Science fiction is what I point at when I say science fiction. Damon Knight More Quotes by Damon Knight More Quotes From Damon Knight One of my many theories about short stories is that their titles and first lines ought to be memorable, because if not memorable they will not be remembered, and if not remembered the stories will not be reprinted (because no one can find them). Damon Knight titles memorable writing The popularity of conspiracy theories is explained by people's desire to believe that there is - some group of folks who know what they're doing Damon Knight desire believe people Driving down the wrong road and knowing it, The fork years behind, how many have thought To pull up on the shoulder and leave the car Empty, strike out across the fields; and how many Are still mazed among dock and thistle, Seeking the road they should have taken? Damon Knight taken should-have years We live on a minute island of known things. Our undiminished wonder at the mystery which surrounds us is what makes us human. In science fiction we can approach that mystery, not in small, everyday symbols, but in bigger ones of space and time. Damon Knight everyday space islands It is true that all of us are the beneficiaries of crimes committed by our ancestors, and it is true that nothing can be done about that now because the victims are dead and the survivors are innocent. These are good reasons for keeping our mouths shut about the past: but tell me, what are our reasons for silence about atrocities still to come? Damon Knight atrocities silence past During the four days of the storm, I became accustomed to the soft light of lamps and candles and grew to like it. When the power came on again, I discovered that I was actually disappointed. The electric lights seemed cold and impersonal; they revealed too much. Damon Knight lamps storm light There are more riddles in a stone than in a philosopher's head Damon Knight riddle philosopher stones By focusing on the interior of a speaker's larynx and using infrared, he was able to convert the visible vibrations of the vocal cords into sound of fair quality, but that did not satisfy him. He worked for a while on vibrations picked up from panes of glass in windows and on framed pictures, and he experimented briefly with the diaphragms in speaker systems, intercoms and telephones. He kept on into October without stopping, and finally achieved a device that would give tinny but recognizable sound from any vibrating surface - a wall, a floor, even the speaker's own cheek or forehead. Damon Knight wall glasses giving van Vogt is not a giant as often maintained. He's only a pygmy using a giant typewriter Damon Knight Science fiction is what we point to when we say it. Damon Knight point say science-fiction science There are 36 ways to tell this story. And all of them are disgusting. Damon Knight them story tell disgusting You may stifle your creativity by learning too much about processes that should be spontaneous and automatic. Damon Knight you creativity learning too-much One of the great rewards of a writer's life is that it lets you read all the books you want to without feeling guilty. Damon Knight feeling great you life As his talent expands, some of his stories become pointed social commentary; some are surprisingly effective religious tracts, disguised as science fiction. Others still are nostalgic vignettes, but under it all is still Bradbury, the poet of 20th-century neurosis. Damon Knight others some talent science
