Monday, March 19, 2012

The Science Fiction Society of Fullerton

Lately, I have been reading a lot of science fiction, mostly based on the recommendations of my friend Kevin Malone, my friendly neighborhood bartender. Kevin recommended the book Ender's Game, which I loved. I then read the other three books in the Ender Quartet, which were equally mind-blowing. I am starting to realize that science fiction can be really great literature, both enjoyable and thought-provoking.

As an English major and now an English teacher, I used to dismiss science fiction as "pop fiction," i.e. not great art. I have begun to shed my elitism and dive head-first into a genre that is full of rich history and fantastic authors. Science fiction allows us to imagine worlds and societies and characters that are truly "out of this world." The really great sci-fi writers use the genre to comment on and explore the same themes as "classic literature," that is, what it means to be human, and social/political problems.

In an effort to build a community of sci-fi enthusiasts, Kevin and I decided to form the Science Fiction Society of Fullerton. It is not a formal book club. There are no reading requirements. Rather, it is a venue for sc-fi enthusiasts to hang out and talk about what we are into. We can exchange books, comics, and movies. We can watch movies, share writings, read stories. I am super excited about this. The Science Fiction Society of Fullerton will meet every Saturday night at 8pm at Hibbleton Gallery. It is free to join. There are no fees or dues of any kind. All you have to bring is yourself and a passion for sci-fi! Check out the SFSF web site I created HERE.