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From: DINGMAN@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: First SF Book
Message-ID: <3584@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 9-Sep-85 09:57:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.3584
Posted: Mon Sep  9 09:57:29 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Sep-85 08:19:39 EDT
Sender: daemon@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 38

From: DINGMAN@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA


   I don't think it is possible to suggest any single book for all
persons.  If you want to successfully introduce one to SF, find out
what aspects of life, the universe, and everything the person is
interested in, then present them with a book having that particular
element.  My wife, for example, thought SF/Fantasy was mindless garbage.
She works as a public health nurse and has a great interest in social
science, community structure & relations, etc.  So about five years
ago I gave her a copy of "Alas, Babylon", a SF-ish novel which does
a fair job of describing the social changes that could occur following
nuclear war.  She loved it.  Next I gave her "Dark December", similar
story but more militaristic.  Same result.  Over the last few years
she has expanded her envelope and "learned" what to expect from SF.
She recently finished "And the Devil Will Drag You Under", "To Reign
in Hell", and "The Forever War".  All in the last two months.
   Similarily, a friend of hers (also a nurse) has become an avid
fan.  The first story I gave her was "Lord Foul's Bane", because I
knew she was deeply interested in people who pull into themselves
when faced with agony and despair (she had devoted her Master's
thesis to terminally ill patients and how they respond to various
pressures they can't control).  Another success story.  She continued
on to devour most of my collection.

   I've introduced a few others, but selected these two examples
because the two were SO against the thought of ever reading SF or
Fantasy.  I was also careful not to take it personally if someone
didn't like a novel I gave them.  Instead I would ask for their
impressions (+ and -), and try again with something else.

   I know there are some good intrductory novels, and some of the
suggestions I have seen I agree with, but I think it is more
important to know both the person and the novel equally well
rather than blindly taking someone's suggestion.

   --jd
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