Letters

Dear Editor,

It has always been my understanding that the National Book Council’s principal function is the promotion of Australian books.

Therefore I cannot understand why the Council has allowed the publication of a review in its Australian Book Review journal which calls for the public destruction of a book. To quote from Meredith Sorensen’s review (ABR, October 1994, p.67):

take one Big Bad Bruce and tear it to shreds – preferably in front of as many small children of both sexes as you can gather about.

The males of the party, having consumed enormous amounts of something smelly and bubbly, must then piss on the remains.

There are many ways in which a reviewer can express dislike of a particular publication, bµt Sorensen has totally overstepped the mark in her incitement to violence.

I am outraged that the National Book Council deigned to publish such an unprofessional, grossly offensive review.

Dear Editor,

Your October 1992 issue gives commendable attention to Victor Kelleher, with a career overview by Andrew Peek, reviews by Terry Lane and Katharine England of Kelleher’s latest novel, Micky Darlin’, and an interview by Rosemary Sorensen. A writer of Kelleher’s stature deserves this. But ...

Dear Mr McLaren

Thank you for your letter. We shall certainly reciprocate in the matter of complimentary copies and we’re also interested in exchange advertising. I look forward to seeing your next issue and would appreciate receiving a copy by air mail if your circulation mechanism is as slow as ours tends to be.

Dear Sir,

I liked Geoff Muirden’s review of The View from the Edge in the August issue, even though he got a bit confused here and there.

‘Aussiecon’ (dreadful name, but we had to sell the idea to the Americans and they like that kind of thing) was the 33rd World Science Fiction Convention, held in Melbourne in 1975. Ursula K. Le Guin was our guest of honour.