Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2002 11:18:56 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: RE: (urth) 5HC a good introduction to wolfe? (was Washington  Post article)
From: "Jason Voegele" 

>      If Wolfe is going to suggest that the main character of "5HC"
> is himself, I think it's all right for me to continue the discussion of
> his personality.  In his interviews he strikes me as rather
> arrogant (of course he has a very big lot to be proud of), and
>someone on rasfw called him "nasty", "rude", and "a prick" after
>seeing him on a panel; that's consistent with arrogance.

FWIW, when I met Wolfe he seemed a very kind and friendly man.  I was at a 
convention and just happened to be standing near by when he signed in (he 
was guest of honor).  He introduced himself to me and we talked for a few 
moments, and when it became clear to him that I would not be able to make 
the book signing that was being held later that day, he sat down with me, 
signed my books, and we talked for maybe ten minutes.  David Brin was also 
at the convention and I had a copy of STARTIDE RISING for him to sign.  
Wolfe offered to sign that one as well, claiming that he "knew how to 
spell 'Brin'".  He was very polite and had a richly subtle sense of humor.

That said, given an incident at that same convention when David Brin was 
speaking on a panel discussion, you might also make the claim that he is 
quite arrogant, although I'd say rather that he is firm in his convictions 
and outspoken in his opinion.  I sat next to Wolfe during a panel 
discussion on which Brin was speaking (Wolfe was not part of the panel, 
just in the audience).  Brin was stating something to the effect 
of "sitting around watching television all day isn't such a bad thing.  
It's certainly better than what we did a few hundred years ago, sitting 
around staring at a fire."

Wolfe took strong objection to this, and shouted, interrupting Brin, 
something along the lines of "Anybody who believes that is living in a 
dream land."  Brin retorted, essentially saying the same thing he did 
before, that sitting around watching television as so many people do now is 
a better thing than what people did in the past, sitting around staring at 
a fire.  Wolfe's final comment was "sitting around the fire, *talking*".  
After a few moments, he and his wife stood up and left the room.

Perhaps this was the same panel discussion that the r.a.sf.w poster 
witnessed.  I was surprised when Wolfe had interrupted Brin's speech, but I 
can't say I disagreed with him.  Whether you'd call this arrogant, I don't 
know, but maybe it shows the two sides of Wolfe's personality (Silkhorn may 
be more real than we know).  I certainly can't agree that he's "nasty, 
rude, and a prick."  I'd invite him to dinner any time.

Anyway, I'm feeling guilty now about treading into Wolfe's personal life, 
so I'll stop.

Jason Voegele



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