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Theodore Sturgeon (; born Edward Hamilton Waldo, February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985) was an American fiction author of primarily
fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...
,
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
and horror, as well as a critic. He wrote approximately 400 reviews and more than 120 short stories, 11 novels and several scripts for ''
Star Trek: The Original Series ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...
''. Sturgeon's science fiction novel ''
More Than Human ''More Than Human'' is a 1953 science fiction novel by American writer Theodore Sturgeon. It is a revision and expansion of his previously published novella ''Baby is Three'', which is bracketed by two additional parts written for the novel (" ...
'' (1953) won the 1954
International Fantasy Award The International Fantasy Award was an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy book and, in 1951-1953, the best non-fiction book of interest to science fiction and fantasy readers. The IFA was given by an international panel ...
(for SF and fantasy) as the year's best novel, and the
Science Fiction Writers of America The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, doing business as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, commonly known as SFWA ( or ) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. Whil ...
ranked "
Baby Is Three "Baby Is Three" is a science fiction novella by American writer Theodore Sturgeon, first published in the October 1952 issue of ''Galaxy'' magazine. It was later crafted into a full novel, ''More Than Human''. The original novella was voted the ...
" number five among the " Greatest Science Fiction Novellas of All Time" to 1964. Ranked by votes for all of their pre-1965 novellas, Sturgeon was second among authors, behind
Robert Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein (; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accu ...
. An overview of his work by science fiction critic
Sam Moskowitz Sam Moskowitz (June 30, 1920 – April 15, 1997) was an American writer, critic, and historian of science fiction. Biography As a child, Moskowitz greatly enjoyed reading science fiction pulp magazines. As a teenager, he organized a branch o ...
can be found in the collective biography ''
Seekers of Tomorrow ''Seekers of Tomorrow: Masters of Modern Science Fiction'' is a work of collective biography on the formative authors of the science fiction genre by Sam Moskowitz, first published in hardcover by the World Publishing Company in 1965. The first pap ...
''. The
Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame The Museum of Pop Culture or MoPOP is a nonprofit museum in Seattle, Washington, dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. Since then MoPOP has organized ...
inducted Sturgeon in 2000, its fifth class of two dead and two living writers.


