Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 140: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION on the root of the problem. B.LS. people do not scoff at good science fiction—many of them write it. But they, and all scientific-minded people, get annoyed at the inaccurate non- sense that is so often labelled science fiction. That is why Authen- tic is authentic. STAR MAPS I have been a science fictioneer for many years and there’s one thing I have always wished to have, and that is a map of the universe, showing the positions of the stars and planets at the beginning of each month. Is it possible to publish such a map, section at a time or complete ? G. A. J. Matthews, 8 Greenway Drive, Westbury-on-Tyne, Bristol. Production problems rule out our publishing such maps, Mr. Matthews, but are you aware that The Times puts out a 2/6 booklet each year containing maps and descriptions of the sky for each month of the year? You can get it from most bookshops or direct from The Times Publishing Co., Lid., Printing House Square, London, E.C.4. OH! The series of these covers are good, but a cover such as No. 45 does not hold the spectator. That 139 cover was empty, bare and un- interesting, even to myself. An unregular reader of science fiction would probably just glance over it and stop his gaze on other maga- zines, whose covers, as a rule, show lurid pictures of nearly-naked babes or a space-opera type of picture. This ‘zine he would probably buy; years ago I did the same myself. Granted we buy our books for story quality, not. to sit and gape at the cover, but still a cover should be action-packed and full of interest to draw attention— to attract those people who still buy by the cover. Don Allen, 3 Arkle Street, Gateshead, 8, Co. Durham. Don, we couldn’t possibly fail te disagree with you less! YOU BETCHA! In various magazines readers have written indignant letters about women “poking their nose in.” That, in my opinion, is a sign of an adolescent mind. A mature mind will realise that a woman has her place in the scheme of things and that nature intended the two sexes to be complementary to each other, not to be deadly rivals. When space travel becomes a reality and jour- neys through space may take months or years, both sexes should comiclooks.conn