The Year's Best Science Fiction: Seventh Annual Collection edited by Gardner Dozois

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/when-we-were-young
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
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In article <sj4ea9$8hb$1@reader1.panix.com>,
James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>The Year's Best Science Fiction: Seventh Annual Collection edited by
>Gardner Dozois
>
>https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/when-we-were-young

_Lincoln's Dreams_ is not my favorite Willis. But it did give me
a clue as to why so many people (mostly in the Eastern states)
are so obsessed with the American Civil War.

It was fought where they were living, and they are living among
its graveyards. Hard to escape noticing.

(The only time I visited one of those states was when I went to
Pennsic in 1992. The ACW was not the reason [practically]
everyone was there.)

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

On Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 10:45:04 AM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <sj4ea9$8hb$1...@reader1.panix.com>,
> James Nicoll <jdni...@panix.com> wrote:
> >The Year's Best Science Fiction: Seventh Annual Collection edited by
> >Gardner Dozois
> >
> >https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/when-we-were-young
> _Lincoln's Dreams_ is not my favorite Willis. But it did give me
> a clue as to why so many people (mostly in the Eastern states)
> are so obsessed with the American Civil War.

The whole affair seemed to become a lot more immediate to me when I moved to DC in the mid 1980s. Bringing with me this collection of short stories by an author I had never before read.

William Hyde

On Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:36:12 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
Heydt) wrote:

>_Lincoln's Dreams_ is not my favorite Willis. But it did give me
>a clue as to why so many people (mostly in the Eastern states)
>are so obsessed with the American Civil War.
>
>It was fought where they were living, and they are living among
>its graveyards. Hard to escape noticing.
>
>(The only time I visited one of those states was when I went to
>Pennsic in 1992. The ACW was not the reason [practically]
>everyone was there.)

Glad you pointed that out.

I take great pride in telling my kids that they have been raised in
one of the most peaceful places in the entire world (Vancouver, BC
though that comment would apply to WA and OR equally well)

Don't get me wrong - I'm well aware of my personal history and ALL of
my 3 children are named for forebears, I've visited the WW2 memorial
in Hong Kong (which is located in Stanley were British troops landed
to receive the Japanese surrender), been to L'Anse Aux Meadows (Viking
location in northern Newfoundland), Pearl Harbor and of course London
which oozes history from every pore. I was particularly moved by the
Canada Gate next to Buckingham Palace and the Canadian WW2 memorial
about 100' away from the gate.

One of my most memorable speeches I've ever made to my Toastmasters
club was a strongly pro-British rant on the anniversary of the War of
1812 - which was a personal joke as my father's family originates in
NY state and lots of ancestors fought in that war - on the US side.

But no question despite knowing history there's not really the
knowledge of much battle in the areas I've been.

In article <bgqelg15ckqj33j9j6sujbp1tsbpa8h1k1@4ax.com>,
The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>On Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:36:12 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>Heydt) wrote:
>
>>_Lincoln's Dreams_ is not my favorite Willis. But it did give me
>>a clue as to why so many people (mostly in the Eastern states)
>>are so obsessed with the American Civil War.
>>
>>It was fought where they were living, and they are living among
>>its graveyards. Hard to escape noticing.
>>
>>(The only time I visited one of those states was when I went to
>>Pennsic in 1992. The ACW was not the reason [practically]
>>everyone was there.)
>
>Glad you pointed that out.
>
>I take great pride in telling my kids that they have been raised in
>one of the most peaceful places in the entire world (Vancouver, BC
>though that comment would apply to WA and OR equally well)
>
>Don't get me wrong - I'm well aware of my personal history and ALL of
>my 3 children are named for forebears, I've visited the WW2 memorial
>in Hong Kong (which is located in Stanley were British troops landed
>to receive the Japanese surrender), been to L'Anse Aux Meadows (Viking
>location in northern Newfoundland), Pearl Harbor and of course London
>which oozes history from every pore. I was particularly moved by the
>Canada Gate next to Buckingham Palace and the Canadian WW2 memorial
>about 100' away from the gate.
>
>One of my most memorable speeches I've ever made to my Toastmasters
>club was a strongly pro-British rant on the anniversary of the War of
>1812 - which was a personal joke as my father's family originates in
>NY state and lots of ancestors fought in that war - on the US side.
>
>But no question despite knowing history there's not really the
>knowledge of much battle in the areas I've been.

