In Search of Silence: The Journals of Samuel R. Delany, Volume 1 (1957 - 1969)

The renowned novelist and critic's private journals, spanning from his years as a high school student in the Bronx to early adult life in San Francisco. For fifty years Samuel Delany has cultivated a special relationship with language in works of fiction, criticism, and memoir that have garnered critical praise and legions of fans. The present volume--the first in a series--reveals a new dimension of his genius. In Search of Silence presents over a decade's worth of Delany's private journals, commencing in 1957 when he was still a student at the Bronx High School of Science, and ending in 1969 when he was living in San Francisco and on the verge of reconceiving the novel that would become Dhalgren . In these pages, Delany muses on the writing of the stories that will establish him as a science fiction wunderkind, the early years of his marriage to the poet Marilyn Hacker, performances as a singer-songwriter during the heyday of the American folk revival, travels in Europe, experiences in a New York City commune, and much more--and crosses paths with artists working in many genres, including poets such as Robert Frost, W. H. Auden, and Marie Ponsot, and science fiction writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny, and Joanna Russ. Delany scholar Kenneth R. James presents the journal entries alongside generous samplings of story outlines, poetry, fragments of novels and essays that have never seen publication, and more; James also provides biographical synopses and an extensive set of endnotes to supply contextual information and connect journal material to Delany's published work. "This is a tremendously significant and vital addition to the oeuvre of Samuel Delany; it clarifies questions not only of the writer's process, but also his development--to see, in his juvenilia, traces that take full form in his novels--is literally breathtaking." --Matthew Cheney, author of Blood: Stories "Traversing Delany's youth, we see a precocious mind grappling with his own talent he lives on two registers, participating in the world and also observing it, living simultaneously as a kid in NYC and, 'a writer of genius.'" --Robert Minto, New Republic "Mesmerizing . . . a true portrait of an artist as a young Black man . . . already visible in these pages are the wit, sensitivity, penetration, playfulness and the incandescent intelligence that will characterize Delany and his extraordinary work." --Junot Daz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao The renowned novelist and critic’s private journals, spanning from his years as a high school student in the Bronx to early adult life in San Francisco. For fifty years Samuel Delany has cultivated a special relationship with language in works of fiction, criticism, and memoir that have garnered critical praise and legions of fans. The present volume—the first in a series—reveals a new dimension of his genius. In Search of Silence presents over a decade’s worth of Delany’s private journals, commencing in 1957 when he was still a student at the Bronx High School of Science, and ending in 1969 when he was living in San Francisco and on the verge of reconceiving the novel that would become Dhalgren . In these pages, Delany muses on the writing of the stories that will establish him as a science fiction wunderkind, the early years of his marriage to the poet Marilyn Hacker, performances as a singer-songwriter during the heyday of the American folk revival, travels in Europe, experiences in a New York City commune, and much more—and crosses paths with artists working in many genres, including poets such as Robert Frost, W. H. Auden, and Marie Ponsot, and science fiction writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny, and Joanna Russ. Delany scholar Kenneth R. James presents the journal entries alongside generous samplings of story outlines, poetry, fragments of novels and essays that have never seen publication, and more; James also provides biographical synopses and an extensive set of endnotes to supply contextual information and connect journal material to Delany’s published work. “This is a tremendously significant and vital addition to the oeuvre of Samuel Delany; it clarifies questions not only of the writer’s process, but also his development—to see, in his juvenilia, traces that take full form in his novels—is literally breathtaking.” —Matthew Cheney, author of Blood: Stories “Traversing Delany’s youth, we see a precocious mind grappling with his own talent he lives on two registers, participating in the world and also observing it, living simultaneously as a kid in NYC and, ‘a writer of genius.’” —Robert Minto, New Republic “Mesmerizing . . . a true portrait of an artist as a young Black man . . . already visible in these pages are the wit, sensitivity, penetration, playfulness and the incandescent intelligence that will characterize Delany and his extraordinary work.” —Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The renowned novelist and critic's private journals, spanning from his years as a high school student in the Bronx to early adult life in San Francisco. For fifty years Samuel Delany has cultivated a special relationship with language in works of fiction, criticism, and memoir that have garnered critical praise and legions of fans. The present volume—the first in a series—reveals a new dimension of his genius. In Search of Silence presents over a decade's