THE WORKS OF PJF

Letters

Philip José Farmer has been active in fandom since he first discovered its existence at about the same time his first science fiction story was published in 1952. Phil was kind enough to grant us permission to reprint the many letters he has sent to various magazines and fanzines over the years. If you do not see a picture of the cover of the magazine that means I only have a photocopy of the letter.

Author to Fan

Startling Stories, August 1952
Besides The Lovers there is also a long letter from Farmer about some of the stories appearing in recent Startling Stories.

Characters and Such

Startling Stories, September 1952
In this letter Farmer discusses other recent stories and thanks the editor for the kind editorial.

Music Department

Thrilling Wonder Stories, November 1953
There is a letter from Farmer about a fan's compliant about an error in MOTHER.

Letter

Other Worlds Science Stories, April 1956
In this letter Farmer writes in about the editors desire to have a new Tarzan novel written.

Letter

Sky Hook #24, Summer 1957
A nice long letter where Farmer comments on several items in the previous issue including a typo in his poem.

Science Fiction Times, August 1960
A great long letter disagreeing with a review Science Fiction Times ran of FLESH in previous issue.

Phil Farmer Says

PITFCS 137, October 1960
There is a long letter about the fanzine article Who Killed Science Fiction and some of his dealings with editors, the main topic of discussion in PITFCS at the time.

Phil Farmer Says

PITFCS 139, March 1961
This letter talks about several of the hot topics in PITFCS, science fiction editors, Heinlein's Starship Soldiers and he replies to one of Donald Wolheim's unpleasant letters.

Discord #12, May 1961
Here Farmer replies to a review written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and then talks about wanting to write space opera, specifically the book that was eventually published as THE UNREASONING MASK, twenty years later in 1981.

Shangri L'Affaires #56, May-June 1961
In a previous issue of this fanzine Fritz Leiber wrote an article about fantasy being more worthwhile and interesting than science fiction. Donald Franson wrote in to disagree with Leiber and Phil wrote in to agree with him, although he does mostly go off on tangents. The editor of the fanzine took these two letters and turned them more or less into an article; Double Edged Sword: Two Points of View, however we have decided to include it here on the letters page instead of the articles page.

Letter

The Gridley Wave 13, January 1964
Here Phil discusses articles written about ERB saying he is prejudiced and points out that ERB was actually ahead of his time admiring cultures other than that of white Europeans.

Letter

Warhoon #26, February 1969
In this letter Phil replies to Jim Blish's comments on Phil's speech REAP.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, August 1969
In this letter Phil discusses an article by Jim Harmon which discussed Phil's Baycon Guest of Honor Speech REAP.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, January 1970
In this letter Phil discusses both his idea for Tarzan Alive and an article about The Lovers that appeared in RQ.

Letter

Science Fiction Review #37, April 1970
This letter is mostly in reply to a letter by Bill Glass that appeared in SFR #36. In that letter Bill took exception to the way Farmer portrayed the couple living in Forrest Ackerman's house in THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST, thinking they were based on the actual couple who lived there at the time.

Letter

Science Fiction Review #38, June 1970
This is a very long letter in which Phil talks about many subjects, but most importantly he goes into long detail about a book he wants to write about the science fiction world. He does not name this book THE WILD WEIRD CLIME, but we are sure he is describing this book which he has talked about writing elsewhere.

Letter

Science Fiction Review #39, August 1970
Another very long letter, this one discussing Ted White and problems that authors were having with Ultimate Publications the publisher of Amazing and Fantastic.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, June 1970
This letter mostly talks about an article by Poul Anderson that Phil found interesting.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, March 1971
In this rather long letter Phil comments on James Blish's comments on lack of interest in scholarly articles about ERB and then he talks about strange dream he had.

Letter

The Baker Street Journal, March 1972
A short note from Phil pointing out a typo in his article The Two Lord Ruftons.

