Difference between revisions of "Gene Wolfe"

From Fancyclopedia 3
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(10 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
(May 5, 1931 – April 14, 2019)
 
(May 5, 1931 – April 14, 2019)
  
 +
[[File:WolfeGene1982.jpeg|thumb|'''Gene Wolfe signing autographs at [[Chicon IV]], 1982.'''  ''Photo by [[Frank Olynyk]].'' ]]
 
'''Gene Rodman Wolfe''', a [[Chicago]]land [[fan]] and [[pro writer]], was an active [[letterhack]] and contributor to [[fanzines]], especially during the 1970s and '80s, as well as a regular [[con]]goer. He was a member of [[SFFNCS]]. Gene was [[GoH]] at [[Aussiecon Two]], the 1985 [[World Science Fiction Convention]], and at [[AutoClave 1]], the first [[fanzine]] [[convention]], in 1976, where he gave a memorable, [[humor|comic]] speech.  
 
'''Gene Rodman Wolfe''', a [[Chicago]]land [[fan]] and [[pro writer]], was an active [[letterhack]] and contributor to [[fanzines]], especially during the 1970s and '80s, as well as a regular [[con]]goer. He was a member of [[SFFNCS]]. Gene was [[GoH]] at [[Aussiecon Two]], the 1985 [[World Science Fiction Convention]], and at [[AutoClave 1]], the first [[fanzine]] [[convention]], in 1976, where he gave a memorable, [[humor|comic]] speech.  
  
As an author, he is probably most famous for ''The Book of the New Sun'' tetralogy, launched in 1980.  His work is especially known for his use of archaic, obscure and made-up terms, such as ''[[fuligin]]''.  
+
As an [[author]], he is probably most famous for ''The Book of the New Sun'' tetralogy, launched in 1980.  His work is especially known for his use of archaic, obscure and made-up words, such as ''[[fuligin]]''.
  
He was born in [[New York]] and educated in [[Texas]], but spent most of his life in [[Illinois]]. After getting out of the Army, he became an industrial engineer. His most famous engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato chips. He edited the journal ''Plant Engineering'' before retiring to write full-time.  
+
Wolfe told a story from his early days as an [[author]] in which he would send off his stories to magazines in alphabetical order. After a story (most likely "Mountains Like Mice," but possibly "House of Ancestors") was rejected by ''[[Galaxy Science Fiction]]'', he sent it off to ''[[IF]]'', not realizing that [[Frederik Pohl]] was the editor of both magazines. He received an acceptance from Pohl and ''IF'' commenting on how much Gene's re-write had improved the story, despite the fact that he hadn't changed the story at all. 
 +
 
 +
In another story from early in his career, Wolfe was attending a [[science fiction]] [[convention]] and went up to Pohl, whom he had not yet met in person, and thanked him for purchasing some of his stories and his support. The editor listened graciously and thanked Gene for submitting. It was only later that Gene learned that he had been talking to [[Lester del Rey]].
 +
 
 +
At the 1971 [[Nebula Awards|Nebula banquet]], [[Isaac Asimov]] announced Wolfe's short story "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories" as the winner.  As Wolfe began to walk up to accept the award, Asimov realized he had made a mistake and announced that in actuality, the "winner" in that category was "No Award."  Asimov tried to make light of his mistake by commenting that if Wolfe wrote a story called “The Death of Doctor Island,” he would surely win a Nebula. Wolfe went on to write a story with that title and it won the Nebula for Best Novella in 1974. (Wolfe would also published the stories "The Doctor of Death Island" and "Death of the Island Doctor.")
 +
 
 +
He was born in [[New York]] and educated in [[Texas]], but spent most of his life in [[Illinois]]. After getting out of the Army, he became an industrial engineer. His most famous engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato chips. He edited the journal ''Plant Engineering'' before retiring to write full-time. His [[NESFA Press]] collection ''Plan[e]t Engineering'' was a take-off on the journal's title.
 +
 
 +
Wolfe was a religious Catholic. He was married to Rosemary Wolfe (née Dietsch); they had four children.  
  
 
===More reading:===
 
===More reading:===
 
*{{SFE|name=wolfe_gene}}.
 
*{{SFE|name=wolfe_gene}}.
*[http://www.pannis.com/SFDG/specific-Shadow-2.html “Definitions of Excruciatingly Arcane Words Found in Gene Wolfe's ''The Shadow of the Torturer''.]
+
*[https://www.pannis.com/SFDG/specific-Shadow-2.html “Definitions of Excruciatingly Arcane Words Found in Gene Wolfe's ''The Shadow of the Torturer''.]
 
* An appreciation of his life and work in the Summer Issue, 2019 (New Series #60) of ''[[Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report]]''.
 
