‘Dear Gail and Hazel,
Many thanks for choosing Denis Constanduros’ My Grandfather and Father, Dear Father for SFE no. 20. Wonderfully crafted portraits of episodes with his grandfather and father; so easy to close your eyes and see the family life portrayed as though eavesdropping unseen. I finished it on a flight back from the US last week. Looking around me I was the only person in my area reading an actual book. Kindles and their clones abounded, or folk were watching the postcard-sized screens. No temptation on my part to swap whatsoever (for a start, you can’t sniff a Kindle and smell the handicraft – that is a secret, guilty pleasure of mine).
I have just been reorganizing my library at home; not enough shelf space and totally disorganized. Now my SF magazines and books are in order on two shelves. This got me re-reading SF magazine no. 1; it brought back all the memories of when I got that first edition from you. I promptly went on to ABE Books and ordered second-hand copies of Attic in Greece, Coming from Behind, Beer in the Snooker Club, The Mandala of Sherlock Holmes and Mango and Mimosa. And so to no. 2.
So now you can guess why I needed new book shelves and all was in disorder. And it requires considerable perseverance to keep up with my wish lists that grow ever longer from reading SF. Your celebration that you are now entering your 10th year is wonderful news to the many readers, such as me, who now have such a long and rewarding reading list because of your excellent choice of contributors who dig out hidden gems for us.
Off to the US again shortly and saving The Real Mrs Miniver for the flight. Haven’t even sniffed it yet.’ P. Eastlake, Northumberland