The Shape Of Further Things

by Brian W. Aldiss

Contributor Christopher Evans

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Pseudonyms: Jael Cracken, Peter Pica, John Runciman, C.C. Shackleton, Arch Mendicant, & "Doc" Peristyle.

Brian Wilson Aldiss was one of the most important voices in science fiction writing today. He wrote his first novel while working as a bookseller in Oxford. Shortly afterwards he wrote his first work of science fiction and soon gained international recognition. Adored for his innovative literary techniques, evocative plots and irresistible characters, he became a Grand Master of Science Fiction in 1999.
Brian Aldiss died on August 19, 2017, just after celebrating his 92nd birthday with his family and closest friends.

Brian W. Aldiss Group on Good Reads

Reviews

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is non-fiction from Aldiss, not really on any particular subject, or arranged with any goal in mind, but a conversation between himself and the reader, importuned by a January 1969 night’s conversation between himself and Christopher Evans. If I may not be too bold, it’s much the same as what I imagine my published reading diary, First Impressions, to be, although Aldiss has me soundly beat in terms of far-ranging intellectual discourse. We all have to start somewhere, though.

Although in some ways this book is trapped in the time at which it was written, it also overcomes such by realizing that it would be. The title, of course, refers back to H. G. Wells’ Shape of Things to Come (or, at least I think that’s right). Aldiss tries to live up to that earlier volume by playing the prophet as well. And, like most prophecies when looked back on with hindsight, it’s interesting to note the things that didn’t come to pass more than what he’s gotten right. This is also a biographical and historical document as it relates the rise of SF in Britain, as well as describing some of the inner workings of the New Wave. Thanks to Paul di Filippo for sending this book to me (a perfect way to make sure I read your recommendation!).

[William Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book written and framed around the Apollo moon landing of July 1969. Aldiss was a wide ranging writer, a journalist of the evolving technology of his era and its social impact, probably mostly remembered now for his science fiction. The Kubrick/Spielberg movie "A. I." is based on his short story "Super Toys Last All Summer Long".

Semi autobiographical and in diary form the book takes in the author's domestic surroundings, his new house near Oxford, by all accounts a comfortable country spread and the first signs of middle class nimbyism - local opposition to nearby redevelopment - his family, his early years as a writer, his friendship with a university researcher into the science of sleep (Aldiss, himself a bit of an insomniac, seems to be obsessed with it) the growth of science fiction in general and in Britain with notes on many authors, his own books and of course every page teems with ideas and references that lead one further. As for me in Jacquetta Hawkes "A Land" which I acquired and find absolutely magnificent. Teeming is an apt description of Aldiss's writing.

As a reader at the time this was published in 1970 aged about 16, I found it a book that unfolded in a coherent shape with familiar ideas and reference points. These are listed below. A younger person not educated in those times, and not particularly interested in SciFi as literature or Brian Aldiss, may not find much in this book to interest them and may even find it self indulgent. But I found it interesting and rewarding to see these themes and ideas played out on its pages:

# evolution and child development, reminded me of the first chapter/episode of Bronowski's seminal BBC TV series The Ascent of Man, "The Long Childhood"

# an optimistic faith in the power and future direction of technology including computers (which at that time were still large bulky mainframe machinrs drsigned for specific business, institutional, scientific or military purposes) and of course the internet did not exist, neither mobile phones, remote controls on household devices had only just started to appear but no LCD displays, presumably Aldiss typed this book on a manual or electric typewriter as word processing was still on the early stages of development

# a concern for the environment and Man's impact, Aldiss mentions Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki expedition of the same yrar as the moon landing and his observation of floating islands of human pollution in the Pacific (p. 165-6 hardback edition)

# I clearly remember at the time there was a keen interest in psychological investigation into human visual perception (eg Richard Gregory) knowledge and language, peripheral vision, brain structure and function and the field of sleep and states of dreaming which Aldiss extensively discusses

# the social context, Aldiss leans towards that middle class left (by today's standards "far" left) liberal, in effect the political consensus of 1960s Britain that supported progressive taxation, a large well funded public sector, publicly owned infrastructure and essential services, ideas and accepted truths reinforced by the existence of competing political - economic systems in the socialist countries such as the Soviet Union, eastern bloc states and Yugoslavia, a non-aligned socialist republic that Aldiss and his wife took some time to investigate and tour in his book "Cities and Stones". It seems to me that Aldiss would have been appalled as much as I am by today's monolithic rightwing political system in the West that leans towards "exceptionalism" (if ever there was a fascist imperialist colonialist term it is this!) and a crushing lack of cultural and political plurality - whatever the vaunting praise for "multi-culturalism" and "diversity" bandied about today in fashionable circles....

# an interest in rebirth and reincarnation through historical archetypes (Jacquetta Hawkes in "A Land" alludes to this in her close connection between her sense of being and the landscape around and beneath her) that emerges in earlier writers such as Freya Stark's "Ionia" and rigorously explored and analysed with reference to Jungian psychology by J L Henderson in "A Bridge Across Time". Of course much of this has now receded with the last century by succeeding generations who deliberately compartmentalise fantasy and science and keep them as far apart as possible. Those with a dystopian outlook, more or less a default in modern culture, will probably reject much of this book. But I for one thoroughly enjoyed Aldiss and his writing which brought me close up to some of the important sources of my outlook on life.

[Adam Meek · Rating 2 out of 5]

SFWA Grandmaster Brian Aldiss muses on life in the 20th century, the evolution of Science Fiction as a literary genre, the possibilities of "fact free education" and the nature of dreams in this odd, rambling, little book.

[Terence Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian's explorations of the marvellous often came secondary to his analysis of what the genre meant. At that time there was a glaring hole in this genre - the literary establishment either looked down their noses at it or just ignored it. As a result it was left to writers, magazine editors and the few authors with book deals to set literary standards. As a result new readers of this fast burgeoning field had limited resources to rely on in order to know what was good. The development of the genre was to depend on self-help. There were the pioneering efforts of John W Campbell, the Hugo and Nebula awards, the shock tactics of Michael Moorcock, the works of Philip K Dick...
This is where Brian Aldiss excelled - he was an enthusiast with the foresight to categorise. He also had great vision and this, coupled with his understanding of the genre, makes the Shape of Further Things an important milestone in marking out the territory that SF (and indeed Fantasy) occupies here and now.
A good read for understanding the shape of the genre.

[Jonathan Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extraordinary blend of memoir, critical analysis of SF, utopian thinking and essays on the nature of dream and the brain, all of which come together brilliantly. Aldiss writes clearly and with conviction and though this book was written in the early 60s it's aged very well. Well worth reading.

[Anthony Faber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unusual book. It's a diary of his life for January of 1969, with a fair amount of the things he was thinking of, with a brief history of SF from the time he started reading it thrown in here and there.