Curiously Prescott¶
Interviews and Anecdotes from J.B. Prescott's Contemporaries¶
Panel Discussion: J.B. Prescott and His Legacy¶
Participants: - Isaac Asimov - Frederik Pohl - Damon Knight - C.L. Moore
Interviewer: Gentlemen, and Ms. Moore, thank you for joining us to discuss J.B. Prescott.
On "Challengers of the Secret Tree"¶
Interviewer: Mr. Asimov, let's start with you. What are your thoughts on Prescott's "Challengers of the Secret Tree" series?
Isaac Asimov: (speaking rapidly, with enthusiasm) Well, now, let me tell you - J.B.'s "Challengers" is a tour de force of imagination! The way he's constructed this intricate web of historical and literary figures, why, it's positively galactic in scope. And his grasp of scientific principles? Impeccable. Of course, I'm particularly intrigued by his treatment of robotics...
Interviewer: Yes, his "Fifteen Fundamentals of Robotic Behavior." Could you elaborate on that?
Asimov: (leaning forward, eyes bright) Fascinating stuff! While I prefer a more streamlined approach with my Three Laws, J.B.'s work laid crucial groundwork. He's considering not just actions, but intentions - a critical distinction. It's provided quite the foundation for my own explorations in the field.
On Prescott as a Person¶
Interviewer: Interesting. Mr. Pohl, you've known Prescott for some time. What's he like as a person?
Frederik Pohl: (speaking more slowly, with a wry tone) J.B.? He's a character, all right. Brilliant, no question, but he can be... intense. Gets this look in his eye when he's onto something new - like a bloodhound on a scent. But generous, too. Always ready to lend a hand to us younger writers, even if his advice sometimes comes wrapped in a lecture.
Interviewer: And what about The Curious Order of Ink & Flame?
Pohl: (chuckling) Oh, that. Classic J.B. - never does anything by halves. When he first explained it, I thought he'd been reading too much Lovecraft. But you know, there's something to it. The rituals, the philosophy - it's oddly compelling. Don't tell him I said so, but I've adopted a few of the practices myself.
Critical Perspective¶
Interviewer: Mr. Knight, your thoughts on Prescott's work?
Damon Knight: (speaking precisely, with a slight edge) Prescott is... competent. His range is impressive - from pulp adventures to philosophical treatises. "Challengers" shows promise, though I have some reservations about its structure. His "Fundamentals of Robotic Behavior," however, that's where he truly shines. It's a work of startling foresight.
Interviewer: And his personality?
Knight: (with a hint of exasperation) J.B. can be... trying. Stubborn as they come. But there's no denying his passion. Our debates are legendary - and usually productive, once the shouting dies down. He has a way of pushing you to sharpen your arguments, to really think.
Collaboration¶
Interviewer: Ms. Moore, you've collaborated with Prescott. How was that experience?
C.L. Moore: (speaking softly, but with conviction) Working with J.B. is exhilarating... and exhausting. His mind makes these leaps - connections you'd never see coming. It's inspiring, really. But he's relentless in his pursuit of the perfect story. There were times I wanted to wring his neck, but the end result was always worth it.
Interviewer: And The Curious Order?
Moore: (with a touch of whimsy) Oh, it's pure J.B. Bit outlandish at first glance, but there's wisdom there. It's about nurturing creativity, building a community. In our line of work, that's invaluable. I've found myself turning to some of the Order's practices when the words won't flow.
Favorite Anecdotes¶
Interviewer: I'd love to hear your favorite anecdotes about J.B. Prescott. Who wants to start?
The Time Travel Debate¶
Asimov: (eagerly) Oh, I've got one! Remember that time at the '41 World Science Fiction Convention? J.B. got into a heated debate with L. Sprague de Camp about the feasibility of time travel. It started civil enough, but by the end, J.B. was scribbling equations on napkins, his hair all wild, shouting about paradoxes. De Camp just sat there, bemused, occasionally interjecting with "But, Prescott..." J.B. was so worked up, he didn't realize he'd been arguing for de Camp's position for the last hour!
