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Robert Sheckley, one of the greats of science fiction (and one of the very few who wrote consistently good funny science fiction) fell ill recently while attending a convention in Kiev. His condition was serious and there were doubts as to whether he could be transported back to the states. He's reportedly doing better, and massive fan reaction in the Ukraine and elsewhere has helped fund his hospital bills, but there will be sizeable bills for his convalescence once he returns. More information and updates can be found here.
So far a fan has volunteered a PayPal account that's been OKed by daughter Anya Sheckley as an official donation site: click here to donate. If you can spare anything, please do.
Who the heck is he? Robert Sheckley was a pioneer in funny science fiction, starting back in the 50's. His best-known books in the science-fiction field are probably "Immortality, Inc," "Mindswap," and "Dimension of Miracles." Several of his books have been the basis for movies, such as "Freejack", starring Emilio Esteban, Mick Jagger and Renee Russo, based on "Immortality, Inc." He wrote the story which was the basis for the movie "The Tenth Victim," starring Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. His short story "The Prize of Peril" was the basis for the French movie "La Prix du Danger."
Sheckley collaborated with Roger Zelazny in a three book fantasy series, "Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming," "If at Faust You Don't Succeed," and "A Farce to be Reckoned With." He wrote a book in the Aliens series, "Alien Harvest," and the Deep Space Nine novel "The Laertian Gamble."
He has written funny detective novels, about a zillion short stories, and worked on the computer game Netrunner.
Before there was Esther Friesner, Craig Shaw Gardner, Robert Asprin, Spider Robinson, before there was Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt and Douglas Adams, there was Robert Sheckley. I absorbed his works the same time I was reading Heinlein, Ellison, Farmer, Asimov, and others, and he's one of the few whose entire output I felt compelled to track down. Still got 'em, too.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I'm glad that there is so much support for this man.
But... According to the first link, don't they already have collected enough money right now for his Ukraine treatments and the medical transport to the US? If so, then any funds his daughter gets while he is over there are going to stay in the Ukraine to help young authors there. That's what one of the daughters' statements said, anyway. Meanwhile Medicare coverage once he gets to the US isn't THAT bad and they won't be getting bills from hospitals here until after he has been here awhile. I don't see any need to help out young Ukrainian authors so I'll hold off donating for now. Maybe I'm interpreting this wrong.
Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Chris Bridges: Robert Sheckley, one of the greats of science fiction (and one of the very few who wrote consistently good funny science fiction) ... and he's one of the few whose entire output I felt compelled to track down. Still got 'em, too.
This is very true. Funny science fiction would not be like it is today without Sheckley, few wrote much funny sf back in the old days (50s and 60s, and no, I wasn't around in the 50s!) While I don't have his whole output, I do have several of his short story collections and reread them sometimes for a laugh.
I hope he makes a full recovery.
Theca, from what I can tell, it's a typically chaotic fund drive that arises when someone suddenly gets socked with big hospital bills. It appears his foreign bills will be covered thanks to some deep pocket contributers. And while US Medicaid and Medicare coverage is not that bad, it's not that good either.
Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
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quote:If so, then any funds his daughter gets while he is over there are going to stay in the Ukraine to help young authors there.
Not quite. As far as I can tell, what she said was that extra donations from those in the Ukraine will stay there. As for donations from the US...
quote:On his return to the US, my father will require immediate hospitalization followed by a lengthy convalescence. Medicare pays only for the minimal standard of treatment. Any contributions sent to the US will therefore benefit my father’s progress and rehabilitation. However, I speak for my father as well as for myself in asking that only those who can truly afford to help should do so.
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