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"The personal strengths and weaknesses of a leader are no true indication of the worth of his cause."
-Roger Zelazny in Lord of Light
I've loved fantasy author Roger Zelazny's work since I was a teenager. He revolutionized the genre of science fiction, but he did it by being an amazing writer. He is most famous for the Amber novels, which were really just a lark for him. In his other work, he experimented with forms, voices and structure. And he could never resist a pun.
I picked this quote for its relevance to our political and cultural circumstances. Trump's enemies make everything about him. He uses this to practice misdirection. I think he enjoys the trolling, and everyone has to have a hobby. The rest of us would rather discuss what is happening and being done, which in my mind is almost all positive.
A couple of Zelazny favorites (no charge for the extras):
"The trouble with you anthropologists is that the very act of evaluation makes you feel superior to whatever you are evaluating, and you evaluate everything." -from Doorways in the Sand
And then there is the famous Agnostic's Prayer, from Creatures of Light and Darkness:
Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that you be forgiven for anything you may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgiveness but something else may be required to insure any possible benefit for which you may be eligible, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such a manner as to insure your receiving said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony. Amen.
This sort of covers the waterfront. That book, incidentally, is a great example of Zelazny experimenting with form. Each chapter is different: a different narrator or a poem—one is a play script. In Roadmarks, the chapters are numbered Two, One, Two, One and so on. The main characters are born old and wizened, and grow progressively younger until they are reborn into different forms.
We lost Zelazny too young, to pancreatic cancer. He was also a remarkably good narrator of his own work. I have a copy of the narration of his last novel, A Night in the Lonesome October, and I treasure it.
Discussion (15)
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Re the quote: We are all such a mixed bag that whatever the cause may be to single out one strength or weakness in a leader is not enough to judge the cause in most cases, but certain more heinous traits or a actions should be warning lights regarding following that leader.
For instance, John Brown was an ardent abolitionist who became a murderer and insurrectionist. While abolitionism had noble ideals, John Brown's methods were not the way forward.
OTOH, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote of the equality of all men, was a slaveholder, as was George Washington. The words of Jesus "by their fruits you will know them" are a good guideline.
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Zelazny is my favorite fiction author.
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A man of good taste, you are.
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Did you just give me the opportunity for a book plug? If so, thank you! Even if not, thank you.
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Thanks for the reminder. I read the Amber books years ago and thought they were great. For some reason never read any of his other books. I'll give them a try.
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