Areas of Unrest

QOTD: "Your theory is crazy - but not crazy enough to be true." - Niels Bohr

Reading: Mary Morris (editor), Maiden Voyages

Listening to: The Foremen, What's Left?

Decluttering accomplishments: still working on old magazines

3 May 2002 - Defending Maureen Birnbaum

Columbine recently wrote an entry about George Alec Effinger who died not long ago and lamented that Effinger will be remembered primarily for the Maureen Birnbaum stories, rather than for his more serious writing. The gist of the argument was that he won a few awards within the science fiction community, but gets far more recognition for these quick and frivolous pieces. I'm not convinced that this is bad.

First, I should explain a bit for those who are not familiar with the stories. Maureen Birnbaum is a makeup and boy obsessed sorority girl who gets zapped into various science fiction and fantasy situations. I first ran across these clever parodies via one in one of the Chicks in Chainmail series and was delighted when I later found a copy of Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson at a used bookstore. I've since given copies to several friends.

The main thing is that Maureen Birnbaum is fun. As I said, the stories are clever and entertaining. After reading them, I was more inclined to go and seek out some of the books that Effinger parodied. And while they may not have "big" ideas, Maureen does grow and change and develop some understanding of what her life is all about. She even takes advantage of some of her less desirable traits. For example, when she needs to compete with Maid Marian, she sets up a competition based on shopping.

Sure there are times when I want to read important books, but a lot of times I read just for escapism. I work hard and I like to relax with something amusing. Maureen Birnbaum fills the bill. And, as I hinted at above, the stories are not entirely frivolous. They do touch on some issues about women's roles in the world. I don't know how Effinger really felt about the stories, but I do know that had I met him, I would have reassured him that they're not just fluff.

The best analogy I can think of has to do with Gilbert and Sullivan. Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote lots of serious music and was said to be somewhat dismissive of the operettas he wrote with W. S. Gilbert. I'd venture to say he wouldn't necessarily be surprised that "that infernal nonsense Pinafore" is far better known today than his "Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in D." The operettas may be frivolous, but they're also why he's the best known English composer of his era. Actually, he's possibly the only really well known English composer. (I can think of a few others, but I'm a geek.)

At least I'll never have to worry about being remembered only for frivolity, since everything I write is frivolous.