Editing Erwin Strauss

{{Short description|American writer}}
{{distinguish|Erwin Straus}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{update|date=January 2021}}
'''Erwin S. Strauss''' is an American author, [[science fiction fandom|science fiction fan]], noted member of the [[MITSFS]], and [[filk]] musician, born in Washington, D.C. He frequently is known by the nickname "Filthy Pierre".  He was injured descending a stairway at [[SMOFcon]] 41in December 2023,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://file770.com/pixel-scroll-12-2-23-i-was-watching-a-pixel-walk-through-a-wall/|title=Pixel Scroll 12/2/23 I Was Watching A Pixel Walk Through A Wall|first=Mike|last=Glyer|date=December 3, 2023}}</ref> and in January 2024 announced his retirement.<ref>Letter to subscribers of ''The Connection,'' 5 January 2024</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://kevin-standlee.dreamwidth.org/2283822.html?thread=7231278#cmt7231278 | title=Kevin_standlee &#124; SMOFCon Day 1: Eating, SMOFing, Gaming, and a Scary Situation }}</ref>

==Science fiction and writing==
Strauss has been chairman of a number of [[science fiction convention]]s, such as [[Boskone]] 3 in 1966 and [[RailCon]] in 1975; and a member of the committee for at least one Worldcon, [[47th World Science Fiction Convention|Noreascon]] 3, in 1989. He was an early (1964) vice president of the [[MIT Science Fiction Society]]. In addition, he was the author of the monthly "SF Convention Calendar" in ''[[Asimov's Science Fiction|Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction]]'' magazine until the March 2024 issue, and his flyer racks ("Filthy boards") were seen at conventions all over the East Coast. He is the author and/or editor of a number of books, articles, and [[science fiction fanzine|fanzines]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.scifiinc.net/scifiinc/gallery/bio/Strauss,_Erwin_S..htm |title=Strauss, Erwin S. ''scifiinc.net'' |access-date=January 2, 2007 |archive-date=January 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102105016/http://www.scifiinc.net/scifiinc/gallery/bio/Strauss,_Erwin_S..htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is a frequent Guest of Honor at SF conventions, including [[Arisia]], [[Boskone]], and [[Albacon]]. Strauss is the creator of the [[Voodoo board]] message board system once used at conventions such as [[Worldcon]]s, [[WisCon]], and [[Arisia]].

==Libertarian publishing==
Strauss is most well known in [[libertarianism|libertarian]] circles for his longstanding publication of ''The Connection'', an [[amateur press association]] (APA). The APA was started under the name ''The Libertarian Connection'' by [[Durk Pearson]] and [[Sandy Shaw (writer)|Sandy Shaw]] (using pseudonyms) in 1968.<ref>{{cite web |last= Marotta |first= Michael E. |title= The Libertarian Connection |work= General Forum |publisher= The Rebirth of Reason |date= April 30, 2003 |url= http://rebirthofreason.com/Forum/GeneralForum/1211.shtml |accessdate= 2008-10-15 }}</ref> Strauss wrote for it as "Filthy Pierre" almost from the beginning, and in 1979 he took over as publisher. Although Strauss dropped the word "libertarian" from the title (to indicate that it was open to all participants), the strong libertarian perspective of the contributors remained. Strauss continued to publish<ref>{{cite web |last= Henry |first= Jim |title= The Connection |date= July 2002 |url= http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/i/jimhenry1973/tc/tc.htm |accessdate= 2008-10-15 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080625053344/http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/i/jimhenry1973/tc/tc.htm |archivedate= June 25, 2008 |df= mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Search Works |first= Sulair |title= The Connection |publisher= [[Stanford University]] |url= http://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/435196 |accessdate= 2010-06-24 }}</ref> it until 2023.

==Honors==
*Magic Carpet Con, 1996 – Co-Filk Guest of Honor
*ConChord 2002 – Interfilk guest
*[[Noreascon 4]] (2004) – Special Committee Award
*[[Filk Hall of Fame]] (inducted 1998)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.filkontario.ca/1998.htm |title=FHoF - 1998 |website=www.filkontario.ca |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208053256/http://www.filkontario.ca/1998.htm |archive-date=8 February 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Big Heart Award]], 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2004/News/09_HugoAwardsWinners.html|title=LOCUS Online Sept 2004}}, Locus Magazine</ref>
*[[Albacon]] 2012 – Fan Guest of Honor
*[[Balticon]] 2018 — Fan Guest of Honor
* [https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/sciencefictionatcitytech/2020/01/20/isaac-asimov-centennial-meetup-at-city-tech-on-jan-4-2020/ Asimov Centennial Meetup] 2020 — Panelist

==Publications==
===Books===
*''Filthy Pierre's Songs of MIT''
*''Filthy Pierre's Songs of Significance''
*[[iarchive:isbn 9781581605242|''How to Start Your Own Country'']]. [[Loompanics]], 1979.
*''Basement Nukes: The Consequences of Cheap Weapons of Mass Destruction''
*''Complete Guide to Science Fiction Conventions''
*''The Case Against a Libertarian Political Party''. [[Loompanics]], 1980.
*''MIT Science Fiction Society's Index to the S-F Magazines, 1951–1965'', 1966

===APAs (amateur press association publications)===
*''The Connection'' (OE, 1979 – 2023)

===Fanzines===
*''SF Convention Register (1974–96)''
*''Filthy Pierre's Microfilk (1975–83)''

== See also ==
* {{portal-inline|Speculative fiction}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.scifiinc.net/scifiinc/gallery/bio/Strauss,_Erwin_S..htm Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102105016/http://www.scifiinc.net/scifiinc/gallery/bio/Strauss,_Erwin_S..htm |date=January 2, 2007 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070405131450/http://noreascon.org/index.html Noreascon site]
*[http://stromata.tripod.com/id406.htm Erwin Strauss in the Con Suite of the Stromata Science Fiction Convention]
*[https://boskoneblog.com/2020/01/17/b57-mini-interviews-with-martha-wells-erwin-s-filthy-pierre-strauss-and-laurence-raphael-brothers/ Brief interview with Strauss at the 2020] [[Boskone]]

{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American libertarians]]
[[Category:American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Asimov's Science Fiction people]]
[[Category:Filkers]]