Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Happy Birthday, C. L. Moore

Moore with husband Kuttner
Today marks the 101st anniversary of the birth of C. L. Moore.  Moore was an innovative writer who got her start in Weird Tales with the classic story "Shambleau", which introduced the Han Solo prototype Northwest Smith.  She also created Jirel of Joiry, one of the pioneering heroines of sword and sorcery.  After her marriage to Henry Kuttner, most of her output was collaborative and mainly science fiction.

I wrote a more extensive tribute last year, albeit a day late. I'll not repeat myself this year, except to say, go read her.  Right now.  Turn off the computer, put down the tablet, and go read her.  Okay, you can leave the tablet on if you download one of her stories.  She's too important a figure in the field to be forgotten.  While I'm sure others have written tributes today, I haven't seen any.  Of course the best tribute you can pay authors is to read their works.

5 comments:

  1. I didn't realize. She is one of my favorite authors. What language! SO good.

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  2. I've been intending to discuss the Jirel and Northwest Smith stories one by one for about a year now, like I did with Kuttner's Elak and Prince Raynor tales, just haven't gotten to it.

    I need to create a calendar with birth and death dates and other important milestones for my favorite authors. I recently missed Clark Ashton Smith's birthday.

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  3. Great writer. I met her briefly in Denver at the WorldCon nin 1981 and got a couple of books autographed. She was pleased that people remembered her and was very gracious. Some of my most prized books!

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    1. I guess there's no chance I can talk you into parting with one of them, huh? :)

      The signatures I most would like to have are Kuttner, Moore, Howard, and Brackett. I'm not holding out hope for any of them unless someone remembers me in their will.

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