his short fiction pieces have been made into movies, such as the classic "The Boy and His Dog".
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 7, 2017
I liked Harlan Ellison a lot better thirty years ago, when I was much younger, and his bombast and hyperbole seemed indicative of passion and commitment, rather than arrogance and carelessness. Many of these essays (originally published from the early 1970s through the late 1980s) remain entertaining and occasionally insightful to read, but more often than not, Ellison's purple-ish prose and lack of nuance become grating.
March 11, 2018
The majority of the essays collected in this volume originally appeared in the early 1970's as weekly newspaper columns. Ellison indulges himself throughout, ranting and raving for and against whatever topic attracts his fancy. Some of the reviews and comments have lost their relevancy over the years, but most of his commentary and warnings seem just as important now as ever; history teaches us that the names may change but the song remains the same, right? Whether the reader loves him or hates him, agrees or disagrees with the opinions presented, there's no arguing that his command of the language is fluent, educational, and always entertaining.
May 12, 2022
Harlan Ellison the fiction writer can be hit or miss, but Harlan Ellison the essayist and critic is always entertaining and worth reading.
This is a collection of 36 articles written for independent Los Angeles newspapers, mainly the L.A. Free Press between 1972-73. (The appendices include 6 additional essays written later than the other material, as well as a recording of Harlan giving a public reading of one of the original articles.)
In his introduction to the first hardcover edition of this book in 1989, Harlan Ellison writes the following:
"At least one full generation of readers has grown up since I wrote these wonky little essays on the passing parade. The concerns of those years near the end of the Vietnam war, near the end of the reign of Nixon, near the end of a period of heightened social consciousness, now seem like musty, if amusing, reminiscences of ex-Flower Power advocates bent on boring their yuppie-in-training offspring. Nonetheless, voices of yesterday speak in these pages and, for kids to whom nostalgia is breakfast, there may yet be a few bemusing stories to recount."
Harlan riffs on all sorts of topics from the fascinating to the pedestrian:
"The Day I Died" in which Harlan imagines several scenarios surrounding the details of his life and death. Some of this material made it into All the Lies That Are My Life (1980). None of what he imagines is close to the reality of how his life ended--dying peacefully in his sleep at the age of 84 next to his loving wife of 32 years.
"When I was a Hired Gun" -- Harlan is hired as an armed bodyguard for an eccentric, possibly insane inventor.
"Death Row, San Quentin" -- Harlan impersonates a lawyer's aid in order to meet a convicted child-killer awaiting execution. This incident inspired the novel Mefisto in Onyx (1993).
"College Days" -- Harlan recounts his juvenile delinquent antics at Ohio State University, rails against professors who discourage students from chasing their dreams, and discusses antisemitism in the Midwest.
"Death-Wish of a Golden Idea"-- This is long rant about the time Harlan paid for season tickets to the American Film Theater's summer movie series, but then was unable to attend a screening of The Ice Man Cometh at their Kansas branch. The essay is interminably long, but by God, how I've often longed to have a platform to publicly humiliate disorganized, bureaucratic companies that waste my time and money. Go get 'em, Harlan!
"Did Your Mother Throw Yours Out?" -- Harlan discusses the comic book industry and its history of (now infamous) work for hire contracts. Plus, he highlights innovations in the field in the 1980's after creator-owned properties were finally allowed.
Along the way he also talks about failed romances, why he despises Christmas, finding out his father was a dentist to the mob, losing friends, union strikes, contract negotiations, the relationship between artists and their fans, animated films, restaurant reviews, the comedy of Lenny Bruce, and the loss of a beloved pet (in this case his dog Ahbhu, who was the inspiration for Blood in "A Boy and His Dog" and Blood's a Rover). He even includes the eulogy he read at his mother's funeral.
I listened to the audiobook read by Luis Moreno.
This is a collection of 36 articles written for independent Los Angeles newspapers, mainly the L.A. Free Press between 1972-73. (The appendices include 6 additional essays written later than the other material, as well as a recording of Harlan giving a public reading of one of the original articles.)
In his introduction to the first hardcover edition of this book in 1989, Harlan Ellison writes the following:
"At least one full generation of readers has grown up since I wrote these wonky little essays on the passing parade. The concerns of those years near the end of the Vietnam war, near the end of the reign of Nixon, near the end of a period of heightened social consciousness, now seem like musty, if amusing, reminiscences of ex-Flower Power advocates bent on boring their yuppie-in-training offspring. Nonetheless, voices of yesterday speak in these pages and, for kids to whom nostalgia is breakfast, there may yet be a few bemusing stories to recount."
Harlan riffs on all sorts of topics from the fascinating to the pedestrian:
"The Day I Died" in which Harlan imagines several scenarios surrounding the details of his life and death. Some of this material made it into All the Lies That Are My Life (1980). None of what he imagines is close to the reality of how his life ended--dying peacefully in his sleep at the age of 84 next to his loving wife of 32 years.
