Conversations with William Gibson

by Patrick A. Smith (Editor)

“After reading Neuromancer for the first time,” literary scholar Larry McCaffery wrote, “I knew I had seen the future of [science fiction] (and maybe of literature in general), and its name was William Gibson.” McCaffery was right. Gibson's 1984 debut is one of the most celebrated SF novels of the last half century, and in a career spanning more than three decades, the American-Canadian science fiction writer and reluctant futurist responsible for introducing “cyberspace” into the lexicon has published nine other novels.

Editor Patrick A. Smith draws the twenty-three interviews in this collection from a variety of media and sources―print and online journals and fanzines, academic journals, newspapers, blogs, and podcasts. Myriad topics include Gibson's childhood in the American South and his early adulthood in Canada, with travel in Europe; his chafing against the traditional SF mold, the origins of “cyberspace,” and the unintended consequences (for both the author and society) of changing the way we think about technology; the writing process and the reader's role in a new kind of fiction. Gibson (b. 1948) takes on branding and fashion, celebrity culture, social networking, the post-9/11 world, future uses of technology, and the isolation and alienation engendered by new ways of solving old problems. The conversations also provide overviews of his novels, short fiction, and nonfiction.

Genres: Nonfiction

294 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Patrick A. Smith was professor of English at Bainbridge State College in Bainbridge, Georgia. His previous books and edited collections include "The True Bones of My Life": Essays on the Fiction of Jim Harrison, Tim O'Brien: A Critical Companion, Conversations with Tim O'Brien, and Conversations with William Gibson, the latter two titles published by University Press of Mississippi.

Reviews

[Graff Fuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conversations with William Gibson by Patrick A. Smith

funny informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.0 Stars

Am I glad that I read it? Yes. Is it a good read? Meh.

It is a collection of interviews put into one place, which I'm grateful for. It has very little narrative, since it is disparate interviews with William Gibson, by various media people...about his career or about a particular book that he's promoting.

I've read Neuromancer a number of times. I picked it up shortly after it was published (1984, and I read it in '85 or '86). Honestly, the book was more of a vibe, than truly understanding everything that happened with the story. I just loved the world, and the story that was happening within the world. It blew my mind. As I continue to read it, and I do need to read it again, for I'd like to finish the trilogy (which I have, but not moved any further in the story...and I need to).

I have most all his books, knowing that I need to read his stories.

I have read his Blue Ant trilogy, and enjoyed it (not as much as Neuromancer), but it really didn't scratch that itch...for more of what he did...early in his career.

I have also read the two books he's released in the Jackpot trilogy, and actually really loved what he was doing...and cannot wait to read the final book, Jackpot.

So...with that in mind, picking up this book, and getting know the author behind the stories...was bitter sweet. I still feel he's a good author, but he's also REALLY weird. I think the drugs that he was taking early in his career made him different, but I also feel that he's chasing something that he may never achieve...again, later in his career.

I hadn't known of his predilection with drug use, though it seems evident in the author's early writing, but I thought he was using metaphor, but it seems a lot of the cyberspace was impacted by the drugs...hence, his fever dream sequences in the stories.

So, now that I've seen behind the curtain, as it were...I have lowered my expectations...and giving him more grace, and not comparing him to what he did early, but accepting what he's writing now, as more centered and stable. If you know what I mean?

I am going to go back and read all the stories he wrote within The Sprawl, so as to complete the understanding of what he's written, to the man behind the genius.

I am truly glad for this book, though I feel there should've been a narrator, or commentator between the interviews, stitching the narrative together. Other than that, it was good information, and I'd encourage others to read it. I probably will never read it again but maybe I will. We shall see.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've admired William Gibson since a friend urged a copy of 'Mona Lisa Overdrive' on me in 1988. This collection is certainly inclusive, but it is also, necessarily. repetitious. But that is its only shortcoming. One is able to hear his unique perspective on the limitations of genre and categorization, his take on "speculative fiction" as opposed to the increasingly unhelpful label "science fiction" and the gentle irony of his private life versus the assumed persona of the "father of cyberpunk". Multi-faceted and longitudinally complete through 2012 it was engaging; however, I think the better portrait of his thinking is 'Distrust That Particular Flavor', and neither compares to reading the body of his spectacular fiction.

[Fábio Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this series. I started with the book dedicated to Samuel Delany (and the Octavia Butler volume is in my TBR pile). That said, let me explain: Gibson is one of my favorite writers. Period. Not only of science fiction, but of fiction in general. These interviews, most of them between 20 and 30 years old, are beautifully illuminating of his trajectory of a writer since Neuromancer, and showing us his love for technology and its uses (or "misuses", sometimes) and debunking the mythic condition of prophet attibuted to him by fans and media along the years. Wit, wisdom, irony, fun: it's all there.

[Oliver Brackenbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's some unavoidable repetition in a collection of interviews spanning almost thirty years, but damn if this isn't something you should read if you write science fiction, or just plain write in general. I wanted to Instagram the whole damn thing, there were so many good pull-quotes.

[August Bourré · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some hard to find gems, but also some very repetitive, not very interesting pieces.