Biography

Sturgeon was born Edward Hamilton Waldo in
Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull and ...
, in 1918. His name was legally changed to Theodore Sturgeon at age eleven after his mother's divorce and remarriage to William Dicky ("Argyll") Sturgeon. He sold his first story in 1938 to the
McClure Syndicate McClure Newspaper Syndicate, the first American newspaper syndicate, introduced many American and British writers to the masses. Launched in 1884 by publisher Samuel S. McClure, it was the first successful company of its kind. It turned the marke ...
, which bought much of his early work. At first he wrote mainly short stories, primarily for genre magazines such as ''
Astounding ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...
'' and ''
Unknown Unknown or The Unknown may refer to: Film * ''The Unknown'' (1915 comedy film), a silent boxing film * ''The Unknown'' (1915 drama film) * ''The Unknown'' (1927 film), a silent horror film starring Lon Chaney * ''The Unknown'' (1936 film), a ...
'', but also for general-interest publications such as ''
Argosy Magazine ''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...
''. He used the
pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...
"E. Waldo Hunter" when two of his stories ran in the same issue of ''Astounding''. A few of his early stories were signed "Theodore H. Sturgeon." Sturgeon ghost-wrote one
Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...
novel, ''The Player on the Other Side'' (Random House, 1963). This novel was praised by critic H. R. F. Keating: " had almost finished writing ''Crime and Mystery: the 100 Best Books'', in which I had included ''The Player on the Other Side'' ... placing the book squarely in the Queen canon"Keating, H. R. F. (1989). ''The Bedside Companion to Crime''. New York: Mysterious Press. when he learned that it had been written by Sturgeon. Similarly, William DeAndrea, author and winner of
Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...
awards, selecting his ten favorite mystery novels for the magazine ''Armchair Detective'', picked ''The Player on the Other Side'' as one of them. He said: "This book changed my life ... and made a raving mystery fan (and therefore ultimately a mystery writer) out of me. ... The book must be 'one of the most skilful pastiches in the history of literature. An amazing piece of work, whomever did it'." Disliking arguments with
John W. Campbell John Wood Campbell Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was an American science fiction writer and editor. He was editor of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (later called '' Analog Science Fiction and Fact'') from late 1937 until his death ...
over editorial decisions, after 1950 Sturgeon only published one story in ''Astounding''. Sturgeon wrote the screenplays for the ''
Star Trek: The Original Series ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry that follows the adventures of the starship and its crew. It later acquired the retronym of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' (''TOS'') to distinguis ...
'' episodes "
Shore Leave Shore leave is the leave that professional sailors get to spend on dry land. It is also known as "liberty" within the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. During the Age of Sail, shore leave was often abused by the ...
" (1966) and "
Amok Time "Amok Time" is the second season premiere episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek''. Written by science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, scored by Gerald Fried, and directed by Joseph Pevney, it first aired o ...
" (1967, written up and published as a Bantam Books "Star Trek Fotonovel" in 1978). The latter featured the first appearance of
pon farr ''Pon farr'' is a phenomenon in the fictional '' Star Trek'' universe. A part of the reproductive cycle of Vulcans, ''pon farr'' features in the canonical television series as well as in various spin-offs and fan fiction. An extreme physical an ...
, the
Vulcan Vulcan may refer to: Mythology * Vulcan (mythology), the god of fire, volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in Roman mythology Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * Vulcan (''Star Trek''), name of a fictional race and their home p ...
mating ritual, the sentence "Live long and prosper"Nimoy (1995), p. 67. and the Vulcan hand symbol. Sturgeon also wrote several ''
Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' scripts that were never produced. One of these first introduced the Prime Directive. He also wrote an episode of the Saturday morning show ''
Land of the Lost Land of the Lost may refer to: * Land of the Lost (1974 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1974 TV series), the original 1974 children's television series * Land of the Lost (1991 TV series), ''Land of the Lost'' (1991 TV series), the 1991 remake of ...
'', " The Pylon Express", in 1975. Two of Sturgeon's stories were adapted for ''
The New Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an anthology television series which was constructed from September 27, 1985 to April 15, 1989. It is the first of three revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1959–64 television series, and like the original it featur ...
''. One, "
A Saucer of Loneliness "A Saucer of Loneliness" is a short story by American writer Theodore Sturgeon that first appeared in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' n. 27 (February 1953). It was adapted as a radio play for ''X Minus One'' in 1957, and as the second segment of the tw ...
", was broadcast in 1986 and was dedicated to his memory. Another short story, "Yesterday was Monday", was the inspiration for ''The New Twilight Zone'' episode " A Matter of Minutes". His 1944 novella " Killdozer!" was the inspiration for the 1974