The Chair Incident¶
Pohl: (chuckling) Classic J.B. He does get carried away. But my favorite was during one of our Futurian meetings. J.B. had just started writing "Challengers of the Secret Tree," and he was explaining his grand vision for the series. He got so excited that he jumped up on a chair to gesticulate better. Next thing we know, the chair tips over, and J.B. goes sprawling. Without missing a beat, he pops up and says, "And that, my friends, is how Emily Doyle will feel when she discovers the secret of the Quantum Compass!" We were in stitches.
The Wind-Up Robot¶
Knight: (with a reluctant smile) I'll admit, the man can be entertaining. I recall a time when he was deep into writing his "Fundamentals of Robotic Behavior." He'd taken to carrying around this wind-up toy robot, using it to demonstrate his points. One day, in the middle of a very serious discussion about the ethics of artificial intelligence, the damn thing started walking across the table, chirping away. J.B., straight-faced, turns to it and says, "You see? Even he agrees with me." The absurdity of it... well, it was hard not to laugh.
The Collaboration Story¶
Moore: (warmly) Oh, I have a soft spot for the time we were collaborating on a story. We'd been at it for hours, both of us exhausted and a bit punchy. J.B. suddenly declares he's had an epiphany about the character's motivation. He leaps up to act it out and trips over his own feet. Sprawled on the floor, he looks up at me and says, in the character's voice, "Well, my dear, I suppose that's one way to fall for you." We laughed until we cried, and somehow, that moment ended up being key to the story.
The Festival of Stories¶
Pohl: (grinning) That reminds me of another one. During one of the Order's Festival of Stories, J.B. got it into his head to demonstrate the "transformative power of narrative" by telling a story while standing on his hands. He managed about two sentences before toppling over into a stack of books. Undeterred, he finished the story from the floor, insisting it was all part of the plan to show how stories can "upend our perspective."
The Mathematical Plot¶
Asimov: (laughing) Oh, yes! And don't forget the time he tried to prove the "universal language of mathematics" by explaining the plot of "The Clockwork Pharaoh" entirely in equations. Poor Kornbluth looked like his brain was about to short-circuit.
The Robotic Sonnet Incident¶
Knight: (dryly) I suppose I should mention the infamous "Robotic Sonnet Incident." J.B. had programmed a primitive computer to generate sonnets based on his Robotic Behavior principles. He was so proud, reading them aloud at a meeting. It wasn't until the third sonnet that we realized they were all subtly insulting Gernsback. J.B. was mortified, but Hugo thought it was hilarious.
Moore: (smiling) That's our J.B. Always pushing boundaries, even when he doesn't mean to. I think that's why we all put up with his... eccentricities. You never know what's going to happen next, but you can be sure it'll be interesting.
What Makes J.B. Unique?¶
Interviewer: (chuckling) It seems J.B. Prescott is as colorful a character in person as he is on the page. What makes him unique in your circle?
Asimov: His insatiable curiosity. The man never stops questioning, exploring.
Pohl: His ability to find wonder in everything. Even the most mundane thing can spark a story for J.B.
Knight: (begrudgingly) His tenacity. Once he's onto an idea, wild horses couldn't drag him away from it.
Moore: His heart. For all his intellectual pursuits, J.B. never forgets the human element in his stories. That's what makes them resonate.
More Elaborate Anecdotes¶
The Quantum Typewriter¶
Pohl: (laughing) I remember that! But it's not half as amusing as the "Quantum Typewriter" incident. J.B. had this theory that if he could type fast enough, he'd tap into some sort of universal narrative field. He rigged up this contraption with multiple typewriters and tried to type on all of them simultaneously. The cacophony was incredible, and the results... well, let's just say it was more Dadaist poetry than science fiction. But J.B. was convinced he'd glimpsed some profound truth in the gibberish.
The Central Park Ritual¶
Moore: (smiling fondly) That sounds like J.B. alright. Though I'm partial to the time he tried to hold a Curious Order ritual in Central Park at midnight. He'd convinced himself that the "convergence of ley lines" would enhance our creativity. We were all there, robed and carrying candles, when a police officer stumbled upon us. J.B., without missing a beat, declared we were a "nocturnal birdwatching society" and proceeded to give an impromptu lecture on the mating habits of owls. Somehow, he talked us out of a citation.
The Submersible Writing Desk¶
Knight: (with reluctant amusement) I hate to admit it, but that man's dedication to his craft is... impressive. Once, he was struggling with a particularly tricky scene involving a submarine. Next thing we know, he's built a "submersible writing desk" in his bathtub, complete with periscope. He claimed he couldn't accurately describe the claustrophobia without experiencing it firsthand. The pages were a bit damp, but I'll be damned if that scene didn't sing.
The Wind-Up Debate¶
Asimov: (chuckling) Classic J.B. Oh, and we can't forget the "Robotic Ethics Debate" he staged between two wind-up toys. He'd programmed them with rudimentary responses based on his Fundamentals and set them loose in the middle of a Futurians meeting. It was absurd, watching these tinny voices argue about the nature of consciousness while clicking across the table. But you know, some of those mechanical exchanges ended up being surprisingly profound.
The Narrative Resonance Map¶
Pohl: (grinning) Speaking of profound, remember when he tried to map the "narrative resonance" of New York City? He spent weeks wandering the streets, convinced that the layout of the city itself told a story. He'd stand on street corners, muttering about "plot intersections" and "character arcs embodied in architecture." I thought he'd finally lost it, but then he wrote that incredible story, "The Concrete Codex." Sometimes, I wonder if he really was onto something.
The Dreamcatcher Typewriter¶
Moore: (warmly) That's what I love about J.B. He's not afraid to follow an idea, no matter how outlandish it might seem. Like the time he decided that to truly understand his characters, he needed to dream their dreams. He started this elaborate sleep regimen, complete with custom-blended teas and something he called a "dreamcatcher typewriter" that he'd use the moment he woke up. Half of it was nonsense, of course, but there were gems in there that made it into "Challengers." His dedication is... inspiring, really.
The Living Library¶
Knight: (begrudgingly impressed) I suppose I should mention the "Living Library" experiment. J.B. got it into his head that books had a sort of... collective consciousness. He arranged this massive web of strings connecting different books in his study, claiming he could "read" new stories in the connections. It looked like a conspiracy theorist's fever dream, but I'll be damned if he didn't produce some of his most original work during that period.
Impact on Writing¶
Interviewer: (laughing) It seems like there's never a dull moment with J.B. Prescott around. How do you think these... unconventional methods impact his writing?
Asimov: They fuel his imagination, no doubt. J.B.'s work has a vibrancy that comes from truly living his stories.
Pohl: It's what makes his writing so unique. You never know what perspective he'll bring to a story because his methods are so... unpredictable.
Knight: (reluctantly) I'll admit, his unorthodox approaches often yield surprising insights. It's infuriating and impressive in equal measure.
Moore: That's the magic of J.B. He reminds us that writing isn't just about putting words on a page – it's about experiencing life in all its wonderful, weird glory.
Embarrassing Moments¶
Interviewer: It's clear he's not just writing stories – he's living them. (leaning in conspiratorially) Now, let's get a bit more personal. Surely, with someone as... unique as J.B., there must be some embarrassing moments you've witnessed. Care to share?
The No-Pants Speech¶
Asimov: (grinning mischievously) Well, there was that time at the '43 Eastern Science Fiction Association meeting. J.B. had been working non-stop on "Challengers" and hadn't slept in days. He stumbled in, bleary-eyed, hair a mess, and proceeded to give an impassioned speech about the future of robotics. It was brilliant, truly visionary stuff... except he'd forgotten to wear pants. Just standing there in his boxers and dress shirt, gesticulating wildly about artificial intelligence. Nobody had the heart to tell him until he'd finished.
