Bookworms: Little Fuzzy (1962) by H. Beam Piper

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Dr. Seuss from Horton Hears a Who 

What follows is a two part, compare and contrast review of Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper and Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi. This is part one. Read part two here.

What makes a person a person? What makes a person not a dog? Does it matter?

Science fiction, as a genre, is at its best when it asks the questions humanity has a difficult time answering. Within the realm of science fiction, whole new worlds, universes, and aliens can exist which do not conform to any known aspect of our world (superficially, anyway). Events can then transpire that evoke questions that when taken beyond the fantastical narrative, hit very close to home. The alien, the new world, the universe is then revealed as a highly decorated version of our own. Once internalized, the solutions proposed within the science fiction story can resonate within and help the audience grapple with their own reality.

In the midst of 1960s racial tension, Captain Kirk can kiss Lieutenant Uhura, and because Uhura (and Kirk, for that matter) is possessed by an alien presence, the social taboo is temporarily ignored thus allowing audiences to contemplate a kiss between a handsome white man and an attractive black woman without any racial prejudice. Because aliens are controlling them, Kirk isn’t really kissing Uhura, a white boy isn’t kissing a black girl, and everything is still segregated and okay. Except, when the scene and the episode of Star Trek is over, audiences can think about why they may or may not believe that a non-possessed white person and black person can enjoy physical intimacy. In a world where it wasn’t socially okay, the possibility that it could be was able to be demonstrated. Quod erat demonstrandum: classically great science fiction.*

Little Fuzzy is great science fiction. The story, quite simply, is that of an old prospector and a planet supposedly devoid of sentient, i.e. self aware, life, and therefore suitable for strip mining and exploitation. A chance meeting puts the old prospector in contact with a strange little fuzzy creature who demonstrates remarkable intelligence. Over a period of time, the prospector is convinced that the creature is more than smart, it is a person. In the ensuing investigation, another of the species is killed by a member of the galactic mining company and a court case follows. Superficially the trial is about murder, but fundamentally the trial is about the entire race of fuzzies and whether or not they are people and therefore deserving of the same consideration and protection that humanity enjoys throughout the galaxy.

As Dr. Seuss brilliantly argued in his children’s story Horton Hears a Who, H. Beam Piper adroitly addresses and definitely answers the question of personhood in Little Fuzzy: “a person’s a person” no matter what their physical appearance or apparent level of sophistication.

The story itself is rather simplistic, and straightforward, at least in the beginning. I would even call it delightful. The old, crusty prospector gains a family of little fuzzy people and gradually learns to love them as they prove their personhood through living life together. Everything is quite happy until a little fuzzy is killed. Then the story becomes a bit more complicated and philosophical as the characters argue the evolutionary status of the fuzzy nation. But in the end, everyone good wins and everyone bad loses. The fuzzy family lives happily ever after. The End.

I love a story like this. I read through the Lord of the Rings once every year, and the Silmarillion every other year (both by JRR Tolkien and neither light reading). I read many other dark, deep, thought provoking novels and books. In between all of that, it relaxes me to read something simple, plain, and generally happy. I very nearly giggled while reading, and certainly smiled, relaxed in my favorite chair with good reading music and drink near to hand. It was a very pleasant time. That is why I love Little Fuzzy. It satisfied me on an emotional level as it was happy, an intellectual level as it made me think, and a philosophical level as it made me ponder. The book isn’t fluff, don’t get that idea, but neither is it complex. Little Fuzzy is very well written, and fun to read.

So grab a copy, which you can actually do free digitally through the iBookstore and the Amazon Kindle store as the story is in the public domain (so you have absolutely no reason not to) or I am sure you can find a physical copy someplace and go read a book which I guarantee you will enjoy. [Author’s note: the trial does get a bit pedantic, but the presiding judge has a very dry humor which makes it worth it, as does the book’s conclusion.] I promise the time spent reading is worth it.

The second part of this two part review takes a look at the reboot of Little Fuzzy called Fuzzy Nation. I have never heard of a book being remade, despite the practice being widespread with film and television, and the prospect intrigued me greatly. My brother actually suggested I read Little Fuzzy some time ago, which I did, but then I heard that Fuzzy Nation was a novel that updated and retold the story. As I loved the original story, I couldn’t wait to read the remake. This was uncharted territory, and I was going to explore it.

I was not disappointed….

*This is the episode of Star Trek I am referring to in this review.

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