Writers Cafe Social Hour Forum {Social Hour} * 12/5/23 - 12/6..

I was a high school senior when I discovered it, and I'd never really been into science-fiction before. But the way he wrote, and the out-there topics he would go on about. That, and as a writer, he wasn't afraid to speak up about how he felt. Although the author could easily be criticized for some of their view, some I agree with, and some I don't, I respect his willingness to have put them in print.

Thankfully, Have Spacesuit, Will Travel was this perfect balance between his younger books and his more "adult" work later on. The book in itself was such a creative inspiration, and his voice was so uniquely his own.

It was written (I believe) in 1954, and reads like an old sci-fi movie of that era, while somehow being surprisingly easy to read considering its time. His voice with the story is a perfect mix.

The story itself is wild, being about a young boy who wins a spacesuit via a soap commercial contest, ends up being abducted by space outlaws, goes on a crazy adventure, and even saves humanity along the way. That brief explanation can't even come close in comparison to the actual story. If you're looking for a book to read, you should look into it. You can probably find an audio book version of it on youtube.

Anyway, that's my favorite book. What about you?

Why?  First, I should say, I'm not and never have been much of a reader, so it helps that it's short. 

The book is collection of autobiographical, free verse, beyond the grave epitaphs from the towns folk of Spoon River. They are full of bitterness, resentment, sorrow, and regret, amidst occasional expressions of strength, wisdom, and humor. They can be read in any order. As you read them, you discover the webs of connections between the townsfolk. Most likely it is set in a podunk town in central Illinois near where the author, Edgar Lee Masters grew up.