Joanna Russ

topic posted Mon, January 24, 2005 - 11:18 PM by  Albion
This author is brilliant. Her classic book The Female Man seems to go in and out of print. The last edition I saw for sale new was an English import.
posted by:
Albion
SF Bay Area
  • Re: Joanna Russ

    Tue, January 25, 2005 - 11:32 AM
    I think the 2000 Beacon edition of 'The Female Man' is still available; at least Amazon still carries it and displays it as an in-print book. Some of her theoretical and critical writing is still in print as well, but very little if any of her other fiction.

    This is really a shame because, for me anyway, Russ is one of the most interesting and experimental sci-fi writers of her generation, ranking with Delany as an author who often paired radical social ideals with challenging narrative structures. A little too challlenging for most readers perhaps...?

    MT
    • Re: Joanna Russ

      Tue, January 25, 2005 - 4:11 PM
      Probably too challenging for Patriarchy. She is too smart. I often wonder about these backlists and if they are not "blacklists" instead. I cannot understand why her work would not sell today.
  • Re: Joanna Russ

    Wed, January 26, 2005 - 8:18 AM
    I've found it easy enough to collect used copies of Russ from thrift-store shelves. She's also been anthologized a lot.
    • Re: Joanna Russ

      Wed, January 26, 2005 - 3:26 PM
      In urban areas like San Francisco probably easier than say Billings, Montana.
      However I am happy to say that Stacey's books in downtown SF does have one copy of the Female Man on their shelf from Beacon press. Nothing else by her though-unless it is in one of the anthologies.

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