The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village, 1957-1965

autobiography by Delany

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 20, 2026

Quick Summary

The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village, 1957–1965 is an autobiographical work by Samuel R. Delany. Published in 1988, it details Delany's childhood and the early stages of his writing career. The book explores his experiences in the East Village during the specified years, a period marked by significant cultural and artistic activity, particularly within the folk music scene of Greenwich Village and the emerging counterculture. Delany's writing often delves into themes of sexuality, race, and language, which are likely reflected in this personal narrative. The work won a Hugo Award.

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

African American literature
The turn of the 21st century
…a Hugo for the autobiographical The Motion of Light in Water (1988). The voices of novelist John Edgar Wideman (who twice won the PEN/Faulkner Award given by the international writers’ organization Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists [PEN]) and his incarcerated brother Robby in Brothers and Keepers (1984), one of…
Read More
…a Hugo for the autobiographical The Motion of Light in Water (1988). The voices of novelist John Edgar Wideman (who twice won the PEN/Faulkner Award given by the international writers’ organization Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists [PEN]) and his incarcerated brother Robby in Brothers and Keepers (1984), one of…
Read More

Samuel R. Delany
Delany’s other autobiographical books include The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village, 1957–1965 (1988), about his childhood and the beginning of his writing career, which won a Hugo Award; and Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale of New York (1999), a memoir…
Read More
Delany’s other autobiographical books include The Motion of Light in Water: Sex and Science Fiction Writing in the East Village, 1957–1965 (1988), about his childhood and the beginning of his writing career, which won a Hugo Award; and Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale of New York (1999), a memoir…
Read More