Scribblings is a 1972 collection of writings by science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 and fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 author L. Sprague de Camp

L. Sprague de Camp

Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...

 to celebrate his appearance as Guest of Honor at Boskone

Boskone

This article is about the fictional organization in E.E. Smith's Lensman series. For the yearly BOSKONE science fiction convention, see Boskone ....

 IX, a convention sponsored by the New England Science Fiction Association

New England Science Fiction Association

The New England Science Fiction Association, or NESFA, is a science fiction club centered in the New England area. It was founded in 1967, "by fans who wanted to do things in addition to socializing"...

. The Association served as publisher.

The book contains poetry, short works of fiction and non-fiction, and aphorisms. Among the stories are the complete set of de Camp's four short "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series of tall tales.

Contents

• "Carnac" (poem)
• "Three Thirds of a Hero" (poem)
• "The Elephant" (poem)
• "African Night" (poem)
• "The Newt" (poem)
• "Government Bug Hunter" (essay on Clinton Hart Merriam
  Clinton Hart Merriam
  Clinton Hart Merriam was an American zoologist, ornithologist, entomologist and ethnographer.Known as "Hart" to his friends, Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam was born in New York City in 1855. His father, Clinton Levi Merriam, was a U.S. congressman. He studied biology and anatomy at Yale University and...
  
  )
• "Xeroxing the Necromonicon" (poem)
• "Preferences" (poem)
• "Leaves" (poem)
• "The Trap" (poem)
• "A Night Club in Cairo" (poem)
• "The Effects of Time Travel" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
• "The Moveable Ears" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
• "The Negative Wugug" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
• "The Lusts of Professor Adams" (story in the "Drinkwhiskey Institute" series)
• "Pfui on Psi" (essay on psychic powers)
• "Lost Cities" (essay)
• "Books That Never Were" (essay on lost and imaginary books)
• "Aphorisms" (aphorisms)
• "How to Hunt Dinosaurs" (essay)

External links

• "http://www.nesfa.org/press/Books/deCamp-0.html" - publication information at NESFA Press