made-for-TV movie A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
,
Marvel comic Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
book, and alternative rock band of the same name, as well as becoming the colloquial name for
Marvin Heemeyer Marvin John Heemeyer (October 28, 1951 – June 4, 2004) was an American automobile muffler repair shop owner who, following a dispute with town officials, demolished numerous buildings with a modified bulldozer in Granby, Colorado, on June 4, ...
's 2004 bulldozer rage incident. Sturgeon published the "first stories in science fiction which dealt with homosexuality, ' The World Well Lost' une 1953and 'Affair With a Green Monkey' ay 1957, and sometimes put gay
subtext Subtext is any content of a creative work, which is not announced explicitly (by characters or author), but is implicit, or becomes something understood by the audience. Subtext has been used historically to imply controversial subjects without ...
in his work, such as the back-rub scene in "Shore Leave", or in his Western story, "Scars". Though not as well known to the general public as contemporaries like
Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...
or
Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and r ...
, Sturgeon is well known among readers of mid-20th-century science fiction anthologies. At the height of his popularity in the 1950s he was the most anthologized English-language author alive. Three Sturgeon stories were adapted for the 1950s NBC radio anthology
X Minus One ''X Minus One'' is an American half-hour science fiction radio drama series that was broadcast from April 24, 1955, to January 9, 1958, in various timeslots on NBC. Known for high production values in adapting stories from the leading American a ...
: "
A Saucer of Loneliness "A Saucer of Loneliness" is a short story by American writer Theodore Sturgeon that first appeared in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' n. 27 (February 1953). It was adapted as a radio play for ''X Minus One'' in 1957, and as the second segment of the tw ...
" (broadcast twice}, "The Stars Are The Styx" and "Mr. Costello, Hero".
Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on ext ...
described "To Here and the Easel" as "a stunning portrait of personality disassociation as perceived from the inside", and further said that many of Sturgeon's works were among the "rare few science‐fiction novels
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
combine a standard science‐fiction theme with a deep human sensitivity".
John Clute John Frederick Clute (born 12 September 1940) is a Canadian-born author and critic specializing in science fiction and fantasy literature who has lived in both England and the United States since 1969. He has been described as "an integral part o ...
wrote in ''
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' (SFE) is an English language reference work on science fiction, first published in 1979. It has won the Hugo, Locus and British SF Awards. Two print editions appeared in 1979 and 1993. A third, continu ...
'': "His influence upon writers like Harlan Ellison and
Samuel R. Delany Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ) (born April 1, 1942), is an American author and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays (on science fiction, literature, sexuality, and society). His ...
was seminal, and in his life and work he was a powerful and generally liberating influence in post-WWII US sf". He won comparatively few genre awards. (One was the
World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
from the 1985 World Fantasy Convention.) Sturgeon's original novels were all published between 1950 and 1961, and the bulk of his short story work dated from the 1940s and 1950s. Though he continued to write through 1983, his work rate dipped noticeably in the later years of his life; a 1971 story collection entitled ''Sturgeon Is Alive And Well...'' addressed Sturgeon's seeming withdrawal from the public eye in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Sturgeon lived for several years in
Springfield, Oregon Springfield is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Located in the Southern Willamette Valley, it is within the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Separated from Eugene to the west, mainly by Interstate 5, Springfield ...
. He died on May 8, 1985, of
lung fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, and nail clubbing. Complications may include pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failu ...
, at Sacred Heart General Hospital in the neighboring city of Eugene. He was a member of the all-male literary banqueting club the
Trap Door Spiders The Trap Door Spiders are a literary male-only eating, drinking, and arguing society in New York City, with a membership historically composed of notable science fiction personalities. The name is a reference to the reclusive habits of the trapdo ...
, which served as the basis of
Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...
's fictional group of mystery solvers the
Black Widowers The Black Widowers is a fictional men-only dining club created by Isaac Asimov for a series of sixty-six mystery stories that he started writing in 1971. Most of the stories were first published in ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', though a few ...
. Sturgeon was the inspiration for the recurrent character of
Kilgore Trout Kilgore Trout is a fictional character created by author Kurt Vonnegut. In Vonnegut's work, Trout is a notably unsuccessful author of paperback science fiction novels. "Trout" was inspired by the name of the author Theodore Sturgeon (Vonnegut's ...
in the novels of
Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
.


