Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!cord!hudson!ihnp1!ihnp4!ihuxl!srk From: srk@ihuxl.UUCP (S R Krause) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: Hugo Gernsback Message-ID: <1452@ihuxl.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Dec-84 19:16:41 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxl.1452 Posted: Mon Dec 3 19:16:41 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 19:47:27 EST References: <123@ahuta.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 22 One possible reason that the HUGO awards honor Hugo Gernsback is related to the World Science Fiction Society. The same authors that were published in Amazing Stories, and the readers of such publications are typically the people that went to the WorldCons. The fact that people liked the idea of special recognition for there favorite stories is not surprising. It is debatable that the pulp magazines were detrimental to the field. I started reading science fiction very early; much earlier than I would have read anything more demanding. I read the Tom Swift Jr series rather than the Hardy Boys. Although these books may not be great literature I enjoyed them at the time. The same goes for the Science fiction magazines. They offered an avenue for both the reader and the writer to explore many different realities. I would feel deprived if I had to wait for a similar story in the "high class" magazines. This is not to say that all the stories are worth reading but my inclination is choose from many rather than wait for a few good ones. Who would decide if they are good anyway? My values are definitely not the same as the New York critics. I for one am glad to have the Hugo awards. Beside the obvious incentive for authors, the list of Hugo nominations is usually an excellant reading list.