"When I was a Hired Gun" -- Harlan is hired as an armed bodyguard for an eccentric, possibly insane inventor.
"Death Row, San Quentin" -- Harlan impersonates a lawyer's aid in order to meet a convicted child-killer awaiting execution. This incident inspired the novel Mefisto in Onyx (1993).
"College Days" -- Harlan recounts his juvenile delinquent antics at Ohio State University, rails against professors who discourage students from chasing their dreams, and discusses antisemitism in the Midwest.
"Death-Wish of a Golden Idea"-- This is long rant about the time Harlan paid for season tickets to the American Film Theater's summer movie series, but then was unable to attend a screening of The Ice Man Cometh at their Kansas branch. The essay is interminably long, but by God, how I've often longed to have a platform to publicly humiliate disorganized, bureaucratic companies that waste my time and money. Go get 'em, Harlan!
"Did Your Mother Throw Yours Out?" -- Harlan discusses the comic book industry and its history of (now infamous) work for hire contracts. Plus, he highlights innovations in the field in the 1980's after creator-owned properties were finally allowed.
Along the way he also talks about failed romances, why he despises Christmas, finding out his father was a dentist to the mob, losing friends, union strikes, contract negotiations, the relationship between artists and their fans, animated films, restaurant reviews, the comedy of Lenny Bruce, and the loss of a beloved pet (in this case his dog Ahbhu, who was the inspiration for Blood in "A Boy and His Dog" and Blood's a Rover). He even includes the eulogy he read at his mother's funeral.
I listened to the audiobook read by Luis Moreno.
October 23, 2013
Ellison at his best. This is writing as an art. The eloquence with which he states his opinions as facts is wonderful to behold. Contained herein is the definitive last word on the Christmas season. If for no other essay, you must read this for that alone. The Hornbook is a book so of the time it was written that it has become timeless by extension.
Many people have taken issue with Ellison's curmudgeonly attitude. As if, for some reason, the artist must be as his art. Agree with him or not, his writing skill is unparalleled. I really don't care who cooks the meal as long as it is delicious. This is the high cuisine if literature.
Many people have taken issue with Ellison's curmudgeonly attitude. As if, for some reason, the artist must be as his art. Agree with him or not, his writing skill is unparalleled. I really don't care who cooks the meal as long as it is delicious. This is the high cuisine if literature.
November 9, 2017
This collection of newspaper columns from the 1970s is a mixed bag. Some of the pieces, such as his tribute to his deceased dog or his visit to death row, are quite moving. Some of the pieces, such as the restaurant and movie reviews, have not aged well at all. Other pieces demonstrate Ellison's penchant to put himself on a pedestal at others' expense. The ebook edition does not include Ellison's movie script due to legal complications between two different publishers. As a person, Ellison can be quite infuriating, but as a writer he is usually at least interesting and often brilliant. I'd say this book is for Ellison completists only. Read some of his fiction instead.
October 24, 2017
A collection of Harlans articles for a free weekly paper here in LA. I read the ebook version which excises the "Harlan Ellison Movie" script entries. Take many of these life stories with a grain of salt. One subject of a particularly bitter entry later became friends again with HE. He corrects the record here. LSS, Ellison was wrong on almost every gripe. Kudos to HE for stepping up and adding that material.
It's entertaining as all hell. Just not essential.
It's entertaining as all hell. Just not essential.
March 5, 2018
These early '70s essays are now curiosities of their era and minor entries in his oeuvre. A few, on the deaths of his parents and of his dog, and about his visit to death row, remain moving, and the one on how he hates Christmas is a welcome jolt. The extras at the back about Three Dog Night, Lenny Bruce, the history of comic books and, most especially, the positive effects of the '60s raise this a star.
December 20, 2018
A new collection to me and as it's all articles, a fine one in the traduition of the Glass Teat and Watching volumes. A not to be missed installment (or is it 2?) on the joys of the holiday season had me chuckling frequently.
April 26, 2019
Everything Ellison wrote is worth reading and fantastic. I will continue to read the cranky bastards stuff again and again. Great stuff.
December 31, 2013
I enjoy this revealing book of chronicled writings by Harlan Ellison. I learn so much about the author from his childhood to the time of his writing this book. I understand and totally accept Ellison for the man he is, even with our ideological differences. This makes me realize that the difference between people are never reason enough to hate or be close-minded.
This series of letters and criticisms arranged in chronological order is heart warming and brutally honest. Harlan Ellison, a wordsmith who, at times, breaks the rules of grammar on purpose for the right effect. His knowledge of his craft is superior.
