Prometheus Hall of Fame finalists announced

The only literary award I know of that Robert Anton Wilson ever received during his career was the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award. ILLUMINATUS! won the award in 1986; you can read Robert Shea's acceptance speech under "Feature Articles and Interviews" on this page.

This year's five Prometheus Award Hall of Fame finalists have been announced. (The finalists for the Prometheus Award itself, which honors current works, will be announced later). One of this year's finalists, "'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman" by Harlan Ellison, was nominated by your humble blogger. A list of past winners of both awards is here.

Here's the text of yesterday's press release from the Libertarian Futurist Society:

The Libertarian Futurist Society has selected five finalists for the
2011 Hall of Fame Award from 21 nominated narrative and dramatic works.
In chronological order, the finalists are:

"The Machine Stops," by E. M. Forster (1909), is a short story
portraying the breakdown of a dystopian future society whose inhabitants
are dependent on a technology they can no longer control or understand.
Forster described the story as a reaction against H. G. Wells's visions
of the future.

"As Easy as A.B.C.," by Rudyard Kipling (1912), is a short story
exploring the political implications of worldwide freedom of movement,
unusual for its time in its bitter condemnation of racial hatred.

Animal Farm, by George Orwell (1945), a short novel, retells the
story of the Russian Revolution in the literary form of beast fable,
reflecting the post-World War II disillusionment of many communists.

"'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," by Harlan Ellison (1965),
is a short story about an absurdist rebellion against a future society
of enforced conformity. Ellison's structural and stylistic experiments
made him a key figure in the New Wave of 1960s science fiction.

Falling Free, by Lois McMaster Bujold (1988), is a hard science
fiction novel about genetically engineered "quaddies" seeking freedom
from their corporate creators and owners. Bujold's engineer hero
embodies not only technological competence but professional and ethical
dedication to truth and integrity.

The winner will be chosen by a vote of the LFS's membership. The award
will be presented at Renovation (Worldcon 69) in Reno, Nevada, to be
held August 17-21, 2011.

First awarded in 1983 to Robert Heinlein's The Moon Is a Harsh
Mistress and Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, the Hall of Fame
Award honors classic works of science fiction and fantasy that celebrate
freedom or warn against abuses of power. Since 2000, eligible works have
included not only novels, but also short stories, films, television
series or episodes, graphic novels, musical works, and other narrative
and dramatic forms. Last year's award went to Poul Anderson's short
story "No Truce with Kings" (1963).

LFS Vice President William H. Stoddard chaired the Hall of Fame
screening committee. All members of the Libertarian Futurist Society are
eligible to serve on it, to nominate classic works for its
consideration, and to participate in the final vote.