Women of Other Worlds: Excursions Through Science Fiction and Feminism

by Helen Merrick (Editor), Tess Williams (Editor)

Book by

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Feminism, Gender, Anthologies

472 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Helen Merrick is a Senior Lecturer in Internet Studies at Curtin University

Reviews

[Linda Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the result of conversations during and after WisCon20 in Madison, Wisconsin in 1996. I think WisCon is billing as the oldest feminist science fiction convention now, but 22 years ago, it's described as the only feminist science fiction con. Each year during Memorial Day weekend, scifi writers, fans, readers, editors, agents, wear themselves out trying to attend every panel and every party. The conversations in the hallway between panels and at dinner are stellar: no pun intended. This collection brings essays as well as stories, and begins with Ursula K. Le Guin's WisCon20 Guest of Honor Speech "An Envoy from Senectuctus." She informs the earthlings and others listening what it's like to be the Mobile from Geriatrica. Perhaps earthlings can hear: Le Guin writes that earth people walk right through us. The scholarly essays are particularly intriguing 20 years into the future now: there are projections for less "white-washed" feminist scifi; predictions that gender and dynamics will become more fluid; that cultures will produce feminist scifi writers to write about their own original homeland. And these will be published, amen. Who said scifi writers don't/can't predict the future? There are some incredible stories that I had not read. In particular "And Salome Danced" by Kelley Eskridge (she discusses this story in an email exchange later in the book.) "Home by the Sea" Elisabeth Vonarburg, translation by Jane Brierley. The best for last. "Better to Have Loved: Excerpts from a Life" by Judith Merril. Discussing the moments she can name when she felt a part of the universe just shimmer. Excellent collection.

[Lesley]

I've not actually read all of this yet - but I think it is something that I shall be dipping into now and then over a very long period, as well as re-reading.