worth of Delany's private journals, commencing in 1957 when he was still a student at the Bronx High School of Science, and ending in 1969 when he was living in San Francisco and on the verge of reconceiving the novel that would become Dhalgren. In these pages, Delany muses on the writing of the stories that will establish him as a science fiction wunderkind, the early years of his marriage to the poet Marilyn Hacker, performances as a singer-songwriter during the heyday of the American folk revival, travels in Europe, experiences in a New York City commune, and much more—and crosses paths with artists working in many genres, including poets such as Robert Frost, W. H. Auden, and Marie Ponsot, and science fiction writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny, and Joanna Russ. Delany scholar Kenneth R. James presents the journal entries alongside generous samplings of story outlines, poetry, fragments of novels and essays that have never seen publication, and more; James also provides biographical synopses and an extensive set of endnotes to supply contextual information and connect journal material to Delany's published work. "This is a tremendously significant and vital addition to the oeuvre of Samuel Delany; it clarifies questions not only of the writer's process, but also his development—to see, in his juvenilia, traces that take full form in his novels—is literally breathtaking." —Matthew Cheney, author of Blood: Stories "Traversing Delany's youth, we see a precocious mind grappling with his own talent he lives on two registers, participating in the world and also observing it, living simultaneously as a kid in NYC and, 'a writer of genius.'" —Robert Minto, New Republic "Mesmerizing... a true portrait of an artist as a young Black man... already visible in these pages are the wit, sensitivity, penetration, playfulness and the incandescent intelligence that will characterize Delany and his extraordinary work." —Junot Díaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Cover -- THE JOURNALS OF Samuel R. Delany IN SEARCH OF SILENCE -- Dedication -- Title -- Copyright -- CONTENTS -- Editor's Introduction -- 1. BRONX SCIENCE AND OTHER NEW YORK SCENES -- Notebook 1-January-February 1958 -- Notebook 3-January 1959 -- Notebook 7-1959 [March-April 1959] -- Notebook 6-1959 [April 1959] -- Notebook 4-April-May 1959 -- Notebook 5-1959 [Summer-Autumn 1959] -- 2. IN SEARCH OF SILENCE -- Notebook 2-January 1959 [January-February 1960] -- Notebook 8-March 1960 -- Notebook 11-Spring 1960 [Spring-Summer 1960] -- 3. JOURNAUX D'ORPHÉE -- Notebook 12-Inclusive to July 1960 -- 4. CITY COLLEGE -- Notebook 13-September 1960 -- Notebook 14-Autumn 1960 -- Notebook 9-Winter 1960 -- Notebook 10-Spring 1960 [Spring 1961] -- Notebook 16-Spring, Summer 1961 -- Notebook 17-Summer 1961 -- 5. MARRIED LIFE IN THE EAST VILLAGE -- Notebook 18-August 1961 -- Notebook 15-September-October 1961 [October 1960 / September-October 1961] -- Notebook 19-November 1961-June 1962 -- Notebook 21-Spring 1962 [January 1962] -- Notebook 20-Spring 1962 [March 1962] -- 6. THE FALL OF THE TOWERS AND VOYAGE, ORESTES -- Notebook 22-Summer 1962 -- Notebook 23-November 1962 [October-November 1962] -- Notebook 25-Inclusive through March 1963 [Autumn 1962-Spring 1963] -- Notebook 24-Inclusive to January-February 1963 -- Notebook 75-[Spring-Summer 1963] -- Notebook 68-[October 1963] -- Notebook 71-[Winter 1963] -- Notebook 92-[Spring 1964] -- 7. BABEL-17 AND BEYOND -- Notebook 26-June-July 1964 -- Notebook 27-August 15, 1964 -- Notebook 28-September 1964-January 1965 -- Notebook 87-[Early Spring 1965] -- Notebook 82-[Summer 1964-Spring 1965] -- Notebook 81-[Late Spring 1965] -- Notebook 29-June-July 1965 -- 8. TRAVELS IN EUROPE -- Notebook 67-[Autumn 1965-Summer 1966] -- Notebook 96-[Autumn 1965] -- Notebook 31-March 1966 [February-March 1966] For fifty years Samuel Delany has cultivated a special relationship with language in works of fiction, criticism, and memoir that have garnered critical praise and legions of fans. The present volume the first in a series reveals a new dimension of his genius. In Search of Silence presents over a decade s worth of Delany s private journals, commencing in 1957 when he was still a student at the Bronx High School of Science, and ending in 1969 when he was living in San Francisco and on the verge of reconceiving the novel that would become Dhalgren. In these pages, Delany muses on the writing of the stories that will establish him as a science fiction wunderkind, the early years of his marriage to the poet Marilyn Hacker, performances as a singer-songwriter during the heyday of the American folk revival, travels in Europe, experiences in a New York City commune, and much more and crosses paths with artists working in many genres, including poets such as Robert Frost, W. H. Auden, and Marie Ponsot, and science fiction writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Moorcock, Roger Zelazny, and Joanna Russ. Delany scholar Kenneth R. James presents the journal entries alongside generous samplings of story outlines, poetry, fragments of novels and essays that have never seen publication, and more; James also provides biographical synopses and an extensive set of endnotes to supply contextual information and connect journal material to Delany s published work. -- Amazon.com Vol. 1. In Search Of Silence, 1957-1969 -- Vol. 2. Autumnal City Edited By Kenneth R. James. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.