Brian W. Aldiss Quotes

A collection of quotes by Brian W. Aldiss.

Brian W. Aldiss was a renowned British science fiction writer. He was born on August 18, 1925, in East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Aldiss served in the British Army during World War II and later attended the University of Oxford. He began his writing career in the 1950s, emerging as a significant figure in the New Wave movement of science fiction.

Aldiss wrote numerous well-regarded novels, short stories, and non-fiction works throughout his prolific career. His notable novels include "Hothouse," "Non-Stop," and "The Helliconia Trilogy." He often explored themes of social issues, sexuality, and humanity's place in a rapidly changing world through his writing. Aldiss was known for his imaginative and thought-provoking narratives that pushed the boundaries of the genre.

During his career, Aldiss won numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and British Science Fiction Association Awards. He received the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2005 for his contributions to literature. Aldiss also co-edited major science fiction anthologies, improving the recognition and understanding of the genre.

Brian W. Aldiss passed away on August 19, 2017, leaving a significant impact on the science fiction genre. His work remains celebrated for its visionary ideas, literary skill, and insightful commentary on the human condition in the face of technology and the unknown.

Science fiction is no more written for scientists than ghost

Science fiction is no more written for scientists than ghost stories are written for ghosts.

Brian W. Aldiss


It's at night, when perhaps we should be dreaming, that the

It's at night, when perhaps we should be dreaming, that the mind is most clear, that we are most able to hold all our life in the palm of our skull. I don't know if anyone has ever pointed out that great attraction of insomnia before, but it is so; the night seems to release a little more of our vast backward inheritance of instincts and feelings; as with the dawn, a little honey is allowed to ooze between the lips of the sandwich, a little of the stuff of dreams to drip into the waking mind. I wish I believed, as J. B. Priestley did, that consciousness continues after disembodiment or death, not forever, but for a long while. Three score years and ten is such a stingy ration of time, when there is so much time around. Perhaps that's why some of us are insomniacs; night is so precious that it would be pusillanimous to sleep all through it! A bad night is not always a bad thing.

Brian W. Aldiss

Sleep

Writers must fortify themselves with pride and egotism as be

Writers must fortify themselves with pride and egotism as best they can. The process is analogous to using sandbags and loose timbers to protect a house against flood. Writers are vulnerable creatures like anyone else. For what do they have in reality? Not sandbags, not timbers. Just a flimsy reputation and a name.

Brian W. Aldiss

Authors & Writing

When childhood dies, its corpses are called adults and they

When childhood dies, its corpses are called adults and they enter society, one of the politer names of hell. That is why we dread children; even if we love them, they show us the state of our decay.

Brian W. Aldiss

Children

Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a proble

Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.

Brian W. Aldiss

Creativity