Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!columbia!topaz!OC.TREI From: OC.TREI@CU20B.ARPA Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Asimov, Hubbard, and a query. Message-ID: <3743@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Mon, 23-Sep-85 01:51:23 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.3743 Posted: Mon Sep 23 01:51:23 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 25-Sep-85 10:37:58 EDT Sender: daemon@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 89 From: Peter G. Trei Today I visited the New York Bookfair, an annual event which occupies a stretch of midtown 5th Avenue for one day. There were a couple notable SF items: Asimov was signing his new book, \Robots & Empire/. I didnt get a chance to talk to him, since the line was long, and my copy was at home anyway. Towards the south end of the fair (I started at the north), there was a large (~10' diameter) spherical red balloon. Initially I thought it was supposed to be a big apple, and thus just part of the dressing of the fair. When I got closer, I found it was in fact an ad for L. Ron Hubbard's new book, \The Invaders Plan/. It appears to be about 500 pages, and the hardback was in the $17-$18 range. A promotion bookmark I picked up read: In "Close Encounters" and "E.T." there were aliens that were visible... NOW... Unknown... Unrecognized... they walk among us... in L. RON HUBBARD'S THE INVADERS PLAN A LITERARY GUILD SELECTION "On our scale of 1-10 with 10 being excellent, The Invaders Plan comes out a 10. It's fabulous!" PAUL THOMAS HUGHES United press International "An incredibly good story, lushly written, vibrating with action and excitement. A gem." A. E. VAN VOGT "...a big humorous tale of interstellar intrigue in the classical mold. I fully enjoyed it." ROGER ZELAZNY THE INVADERS PLAN BY L. RON HUBBARD VOLUME 1 THE BIGGEST SCIENCE FICTION DEKALOGY* EVER WRITTEN MISSION EARTH RELEASE DATE OCTOBER 6TH Available wherever fine books are sold. * 10 volume work (c) Copyright 1985 Bridge Publications Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. It will be interesting to see what happens to the Hugo ballot over the next few years if he makes good on the implied next 9 books. There was a neigbouring bookstall selling nothing but copies of 'Dianetics' by the same author. On a related matter, I have several times heard it said that at some point soon before he gafiated and started 'Scientology', (late 40's, early 50's?) LRH stated, in front of witnesses, words to the effect that: "The fastest ways to get rich in this country are to start a religion or invent a new psychotherapy." and then went off to do just that. This is now part of the folklore of fandom, but I would like to know if he really did say something to this effect, or at least, what is the earliest allegation of his doing so. Come on you SF historians (jmb?)! This is a challenge! Peter Trei oc.trei@cu20b.arpa ------- Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com