Re: Smoking. Was: Clarke Award Finalists 2001

scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) writes:

jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:

In article <GPf4Q.234265$VIE2.181216@fx33.iad>,
Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:

Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> writes:

>
>
On 6/16/25 22:45, Titus G wrote:

On 17/06/25 07:00, Michael F. Stemper wrote:
snip

but all that I can remember about them is: more smoking than in Doc Smith.
>

 
I was surprised at characters spending more time smoking cigarettes than
sticking to the plot in some recent reads.
Meet the Tiger. Leslie Charteris.
The Ministry of Time. Kaliane Bradley.
Hardwired. Walter Jon Williams.
The worst was non SF, Vengeance by Benjamin Black.

>
Books I read in the 1960s and thoughly enjoyed were recently
reopened and closed for the very same reason as I found the smoking
scenes too objectionable. And nearly every character just had to have
another cigarette to talk to friends or tell off the enemies.
I myself never seriously smoked tobacco at any time but most
was after i was 25 yoa.  The smoking did not offend me when i read
the books the first time. Now it disgusts me to read about it. The
result of anti-smoking propaganda or the thought of my former
room mate who had smoked since she was 14 yoa and died at
75 of brain cancer that had spread from a lung cancer.

>
As a lifelong non-smoker, I recall having difficulty enjoying
a restaurant meal due to smokers at the next table, walking out
of a bar smelling like an ashtray, or trying to survive a six
hour flight in the last non-smoking row of an airplane.
>
I'm happy that all three are no longer issues.

>
At work, I explained to a horrified student that certain heavy
benches are spaced the way they are to make room for the ash-tray
stands that used to be at regular intervals in that hallway.

>
When I got my first private office at work (mid 80s), the prior
occupant had been a chain smoker and it took me several days
to clean the tar off furniture and walls.  Still stunk for
a year or so afterwords.

I recall when working at TU Delft around 2000 I was surprised to find
that smoking was allowed in the buildings.  It had been banned in
Australia for some time.  The smell was noticeable and I sometimes
opened the window in my office in the early morning to reduce the smell
(even in mmid-winter).

--
Stephen Harker                       sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au