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The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction
Series: Early Classics of Science Fiction
Sales Date: 2002-06-20
How women and feminism helped to shape science fiction in America.
Runner-up for the Hugo Best Related Book Award (2003)
The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction is a lively account of the role of women and feminism in the development of American science fiction during its formative years, the mid-20th century. Beginning in 1926, with the publication of the first issue of Amazing Stories, Justine Larbalestier examines science fiction's engagement with questions of femininity, masculinity, sex and sexuality. She traces the debates over the place of women and feminism in science fiction as it emerged in stories, letters and articles in science fiction magazines and fanzines. The book culminates in the story of James Tiptree, Jr. and the eponymous Award. Tiptree was a successful science fiction writer of the 1970s who was later discovered to be a woman. Tiptree's easy acceptance by the male-dominated publishing arena of the time proved that there was no necessary difference in the way men and women wrote, but that there was a real difference in the way they were read.
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Faithful to Thee, Terra, in Our Fashion
Mama Come Home
Painwise
Fault
The Women Men Don't See
I'm Too Big but I Love to Play
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
Epilogue
Appendix
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
Justine Larbalestier is the author of The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction, Daughters of the Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century and the young adult novel Magic or Madness. Larbalestier is an honorary associate in the School of English, Art History, Film and Media at the University of Sydney. She makes extended visits to New York City.
"Larbalestier has assembled a volume that skillfully expands the critical discourse on feminist science fiction. ...Taken as a whole, the anthology serves as an insightful overview of the intermingled development of Western feminism and science fiction since 1927"
~Choice
""Larbalestier plunges into her account of the sex-wars that have emerged in the pages of science fiction magazines with intelligence, much information and a good deal of common sense. In light of today's interest in the position of women, she reports on this conflict not only with fascinating documentation and a cascade of insights, but also with great intellectual richness and readability.""
~Samuel R. Delany, author of Dhalgren
"The Battle of the Sexes traces a genre within science fiction with wit, insight and impressive archival work. This is a wonderful project, brilliantly conceived, with fantastic research."
~Jane Donawerth, author of Frankenstein's Daughters: Women Writing Science Fiction
"Larbalestier plunges into her account of the sex-wars that have emerged in the pages of science fiction magazines with intelligence, much information and a good deal of common sense. In light of today's interest in the position of women, she reports on this conflict not only with fascinating documentation and a cascade of insights, but also with great intellectual richness and readability."
~Samuel R. Delany, author of Dhalgren
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