The Hornbook is autobiographical but not comprehensive. Harlan reveals just as much of himself, which is a lot, as he wants. The collection of essays and columns are mainly comprised of events that happen to him on a daily basis. The author writes about the past with remarkable recall. Many of these recollections are milestones that shape his individuality, becoming the man he is.
Truth is important to Harlan Ellison and competency vital for his success. These qualities make for a storyteller who remains true to the clever plots and interesting characters of his short stories and novels. The bulk of Harlan's writing is Science Fiction in different formats, mainly books and film. His rise to fame is foretold in The Harlan Ellison Hornbook; an intriguing account of a man who overcame so much to live the life he wants on his terms. I thank Harlan for his honesty and glimpse into his life, Ellison Wonderland.
This series of letters and criticisms arranged in chronological order is heart warming and brutally honest. Harlan Ellison, a wordsmith who, at times, breaks the rules of grammar on purpose for the right effect. His knowledge of his craft is superior.
The Hornbook is autobiographical but not comprehensive. Harlan reveals just as much of himself, which is a lot, as he wants. The collection of essays and columns are mainly comprised of events that happen to him on a daily basis. The author writes about the past with remarkable recall. Many of these recollections are milestones that shape his individuality, becoming the man he is.
Truth is important to Harlan Ellison and competency vital for his success. These qualities make for a storyteller who remains true to the clever plots and interesting characters of his short stories and novels. The bulk of Harlan's writing is Science Fiction in different formats, mainly books and film. His rise to fame is foretold in The Harlan Ellison Hornbook; an intriguing account of a man who overcame so much to live the life he wants on his terms. I thank Harlan for his honesty and glimpse into his life, Ellison Wonderland.
January 6, 2015
Ellison, the perennial enfant terrible, can be an engaging personality in short spurts. But the enfant label is richly deserved -- when not writing fiction, the man has the emotional maturity of a five-year-old.
The Harlan Ellison Hornbook is a collection of long-uncollected columns in which seemingly everything our enfant writes about is either A) the worst injustice ever visited upon any member of mankind, or (more rarely) B) a thing of such majestic wonderment and beauty that it is utterly beyond the grasp of all but a few of the most sensitive and astute critics (i.e. Harlan) to write a description of it that even begins to do it justice.
There's no question, Ellison can write. And maybe once a week, or once a month, coming across one of his columns would be a refreshing break from the norm. But one after another? (And another and another? Unceasingly?) This is a collection that quickly gets tiresome, even if you agree with Ellison's viewpoint. Ultimately, it's for Ellison completists and hard-core devotees only.
The Harlan Ellison Hornbook is a collection of long-uncollected columns in which seemingly everything our enfant writes about is either A) the worst injustice ever visited upon any member of mankind, or (more rarely) B) a thing of such majestic wonderment and beauty that it is utterly beyond the grasp of all but a few of the most sensitive and astute critics (i.e. Harlan) to write a description of it that even begins to do it justice.
There's no question, Ellison can write. And maybe once a week, or once a month, coming across one of his columns would be a refreshing break from the norm. But one after another? (And another and another? Unceasingly?) This is a collection that quickly gets tiresome, even if you agree with Ellison's viewpoint. Ultimately, it's for Ellison completists and hard-core devotees only.
November 21, 2007
A collection of newpaper columns written around 30 years ago, with "modern" (circa 1988) interstitial essays/comments. The columns range from commentary on current events to movie & restaurant reviews to cathartic revelations about his personal past.
An interesting read (if you're an Ellison fan)- if a bit curmudgeonly in parts and downright depressing in others.
Every time I read something of Ellison's, I become more convinced that, while I'd enjoy hear him speak, I don't think I really like him. Would love to be a fly on the wall if he and Richard Feynman (RIP) were ever to have been in the same room. IMHO they're both cocky, conceited SOB's who were more than often actually correct about whatever they were talking about.
An interesting read (if you're an Ellison fan)- if a bit curmudgeonly in parts and downright depressing in others.
Every time I read something of Ellison's, I become more convinced that, while I'd enjoy hear him speak, I don't think I really like him. Would love to be a fly on the wall if he and Richard Feynman (RIP) were ever to have been in the same room. IMHO they're both cocky, conceited SOB's who were more than often actually correct about whatever they were talking about.
December 30, 2016
Harlan's books are so good but the subject matter is for when you are emotionally stable...all varieties of horror and sci fi (which he hates to have his books called) psychological horror which lingers long after you finish the book.
March 21, 2008
Some of these essays are awesome. Some a little to self important.
September 12, 2008
Essays! My personal favorite has a title that might offend so I won't include it here, but this book seethes with opinions.
February 17, 2021
"If you haven't read Harlan Ellison, you haven't read." ~ Richard Halasz
April 13, 2017
Good essays.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews