Her Smoke Still Rises

[bibliogramma]

James Tiptree Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, Julie Phillips

I remember when James Tiptree Jr burst onto the SF scene as a writer of absolutely amazing, mind-bending, gob-smacking short stories. There was no question that he was one of the finest SF writers of his time, possibly of all time. I remember when he became known as she - as two shes, actually, since Alice Sheldon was discovered to be writing as Raccona Sheldon as well. I don't actually remember being all that astonished, the way many others were. Maybe I've forgotten, maybe I didn't really care at the time whether a man or a woman had written those wonderful stories. I remember being shocked and saddened when she died, at the thought of no more stories like that - although I had, sort of, noticed that there had been less and less Tiptree since Tiptree became Sheldon, too.

And now Julie Phillips has written a much welcomed biography of the person who was Alice Bradley Sheldon and became Tiptree and Raccoona. I felt a strong sense of connection with Alice/Alli/Tip as I read this book. Partly it's the skill of the author, and partly it's the elements of brother/sister/outsiderhood that bring most SF people, writers and fans, together in the end. Plus, I really understand what it's like to grow up female in the shadow of an overpowering and highly accomplished mother, especially if you have some gifts of your own but no confidence in them.

I found the unfolding of Sheldon's life as a writer compelling, the exploration of her not-very ordinary life as a woman of her times quite fascinating, and the examination of her sexuality, and her awareness (or not) of her sexuality, both intriguing and sad. Again, I have some idea of what it's like to spend time wandering the the ambiguous waters of not-being-straight at a time when there's not a lot of information available about what that is, or means (and fortunately, I managed to work out what I am, which Sheldon never really did, it seems).

The source material for this book is rich, and the interpretation is penetrating, insightful, caring and respectful. The selections from Tiptree/Sheldon's correspondence with other writers of SF, including Joanna Russ and Ursula K. LeGuin, make one long desperately for a collected edition of her letters.

If you read SF, if you know Tiptree, this book will have something for you.


Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, James Tiptree Jr.
Meet Me at Infinity: The Uncollected Tiptree, James Tiptree Jr.

And of course, having read the bio, I had to go back again and read her. My two choices, very clever ones, I thought, were Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, which is a collection of many of her finest stories, under both of her writing names, and Meet Me at Infinity, a posthumous collection of previously unpublished or uncollected stories and essays. If you want a survey course on Tiptree, this fills the bill.

If you haven't read Tiptree, go out and read Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, as soon as you can. If you know her work well, but haven't read Meet Me at Infinity, I think you'll enjoy it getting to know her in some different lights and places.