The Great Caffeine Experiment¶
Pohl: (chuckling) Oh, that's nothing. Remember the "Great Caffeine Experiment of '42"? J.B. got it into his head that he could enhance his writing by achieving some sort of "coffee nirvana." He spent a week drinking nothing but increasingly strong espresso. By the end, he was vibrating like a tuning fork and speaking so fast none of us could understand him. The kicker? He'd written 200 pages of what he claimed was "the future of literature," but it turned out to be the word "the" repeated over and over in varying fonts.
The Library Incident¶
Moore: (trying to stifle a laugh) Poor J.B. He does get carried away. Though I'll never forget the time he tried to impress that pretty librarian at the New York Public Library. He'd concocted this elaborate ruse to showcase his intellectual prowess, complete with staged questions from us. Everything was going smoothly until he tripped over his own feet, knocked over a cart of books, and ended up tangled in the librarian's skirt. She was not amused, but the shade of red J.B. turned was truly impressive.
The Martian Language Fiasco¶
Knight: (with a wry smile) If we're sharing embarrassing moments, we can't overlook the "Martian Language Fiasco." J.B. had convinced himself he'd cracked the code of a universal alien language. He burst into a Futurians meeting, spouting this gibberish he claimed was Martian, insisting we'd all understand if we just "opened our minds to the cosmic frequencies." It went on for a good twenty minutes before Blish finally broke and told him he sounded like a drunken parrot. J.B. was mortified, but you have to admire his commitment.
The Mimeo Machine¶
Asimov: (wiping tears of laughter from his eyes) Oh, yes! And let's not forget the time he got his beard caught in the mimeo machine while trying to print the first Curious Order newsletter. He was stuck there for an hour, alternating between cursing and trying to dictate new story ideas to anyone who came by.
The Sacred Flame Incident¶
Pohl: (barely containing his mirth) Speaking of the Order, remember the "Sacred Flame Incident"? J.B. had set up this elaborate ritual candle for one of their ceremonies. He'd rigged it to change colors and flicker in specific patterns. But he'd miscalculated something in the chemical mixture. The whole thing exploded in a shower of sparks just as he was intoning some portentous phrase about "the eternal fire of creativity." Singed his eyebrows clean off!
The Dance of the Muses¶
Moore: (giggling) Oh, J.B. Always the showman. Though perhaps we shouldn't mention the time he tried to demonstrate the "dance of the muses" at that cocktail party. I've never seen someone simultaneously trip over their own feet, spill a martini down their shirt, and accidentally propose to a potted plant.
The Diving Bell¶
Knight: (shaking his head, but smiling) The man is a walking disaster sometimes. But you know, there's something endearing about it. He throws himself into everything with such gusto, even if it backfires spectacularly. Like the time he decided to "channel the spirit of Jules Verne" for inspiration and ended up getting stuck in that homemade diving bell in his bathtub. The fire department was not amused.
Reflections¶
Interviewer: (laughing heartily) These are priceless! Any thoughts on how these... mishaps reflect on him as a person and a writer?
Asimov: They show his willingness to take risks, to put himself out there. It's what makes his writing so vibrant.
Pohl: Exactly. J.B. isn't afraid to make a fool of himself in pursuit of a good story. It's admirable, in a chaotic sort of way.
Moore: It's part of his charm. He reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously, even while tackling big ideas.
Knight: (grudgingly) I suppose it does demonstrate a certain... resilience. No matter how spectacularly he fails, he always bounces back with a new idea. It's annoyingly inspiring.
How Prescott Will Be Remembered¶
Interviewer: Thank you all for these wonderful, candid insights. How do you think Prescott will be remembered?
Asimov: (confidently) As a visionary who expanded the boundaries of speculative fiction!
Pohl: (thoughtfully) As a mentor who challenged us to think bigger.
Knight: (grudgingly) As a writer who never shied away from big ideas, even if his execution was sometimes... unconventional.
Moore: (warmly) As a storyteller who reminded us that at the heart of even the wildest science fiction, there's a very human story.
End of Interview