Sturgeon's Law

In 1951, Sturgeon coined what is now known as '' Sturgeon's Law'': : "Ninety percent of cience fictionis crud, but then, ninety percent of ''everything'' is crud." This was originally known as ''Sturgeon's Revelation''; Sturgeon has said that "Sturgeon's Law" was originally : "Nothing is always absolutely so." However, the former statement is now widely referred to as Sturgeon's Law. He is also known for his dedication to a credo of critical thinking that challenged all normative assumptions: "Ask the next question." He represented this credo by the symbol of a Q with an arrow through it, an example of which he wore around his neck and used as part of his signature in the last 15 years of his life.


Life and family

Theodore's birth father, Edward Waldo, was a color and dye manufacturer of middling success. With his second wife, Anne, he had one daughter, Joan. Theodore's mother, Christine Hamilton Dicker (Waldo) Sturgeon, was a well-educated writer, watercolorist, and poet who published journalism, poetry, and fiction under the name Felix Sturgeon. His stepfather, William Dickie Sturgeon (sometimes known as Argyll), was a mathematics teacher at a prep school and then Romance Languages Professor at Drexel Institute ater_
ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html"_;"title="ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technologyin_Philadelphia._Sturgeon's_account_of_his_stepfather_is_included_in_a_posthumous_memoir.Sturgeon,_Theodore_(1993)._''Argyll;_A_Memoir'',_Entwhistle_Books.__Sturgeon's_sibling,_
ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html"_;"title="ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technologyin_Philadelphia._Sturgeon's_account_of_his_stepfather_is_included_in_a_posthumous_memoir.Sturgeon,_Theodore_(1993)._''Argyll;_A_Memoir'',_Entwhistle_Books.__Sturgeon's_sibling,_Peter_A._Sturgeon">Peter_Sturgeon_ Peter_Sturgeon_(born_February_12,_1954)_is_a_Canadians,_Canadian_retired_professional_ice_hockey_player._He_was_drafted_by_the_Boston_Bruins_with_the_36th_overall_pick_in_the_1974_NHL_Entry_Draft._He_went_on_to_play_in_six_games_in_the_National__...
,_wrote_technical_material_for_the_pharmaceutical_industry_and_the_ ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html"_;"title="ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technologyin_Philadelphia._Sturgeon's_account_of_his_stepfather_is_included_in_a_posthumous_memoir.Sturgeon,_Theodore_(1993)._''Argyll;_A_Memoir'',_Entwhistle_Books.__Sturgeon's_sibling,_Peter_A._Sturgeon">Peter_Sturgeon_ Peter_Sturgeon_(born_February_12,_1954)_is_a_Canadians,_Canadian_retired_professional_ice_hockey_player._He_was_drafted_by_the_Boston_Bruins_with_the_36th_overall_pick_in_the_1974_NHL_Entry_Draft._He_went_on_to_play_in_six_games_in_the_National__...
,_wrote_technical_material_for_the_pharmaceutical_industry_and_the_World_Health_Organization">WHO_ Who_or_WHO_may_refer_to: *__Who_(pronoun),_an_interrogative_or_relative_pronoun *_Who?,_one_of_the_Five_Ws_in_journalism *_World_Health_Organization _Arts_and_entertainment_Fictional_characters *_Who,_a_creature_in_the_Dr._Seuss_book_''_Horton_He_...
,_and_founded_the_American_branch_of_
ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html"_;"title="ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technology">ater_Drexel_Institute_of_Technologyin_Philadelphia._Sturgeon's_account_of_his_stepfather_is_included_in_a_posthumous_memoir.Sturgeon,_Theodore_(1993)._''Argyll;_A_Memoir'',_Entwhistle_Books.__Sturgeon's_sibling,_Peter_A._Sturgeon">Peter_Sturgeon_ Peter_Sturgeon_(born_February_12,_1954)_is_a_Canadians,_Canadian_retired_professional_ice_hockey_player._He_was_drafted_by_the_Boston_Bruins_with_the_36th_overall_pick_in_the_1974_NHL_Entry_Draft._He_went_on_to_play_in_six_games_in_the_National__...
,_wrote_technical_material_for_the_pharmaceutical_industry_and_the_World_Health_Organization">WHO_ Who_or_WHO_may_refer_to: *__Who_(pronoun),_an_interrogative_or_relative_pronoun *_Who?,_one_of_the_Five_Ws_in_journalism *_World_Health_Organization _Arts_and_entertainment_Fictional_characters *_Who,_a_creature_in_the_Dr._Seuss_book_''_Horton_He_...
,_and_founded_the_American_branch_of_Mensa_International">Mensa. Sturgeon_held_a_wide_variety_of_jobs_during_his_lifetime._As_an_adolescent,_he_wanted_to_be_a_circus_acrobatics.html" "title="Mensa_International.html" ;"title="World_Health_Organization.html" "title="Peter_A._Sturgeon.html" "title="Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html" ;"title="Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html" ;"title="ater Drexel Institute of Technology">ater Drexel Institute of Technology">Drexel_Institute_of_Technology.html" ;"title="ater Drexel Institute of Technology">ater Drexel Institute of Technologyin Philadelphia. Sturgeon's account of his stepfather is included in a posthumous memoir.Sturgeon, Theodore (1993). ''Argyll; A Memoir'', Entwhistle Books. Sturgeon's sibling, Peter A. Sturgeon">Peter Sturgeon Peter Sturgeon (born February 12, 1954) is a Canadians, Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He was drafted by the Boston Bruins with the 36th overall pick in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play in six games in the National ...
