Poul Anderson

Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001)[4] was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until his death in 2001. Anderson also wrote historical novels. His awards include seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards.[5]

For other people with similar names, see Poul Andersen (disambiguation) and Paul Anderson.

Poul Anderson
Anderson at Polcon in 1985
Anderson at Polcon in 1985
BornPoul William Anderson
(1926-11-25)November 25, 1926
Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedJuly 31, 2001(2001-07-31) (aged 74)
Orinda, California, U.S.[1][2]
Pen nameA. A. Craig
Michael Karageorge
Winston P. Sanders
P. A. Kingsley[3]
OccupationWriter
NationalityAmerican
Period1948–2001
GenreScience fiction
Fantasy
Mystery
Historical fiction
Notable works

Biography

Poul Anderson was born on November 25, 1926, in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Scandinavian parents.[6] Soon after his birth, his father, Anton Anderson, relocated the family to Texas, where they lived for more than ten years. After Anton Anderson's death, his widow took the children to Denmark. The family returned to the United States after the beginning of World War II, settling eventually on a Minnesota farm.

While he was an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota, Anderson's first stories were published by editor John W. Campbell in the magazine Astounding Science Fiction: "Tomorrow's Children" by Anderson and F. N. Waldrop in March 1947 and a sequel, "Chain of Logic" by Anderson alone, in July.[lower-alpha 1] He earned his BA in physics with honors but became a freelance writer after he graduated in 1948. His third story was printed in the December Astounding.[7]

Anderson married Karen Kruse in 1953 and relocated with her to the San Francisco Bay area. Their daughter Astrid (later married to science fiction author Greg Bear) was born in 1954. They made their home in Orinda, California. Over the years Poul gave many readings at The Other Change of Hobbit bookstore in Berkeley; his widow later donated his typewriter and desk to the store.

In 1954, he published the fantasy novel The Broken Sword, one of his most known works.

In 1965, Algis Budrys said that Anderson "has for some time been science fiction's best storyteller".[8] He was a founding member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) in 1966 and of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA), also during the mid-1960s. The latter was a group of Heroic fantasy authors organized by Lin Carter, originally eight in number, with entry by credentials as a fantasy writer alone. Anderson was the sixth President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, taking office in 1972.

Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his 1985 novel The Cat Who Walks Through Walls to Anderson and eight of the other members of the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy.[9][10] The Science Fiction Writers of America made Anderson its 16th SFWA Grand Master in 1998[11] and in 2000's fifth class, he was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame as one of two deceased and two living writers.[12] He died of prostate cancer on July 31, 2001, after a month in the hospital. A few of his novels were first published posthumously.

Awards and honors

Bibliography
Main article: Poul Anderson bibliography
Anderson's novella Witch of the Demon Seas (published under his "A. A. Craig" byline) was the cover story in the January 1951 issue of Planet Stories.
Anderson's novelette "Inside Earth" was the cover story in the April 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.

See also

Explanatory notes
  1. Anderson continued his first two stories more than a decade later. He added a novella and an epilogue, constituting the collection of four pieces (termed a novel), Twilight World: A Science Fiction Novel of Tomorrow's Children (Dodd, Mead). Waldrop was not credited.[7]

References
  1. Douglas Martin (August 3, 2001). "Poul Anderson, Science Fiction Novelist, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  2. Harris M. Lentz III (2008). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2001: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre ... McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. ISBN 9780786452064. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  3. Lee Gold. "Tracking Down The First Deliberate Use Of "Filk Song"". Retrieved August 11, 2007.
  4. David V Barrett (August 4, 2001). "Obituary: Poul Anderson (Prolific writer of science fiction's golden age)". The Guardian. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  5. "Anderson, Poul" Archived October 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. The Locus Index to SF Awards: Index of Literary Nominees. Locus Publications. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  6. Tau Zero, SF Masterworks edition.
  7. Poul Anderson at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFDB). Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  8. Budrys, Algis (February 1965). "Galaxy Bookshelf". Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 153–159.
  9. Heinlein, Robert A (1986). The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. New England Library. ISBN 0-450-39315-1.
  10. Heinlein's Dedications Page Jane Davitt & Tim Morgan. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  11. "Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master" Archived July 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  12. "Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame" Archived May 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Mid American Science Fiction and Fantasy Conventions, Inc. Retrieved March 22, 2013. This was the official website of the hall of fame to 2004.
  13. "Science Fiction & Fantasy Books by Award: Complete Hugo Award novel listing". Worlds Without End. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
  14. "Science Fiction & Fantasy Books by Award: 2000 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
  15. "Inkpot Award". December 6, 2012.
  16. "Anderson, Poul". The Locus Index to SF Awards: Locus Award Nominees List. Locus Publications. Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  17. "Mythopoeic Society Award Winners". Mythopoeic Society.
  18. "Science Fiction & Fantasy Books by Award: The Nebula Award". Worlds Without End. Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
  19. "7758 Poulanderson (1990 KT)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  20. "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved November 21, 2019.

Sources
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