Something To Read by Ken Slater

INTRODUCTION

Ken Slater (1917-2008) was a key figure in British Science Fiction fandom. Between 1953–1959 he contributed a regular book review column for Nebula Science Fiction which covered most of the hardcover SF books published in the UK during that period. The reviews were entertaining, unpretentious and informative from someone whose describes his reading habit as "I like to take a book, a glass or cup of some liquor appropriate to the time and season, a comfortable chair, cigarettes or pipe ...and a few hours." Reproducing these reviews will not only be of use to book collectors but will also conjure up a cosy age of fireside reading pleasures. My thanks to Peter Weston for his memories of Ken and, most of  all, to Ken for not only allowing me to reprint his column but also proofreading. Ken died peacefully on 16 February 2008.

                                                                   -Jim Linwood-

In 1954 Ken wrote: For the information of a vast number of people who couldn't care less, I was born of British (mixed English-Irish-Scots­-Welsh and some other nationalities) parents in 1917 (Dec. 27). No brothers or sisters, and my parents died before I was ten, leaving me (and little else) to a grandmother, who did her best to “bring up” a somewhat wayward youth. Being a mobile family I'd attended some seventeen schools (with disastrous results to what passes for my education) by the time I turned my hand in at fourteen (without permission) and went to work at Burnley Streamline. I'd already made acquaintance with s-f through the local library, and juvenile two-pennies, and my first American mag. was the September '28 Amazing Stories, purchased in December of that year from Woolworths-at 3d! This made me think that the streamline car was the thing of the future. Well, it was, but both the directors of Burnley's and myself were too early - ­the firm closed down three years later.

  I then did sundry things in the line of earning a living, with varying success, until 1940 found me a private soldier. Some slight clerical knowledge obtained my rapid promotion to lance-corporal (unpaid acting) three days later, and I progressed steadily-but not so rapidly-until I received my commission in March '43. Most of that time I was cut-off from s-f, but when things quietened down in '45 I went on a buying spree and by '47 I had one of the best collections of books and mags in the U.K. During that period I met John Carnell, Walter Gillings, and many other leading folk in the British s-f world, and also became involved in acti-fandom. So involved that it hardly seems possible that I knew what to do with my spare time in earlier years. So involved that it seems improbable that I could get out... even if I wanted to. I don't, but still...

  In the middle of my acti-fan-tivities I found time to get married to Joyce, getting her mixed up in the general melee of publishing and swapping and letter-writing. Some place along the line we've acquired a couple of kiddies (a boy and a girl), a Boxer dog, and a lot of odds and ends which have nothing to do with s-f and therefore always puzzle me.

- Vargo Statten Science Fiction Magazine. Volume 1 Number 1, January 1954 -

(Reprinted in The Inquisitor – Fan Columns from the Vargo Statten Magazine. Fishlifter Press, 2000.)

Peter Weston recalls: In my very early years the only thing I knew about Ken Slater was that he wrote the book reviews in Nebula.  Then, in 1963 I learned he was also a science fiction bookseller, and I came to eagerly await his monthly catalogue, which provided my supply-line and usually contained all sorts of news.  Then, when I went to my first SF convention I discovered Ken was in charge of the book-room, and was also on the programme running a sort of 'Any Questions?' event.  Then, I discovered he was heavily involved in running that con, and had been Chairman the year before.

Then, someone told me about Ken's wartime and post-war trading activities with 'Operation Fantast', which for years kept British fandom alive, and in the wreckage of the British Science Fiction Association Fanzine Foundation I came across some of his neatly-printed, half-size journals and yearbooks which - though out of date - were packed with information.  Then, at the 1966 Yarmouth SF convention, Ken became Vice-Chairman of the BSFA, and at the end of 1966 together with Doreen Parker, rescued the BSFA's magazine Vector and bailed-out the Association, which would otherwise have gone broke.   Then, much later. I discovered Ken had been one of the original voices pressing for the formation of a national SF organisation.  Then, in the seventies, he was one of the first fans to embrace the opening-up of international fandom, with his trips to conventions all over Europe.

Everywhere I go, Ken seems to have been there first.  He started pushing the cause of SF fandom in the year I was born, and shows no signs of stopping yet; he is still selling books, he is still 'reading the rubbish' (to quote his own words) and now he's into electronic fandom where his memory for detail is as good as ever (except for faces!) and his anecdotes are greatly appreciated. He won the Doc Weir Award, been Guest of Honour at various British SF conventions, and was properly honoured at the Brighton Worldcon in 1987.                                                                                          - Peter Weston -

 

Many thanks to Jacques Hamon of Collectors Showcase who kindly gave me permission to borrow from his own collection of book cover scans to accompany Ken's reviews. 

Please click on the issue number to view the reviews

Nebula 5 Nebula 6 Nebula 7 Nebula 8
Nebula 9 Nebula 10 Nebula 11 Nebula 12
Nebula 13 Nebula 14 Nebula 15 Nebula 16
Nebula 17 Nebula 18 Nebula 19 Nebula 20
Nebula 21 Nebula 22 Nebula 23 Nebula 24
Nebula 25 Nebula 26 Nebula 27 Nebula 28
Nebula 29 Nebula 30 Nebula 31 Nebula 32
Nebula 33 Nebula 34 Nebula 35 Nebula 36
Nebula 39 Nebula 40    

The column did not appear in Issues 1-4, 37, 38 & 41

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