Gene Wolfe

(May 5, 1931 – April 14, 2019)

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 terms, 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.

More reading:

• Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.
• “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.
• Transcript of Wolfe’s very funny GoH speech from AutoClave 1 in Energumen 16 (September 1981), p. 29.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

• 1976 -- AutoClave 1
• 1977 -- Toastmaster at Hippotocon
• 1978 -- Rhysling Award
• 1979 -- ICON 4, PgHLANGE XI
• 1981 -- BSFA Award
• 1982 -- Capricon 2, Baycon '82
• 1983 -- Fantasycon VIII, World Fantasy Convention 1983, Archon 7, August Derleth Award
• 1984 -- Unicon '84, Boskone 21, John W. Campbell, Jr. Memorial Award
• 1985 -- Aussiecon Two
• 1987 -- Disclave 31, ConClave XII, Readercon 1
• 1988 -- Keycon 5
• 1989 -- Skylark Award
• 1991 -- Wincon II
• 1992 -- ICFA 12
• 1996 -- World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement
• 1997 -- Context X
• 1998 -- Disclave 42
• 1999 -- DucKon VIII
• 2006 -- Balticon 40
• 2007 -- AggieCon XXXVIII
• 2008 -- Science Fiction Hall of Fame
• 2011 -- Con*Stellation XXX
• 2012 -- SFWA Grand Master Award, Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Fuller Award
• 2015 -- Chambanacon 45
• 2016 -- Chambanacon 46
• 2017 -- Chambanacon 47
• Hugo nominations:
  • 1973 Best Novella Hugo
  • 1974 Best Novella Hugo
  • 1979 Best Novella Hugo
  • 1982 Best Short Story Hugo
  • 1982 Best Novel Hugo
  • 1983 Best Novel Hugo
  • 1988 Best Novel Hugo
  • 1998 Best Short Story Hugo
  • 2008 Best Novella Hugo
• multiple Locus Awards
• multiple Nebula Awards
• multiple World Fantasy Awards

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Person

1931—2019

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