"Lipidleggin'" is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

short story by American writer F. Paul Wilson. It was first published in '' Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine'' in 1978.

Plot

In a world where the government has outlawed

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...

and untreated eggs because of their high

cholesterol Cholesterol is the principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body Tissue (biology), tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in Animal fat, animal fats and oils. Cholesterol is biosynthesis, biosynthesized by all anima ...

content, Gurney is an antiques dealer in rural

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

who discovers farmers who are producing the 'real stuff' and starts dealing in them, thus becoming a 'lipidlegger'.

Reception

In 2021, "Lipidleggin'" won the Prometheus Award Hall of Fame.2020 Prometheus Novel and Hall of Fame Winners
by Mike Glyer; at

File 770 ''File 770'' is a long-running science fiction fanzine, newszine, and blog site published and administered by Mike Glyer. It has been published every year since 1978, and has won a record eight Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine, with the first w ...

; published July 10, 2020; retrieved November 12, 2020 ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'' considered it "sharp social satire".SOFT AND OTHERS: 16 Stories of Wonder and Dread
reviewed in ''

''; published April 15, 1989 Eric S. Raymond called it "classic" and an example of Wilson's "excellent" science fiction.Raymond's Reviews #78
published September 5, 1990; retrieved November 12, 2020

References

External links

* Science fiction short stories Works originally published in Asimov's Science Fiction 1978 short stories {{1970s-sf-story-stub