Thursday, May 8, 2008

Science Fiction Trading Cards

We recently got a letter here at the downtown office from a trading card company. It seems they are putting together a set of trading cards featuring the greatest science fiction writers of all-time and they would like to include Mr. LaSalle. We of course agreed and sent them the required photo and biographical information, but on the form they wanted to include a quote from Mr. LaSalle or his work. With there being so many wonderful quotes from his 174 published novels and then volumes of quotable passages from his speeches and lectures, I am asking you the LaSalle fan-body to suggest your favorite quote for inclusion on his card. It looks as though space will be limited for quotes, so try to keep them under four lines or so. Oh and please cite the work it's from. If it is a quote from Mr. LaSalle, please give the context and date of the quote if known. So, hop to it, lads, let's hear your favorites!

-Jim

9 comments:

Victor Gischler said...

174 novels? That's low, isn't it? The Adam Openheimer biography said over 400. (Although i think some of those were under pen names and then reprinted later under LaSalle's own name.)

VG

Neil said...

Of course, the topper for me was always his maxim: "Technology has ruined science fiction."

Or, from his 1983 commencement speech at Widemore County Community College: "And so I say to you, Future Adults of America (or whatever they'll call it when the Commies take over), there's no story in history that can't be improved with a laser gun and a great pair of breasts."

Unknown said...

"Eat it, Spacemonkey."

--from HAVE PLASMATRON, WILL TRAVEL (Gamma QP, 1953)

mybillcrider said...

"Saddle up, you glarged-out spacebums! You wanna live forever?"

--HELLWORLD DEATH RAID, 1958

EmersonLasalle said...

Victor, 174 is the number of science fiction novels published under the name Emerson LaSalle. Since this is a set for the greatest science fiction writers I assumed we would only use those. And anything published under a pen name might cause some confusion for the folks crafting this particular card set. But it's a point worth noting. Thanks, Victor.

Neil, good choices. They really speak the philosophy of the man.

Bill & Xana, both excellent suggestions. I wonder if we could talk them into doing multiple quotes?

I might have to send them a selection and see which they choose.

-Jim

Jas N Smith said...

"It's space. Everybody pisses their pants the first time."
-Last Train to Saturn, 1949

B. C. Bell said...

I believe he published at least nineteen books under the psuedonym "Lance O'Byle." A wuote attributed to LaSalle speaking outside of Harry Truman Community College in Chicago (outside the Lawrence Ave. Station of the El) has always been one of my favorites; he said "The universe is big as hell, but black holes are little teeny, tiny hells that defy space." He was underneat

Victor Gischler said...

Thanks for the clarification, Jim.

Here's a quote:

"The philosphers say death is just another part of the big journey. I agree. The end part."

-- GUMSHOE 2525 (1970)

gorjus said...

I don't know nearly as much as the rest of y'all, but I do think this one from Never Again, Forever (1949) is cool--although, it's more crime, and maybe not okay for a trading card:

"I don't give a damn if you're a Nazi--you take that goddamn bra off."