Letter

Tarzan of the Apes No. 208 (comic book), May 1972
A short letter from Phil commenting on the new Tarzan comic book and mentioning his forthcoming TARZAN ALIVE.

Moebius Trip 14, July 1972
This letter gives some of the background detail regarding Leslie Fiedler's review of TARZAN ALIVE that turned into a much longer article.

Letter

The Baker Street Journal, December 1972
An even shorter note than the last one to BSJ saying that he liked some of the articles in the last issue.

Letter

SF-Commentary No. 35/36/37, July 1973
An interesting letter, to an Australian fanzine, about Richard Nixon.

Letter

Outworlds 17, August 1973
This is first letter by Phil regarding Ultimate Publications non-payment to authors that became part of a long feud.

Kilgore Trout Revisited

Locus #148, September 12 1973
This was part of the build up to the mystery of "who is Kilgore Trout".

Letter

Outworlds 18, October 1973
A continuation of the Ultimate feud.

Letter

Moebius Trip Library #18, October 1973
A very long letter from Philip José Farmer mostly discussing reviews of his books in previous issues.

Letter

Pulp # 6, Summer 1974
No more info at this time.

Philosophical Gas # 28, Winter 1974
A nice long letter, interspersed with comments from the editor, touching upon several subject.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

SFWA Forum 36, November 1974
Most of the people in the science fiction world first heard about VENUS ON THE HALF-SHELL by "Kilgore Trout" after reading this letter in the SFWA Forum.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 13, May 1975
This letter jumps around quite a bit but talks about R.A. Lafferty and "liberal" science fiction authors.

Vonnegut on Trout / Trout Ansers

Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 1975
Kurt Vonnegut writes in complaining that the editors of F&SF must have edited Trout story. 'Trout' then replies.

Letter

Outworlds 24, Second Quarter 1975
Phil talks about the feud, which is now behind him and Ted White..

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 14, August 1975
This letter mostly talks about Phil's Hadon of Ancient Opar series and anthropology. There is also a comment about Richard Geis's phone conversation with Kurt Vonnegut.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, August 1975
Contains a very long letter about MOTHER WAS A LOVELY BEAST, A FEAST UNKNOWN, and other ERB related topics.

Correction

Fantasy & Science Fiction, September 1975
A short note from Jonathon Swift Somers III pointing out typos in his story A Scarletin Study.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 15, November 1975
This letter covers a few subjects including the long awaited third Riverworld novel and Phil giving up scifi to write mainstream and mystery novels.

Letter

Whizzard, Winter 1976
This is just a short note from Phil saying that he will try to help with an article about his Doc Savage bio and the Wold Newton family, but he is very busy working on the next Riverworld book.

Letter

SFWA Forum #?, April 1976
No more info at this time.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 17, May 1976
A short note from Phil saying how behind he is on THE MAGIC LABYRINTH and other books.

Letter

Xenophile, July 1976
A short note from Phil saying that he agrees with an article about The Shadow with was printed in an earlier issue.

Letter

Wold Altas, Vol 1, No 1, January 1977
In this inaugural issue the editors print a letter they sent to Phil inviting him to be their Honorary Chairman, and his reply accepting the position.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 20, February 1977
Yet another letter from Phil saying he is still working on the next Riverworld book. It also discussed a possible third Opar book, among other things.

Letter

Erbania 41/42, Summer 1977
In this long letter Phil replies to a previous letter and says that he is not playing a "game" when he states that Tarzan is a real person.

Letter

Xenophile, July 1977
A short note saying the Byron Preiss has bought Savage Shadow.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 25, May 1977
There is a long letter about a controversy surrounding Stanislaw Lem being allowed to join the SFWA and several authors quitting because of it. (I need to track down some issues of the SFWA Forum)

Reply to Wayne Hooks Review to Flight to Opar

Moebius Trip 26, December 1977
A very long letter from Phil refuting some points made by a review that appeared in SF Booklog.