, wrote technical material for the pharmaceutical industry and the World Health Organization">WHO Who or WHO may refer to: * Who (pronoun), an interrogative or relative pronoun * Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism * World Health Organization Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Who, a creature in the Dr. Seuss book '' Horton He ...
, and founded the American branch of Mensa International">Mensa. Sturgeon held a wide variety of jobs during his lifetime. As an adolescent, he wanted to be a circus acrobatics">acrobat Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro d ...
; an episode of rheumatic fever prevented him from pursuing this. From 1935 (aged 17) to 1938, he was a sailor in the merchant marine, and elements of that experience found their way into several stories. He sold refrigerators door to door. He managed a hotel in
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
around 1940–1941, worked in several construction and infrastructure jobs (driving a bulldozer in
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, operating a
gas station A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Gasoline ...
and truck lubrication center, work at a
drydock A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
) for the US Army in the early war years, and by 1944 was an advertising copywriter. In addition to freelance fiction and television writing, in New York City he opened his own literary agency (which was eventually transferred to
Scott Meredith Scott Meredith, born Arthur Scott Feldman (1923, New York City, NY – 1 July 1992, Manhasset, NY) was a prominent American literary agent, and founder of the Scott Meredith Literary Agency. His clients included famous and successful writers ...
), worked for ''
Fortune Fortune may refer to: General * Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck * Luck * Wealth * Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling * Fortune, in a fortune cookie Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
'' magazine and other Time Inc. properties on circulation, and edited various publications. Sturgeon had somewhat irregular output, frequently suffering from
writer's block Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author is either unable to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. Mike Rose found that this creative stall is not a result of commitment problems or th ...
. Sturgeon played guitar and wrote music which he sometimes performed at
science fiction convention Science fiction conventions are gatherings of fans of the speculative fiction genre, science fiction. Historically, science fiction conventions had focused primarily on literature, but the purview of many extends to such other avenues of expre ...
s. Sturgeon was married three times, had two long-term committed relationships outside of marriage, divorced once, and fathered a total of seven children. * His first wife was Dorothe Fillingame (married 1940, divorced 1945) with whom he had two daughters, Patricia and Cynthia. * He was married to singer Mary Mair from 1949 until an annulment in 1951. * In 1953, he wed Marion McGahan with whom he had a son, Robin (b. 1952); daughters Tandy (b. 1954) and Noël (b. 1956); and son Timothy (b. 1960). The children in "Tandy's Story" (1961) have the same names as these children. * In 1969, he began living with Wina Golden, a journalist, with whom he had a son, Andros.Sturgeon (1978), p. 12. * Finally, his last long-term committed relationship was with writer and educator Jayne Englehart Tannehill, with whom he remained until the time of his death. Jayne Englehart had her own biological son, Mark J. Englehart, prior to her partnership with Sturgeon, to which Sturgeon became like a stepfather. Sturgeon was a lifelong
pipe Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to: Objects * Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules ** Piping, the use of pipes in industry * Smoking pipe ** Tobacco pipe * Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circular ...
smoker. His death from
lung fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time. Symptoms include shortness of breath, a dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, and nail clubbing. Complications may include pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failu ...
may have been caused by exposure to
asbestos Asbestos () is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere b ...
during his merchant marine years.


