Summer Sketches

by Dan Simmons

Simmons, Dan

Genres: Nonfiction

175 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1992

About the author

Dan Simmons is an American science fiction and horror writer. He is the author of the Hyperion Cantos and the Ilium/Olympos cycles, among other works that span the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, sometimes within a single novel. Simmons's genre-intermingling Song of Kali (1985) won the World Fantasy Award. He also writes mysteries and thrillers, some of which feature the continuing character Joe Kurtz.

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. He was a school teacher before he was a full time author, and on his summer breaks, he and his wife would take vacations, sometimes together sometimes apart, and he made notes and sketches about the places that they went. Later, if a place moved him, he would use those notes and sketches to help flesh out the sense of place in a story or novel. So, here, he lays out some of those notes and sketches, and then excerpts from novels and stories where those things showed up. Pretty cool getting a look "behind the scenes" if you will.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book that gives insight into Simmons' writing and personality. As a big fan of Simmons' writing, I enjoyed this small volume immensely and will almost certainly read it again. He writes about travels to India, the Southeast, and Philly, and how those places ended up in his books.

[Debra]

Stephen King recommended author.

Non-fiction look into what makes Dan Simmons tick. Very small book only issued as deluxe, signed edition. Not likely available from most libraries. Found it used on eBay and Amazon, but most copies are not in my price-range.