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Thirty years ago, while finishing law school, Don Blyly opened a science fiction bookstore in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The store is named Uncle Hugo's, in a fashion, after Hugo Gernsback, who launched the first science fiction magazine in 1926. Don kept the store through law school, passing the bar, his MBA studies, and even a few years pursuing a PhD in marketing. But then it ended - the quest for a PhD, not the bookstore. Now Uncle Hugo's is the country's oldest surviving science fiction bookstore. In a time of vanishing independent booksellers, this is no small feat. Likely it is due to the shop having the largest selection of new & used science fiction books, but I am also betting that the success is largely due to Don's passion for the genre. Selecting a book for me is often like being hungry & walking to the same refrigerator time & time again, though nothing in there is quite right, you keep returning, eventually grabbing any old thing, and not being quite satisfied. You won't have that problem at Uncle Hugo's. You can tell Don that you hunger for something like author X, and he'll give you a list of authors Q, Y & M to satisfy you. (You can't get that at the big chains - I know, I have worked there!) I am willing to lay down cash that the rest of the staff is just about as prepared to help as Don himself is. I intended to just ask Don a quick question for another article I am writing and I became drawn into a much longer conversation. (I ought to know that you can never have a short conversation with an impassioned person, especially on a topic they have devoted nearly one-third of a century to!) When I began the interview, I mentioned a recent article I read about Don in Minnesota Monthly Magazine, called 'Sci-Fi Guy' and boy, did I get a response! "I never used the term 'sci-fi'" replied Don, in a friendly, but stern enough matter that I new I'd better pay attention. Since I often refer to the books I read as sci-fi, I was more than a bit curious as to why Don wanted to be clear on the word choice. I learned that many science fiction fans find the term sci-fi demeaning & insulting, as it is a term often used to put down the works, as well as for those 'bad' movies and tv shows. (Out of respect for all of you science fiction fans, and Don, I will avoid use of the term here.) Don's tastes tend toward the alternate histories & some of his personal favorite authors include Peter Hamilton, Harry Turtledove, Eric Flint, and the husband & wife writing team of Sharon Lee & Steve Miller. Since Don is an avid reader, and a man who deals specifically with customers & fans of science fiction, I was curious to know what the current trends are in the genre. It seems that authors such as Charlaine Harris have made the area of paranormal romances quite popular. Obviously this attracts a large female audience, but men are enjoying them also. And those vampire novels, they 'sell like crazy.' He also gave me a preview of a book to be released in May by Kim Harrison called "Dead Witch Walking," which frankly has me interested... After a biological weapon leaves the planet with both 'normal people' and 'non-normals,' a witch starts a detective agency of sorts with her vampire friend... Don assures me it is well-written, humorous & 'delightful.' I think I had better get back to Uncle Hugo's and pre-order a copy today! I would be remiss if I did not again mention that Uncle Hugo's has the largest selection of new & used science fiction books *anywhere*, including signed copies. Don Blyly also owns Uncle Edgar's, devoted to mystery books, named after Edgar Allen Poe, considered to be the first mystery writer. If you are interested in the latest science fiction (and mystery) releases & news, you may sign up for their free newsletters here. Yes, they do ship internationally! You may also find a list of books for sale from Don's stores at Abebooks.
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