Dave wrote:
This is a very minor brag, with several questions attached.
I purchased a box lot for $5 USD that included a copy of
_The Forever War_, Joe Haldeman, 1974 St. Martin's Press.
Multiple closed tears in the d/j, esp. at top and bottom of the spine.
D/J is rubbed along the spine, bottom and at the folds . The book has
3 bumped corners, 2 dents to board tops, the expected foxing and dust
coloring but is very tight, not tipped or leaning (much). It appears
to have been read, but carefully and doesn't smell of smoke or mildew.
I _AM_ keeping it.

Anyway, the questions start.
Without digging out my Analog and Locus copies to verify this, ISTR
there being some back-and-forth commentary about this being written as
a sort of anti-Starship Trooper, Viet Nam protest book.
Has this happened in fiction before, and/or is it common where an
author seems to take aim at another? Obviously in Academia,
dissenting ideas get published regularly, but what about fiction?

Thanks,

Dave

I remember there being some letter of protest over the Vietnam war
signed by a bunch of sci-fi authors, and then one in favor of the war
signed by other authors. I recall Harlan Ellison being opposed to the
war, while Jack Vance was one of those supporting it.

Does anyone else remember this?