duntemann.wbst@sri-unix (12/10/82)
Come come. "We the People of the United States of America..." could hardly be the opening line of the Declaration of Independence. Think about it. (Or don't bother -- The Declaration starts out: "When in the course of human events..." "We the People..." DOES, in fact, begin the Constitution.) Other odd notes: Does anyone actually HAVE a copy of The Citadel of the Autarch? I heard it was delayed for some reason. Time and Again was by Albert Finney. He was the only person I can imagine who would accurately depict Victorian New York City as the Ninety Third Circle of Hell and then wax nostalgic about it for another hundred pages. Dopey, entertaining book. Open question: I have frequently heard people badmouth Varley's Wizard/Titan Twothirdology in a general way, but nobody has ever said specifically what's wrong with it. I have some powerful difficulties with the book, but I'll bet they don't jive with everybody else's. Some comments are solicited. Some of Varley's other notions trouble me as well. I can't quite cope with the notion of "casual sex change." It took me damned near twenty five years to make total peace with the sex I was born with, and I suspect that if I were abruptly placed in the body of a woman I would nevertheless still think like a man for a great many years, and perhaps forever, since I think the many subtle rites-of-passage through puberty are essential in pinning down among the many layers of the mind the reality of being male or female. Varley's sex-change stories work because Varley says they work, not because he convinced me with his evidence. Final (in all two many ways, perhaps) plea: My arpanet link through PARC-MAXC evaporates on January 1 because my manager will no longer pay for it. If someone can contact me privately with info on how to get at it through other means I would be exceedingly grateful, otherwise you will hear lots of silence from this boy from now on. In any event, it's been great good fun... Jeff Duntemann duntemann.wbst@PARC-MAXC (716) 427-4886 or 473-2986