Not One for the Book

Harvard Prof. Thomas McMahon’s assertion that there are no other scientists who write fiction is an indication of gross ignorance on his part.

How about Isaac Asimov, Ph.D. chemistry, or Carl Sagan, Ph.D. planetary astronomy. Asimov has written more than 260 books including more than 100 works of fiction. Sagan’s “Contact” was on the best-seller list for a long time. Asimov has a weekly column published in View.

Besides the aforementioned two, there are Arthur C. Clarke, developer of the concept of communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit, physicist E. E. (Doc) Smith, and L. Sprague DeCamp who helped develop radar systems during World War II. There are others, but the point has been made. The article should have been titled, “Scientist, Novelist: McMahon Breaks No New Ground.”

DAVID A. LATHRAP

San Diego