Folks may recall that a while back, the Oxford English Dictionary announced an initiative for Science FIction Citations. Essentially, they were looking for the first usage of words associated with science fiction and fandom. The webpage is a treasure trove of the first known uses of science fiction staples, like "hyperspace" (first known use by John W. Campbell in 1931) or "terraform" (first known use by Jack Williamson in 1942).

Now it looks like the project is about to bear some interesting fruit. In November, Oxford University Press will publish Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction by Jeff Prucher. According to their catalog, the book is the "first historical dictionary devoted to science fiction" and it will show "exactly how science-fictional words and their associated concepts have developed over time, with full citations and bibliographic information."

Needless to say, this is a book that both gnomi and I immediately pounced upon as perfect for our library. And I suspect it will be of more than passing interest to many of you...

Tags: books, personal, science-fiction