Novels

* ''
The Dreaming Jewels ''The Dreaming Jewels'', also known as ''The Synthetic Man'', is a science fiction novel by American writer Theodore Sturgeon. It was his first published novel. Plot 8-year-old Horton "Horty" Bluett runs away from his abusive family, carrying on ...
'' (1950) Also published as ''The Synthetic Man'' * ''
More Than Human ''More Than Human'' is a 1953 science fiction novel by American writer Theodore Sturgeon. It is a revision and expansion of his previously published novella ''Baby is Three'', which is bracketed by two additional parts written for the novel (" ...
'' (1953)
Fix-up A fix-up (or fixup) is a novel created from several short fiction stories that may or may not have been initially related or previously published. The stories may be edited for consistency, and sometimes new connecting material, such as a frame s ...
of three linked novellas, the first and third written around ''
Baby Is Three "Baby Is Three" is a science fiction novella by American writer Theodore Sturgeon, first published in the October 1952 issue of ''Galaxy'' magazine. It was later crafted into a full novel, ''More Than Human''. The original novella was voted the ...
'' (Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1952)
* '' The Cosmic Rape'' (1958) A shorter version was published as ''To Marry Medusa'' * ''
Venus Plus X ''Venus Plus X'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Theodore Sturgeon, published in 1960. David Pringle included it in his book '' Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels''. Plot Charlie Johns wakes up in Ledom (model backwards), a worl ...
'' (1960) * '' Some of Your Blood'' (1961) * ''
Godbody ''Godbody'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Theodore Sturgeon, published posthumously in 1986. A foreword, "Agape and Eros: The Art of Theodore Sturgeon", was contributed by Robert A. Heinlein and an afterword was contributed by St ...
'' (1986) Published posthumously


Novelizations

Sturgeon, under his own name, was hired to write novelizations of the following movies based on their scripts (links go to articles about the movies): * ''
The King and Four Queens ''The King and Four Queens'' is a 1956 DeLuxe Color American Western adventure comedy/mystery film starring Clark Gable and Eleanor Parker and filmed in CinemaScope. Directed by Raoul Walsh, the film is based on a story written by Margaret ...
'' (1956) * ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a 1961 American science fiction disaster film, produced and directed by Irwin Allen, and starring Walter Pidgeon and Robert Sterling. The supporting cast includes Peter Lorre, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, M ...
'' (1961) The book is described in ''
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (novel) ''Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea'' is a science-fiction novel written by Theodore Sturgeon and first published in 1961 by Pyramid Books. Sturgeon wrote the novel from the screenplay that Irwin Allen and Charles Bennett wrote from an original st ...
''. * ''
The Rare Breed ''The Rare Breed'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starring James Stewart, Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith in Panavision. Loosely based on the life of rancher Col. John William Burgess, the film follows Ma ...
'' (1966)


Pseudonymous novels

* ''
I, Libertine ''I, Libertine'' is a literary hoax novel that began as a practical joke by late-night radio raconteur Jean Shepherd who aimed to lampoon the process of determining best-selling books. After generating substantial attention for a novel that did ...
'' (1956): Historical novel created as a for-hire hoax. Credited to "Frederick R. Ewing", written from a premise by
Jean Shepherd Jean Parker 'Shep' Shepherd Jr. (~July 21, 1921 – October 16, 1999) was an American storyteller, humorist, radio and TV personality, writer, and actor. With a career that spanned decades, Shepherd is known for the film ''A Christmas Story'' ...
. * ''The Player on The Other Side'' (1963): Mystery novel credited to
Ellery Queen Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
and ghost-written with Queen's assistance and supervision.


Short stories

Sturgeon published numerous short story collections during his lifetime, many drawing on his most prolific writing years of the 1940s and 1950s. Note that some reprints of these titles (especially paperback editions) may cut one or two stories from the line-up. Statistics herein refer to the original editions only.


