by John Shirley (Author)
Mixing outlaw humor, SF adventure, and cutting social criticism, Shirley draws upon his entire arsenal of narrative and commentary. The title essay, "New Taboos" is his prescription for a radical revisioning of America. A new novella, A State of Imprisonment, is a horrifying and grimly hilarious look at the privatization of the prison industry. "Why We Need Forty Years of Hell," Shirley's 2011 TEDx address, presents his proudly contrarian view of the near future.
Also featured is our Outspoken Interview showcasing the author's transgressive sensibility, deep humanity, and mordant wit.
Author Biography
John Shirley is one of the original "Dread Lords" of Cyberpunk who brought a new noir sensibility to SF and Fantasy in the 1990s. He is the author of numerous books and many short stories, including the novels Bleak History, Crawlers, Demons, In Darkness Waiting, and the seminal cyberpunk works City Come A-Walkin' and A Song Called Youth trilogy of Eclipse, Eclipse Penumbra, and Eclipse Corona. His collections include the Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild Award-winning Black Butterflies, Living Shadows, and In Extremis. As a musician, he has fronted his own bands and written lyrics for Blue Öyster Cult and others. He lives in San Francisco.