Around The Web: Rare Books, Autofiction, Bronwen Wallace, and Sci-Fi Dictionary

Welcome back, readers! This week’s round up of bookish content from around the internet includes a look at rare book appraisal, an opinion on autofiction, an update about the Bronwen Wallace award, and an introduction to the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

Rare Book Appraisal

The pandemic has given some of us the chance to do some home organization, including sorting through old books. If you happened to find an old, unusual, or rare book while doing so, you might be wondering what it’s worth. Book Riot has got you covered with a recent post on what you need to know about getting books appraised.

Autofiction

Autofiction is a term coined to describe fiction that draws from real life, but that doesn’t mean it should be used to qualify what is true. Brooke Warner explains the term and how it’s been misused, arguing that both fiction and memoir can come from truth.

Update to Bronwen Wallace Award

After listening to feedback from the literary community, the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers will now accept poetry and short-fiction submissions from writers of all ages. Previously, the award was limited to those age 35 and under. Removing the age requirement recognizes that not all can start their writing careers young and that writers can “emerge” at any age.

Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction

Finally, for the logofiles and sci-fi fans, I have for you the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction. According to the New York Times, this new free online resource dedicated to the history of terms used in science fiction—terms like “warp speed” and “transporter.” If you ever wanted to track how long “android” or “zap gun” have been in use and what works they appear in, this is the dictionary for you.