March 30, 2013

  • Magazine Review

         Several short stories appeared in the magazine Astounding Science Fiction written by L. Ron Hubbard - the founder of Dianetics. From the following list a reader could come to the conclusion that the author was a criminologist because he wrote stories dealing with dictatorship, greed, kidnapping, piracy, real-estate swindler and thievery. His theories on dianetics were revolutionary in the field of sociology and psychiatry - according to the editorials concerning his contribution to the sciences.My list is far from complete because the magazine is so old - but it is still worth noting bcause the old is new again.

    1940-02 - "The Professor was a Thief"
        He stole odds and ends - the Empire State Building - Grant's Tomb - the Pennsylvania Station - for his     model railroad.

    1940-04 - "Final Blackout" (three parts)
        One of the greatest and grimmest novels of science-fiction - a novel of the end of the current European War (WW1).

    1942-10 - "The Beast"
        There in the jungles of Venus the Beast had to be killed - not only because it murdered, but because it had stolen something he couldn't live without - an intangible, absolutely necessary thing. 
        
    1947-08 - "The End is Not Yet" (three parts)
        Hubbard's first post war novel about a few men against a dictatorship - and of the inevitable, the inescapable, result, whatever the determination, the high ideals and high courtage of the rebels.
       
    1948-05 - "Obsolete Weapon"
        An obsolete weapon is like velocity, time-rate or any other factor; a purely relative thing. Particularly when someone is careless with a time machine ...

    1949-08 - "A Matter of Matter"
        There have been small-time real-estate swindlers but in a galactic economy, the man who sells planets wholesale will do it up brown. Like for instance, selling the sucker a planet he can't even sit down on!

    1950-03 -
       1. "Of Human Memory" Editorial
         A new science of human thought.
       2. "To the Stars"
         The conclusion to a story about a kidnapping in time.    

    1950-04 - "Greed"
         Piracy is a remarkable thing. It's usually based on greed - but in a highly peculiar way. Many times its greed for adventure, for high and dangerous living, rather than greed for wealth!

    1950-05 -
       1. "Dianetics: Evolution of a Science"
         A fact article of genuine importance.
       2. Editorial - "Concerning Dianetics"
         The article describes a technique of mental therapy of such power that it will, I know, seem fantastic.

    1950-08 -
       1. Dianetics ad describing the concept.
       2. "In Times to Come"  describes responses to the article
       3. Brass Tacks Letter on several reader's response to the article.

    1950-10 - Dianetics Ad about the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation, Inc
       
    1951-02 - Dianetics Ad about Dianetics Instruction Courses.

    1951-11 - Dianetics ad about a doctor's Report on Dianetics by Dr. J.A. Winter.