Collections published during Sturgeon's lifetime

The following table includes sixteen volumes (one of them collecting
western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
stories). These are considered "original" collections of Sturgeon material, in that they compiled previously uncollected stories. However, some volumes did contain a few reprinted stories: this list includes books that collected only previously uncollected material, as well as those volumes that collected ''mostly'' new material, but also contained up to three stories (representing no more than half the book) that were previously published in a Sturgeon collection. The following six collections consisted entirely of reprints of previously collected material:


Complete short stories

North Atlantic Books North Atlantic Books is a non-profit, independent publisher based in Berkeley, California, United States. Distributed by Penguin Random House Publisher Services, North Atlantic Books is a mission-driven social justice-oriented publisher. Founded ...
released the chronologically assembled ''The Complete Short Stories of Theodore Sturgeon'', edited by Paul Williams. The series consisted of 13 volumes published between 1994 and 2010. Introductions were provided by Harlan Ellison,
Samuel R. Delany Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ) (born April 1, 1942), is an American author and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays (on science fiction, literature, sexuality, and society). His ...
,
Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...
,
Gene Wolfe Gene Rodman Wolfe (May 7, 1931 – April 14, 2019) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith. He was a prolific short story writer and nove ...
,
Connie Willis Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis (born December 31, 1945), commonly known as Connie Willis, is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards for particular works—more major SF awards tha ...
, Jonathan Lethem, and others. Extensive story notes were provided by Paul Williams and, in the last two volumes, Sturgeon's daughter Noël. * Volume I – ''The Ultimate Egoist'' (1937 to 1940) * Volume II – ''Microcosmic God'' (1940 to 1941) * Volume III – ''Killdozer'' (1941 to 1946) * Volume IV – ''Thunder and Roses'' (1946 to 1948) * Volume V – ''The Perfect Host'' (1948 to 1950) * Volume VI – ''Baby is Three'' (1950 to 1952) * Volume VII – ''A Saucer of Loneliness'' (1953) * Volume VIII – ''Bright Segment'' (1953 to 1955, as well as two "lost" stories from 1946) * Volume IX – ''And Now the News...'' (1955 to 1957) * Volume X – ''The Man Who Lost the Sea'' (1957 to 1960) * Volume XI – ''The Nail and the Oracle'' (1961 to 1969) * Volume XII – ''Slow Sculpture'' (1970 to 1972, plus one 1954 novella and one unpublished story) * Volume XIII – ''Case and The Dreamer'' (1972 to 1983, plus one 1960 story and three unpublished stories)


Representative short stories

Sturgeon was best known for his short stories and novellas. The best-known include: * "Ether Breather" (September 1939, his first published science-fiction story) * "Derm Fool" (March 1940) * " It" (August 1940) * " Shottle Bop" (February 1941) * "
Microcosmic God "Microcosmic God" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Theodore Sturgeon. Originally published in April 1941 in the magazine ''Astounding Science Fiction'', it was recognized as one of the best science fiction short stories publishe ...
" (April 1941) * "Yesterday Was Monday" (1941) * " Killdozer!" (November, 1944) * "Maturity" (February, 1947) * "Bianca's Hands" (May, 1947) * "Thunder and Roses" (November 1947) * "The Perfect Host" (November 1948) * "It Wasn't Syzygy" (January 1948) * "Minority Report" (June 1949, no connection to the 2002 movie, which was based on a later story by Philip K. Dick) * "One Foot and the Grave" (September 1949) * "
Baby Is Three "Baby Is Three" is a science fiction novella by American writer Theodore Sturgeon, first published in the October 1952 issue of ''Galaxy'' magazine. It was later crafted into a full novel, ''More Than Human''. The original novella was voted the ...
" (October 1952) * "
A Saucer of Loneliness "A Saucer of Loneliness" is a short story by American writer Theodore Sturgeon that first appeared in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' n. 27 (February 1953). It was adapted as a radio play for ''X Minus One'' in 1957, and as the second segment of the tw ...
" (February 1953) * " The World Well Lost" (June 1953) * "Mr. Costello, Hero" (December 1953) * "The idget The adget and Boff" (1955) * "The Skills of Xanadu" (July 1956) * "The Other Man" (September 1956) * "And Now The News" (December 1956) * "The Girl Had Guts" (January 1957) * " The Man Who Lost the Sea" (October 1959) * "Need" (1960) * "How to Forget Baseball" (''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'', December 1964) * "The Nail and the Oracle" (''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'', October 1964) * " If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?" (1967, '' Dangerous Visions'' anthology edited by Harlan Ellison)— Nebula Award 1967 Nominee Novella * "The Man Who Learned Loving"— Nebula Award 1969 Nominee Short Story * " Slow Sculpture" ('' Galaxy'', February 1970) — winner of a
Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...
and a Nebula Award * "Occam's Scalpel" (August, 1971, with an introduction by
Terry Carr Terry Gene Carr (February 19, 1937 – April 7, 1987) was an American science fiction fan, author, editor, and writing instructor. Background and discovery of fandom Carr was born in Grants Pass, Oregon. He attended the City College of San ...
) * "Vengeance Is." (1980, ''Dark Forces'' anthology edited by Kirby McCauley)


