He has written some of the best scifi books there is such as dark matter and recursion. So in a sense there are alien worlds for me, a straight white englishman, in the story, but not in the way i had imagined. Portrait of the artist as a fat old man dark reflections. I appreciated the gender exploration, but found it extremely hard to sympathize. The books below are excellent introductions to the genius and range of samuel r. Dark reflections is the story of a black, homosexual, new york writer. Dark reflections march 23, 2007 edition open library. Beautifully crafted amos lassen and literary pride due out on may 15 is an exceptional novel by samuel delany dhalgren, the mad man which is sure to be a ht. This book is centered on arnold hawley, an aging black gay poet living alone in new york.
A number of delany s books, hogg especially, are noted for their strong pornographic scenes. Out of the dead city is the exciting first science fiction novel in samuel r. Dark reflections is among the most detailed, thoughtful, and heartbreaking portrayals of a writers life. In the prize, hawley confronts the fact that his latest volume of poems has not been a success. Beautifully written in reverse chronological order, the story opens with arnold hawleys lonely old age, revisits his illfated marriage, and concludes with his arrival in new york city, where he forms a lasting bond with his. Michael cunningham, author of the hours this stonewall book awardwinning novel traces the life and unrealized dreams of arnold hawley, a homosexual africanamerican poet. He encounters various characters on the periphery of society, most notably a mentally retarded but sexually aware giant rescued from alabama poverty by a pioneering photographer in homoerotic images. Delany, american sciencefiction novelist and critic whose highly imaginative works address sexual, racial, and social issues, heroic quests, and the nature of language.
Mar 23, 2007 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. In 2002 he was inducted into the science fiction hall of fame. Delany is not only one of the most profound and courageous writers at work today, he is a writer of seemingly limitless range. Part two i found especially powerful it is the story, which delany makes wholly believable, of a gay black mans brief marriage to an insane and suicidal white woman. Delanys most controlled, and therefore his most successful, experiment to date. His heartbreaking dark reflections is a perfect novel for those with a more realistic bent. The series was turned into an official trilogy with the release of the final book in delanys trilogy, which was titled the city of a thousand suns. Delany, and every now and then i have to read one of his books, often one ive read before this is either my third or fourth time with dark reflections. Through all these lives, its sold wellmore than a million copies, supposedlydespite the demands it makes on. Delanys dark reflections and the racial politics of literary awards by lavelle porter august 25, 2017 on the night of november 19, 2014, jacqueline woodson won the national book award for her memoirinverse brown girl dreaming, a moving, lyrical narrative of a young girl growing up in south carolina.
Dark reflections traces hawleys life in three sectionsin reverse order. Finally, the book of pictures depicts 23year old hawley grappling with his sexuality while a student at boston university. Delany s most controlled, and therefore his most successful, experiment to date. Dark reflections may not be a great introduction to the more popular but equally difficult scifi writings of samuel delany, but it is an interesting novel that can be discussed, especially in light of delany s life and constantly evolving work. Trouble on triton is a novel of manners, those of a rich and complex society in which the avowed highest good is the free expression of each individuals personality. Finally, the book of pictures depicts 23yearold hawley grappling with his sexuality while. Dark reflections traces hawleys life in three sections in reverse order. Beautifully written in reverse chronological order, the story opens with arnold hawleys lonely old age, revisits his illfated marriage, and concludes with his arrival in new york city, where he forms a lasting bond with. Aug 09, 2012 in a late delany text, one notices what is absent the hero of dark reflections 2007, arnold hawley, has delanys insatiable appetite for books but is a virgin, a gay man who through fear.
A meditation on isolation and sexual repression, dark reflections also offers an acerbic look at the literary world and the frustrations intrinsic to artistic life. Beautifully written in reverse chronological order, the story opens with arnold. Aug 19, 2016 dark reflections this is the story of a gay black poet living in new york city. In 2008 it received a stonewall book award and was nominated for a lambda literary award for gay mens fiction. His novel dark reflections won the stonewall book award.
This stonewall book awardwinning novel traces the life and unrealized dreams of arnold hawley, a homosexual africanamerican poet. As much as sex is a part of this novel, arnold is confoundingly asexual. Delany is a celebrated science fiction novelist, critic, and memoirist. His work embraces fiction especially science fiction, memoir, criticism, and essays on sexuality and society. Hawley, at 50 years old, wins the an award for his sixth book of. Trouble on triton is supposed to inhabit a utopian heterotopic future when earth is no longer the only hospitable planet, where personal expression has evolved through a widened acceptance of differing sexualities, and gender takes on radical new perspectives.
