« Editorial »

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n your hands you have what we have tried to make the essence of the Seventh World Science Fiction Convention, the Cinvention. Call it the residue, if you choose, but here it is:

For those of you who attended the Cinvention, this publication will serve to recall memories of your three days at this monumental affair; both the familiar memories you have mulled over since last September and some which had slipped from you completely. In addition, it isn't at all unlikely that you will learn of happenings at the Cinvention which you hadn't even known of; no one could have been everywhere and seen everything during the hectic three days which saw the Cinvention burst into full bloom and then run its meteoric course.

For those of you who weren't lucky enough to be in Cincinnati for the Cinvention, we have tried to make this Memory Book a fairly complete account of personalities and happenings. For those who wanted to come, but couldn't make it, this may serve as somewhat of a balm. For those who passed up the opportunity to attend, we hope that the Memory Book will arouse so much chagrin at missing such an enjoyable brawl that you will never let it happen again.

We have included at the beginning of this memoir the majority of the speeches given at the Cinvention, in a day by day order. These will serve to give you, in combination with Don Ford's article, a pretty thorough picture of the official proceedings at the Cinvention.

The latter portion, from page 63 on, is composed of what we have called "Addenda" for lack of a better term. In it, we have tried to give a picture of the Cinvention as it was actually experienced, ranging from the pronouncements of personages like Arthur J. Burks and Fritz Leiber, Jr. to the babblings of a nobody like Stan Skirvin, plus little associational items. These should serve to give you that -- you should pardon the expression -- warm, personal feeling of intimate contact with the Cinvention.

As many of you know, much of the Cinvention was recorded on wire by David A. McInnes. It was from copies of Dave's original recordings, kindly loaned to us by Dr. C.L. Barrett, that the speeches reprinted here were obtained, with the exception of Jack Williamson's speech which was copied directly from the typescript lent to us by Mr. Williamson. Altho the majority of the speeches given are included herein, we were unable to obtain copies of some of them, due chiefly to difficulties and mishaps during the recording at the Cinvention.

Among the missing are Fritz Leiber, Jr.'s first speech given on opening day, E.E. Smith's speech (see page 33), Ray Palmer's talk, Judy Merril's round table discussion on the second evening which featured Miss Merril, L.A. Eshbach, E.E. Evans, Milt Rothman, and Fritz Leiber, Jr., George O. Smith's brief sojourn on the podium, and the space opera given by members of the Philadelphia contingent.

Our apologies and regrets.

We are extremely grateful to all of those who have cooperated with us in putting on the Cinvention and in aiding us with this, the official Memory Book. Rather than offend someone by omitting their name, we will say thank you to all the fans and editors, both professional and fan, who have aided us so materially with both these productions. With their aid, two impossible jobs were reduced to the status of being merely back breaking.

We would, however, like to take exception to the above and thank in particular Don Fruchey, Jr. for the artwork which he provided, James Golden of the Cincinnati Enquirer who was instrumental in obtaining the cover photograph for us, and all the others whose contributions grace these pages.

In conclusion, we, the editorial entity, extend congratulations to Don Ford, Mr. Cinvention himself, for the monumental task which he performed so notably, and to both Don Ford and Lou Tabakow for their herculean efforts at mimeographing and assembling which have been the major factors in the production of this publication.

We hope you enjoy it.

The Editors:

Don Ford Lou Tabakow Roy Lavender Stan Skirvin

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