Autobiography

* ''Argyll: A Memoir'', (pamphlet, Sturgeon Project, 1993) an autobiographical sketch about Sturgeon's relationship with his stepfather. Introduction by his editor Paul Williams. Afterword by
Samuel R. Delany Samuel R. "Chip" Delany (, ) (born April 1, 1942), is an American author and literary critic. His work includes fiction (especially science fiction), memoir, criticism, and essays (on science fiction, literature, sexuality, and society). His ...
. Cover art by Donna Nassar. The memoir, written for his psychotherapist, has many suggestions about his life, starting from his family's move from Staten Island to Philadelphia when his stepfather got a job at Drexel University and Sturgeon and his brother were still in the local public school to their attempts to catch poison ivy to delay the move—"Then we moved to Philadelphia, a little apartment on 34 Street with a sort of sun room, which was Argyll's study and had a single couch which was his and Mother's bed, and a kind of living room with a kitchenette built into one wall, where we slept on the floor on mattresses."— and his father's treatment of a puppy he couldn't discipline—". . . he used to whip her with a wire after rubbing her nose in it—so he got rid of her." (p 14) These go on to include Sturgeon's first gay experiences in his 14th year—"So 0-year-oldBert blew me practically continuously from Friday evening until dinner time Sunday; we kept score and I came 14 times. Sweet are the uses of respectability. My God! It never occurred to me until this minute that Dr. Taft was probably the one—the only one, as sole mentor, who could possibly have insured Argyll's total ignorance!" (p. 52); and in his long letter to his mother and Argyll, included in the same volume, Sturgeon harshly critiques his first novel,
The Dreaming Jewels ''The Dreaming Jewels'', also known as ''The Synthetic Man'', is a science fiction novel by American writer Theodore Sturgeon. It was his first published novel. Plot 8-year-old Horton "Horty" Bluett runs away from his abusive family, carrying on ...
: "My use of one detested Argyll would have been fine, but one wasn't enough; there had to be two, and as a result the balance of the work was destroyed and its literary worth was lost in vengeful polemic" (p 62).


See also

*
Theodore Sturgeon Award The Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award is an annual literary award presented by the Theodore Sturgeon Literary Trust and the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas to the author of the best short science fiction stor ...


Citations


General and cited sources

* * *


External links


The Theodore Sturgeon Page
- an informative and comprehensive fan site
The Theodore Sturgeon Literary Trust
– owners of Sturgeon copyrights, information on Sturgeon publications * Theodore Sturgeon Papers
MS 303
an
MS 254
housed at th
Kenneth Spencer Research Library
University of Kansas
TCSOTS
Listing and cover pictures from the book series The Collected Stories of Theodore Sturgeon * * * *

at Free Speculative Fiction Online

* ttp://efanzines.com/SFC/SteamEngineTime/SET13.pdf The Work of Theodore Sturgeon– lengthy biographical and critical study of Sturgeon {{DEFAULTSORT:Sturgeon, Theodore 1918 births 1985 deaths American horror writers American science fiction writers American speculative fiction critics American speculative fiction editors Hugo Award-winning writers Nebula Award winners People from Springfield, Oregon People from Staten Island Science fiction critics Science Fiction Hall of Fame inductees World Fantasy Award-winning writers 20th-century American novelists American male novelists American atheists Journalists from New York City 20th-century American male writers Novelists from New York (state) American male non-fiction writers Weird fiction writers