Friday, August 7, 2009

The Solemn Majesty of David Hartwell




I realize that this post is technically on Saturday, and I apologize. But to me this is still Friday. I'm fresh back from my second day at the Worldcon, one of the survivors of the hotel raid on the Asimov's party in the SFWA Suite, and still mulling over scores of intense, personal, intellectual conversations. But it's late, I'm sleepy, and so you get . . .

Above: Congoers solemnly stand before a display of David Hartwell's ties. David's ties are loud, cheap (he will not wear one that costs more than five dollars), and numerous -- this is one short side of a large rectangle.

The amazing thing is the seriousness with which the ties are regarded. It is as if they were standing before a Monet. You think I am kidding. I am not kidding. I simply report what I see.


3 comments:

Karen B. said...

I for one believe that you are not kidding! Though part of me wants to know if he included the cheese tie that he acquired at one of the Corflus (in Wisconsin which, as I'm sure you know, is America's Dairyland).

Michael Swanwick said...

Dear Lord! I remember that tie. Bright yellow and plastic, right? It wasn't there. Which means that the display of ties -- about eight times those visible -- is only a fraction of the glory that is David Hartwell's ties.

That's a terrifying notion. I'm scheduled to introduce David on a panel Monday. I'll take the opportunity to question him on this very matter. Inquiring minds want to know!

Michael Swanwick said...

I've just checked with David. He said he'd asked how many ties they wanted and they said, "All of them."

"Are you sure?" he said. "I've got over a thousand."

"Oh. Well, then let's say two hundred."

So he filled two suitcases with ties, chosen absolutely randomly.

Which means that the horrific truth is that the ties were only a fraction of what he owns.

To which I can only add: Yow.