Note: Now Cathy has formally announced this, I will say how worried I have been by the decline of Neil’s health. For about five years, it’s been one thing after another. I hope that he will make a good recovery and be able to go home to his loved ones.
I will add that Neil has been one of the most significant libertarians of the past forty years. Of course, we need our economists and philosophers. But we also need our poets – that is, we need those who can inspire as well as explain. In more than thirty novels, Neil has reached out to the world at large, spreading the good news of what our lives could be like without the State and its attendant institutions of control. So far as libertarianism has a presence in popular culture, it is in large part thanks to Neil.
My own debt is more personal. I owe much to Neil’s advice and moral support. It isn’t from jealousy or rivalry that writers tend not to comment on each other. We are all trying to make a living, or just wrapped up in our own work, and paying attention to someone else is a diversion from this. Even so, Neil has always been astonishingly generous with his time.
In brief, my very best wishes to Neil and to all his loved ones. They are in my thoughts.
Oh, and, if anyone wants to go beyond thoughts, you can send some money to Neil and his family.
Sean
Cathy Smith Writes:
To our friends who have patiently refrained from asking, Neil suffered a stroke on June 28. He is currently in an excellent acute rehabilitation program at a facility in Northern Colorado and is making good progress. I’m happy to share information. If you want updates, please let me know by email and I’ll reply. Giovanni and I are working on making the house (built in 1949) accessible for Neil’s eventual return.
Neil, Cathy, & Giovanni
cathylz@netzero.com
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I remember L. Neil Smith coming to an Libertarian Alliance conference long ago.
After the days events he want walking to he was outside the Palace of Westminster (commonly called the House of Commons -although that is only part of it) “the enemy – the state” he cried, pointing at the building. But there was no malice in the cry, no aggression.
He struck me as a kindly man – full of life.
His works (such as the “Probability Broach”) are well worth reading.
And he was (and is) right about the “Whiskey Rebellion” of 1794.
Yes the leaders of the WR were deeply unimpressive (deeply unimpressive indeed) with all sorts of things wrong with them, but if a President can just ignore Section Four of Article Four of the Constitution of the United States (which states that the Federal government may use force to suppress “domestic violence” ON THE APPLICATION OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE (or, if the State Legislature is unable to meet, the State Executive) then what can the Federal government (or the President as a single monarch) NOT do?
There was no “application” for aid from the State Legislature or the State Governor of Penn – none at all. Yet President marched in a (conscripted) army anyway – indeed Mr Hamilton seems to have suggested the whiskey tax not for revenue reasons (it raised little money), but as a macho stunt to provoke resistance (so the Federal government could show how tough it was) – after all the tax was very similar to the taxes and licensing imposed by the British crown on the spirit distilling of the “Rednecks” (strictly speaking the Scots-Irish Ulster Scots rather than the Scotland-Scots) in Scotland, Ireland, and the American colonies (the sort of thing that moved them to revolt against the British Crown in the first place).
L, Neil Smith used to joke (I hope he still does joke) that he was given a terrible history grade at university for pointing out the above.
But behind the jokes was a bitter truth. The utter bias and twisted nature of academia (better not tell the truth – you get marked down).
I agree with Dr Gabb in hoping that L. Neil Smith makes a full recovery soon.
Remember the Whiskey tax was repealed (by Jefferson) and remained repealed till the Civil War.
There is good, as well as bad, in the world.
Let us hope that L. Neil Smith has many more years to find joy in the world.
Best wishes to Neil and his family — he’s been a big influence on me and, more importantly, a friend for about 20 years now.
Indeed. All the best to Mr Smith and hopes for a speedy recuperation.
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Neil and family, you are definitely in my prayers! As my brother Andrew Eggleston (who used to write for the Libertarian Blog) encouraged me to read the publications and the books by Neil, know that he shared many wonderful stories and ideals that Neil shared with him. Andrew passed away in 2012, but I still try to keep up with the blog as much as I can. I am sure the Thorneycroft will get you home safely! Again, many prayers,
~Teena A. Turner
I was sadden to hear about L. Neil Smith’s stroke. His writing was one of the things that led me down the path towards libertarianism. The man has influenced me as both a libertarian and a writer. I hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.
We are keeping you in our thoughts & prayers. Keep up the hard work of recovery/therapy. I am Bobbie’s oldest daughter (your 1st cousin), a farmer from ND.