Don't Try This At Home: Selected Convention Reports |
Don't Try This At Home: Selected Convention Reports was published as an Ansible Editions ebook in July 2015, slightly expanded in November 2018 and additionally released as a trade paperback in January 2021. This book collects most of David Langford's reports on British and occasionally overseas SF conventions, from Mancon 5 (the infamous 1976 Eastercon in Manchester) to Loncon 3 (the 2014 World SF Convention in London Docklands). Warning: contains fannish esoterica! At least in the earliest reports. There are thirty-two articles in all – mostly from fanzines but a few professionally published – which between them cover 35 conventions plus a few bonus items such as a very strange book launch party held underground in the Chislehurst Caves. In all, with a brief introduction and an index of coverage by convention name, the text runs to approximately 79,000 words. As an ebook, Don't Try This At Home is freely downloadable from the TransAtlantic Fan Fund ebooks page, where satisfied customers are encouraged to donate to TAFF. The trade paperback, alas, costs money. Scroll down for the list of named conventions covered (some briefly, some at considerable length) in Don't Try This At Home. |
![]() Ansible Editions, 2015 Cover photo: Nocturnal balloon activity in the Fan Village at Loncon 3, the 2014 London Worldcon. |
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Conventions covered: Aussiecon 3 (Worldcon), Melbourne, September 1999 Boskone 29, Springfield, Massachusetts, February 1992 Compute for Charity, Hull, July 1990 Conspiracy '87 (Worldcon), Brighton, August 1987 Contrivance (Eastercon), Jersey, Easter 1989 Discworld Convention 2, Liverpool, September 1998 Discworld Convention IV, Hinckley, Leicestershire, August 2004 Eastercon '77, Coventry, Easter 1977 Follycon (Eastercon), Liverpool, Easter 1988 Illumination (Eastercon), Blackpool, Easter 1992 Intersection (Worldcon), Glasgow, August 1995 Intervention (Eastercon), Liverpool, Easter 1997 Loncon 3 (Worldcon), London, August 2014 Mabinogicon, Bangor, July 1991 Mancon 5 (Eastercon), Manchester, Easter 1976 Mexicon 2, Birmingham, February 1986 Mexicon 3, Nottingham, May 1989 Mexicon IV, Harrogate, May 1991 Mexicon 5, Scarborough, May 1993 Microcon, Exeter, February 1988 Minicon 33, Minneapolis, Easter 1998 Novacon 6, Birmingham, November 1976 Novacon 11, Birmingham, November 1981 Oxcon (Unicon), Oxford, August 1984 Plokta.con 4.0, Sunningdale Park, May 2009 Sectus (Harry Potter), London, July 2007 Silicon 3, Newcastle, August 1978 Silicon 4, Newcastle, August 1980 Torcon 3 (Worldcon), Toronto, 2003 Tropicon/Fanhistoricon, Florida, November 2000 Twentycon, Birmingham, July 1991 UK Year of Literature and Writing, Swansea, December 1995 Wincon (Unicon), Winchester, August 1991 World Fantasy Convention, London, October 1988 World Fantasy Convention, London, October-November 1997. |