* An appreciation of his life and work in the Summer Issue, 2019 (New Series #60) of ''[[Scientifiction: The First Fandom Report]]''.
* [http://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Energumen/Energumen16.pdf Transcript of Wolfe’s very funny GoH speech] from [[AutoClave 1]] in ''[[Energumen]]'' 16 (September 1981), p. 29.  
+
*[https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Spanish_Inquisition/Span06.pdf “A Chicken Looks at Midwestcon”], a very surreal [[Midwestcon 26]] [[conreport]] by Wolfe in ''[[The Spanish Inquisition]]'' 6 (September 1975), p. 20.
 +
* [https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Energumen/Energumen16.pdf Transcript of Wolfe’s very funny GoH speech] from [[AutoClave 1]] in ''[[Energumen]]'' 16 (September 1981), p. 29.
 +
* [https://www.theringer.com/2019/4/25/18515675/gene-wolfe-science-fiction-author “Gene Wolfe Turned Science Fiction Into High Art”] (a [[biography]]) by Brian Phillips,  April 25, 2019.  
  
 
{{recognition}}
 
{{recognition}}
 +
[[File:AutoClave1art.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.5|'''Promotional art for [[AutoClave 1]] by [[Jackie Causgrove]], depicting [[Mike Glicksohn]]''' ''(driver),'' '''Gene Wolfe and [[Donn Brazier]]''' ''(in rear)''.]]
 
* 1976 -- [[AutoClave 1]]
 
* 1976 -- [[AutoClave 1]]
 
* 1977 -- Toastmaster at [[Hippotocon]]
 
* 1977 -- Toastmaster at [[Hippotocon]]
Line 36: Line 48:
 
* 2008 -- [[Science Fiction Hall of Fame]]
 
* 2008 -- [[Science Fiction Hall of Fame]]
 
* 2011 -- [[Con*Stellation XXX]]
 
* 2011 -- [[Con*Stellation XXX]]
* 2012 -- [[SFWA Grand Master Award]], Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Fuller Award
+
* 2012 -- Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Fuller Award
 +
* 2013 -- [[SFWA Grand Master Award]]
 
* 2015 -- [[Chambanacon 45]]
 
* 2015 -- [[Chambanacon 45]]
 
* 2016 -- [[Chambanacon 46]]
 
* 2016 -- [[Chambanacon 46]]
 
* 2017 -- [[Chambanacon 47]]
 
* 2017 -- [[Chambanacon 47]]
 +
* 2021 -- Chicago Literary Hall of Fame (posthumous)
 +
* 2023 -- [[Chambanacon 52]] [[Ghost of Honor]]
 
*[[Hugo nominations]]:
 
*[[Hugo nominations]]:
 
** [[1973 Best Novella Hugo]]
 
** [[1973 Best Novella Hugo]]

Latest revision as of 02:01, 29 October 2023

(May 5, 1931 – April 14, 2019)

Gene Wolfe signing autographs at Chicon IV, 1982. Photo by Frank Olynyk.

Gene Rodman Wolfe, a Chicagoland fan and pro writer, was an active letterhack and contributor to fanzines, especially during the 1970s and '80s, as well as a regular congoer. He was a member of SFFNCS. Gene was GoH at Aussiecon Two, the 1985 World Science Fiction Convention, and at AutoClave 1, the first fanzine convention, in 1976, where he gave a memorable, comic speech.

As an author, he is probably most famous for The Book of the New Sun tetralogy, launched in 1980. His work is especially known for his use of archaic, obscure and made-up words, such as fuligin.

Wolfe told a story from his early days as an author in which he would send off his stories to magazines in alphabetical order. After a story (most likely "Mountains Like Mice," but possibly "House of Ancestors") was rejected by Galaxy Science Fiction, he sent it off to IF, not realizing that Frederik Pohl was the editor of both magazines. He received an acceptance from Pohl and IF commenting on how much Gene's re-write had improved the story, despite the fact that he hadn't changed the story at all.

In another story from early in his career, Wolfe was attending a science fiction convention and went up to Pohl, whom he had not yet met in person, and thanked him for purchasing some of his stories and his support. The editor listened graciously and thanked Gene for submitting. It was only later that Gene learned that he had been talking to Lester del Rey.

At the 1971 Nebula banquet, Isaac Asimov announced Wolfe's short story "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories" as the winner. As Wolfe began to walk up to accept the award, Asimov realized he had made a mistake and announced that in actuality, the "winner" in that category was "No Award." Asimov tried to make light of his mistake by commenting that if Wolfe wrote a story called “The Death of Doctor Island,” he would surely win a Nebula. Wolfe went on to write a story with that title and it won the Nebula for Best Novella in 1974. (Wolfe would also published the stories "The Doctor of Death Island" and "Death of the Island Doctor.")

He was born in New York and educated in Texas, but spent most of his life in Illinois. After getting out of the Army, he became an industrial engineer. His most famous engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato chips. He edited the journal Plant Engineering before retiring to write full-time. His NESFA Press collection Plan[e]t Engineering was a take-off on the journal's title.

Wolfe was a religious Catholic. He was married to Rosemary Wolfe (née Dietsch); they had four children.

More reading:[edit]

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

Promotional art for AutoClave 1 by Jackie Causgrove, depicting Mike Glicksohn (driver), Gene Wolfe and Donn Brazier (in rear).



Person 19312019
This is a biography page. Please extend it by adding more information about the person, such as fanzines and apazines published, awards, clubs, conventions worked on, GoHships, impact on fandom, external links, anecdotes, etc. See Standards for People and The Naming of Names.