Title
Reality Club
Catalog Number
102737235
Type
Document
Description
The Reality Club was founded by John Brockman, a literary agent. It originally consisted of regular meetings, of intellectuals across a broad spectrum of fields, in various places in New York City, from 1981 to 1996. One of the members presented at each meeting. There were three books published in 1988-1990 with contents from the meetings, with a letter from Brockman to Ms. Dyson, dated 11-03-1988, commenting on the first review for the first collection, a solicitation for essays for the second edition, and his vision for the club. From 1997 on it has been a web based publication maintained by the Edge Foundation (edge.org). The website is not well maintained but also has some archival material. Brockman authored a book, Digerati, about many of the leading players, and thinkers, at the beginning of the Internet. The website has a section with a page for each of these Digerati, Ms. Dyson being one. The folder contains many very interesting references: an early correspondence apparently sent to new prospective members (invitation only club) listing the programs from inception in January 1981 to April 1982 and a membership list which includes several recognizable names; a brief memorial on the death of Abbie Hoffman by Paul Krassner, both members; an April 1989 edition of a monthly publication "The jamais vu papers"; a letter to members, dated 10-04-1989, listing new members, including Ms. Dyson's brother George Dyson, as a noted kayak designer, and information about the formation of the Edge Foundation as a non-profit to operate the club; a first draft of a newsletter intended for publication, dated 06-18-1990, sent to Ms. Dyson; a folder containing a proposal for the book series including history of the club, and the books, plus the proposed themes, article titles and authors, of the first three volumes; a promotional piece for George Dyson's talk of 5-3-1990, titled "Baidarka: The Skin Boat as a Frame of Mind."
Date
1982; 1987-1990
Author
Brockman, John
Category
Correspondence; Article; Promotional Material
Collection Title
Esther Dyson papers
Series Title
Subject files
Credit
Gift of Esther Dyson