Delanys 2007 novel dark reflections nearly disappeared. In a late delany text, one notices what is absent the hero of dark reflections 2007, arnold hawley, has delanys insatiable appetite for books but is. Oct 19, 2016 information about the book, dark reflections fiction, paperback, by samuel r. The story opens with hawleys lonely old age, traveling backward in time to his arrival in new york city of the 1950s. A number of delanys books, hogg especially, are noted for their strong pornographic scenes. Finally, the book of pictures depicts 23yearold hawley grappling with his sexuality while a student at boston university. The film debuted on april 25 at the 2007 tribeca film festival. Buy a cheap copy of dark reflections book by samuel r.
Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Yet, the messages encourage us each to look within to the destructive habits of the self that thinks its separate and alone. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Delany dover publications, oct 19, 2016 african american literature book club celebrating our literary legacy since 1997 black literature is for everyone african american literature book club. His memoir the motion of light in water is among the finest documents of a black gay artists coming of age in new york in the 1960s. Author of babel17, nova, dhalgren, the einstein intersection, the fall of the towers, the jewelhinged jaw, triton, the jewels of aptor. Mar 23, 2007 dark reflections traces hawleys life in three sections in reverse order. Portraying a mostly closeted and celibate life feels like one of the vaster imaginative leaps delany has taken, vaster than than the creation of any number of fantastic realms or flying monsters. On thursday night, i went to see the polymath, or the life and opinions of samuel r. This stonewall book awardwinning novel traces the life and unrealized dreams of arnold hawley, a gay african american poet. Delany, gentleman at the tribeca film festival, and th. This is the story of a gay black poet living in new york city.
Vashti in the dark part iii the book of pictures historical note historical note to the dover edition. Both delany and hawley are literary witnesses to the gay. Delany published his first novel, the jewels of aptor, at the age of twenty. A final section revisits the poets student days, during which an aborted sexual encounter sets the pattern for a lifetime of regrets and missed opportunities. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. His devotees and there are legions of them will enjoy teasing out the autobiographical strands in dark reflections. Delanys latest novel dark reflections is a beautiful, heartbreaking book written by one of. The second part entitled vashti in the dark is about the. Throughout his storied career, he has received four nebula awards and two hugo awards, and in 2008 his novel dark reflections won the stonewall book award. Only in this novel, for the first time, has he directly addressed the. The title of the captivating latest by the hugowinning author of dhalgren is also the title of a book of poems written by the novels poet protagonist, arno. I appreciated the gender exploration, but found it extremely hard to sympathize with the protagonist, bron helstrom. Dark reflections may not be a great introduction to the more popular but equally difficult scifi writings of samuel delany, but it is an interesting novel that can be discussed, especially in light of delanys life and constantly evolving work. American poet, has lived in nyc for most of his life.
Dark reflections layered into a complex, refracted narrative. Nov 25, 2016 dark reflections may not be a great introduction to the more popular but equally difficult scifi writings of samuel delany, but it is an interesting novel that can be discussed, especially in light of delany s life and constantly evolving work. Information about the book, dark reflections fiction, paperback, by samuel r. Sep 09, 2007 his devotees and there are legions of them will enjoy teasing out the autobiographical strands in dark reflections. Divided in three parts, the first part titled the prize shows the very unsavoury side of publishing and the disappointments and struggles of being a writer and artist, arnold is in his 50s and later 70s in nearpovertypoverty. Hawley, at 50 years old, wins the an award for his sixth book of poems. Arnold hawley, a gay, africanamerican poet, has lived in nyc for most of his life. Part two explores hawleys unhappy marriage, while the final section recalls his college days. He had an early career as a brilliant young science fiction writer, moved on to memoirs and other kinds of. This book is different than others in that the messages of love and processes within are a unique blend of love itself, reaching through into our own personal existence. Samuel r delany arnold hawley, a gay, africanamerican poet, has lived in nyc for most of his life. This stonewall book awardwinning novel traces the life and unrealized dreams of a homosexual africanamerican poet.