Letter

Wheelwrightings, first issue, May 1978
In this letter Phil says the one thing Peoria IL, has lacked to make is a truly cosmopolitan city was a Baker Street Irregulars Scion Society (which it was now getting).

Letter

Doc Savage Quarterly #7, October 1981
A very short letter from Phil.

Letter

Science Fiction Review 52, Fall 1984
Phil talks about some mainstream fiction he would like to write.

Letter

Erbania 53/54, Summer 1985
In this letter Phil talks about Lord Greystoke's descendants and being interviewed in a Tarzan Documentary.

Letter

Thrust 24, Spring/Summer 1986
In this letter Phil discusses whether or not the achievement awards given out at the 1953 Worldcon are officially Hugos or not.

Letter From Philip José Farmer

Science Fiction Review 60, Fall 1986
A letter commenting on the previous issue of Science Fiction Review.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, March 1988
A short note agreeing with an article about some of the problems with publishers.

Letter

Riverside Quarterly, July 1990
A short note commenting on article about Arthor Conan Doyle in the previous issue.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #3, July 1990
In this letter Phil says that you can buy signed copied of the trade paperback Fokker editions of A FEAST UNKNOWN from him for $21. He also mentions trying to finish up RED ORC'S RAGE.

Letter

Locus #356, September 1990
In this letter Philip points out two conventions that list him as the guest of honor, which he cannot attend.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #4, October 1990
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #5, January 1991
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Star Log #168, July 1991
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Two letters

PITFCS Proceedings of the Institute for Twenty-First Century Studies, December 1992
(See the two letters above) This amazing book is a collection of all the issues of PITFCS from 1959 - 1962 (plus the final issue which came out in 1979). PITFCS was a fanzine of sorts, edited by Theodore Cogswell, which printed letters from science fiction authors, editors and other insiders. Each issue mostly responded to letters from previous issues. There were many long running debates and a number of verbal attacks between writers and editors. One of the hot topics was the need for a union for science fiction authors. Out of the ashes of PITFCS grew the SFWA and the SFWA Forum replaced PITFCS as a place for writers to communicate to each other.

This fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the world of written science fiction can be ordered from the publisher Advent: Publishers.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #16, October 1993
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #19, July 1994
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

The Bronze Gazette, October 1994
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #21, January 1995
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #22, April 1995
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #23, July 1995
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #28, Fall 1996
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #30, Spring 1997
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #31, Summer 1997
Two letters from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #34, Spring 1998
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Erbania 79, Summer 1998
In this letter Phil drops some hints about the authorized Tarzan novel he is writing and how it ties into lost threads from previous novels.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #37, Winter 1999
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

Burroughs Bulletin #42, Spring 2000
A letter from Philip José Farmer.

Letter

The Bronze Gazette, Vol 10 Issue #30, June 2000
A letter from Philip José Farmer, along with a funny letter.

Letter

Erbania 83, Winter 2000
In this short letter Phil comments on one particular article in a previous issue.

Farmerphile #5, July 2006
Four letters written by "Kilgore Trout" in reply to fan mail sent to Trout through Dell, the publisher of VENUS ON THE HALF-SHELL. Also "Trout's" submission form for Gale Research's CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS series of books...and their confused reply. READ MORE

Farmerphile #9, July 2007
A very long letter to the authors of the article "Heritage of the Flaming God," detailing his plans for the ancient Opar series. READ MORE

THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSÉ FARMER 2: Of Dust and Soul, Meteor House, 2010 trade paperback
A long letter, presumably sent out to multiple publishers, describing a mainstream novel that Farmer wanted to write. The novel would have a framework set in the 1970s, while most of the novel would be told in flashbacks to the 1930s. Two parts of this novel have been published:x The Face That Launched a Thousand Eggs as a stand alone story, and an excerpted chapter which appeared as Strangers & Brothers: Francis Uquart in the same anthology as this letter.