The Pure Product by John Kessel (First Edition)

John Kessel

ISBN 10: 0312861176 / ISBN 13: 9780312861179

Published by TOR, A Tom Doherty Associates book, (New York), 1997

About this Item

The Pure Product by John Kessel (First Edition) A tight bright unread copy. Slight wrinkle to spine upper edge otherwise sharp. Clear protective cover. Stated First Edition. First printing 0-9 number row.

Seller Inventory # HCX10490-1

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Pure Product by John Kessel (First Edition)
• Publisher: TOR, A Tom Doherty Associates book, (New York)
• Publication Date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0312861176
• ISBN 13: 9780312861179
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ed Gazsi(Jacket Art)
• Edition: First Edition.
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Fine
• Book Type: BOOK
• Seller catalogs:
  • Mystery

About this title

Synopsis

An outstanding collection of nineteen works includes two poems, an award-winning play, and sixteen short stories--including the never-before published "Gulliver at Home"--by one of science fiction's most acclaimed authors and the winner of the Nebula, Locus, and Theodore Sturgeon Awards.

Reviews

Fifteen reprinted stories, 198096, one new tale, two poems, and a play that's blurbed as ``award-winning,'' even though it's listed as original to this collection. More problematic yet, the publishers failed to notice, or didn't care, that no fewer than eight of these yarns, including the title piece, appeared in Kessel's 1992 collection, Meeting in Infinity. Those eight aside, then, what's left? Well, several yarns reflect Kessel's ponderously allegorical tendencies (a search for enlightenment; a relativistic joke; people owned by aliens), while the remainder play literary games with famous names: Marilyn Monroe rescued by corrupt time travelers; Herman Melville as a pulp sf writer; Lemuel Gulliver's wife reflects (the new story); in the 1959 World Series, Giants hurler Fidel Castro goes head to head with Senators' first baseman George Bush; and director Preston Sturges turns up dead, having been replaced by a superior doppelg„nger. No matter what the merits of Kessel's material, this sort of lazy and indifferent publishing does everybody a disservice. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Kessel (Corrupting Dr. Nice, LJ 12/96) collects 15 previously published (1980-96) short stories and two poems, plus one play. A 16th story, "Gulliver at Home," is original to this book. These stories range from the alternate history of his 1980 story, "Herman Melville: Space Opera Virtuoso," to 1995's "Some Like It Cold," in which a time traveler returns to 1962 Los Angeles to rescue Marilyn Monroe from her suicide. "Not Responsible! Park and Lock It!" offers a satirical look at obsessive driving and the herd mentality as people drive endlessly in their cars on the westbound highway, never getting farther than the same mile marker. Highly recommended for larger sf short story collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.