The First Reviews for Imagining the Unimaginable

I'm delighted and somewhat over-awed to have received the first two reviews for my forthcoming monograph Imagining the Unimaginable. Not only are they lovely and flattering reviews but they're from two wonderful scholars on the back of whose own excellent work my study is in no small part built upon. Thank you to both!

“At once theoretically sophisticated and readable, Glyn Morgan's study makes a notable contribution to the field of Holocaust literature by showing how Anglo-American speculative fiction – a genre encompassing science fiction, fantasy, and alternate history – has reflected, as well as shaped, the evolving memory of the Holocaust.” – Gavriel D. Rosenfeld, Professor of History, Fairfield University, USA

“Expanding the canon and extending the debate about representation, this thoughtful, wide-ranging and critically-aware book charts new territory in our understanding both of the Holocaust and of speculative fiction.” – Robert Eaglestone, Professor of Contemporary Literature and Thought, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

The book is out in January 2020 from Bloomsbury Academic.

Torque Control: Personal Log

I've not really made a song and dance about it, because on at least one level I was convinced that someone would realise they'd made a mistake and stop me from doing it before I even began, but a while ago I was approached about taking on the position of Features Editor of Vector: The Critical Journal of Science Fiction.

I can't claim that I'm the most qualified person for the job, but I can promise that I'll devote all of my available energies to doing the very best work that I can. I've been a member of the BSFA for a few years and have enjoyed reading Vector and contributing reviews for the journal.

So from now on, for the foreseeable future (or until they realise their mistake...), I'll be editing four issues a year and writing the famous "Torque Control" editorials to open each one. I don't have any sort of grand vision for the journal, in fact for the first few issues I'll just be happy if I don't stuff it up completely and no one notices that the editor has changed. That said, once I'm comfortable enough to feel like I can begin to change things, I do want to move Vector towards being more representative of modern science fiction, and of the BSFA membership.

In my mind this means a more diverse journal. Diverse in terms of the different formats of science fiction itself (not just books, TV and film), but also diverse contributors and topics which reflect more than just the white middle-class, middle-aged male perspective. And yes, I realise that I'm already into negative equity being an editor who fits into at least three of those four old-guard criteria, and who - worse - is replacing a female editor, Shana Worthen, who did sterling work in the post. But Shana has  moved onto pastures new, and new challenges, and I've been asked to take the job so here I am.

I'm going to post the contents page of each of  my issues here once they go to print. If you're interested in seeing the work and being involved in the British Science Fiction scene then why not consider joining the BSFA?

If you're interested in contributing to Vector then get in touch, you don't need to be a member to submit articles and I'm willing to read anything by anyone. I'll be publishing based on merit and whether of not the material is appropriate for the journal, not on discriminatory grounds (either positive or negative), but I will be encouraging more submissions from more diverse sources.

Penguin Guest Blog

Today a post I authored went online at the Penguin Books blog, "Understanding Maus". It's essentially a short piece on the significance of Art Speigelman's absolutely amazing graphic novel Maus and the new companion volume MetaMaus. I won't re-tread the material here, save to say that MetaMaus is a brilliant volume which is both a tool for understanding and a treat for fans and connoisseurs of comics.

First Appearance in a Journal

This month my name made its first appearance in print in an academic journal.

The article is a review of Chris Beckett's novel The Holy Machine and it appears in issue #108 of Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction - you'll have to get hold of a copy to read the review but essentially I thought it was a great book.

I'm especially honoured that my review appears in an issue with a special article by Brian Aldiss, an author who has a special association for me as he was receiving an honorary doctorate at the same graduation ceremony where I received my BA in 2008.

Hopefully the future will see many more such reviews entering print, and eventually critical articles too, but until then I'm just happy to see my name in print (and I'll be even happier when it gets catalogued onto the University Library!).