tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post4835895759761860625..comments2024-01-07T09:36:51.796-08:00Comments on Chess, Comics, Crosswords, Books, Music, Cinema: The White Fruit of Banaldar by John D. MacDonald, 1951Prashant C. Trikannadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-68662882957110601462014-08-15T21:25:14.200-07:002014-08-15T21:25:14.200-07:00Todd, I have also seen these illustrations spread ...Todd, I have also seen these illustrations spread across two pages but, I think, those are the exception rather than the rule. I prefer line drawings in black and white. So much detailing goes into etching them. Not easy to draw.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-19569003967990874602014-08-15T11:51:44.731-07:002014-08-15T11:51:44.731-07:00Yes, the largest illustration is usually that on t...Yes, the largest illustration is usually that on the first page as presented, to get the reader hooked...a longer story often will have a few more illustrations at various points. This is true of both the "slick" magazines of various sorts and the pulps, and digests and even the occasional little magazine.Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-9603802645959841032014-08-13T22:37:06.382-07:002014-08-13T22:37:06.382-07:00Todd, it is thanks to you that I use "sf"...Todd, it is thanks to you that I use "sf" instead of its other variants. You once told me, via comments, that "sci-fi" wasn't right. I alternate sf with the full term.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-1958520453215385162014-08-13T22:33:54.234-07:002014-08-13T22:33:54.234-07:00Todd, I have seen similar type of black-and-white ...Todd, I have seen similar type of black-and-white illustrations, though not necessarily nudity, in various sf and fantasy magazines, not to mention detective-mystery periodicals. They usually make up the entire first page followed by the title of the story and a couple of paragraphs to start with.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-58429264880432824832014-08-12T21:54:57.716-07:002014-08-12T21:54:57.716-07:00Very glad you're using "sf" as your ...Very glad you're using "sf" as your default, Prashant. Among the many other things he wrote, that other sf, sports fiction, was among the kinds of thing MacDonald would publish early on...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-60467607025974439782014-08-12T21:53:39.852-07:002014-08-12T21:53:39.852-07:00A fair amount of pulp illustration demonstrated as...A fair amount of pulp illustration demonstrated as much skin as they thought they could get away with. Often with convenient shrubbery as in this example. Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-20246159605261100202014-08-10T22:26:11.122-07:002014-08-10T22:26:11.122-07:00Tracy, thank you. If you like his crime fiction, y...Tracy, thank you. If you like his crime fiction, you'll enjoy his sf too. I found his writing style similar. This story wasn't complicated. It has encouraged me to seek out his other sf stories as well as novels that John mentioned above.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-80538892256484141292014-08-10T17:32:55.481-07:002014-08-10T17:32:55.481-07:00Now that you have written about this story, it doe...Now that you have written about this story, it does not surprise me that MacDonald wrote sci fi also. But I did not know that. Very interesting.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-11042486804010453032014-08-10T01:07:48.263-07:002014-08-10T01:07:48.263-07:00John, I haven't read his sf novels but intend ...John, I haven't read his sf novels but intend to read them as I like his books, be it sf or suspense. I didn't know he'd written some fifty sf stories of which I found three online. Thanks for the info, John.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-26454733617146278342014-08-09T16:24:03.799-07:002014-08-09T16:24:03.799-07:00That illustration is hysterical! Looks like it cam...That illustration is hysterical! Looks like it came from a 1950s naturist magazine. He wrote two full length sci fi novels, too: THE WINE OF DREAMERS and BALLROOM OF THE SKIES. According to the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction MacDonald wrote about fifty science fiction stories for various magazines. A lot more than I thought he did. Both the novels are usually pretty easy to find in used book stores and online.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-3599577174652189292014-08-09T04:33:26.562-07:002014-08-09T04:33:26.562-07:00George, I agree and some of those are available on...George, I agree and some of those are available online. I have read very little of his suspense fiction but I have a few of his crime novels that I hope to read.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-59116334224247868302014-08-09T04:31:54.511-07:002014-08-09T04:31:54.511-07:00Sergio, you're welcome. JDM dabbled in sf and ...Sergio, you're welcome. JDM dabbled in sf and thrillers too and, I think, he was quite comfortable writing science fiction. There is an easy style to his writing.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-13402722502983884462014-08-09T04:29:40.946-07:002014-08-09T04:29:40.946-07:00Col, JDM wrote many short stories for science fict...Col, JDM wrote many short stories for science fiction magazines including "Startling Stories," "Astounding," and "Galaxy Science Fiction." Many of these are available online. I have a few of his Travis McGee novels that I haven't read yet.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-45628633289291985592014-08-08T06:22:16.044-07:002014-08-08T06:22:16.044-07:00JDM wrote a few SF stories, but he concentrated on...JDM wrote a few SF stories, but he concentrated on suspense fiction for most of his career. Love the cover on STARTLING STORIES!Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04546161337366365635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-68642582787970318922014-08-08T06:06:33.509-07:002014-08-08T06:06:33.509-07:00I like my SF with alittle bit of satire thrown in ...I like my SF with alittle bit of satire thrown in so this sounds right up my street - I always forget that McDonald also dabbled in other genres - thanks Prashant. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-4132782637227708222014-08-08T05:55:38.483-07:002014-08-08T05:55:38.483-07:00Prashant, I wasn't aware John D. had ventured ...Prashant, I wasn't aware John D. had ventured into SF. I only ever regard him as a crime/mystery author, especially his Travis McGee books. I started and stopped that series last year - I ought to get back to it.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.com