And I might have mentioned, but didn't, that the only ACW-related
site in the SF Bay Area is the ruins of a fortress at the Golden
Gate that was built just in case some really determined
Confederates decided to sail around the tip of South America to
get at it.

They either never tried, or tried and were lost at sea.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/

In article <r0BGyp.1pD5@kithrup.com>,
djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) wrote:

> In article <bgqelg15ckqj33j9j6sujbp1tsbpa8h1k1@4ax.com>,
> The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
> >On Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:36:12 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
> >Heydt) wrote:
> >
> >>_Lincoln's Dreams_ is not my favorite Willis. But it did give me
> >>a clue as to why so many people (mostly in the Eastern states)
> >>are so obsessed with the American Civil War.
> >>
> >>It was fought where they were living, and they are living among
> >>its graveyards. Hard to escape noticing.
> >>
> >>(The only time I visited one of those states was when I went to
> >>Pennsic in 1992. The ACW was not the reason [practically]
> >>everyone was there.)
> >
> >Glad you pointed that out.
> >
> >I take great pride in telling my kids that they have been raised in
> >one of the most peaceful places in the entire world (Vancouver, BC
> >though that comment would apply to WA and OR equally well)
> >
> >Don't get me wrong - I'm well aware of my personal history and ALL of
> >my 3 children are named for forebears, I've visited the WW2 memorial
> >in Hong Kong (which is located in Stanley were British troops landed
> >to receive the Japanese surrender), been to L'Anse Aux Meadows (Viking
> >location in northern Newfoundland), Pearl Harbor and of course London
> >which oozes history from every pore. I was particularly moved by the
> >Canada Gate next to Buckingham Palace and the Canadian WW2 memorial
> >about 100' away from the gate.
> >
> >One of my most memorable speeches I've ever made to my Toastmasters
> >club was a strongly pro-British rant on the anniversary of the War of
> >1812 - which was a personal joke as my father's family originates in
> >NY state and lots of ancestors fought in that war - on the US side.
> >
> >But no question despite knowing history there's not really the
> >knowledge of much battle in the areas I've been.
>
> And I might have mentioned, but didn't, that the only ACW-related
> site in the SF Bay Area is the ruins of a fortress at the Golden
> Gate that was built just in case some really determined
> Confederates decided to sail around the tip of South America to
> get at it.
>
> They either never tried, or tried and were lost at sea.

The CSS Shenandoah sailed into the Pacific via the India Ocean. It was
rather busy, see
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Shenandoah#Pacific_raids>. Note that
it did most of its damage after Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

On Fri, 01 Oct 2021 22:17:12 -0700, Robert Woodward
<robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:

