This is a great book to read if you’ve read everything else by/about James Tiptree, Jr./Alice Sheldon. I made the mistake of reading it first and it was just… okay. The book consists of rarely and never published fiction (some from before her writing career took off, some published once in a zine or small collection, and so on), and non-fiction contributions to fanzines. The stories are generally weak but fun– it’s not hard to see why they weren’t submitted or weren’t accepted at the time, but they’re still interesting for a breezy read.
The fanzine non-fiction contributions and relationship with Jeffrey Smith, the small-circulation fanzine editor who later became literary executor of her will, are the core of the book. She is insightful about her vacation spots, with great snippets of place and people. I particularly liked the contributions to the Women in Science Fiction circular– I think I’d like to read the whole thing and get the context.
Again, if you already love Tiptree, you’ll probably love this book. If you’re just getting started on her works, save this for last.