ROBERT J. EWALD - WHEN THE FIRES BURN HIGH AND THE WIND IS FROM THE NORTH THE PASTORAL SCIENCE FICTION OF CLIFFORD D. SIMAK

PREFACE

Roald D. Tweet, Clifford D. Simak: 1904-, Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of the Major Authors from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day, ed. E. F. Bleiler (New York: Scribner's, 1982): 517.

CHAPTER I

Kingsley Amis, New Maps of Hell: A Survey of Science Fiction (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1960), 74.

Biographical data on Simak has been gleaned from the chapter on Simak in Sam Moskowitz, Seekers of Tomorrow: Masters of Modern Science Fiction (Cleveland: World, 1965); Muriel Becker's superb bibliography (see note 3 below); a taped interview with Simak conducted by Thomas D. Clareson; and reluctantlyfrom the author himself. Simak read the draft of this chapter and noted any slight discrepancies reported in other sources.

Muriel Becker, Clifford D. Simak: A Primary and Secondary Bibliography (Boston: G. K. Hall, 1980), xiv.

Where's Hawk Carse? Ad Astra, July 1939: 2-5.

Thomas D. Clareson, Clifford D. Simak: The Inhabited Universe, Voices for the Future: Essays on Major Science Fiction Writers, ed. Thomas D. Clareson (Bowling Green: Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1976), 1:75.

Algis Budrys, Galaxy Bookshelf, Galaxy, July-August 1971: 162.

Becker, xxiv-xxv.

David Pringle, Aliens for Neighbours: A Reassessment of Clifford D. Simak, Foundation: The Review of Science Fiction, March 1977: 17.

Paul Walker, Speaking of Science Fiction (Oradell, NJ: Luna Publications, 1978), 58.

Algis Budrys, Books, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 1982: 26

CHAPTER II

Isaac Asimov, ed. Before the Golden Age: A Science Fiction Anthology of the 1930's (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1974), 180.

Sam Moskowitz, Religion in Science Fiction: God, Space, and Earth, Amazing, April 1965: 94-95.

The Creator was reprinted as a chapbook by Locus Press in 1981 in commemoration of Simak's fiftieth anniversary as a writer.

Walker, 63.

Isaac Asimov, In Memory Yet Green: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov, 1920-1954 (New York: Avon Books, 1980), 213.

Pringle, 16.

CHAPTER III

Clareson, 75.

The dedication of City is to Simak's beloved Scottish terrier, Scootie, who is Nathaniel.

Jason Pascoe, Clifford Simak: The Compassionate Universe. Winding Numbers, No. 2 (Summer): 22-23.

CHAPTER IV

See notes on the Clareson and Pringle essays at the end of Chapter I above.

Clareson, 75.

Brian Aldiss, The Billion Year Spree: The True History of Science Fiction (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1973): 235.

Empire may be counted as a novel, even though it is a Campbell rewrite and a forgettable historical curiosity.

An alien plant paid a similar visit in an earlier story, Green Thumb, Galaxy, July 1954, and was cared for by the county agricultural agent until the alien's companions returned for him.

In Small Deer, Galaxy, October 1965, Simak tells the story about a time traveler who goes back and discovers aliens herding up dinosaurs for food, which accounts for the dinosaurs' sudden disappearance as a species. The ending of the story chillingly implies that our human population might have grown enough for the aliens to consider coming back.

See Chapter I above.

Except for Campbell's Empire, Simak never collaborated with anyone again until 1977, when he and his son, Richard Simak, wrote Unsilent Spring.

P. Schuyler Miller, The Reference Library, Analog, April 1964: 93.

From Atoms to Infinity: Readings in Modern Science (New York: Harper & Row, 1965).

CHAPTER V

These figures all come from Mike Ashley's The Illustrated Book of Science Fiction Lists (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982), 19.

Becker, xxv.

All these quotes from Simak taken from Walker, 58.

Simak only wrote one pure horror story, The Questing of Foster Adams (Fantastic Universe, August-September 1953), a Weird Tales yarn in which a recluse historian sells his soul to the Devil in exchange for authentic historical details.

Algis Budrys, Galaxy Bookshelf, Galaxy, June 1967: 191 - 192.

Judith Merril, Books, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, May 1967: 46-48.

Lester del Rey, Reading Room, Worlds of If July-August 1970: 148:149.

In Worrywart, Galaxy, September 1953, an invalid has the power to imagine events into reality. There is no cause for worry until the invalid starts reading science fiction.

Blaine King, Simak, Master Science-Fiction Writer, Stumbles in Latest Book, Minneapolis Star, 3 July 1971: B12.

P. Schuyler Miller, The Reference Library, Analog, December 1971: 165.

Walker, 58.

CHAPTER VI

Angus Wells, ed. The Best of Clifford D. Simak (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1975): iii.