>In article <r0BGyp.1pD5@kithrup.com>,
> djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) wrote:
>
>> In article <bgqelg15ckqj33j9j6sujbp1tsbpa8h1k1@4ax.com>,
>> The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>> >On Thu, 30 Sep 2021 14:36:12 GMT, djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J
>> >Heydt) wrote:
>> >
>> >>_Lincoln's Dreams_ is not my favorite Willis. But it did give me
>> >>a clue as to why so many people (mostly in the Eastern states)
>> >>are so obsessed with the American Civil War.
>> >>
>> >>It was fought where they were living, and they are living among
>> >>its graveyards. Hard to escape noticing.
>> >>
>> >>(The only time I visited one of those states was when I went to
>> >>Pennsic in 1992. The ACW was not the reason [practically]
>> >>everyone was there.)
>> >
>> >Glad you pointed that out.
>> >
>> >I take great pride in telling my kids that they have been raised in
>> >one of the most peaceful places in the entire world (Vancouver, BC
>> >though that comment would apply to WA and OR equally well)
>> >
>> >Don't get me wrong - I'm well aware of my personal history and ALL of
>> >my 3 children are named for forebears, I've visited the WW2 memorial
>> >in Hong Kong (which is located in Stanley were British troops landed
>> >to receive the Japanese surrender), been to L'Anse Aux Meadows (Viking
>> >location in northern Newfoundland), Pearl Harbor and of course London
>> >which oozes history from every pore. I was particularly moved by the
>> >Canada Gate next to Buckingham Palace and the Canadian WW2 memorial
>> >about 100' away from the gate.
>> >
>> >One of my most memorable speeches I've ever made to my Toastmasters
>> >club was a strongly pro-British rant on the anniversary of the War of
>> >1812 - which was a personal joke as my father's family originates in
>> >NY state and lots of ancestors fought in that war - on the US side.
>> >
>> >But no question despite knowing history there's not really the
>> >knowledge of much battle in the areas I've been.
>>
>> And I might have mentioned, but didn't, that the only ACW-related
>> site in the SF Bay Area is the ruins of a fortress at the Golden
>> Gate that was built just in case some really determined
>> Confederates decided to sail around the tip of South America to
>> get at it.
>>
>> They either never tried, or tried and were lost at sea.
>
>The CSS Shenandoah sailed into the Pacific via the India Ocean. It was
>rather busy, see
><https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Shenandoah#Pacific_raids>. Note that
>it did most of its damage after Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

So the Union freed the slaves but stopped the South from saving the
whales?

On Friday, October 1, 2021 at 11:17:16 PM UTC-6, Robert Woodward wrote:

> The CSS Shenandoah sailed into the Pacific via the India Ocean. It was
> rather busy, see
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Shenandoah#Pacific_raids>. Note that
> it did most of its damage after Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

However, having followed your link, I see that its activity took
place in whaling grounds around the Aleutian Islands, so that
hardly disturbed the tranquility of Los Angeles, California and
the environs thereof.

John Savard

In article <fdab0612-1275-4096-a598-d57e65814178n@googlegroups.com>,
Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:

> On Friday, October 1, 2021 at 11:17:16 PM UTC-6, Robert Woodward wrote:
>
> > The CSS Shenandoah sailed into the Pacific via the India Ocean. It was
> > rather busy, see
> > <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Shenandoah#Pacific_raids>. Note that
> > it did most of its damage after Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
>
> However, having followed your link, I see that its activity took
> place in whaling grounds around the Aleutian Islands, so that
> hardly disturbed the tranquility of Los Angeles, California and
> the environs thereof.
>

You must have missed where it was going on August 3, 1865:

"On August 3, 1865, Waddell learned of the war's definite end when
Shenandoah encountered the Liverpool barque Barracouta, which was bound
for San Francisco. Waddell was heading to the city to attack it,
believing it weakly defended."

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
—-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

In article <robertaw-6B5376.10112703102021@news.individual.net>,
Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> wrote:
>In article <fdab0612-1275-4096-a598-d57e65814178n@googlegroups.com>,
> Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
>
>> On Friday, October 1, 2021 at 11:17:16 PM UTC-6, Robert Woodward wrote:
>>
>> > The CSS Shenandoah sailed into the Pacific via the India Ocean. It was
>> > rather busy, see
>> > <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Shenandoah#Pacific_raids>. Note that
>> > it did most of its damage after Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
>>
>> However, having followed your link, I see that its activity took
>> place in whaling grounds around the Aleutian Islands, so that
>> hardly disturbed the tranquility of Los Angeles, California and
>> the environs thereof.
>>
>
>You must have missed where it was going on August 3, 1865:
>
>"On August 3, 1865, Waddell learned of the war's definite end when
>Shenandoah encountered the Liverpool barque Barracouta, which was bound
>for San Francisco. Waddell was heading to the city to attack it,
>believing it weakly defended."

Room for an alt-history for somebody who wants to write it.

The story (yours, not the alt-hist someone might write) reminded
me of how C. S. Forester came to write the first Hornblower
novel: the terms of (I think) the peace treaty for the war of 1812,
which was set to take effect on different dates at different
places. "So that if you captured a ship before [date], you got
to keep it, but if after [date], you had to give it back."

A bit of google tells me the fortress in question was called Fort
Point.

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com
Www.kithrup.com/~djheydt/