Poul Anderson | |
|---|---|
 Anderson (center) at Polcon in 1985 | |
| Born | Poul William Anderson November 25, 1926 Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 31, 2001 (aged 74) Orinda, California, U.S.[1] |
| Pen name | A. A. Craig Michael Karageorge Winston P. Sanders P. A. Kingsley[2] |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Period | 1948–2001 |
| Genre | Science fiction Fantasy Mystery Historical fiction |
| Notable works | |
Poul William Anderson (/ˈpoʊəl/ POH-əl;[3] 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. He won the Hugo Award seven times and the Nebula Award three times, and was nominated many more times for awards.[5][6]
Biography
Poul Anderson was born on November 25, 1926, in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Danish parents.[7] 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.[a] 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.[8]
Anderson married Karen Kruse in 1953 and relocated with her to the San Francisco Bay area.[9] Their daughter Astrid (later married to science fiction author Greg Bear[10]) was born in 1954[citation needed]. They made their home in Orinda, California.[11] 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.[citation needed]
In 1954, he published the fantasy novel The Broken Sword, one of his best-known works.
In 1965, Algis Budrys said that Anderson "has for some time been science fiction's best storyteller".[12] 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.[13][14]
The Science Fiction Writers of America made Anderson its 16th SFWA Grand Master in 1998.[15] 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.[16]
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, honors and nominations
- Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy (1978)[17]
- Hugo Award (seven wins)[5]
- John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2000)[18]
- Inkpot Award (1986)[19]
- Locus Award (41 nominations; one win, 1972)[20]
- Mythopoeic Fantasy Award (one win (1975))[21]
- Nebula Award (three wins)[6]
- Pegasus Award (best adaptation, with Anne Passovoy) (1998)
- Prometheus Award (Best Novel in 1996, as well as five Hall of Fame award and a Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2001)[22]
- SFWA Grand Master (1997)[15]
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame (2000)[16]
- Asteroid 7758 Poulanderson, discovered by Eleanor Helin at Palomar in 1990, was named in his honor.[23] The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on September 2, 2001, a month after his death (M.P.C. 43381).[24]
Bibliography
See also
Explanatory notes
- ^ 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.[8]
References
- ^ Douglas Martin (August 3, 2001). "Poul Anderson, Science Fiction Novelist, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- ^ Lee Gold. "Tracking Down The First Deliberate Use Of "Filk Song"". Retrieved August 11, 2007.
- ^ Martin, Douglas (August 3, 2001). "Poul Anderson, Science Fiction Novelist, Dies at 74". New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
He told his wife she could name their first child, and she chose Poul (pronounced PO-ull).
- ^ David V Barrett (August 4, 2001). "Obituary: Poul Anderson (Prolific writer of science fiction's golden age)". The Guardian. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
- ^ a b "Pennsylvania Center for the Book". Worlds Without End. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ a b "Science Fiction & Fantasy Books by Award: Complete Nebula Award novel listing". Worlds Without End. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ Barrett, David V. (August 6, 2001). "Poul Anderson: Prolific Writer of Science Fiction's Golden Age". The Guardian. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ a b Poul Anderson at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database (ISFDB). Retrieved April 22, 2013.
- ^ Martin, Douglas (August 3, 2001). "Poul Anderson, Science Fiction Novelist, Dies at 74". The New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Holland, Steve (December 29, 2022). "Greg Bear obituary". the Guardian. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Writer Poul Anderson, 74, Dies". Washington Post. August 3, 2001. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Budrys, Algis (February 1965). "Galaxy Bookshelf". Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 153–159.
- ^ Heinlein, Robert A (1986). The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. New England Library. ISBN 0-450-39315-1.
- ^ Heinlein's Dedications Page Jane Davitt & Tim Morgan. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Science Fiction & Fantasy Books by Award: 2000 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ "Inkpot Award". December 6, 2012.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Mythopoeic Society Award Winners". Mythopoeic Society.
- ^ "Science Fiction & Fantasy Books by Award: Complete Prometheus Award novel listing". Worlds Without End. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ "7758 Poulanderson (1990 KT)". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
Sources
- Miesel, Sandra (1978). Against Time's Arrow: The High Crusade of Poul Anderson. Borgo Press. ISBN 0-89370-124-6.
- Tuck, Donald H. (1974). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Chicago: Advent. pp. 8–10. ISBN 0-911682-20-1.
External links
- Bio, bibliography and book covers at FantasticFiction
- Obituary and tributes from the SFWA
- Poul Anderson Appreciation, by Dr. Paul Shackley
- Poul Anderson, an essay by William Tenn
- The Society for Creative Anachronism, of which Poul Anderson was a founding member
- The King of Ys review at FantasyLiterature.net Archived September 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- "Poul Anderson biography". Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
- Poul Anderson at Library of Congress, with 135 library catalog records
- Poul Anderson at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Poul Anderson at the Internet Book List
- By Poul Anderson
- Works by Poul Anderson in eBook form at Standard Ebooks
- Works by Poul Anderson at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Poul Anderson at the Internet Archive
- Works by Poul Anderson at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- Works by Poul Anderson at Open Library
- On Thud and Blunder, an essay by Anderson on fantasy fiction, from the SFWA
- Poul Anderson's online fiction at Free Speculative Fiction Online
- SFWA directory of literary estates
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- Poul Anderson
- 1926 births
- 2001 deaths
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century American novelists
- 21st-century American novelists
- American alternate history writers
- American fantasy writers
- American libertarians
- American male novelists
- American people of Danish descent
- American science fiction writers
- Analog Science Fiction and Fact people
- Caedmon Records artists
- Conan the Barbarian novelists
- Filkers
- Inkpot Award winners
- Novelists from Pennsylvania
- People from Bristol, Pennsylvania
- People from Orinda, California
- Pulp fiction writers
- Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductees
- SFWA Grand Masters
- Society for Creative Anachronism
- University of Minnesota alumni
- Writers from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Writers of Sherlock Holmes pastiches
- 21st-century American male writers
- Presidents of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association
- American founders
