Gary K. Wolfe (born Gary Kent Wolfe in 1946) is an American

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 uni ...

editor, critic and

biographer Biographers are authors who write an account of another person's life, while autobiographers are authors who write their own biography. Biographers Countries of working life: Ab=Arabia, AG=Ancient Greece, Al=Australia, Am=Armenian, AR=Ancient Rome ...

. He is an emeritus Professor of Humanities in

Roosevelt University Roosevelt University is a private university with campuses in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university was named in honor of United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The unive ...

's Evelyn T. Stone College of Professional Studies.

Life

Wolfe was born on March 24, 1946, in Sedalia, Missouri. He moved to Carrollton, Missouri, at age 12, and to Springfield, at 14, where he finished high school. He began attending Southwest Missouri State College (now University), transferred to

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. T ...

, where he earned a B.A. in English in 1968, and worked for his honors thesis under Professor

James Gunn James Francis Gunn Jr. (born August 5, 1966) is an American filmmaker and executive. He began his career as a screenwriter in the mid-1990s, starting at Troma Entertainment with ''Tromeo and Juliet'' (1997). He then began working as a directo ...

. From there, he transferred to

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...

, where Wolfe earned a Ph.D. in English, in 1971. He was married to Ellen "Dede" Weil, a teacher and

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performe ...

activist, in 1996. They held another wedding celebration at the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts (ICFA) in a pool-side party, attended by many of their friends and colleagues, in March, 1997. Wolfe and Weil were happily married until her death in 2000. Before her death they collaborated on a book about Harlan Ellison, and often attended the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, in Florida.

Writing career

Wolfe has written extensively about

and

fantasy literature Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...

; he is recognized as one of the experts in the field. He has had a monthly review column in ''

Locus Locus (plural loci) is Latin for "place". It may refer to: Entertainment * Locus (comics), a Marvel Comics mutant villainess, a member of the Mutant Liberation Front * ''Locus'' (magazine), science fiction and fantasy magazine ** ''Locus Award' ...

'' since December, 1991 and has written for Salon and other sites. He collaborates with editor

Jonathan Strahan Jonathan Strahan (born 1964, Belfast, Northern Ireland) is an editor and publisher of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. His family moved to Perth, Western Australia in 1968, and he graduated from the University of Western Australia with a ...

on ''The Coode Street Podcast'', a "discussion and digression on science fiction and fantasy" that was launched in May 2010, and is syndicated at Tor.com. In 2016, he taught the course ''How Great Science Fiction Works'' for

The Great Courses The Teaching Company, doing business as Wondrium, is a media production company that produces educational, video and audio content in the form of courses, documentaries, series under two content brands - Wondrium and The Great Courses. The compa ...

Honors

*1979 – Eaton Award from the Eaton Conference on Science Fiction for ''The Known and the Unknown: the Iconography of Science Fiction'' *1987 –

Pilgrim Award The Pilgrim Award is presented by the Science Fiction Research Association for Lifetime Achievement in the field of science fiction scholarship. It was created in 1970 and was named after J. O. Bailey’s pioneering book '' Pilgrims Through Space ...

for Lifetime Achievement from the

Science Fiction Research Association The Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA), founded in 1970, is the oldest, non-profit professional organization committed to encouraging, facilitating, and rewarding the study of science fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media. ...

*1998 – Distinguished Scholarship Award from the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts. *2005 – British Science Fiction Association Award for nonfiction for ''Soundings: Reviews 1992–1996'' He was nominated for the

Hugo Award for Best Related Work The Hugo Award for Best Related Work is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for primarily non-fiction works related to science fiction or fantasy, published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The Hugo Awards have be ...

in 2006 for the book ''Soundings, Reviews 1992–1996,'' and again in 2011, for the book ''Bearings: Reviews 1997–2001''. In addition, along with

, ''The Coode Street Podcast'' has been nominated for the

Hugo Award for Best Fancast The Hugo Award for Best Fancast is one of the Hugo Awards, and is awarded to the best non-professional audio or video periodical devoted to science fiction, fantasy, or related subjects. The Hugo Awards have been described as "a fine showcase for ...

six times.

Bibliography

Books

* * '' David Lindsay'' ( Starmont House, 1979) – A study of the Scottish author who is remembered for his 1920 novel ''

A Voyage to Arcturus ''A Voyage to Arcturus'' is a novel by the Scottish writer David Lindsay, first published in 1920. An interstellar voyage is the framework for a narrative of a journey through fantastic landscapes. The story is set at Tormance, an imaginary pl ...

''. * ''Critical Terms for Science Fiction and Fantasy: A Glossary and Guide to Scholarship'' (Greenwood Press, 1986) – described as a "landmark" work and "an indispensable guide to the sometimes peculiar terminology that has developed both in critical discourse and in popular discussions of fantasy and science fiction" by scholar David Sandner. * '' Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever'' (with Ellen R. Weil,

Ohio State University Press The Ohio State University Press is the university press of Ohio State University. It was founded in 1957. The OSU Press has published approximately 1700 books since its inception. The current director is Tony Sanfilippo, who had previously work ...

, 2002). * ''Soundings: Reviews 1992–1996'' (Beccon Publications, 2005). * ''Bearings: Reviews 1997–2001'' (Beccon Publications, 2010). * ''Evaporating Genres: Essays on Fantastic Literature and Sightings'' (2010) Wesleyan University Press, 978-0-8195-6937-0). * ''Sightings: Reviews 2002–2006'' (Beccon Publications, 2011). * '' American Science Fiction: Four Classic Novels 1953-1956'' (2012) Library of America – ''

The Space Merchants ''The Space Merchants'' is a 1952 science fiction novel by American writers Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth. Originally published in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' magazine as a serial entitled ''Gravy Planet'', the novel was first published ...

'', Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth, ''

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 (" ...

'',

Theodore Sturgeon Theodore Sturgeon (; born Edward Hamilton Waldo, February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985) was an American fiction author of primarily fantasy, science fiction and horror, as well as a critic. He wrote approximately 400 reviews and more than 120 sh ...

, '' The Long Tomorrow'',

Leigh Brackett Leigh Douglass Brackett (December 7, 1915 – March 18, 1978) was an American science fiction writer known as "the Queen of Space Opera." She was also a screenwriter, known for '' The Big Sleep'' (1946), '' Rio Bravo'' (1959), and '' The Long Go ...

, ''

The Shrinking Man ''The Shrinking Man'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Richard Matheson, published in 1956. It has been adapted into a motion picture twice, called ''The Incredible Shrinking Man'' in 1957 and ''The Incredible Shrinking Woman'' in 19 ...

'',

Richard Matheson Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is best known as the author of '' I Am Legend'', a 1954 science fictio ...

. * '' American Science Fiction: Five Classic Novels 1956-1958'' (2012) Library of America – '' Double Star'',

Robert A. 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 ...

, ''

The Stars My Destination ''The Stars My Destination'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Alfred Bester. Set in the 24th or 25th century, which varies between editions of the book, when humans have colonized the Solar System, it tells the story of Gully ull ...

'' by

Alfred Bester Alfred Bester (December 18, 1913 – September 30, 1987) was an American science fiction author, TV and radio scriptwriter, magazine editor and scripter for comic strips and comic books. He is best remembered for his science fiction, incl ...

, ''

A Case of Conscience ''A Case of Conscience'' is a science fiction novel by American writer James Blish, first published in 1958. It is the story of a Jesuit who investigates an alien race that has no religion yet has a perfect, innate sense of morality, a situation ...

'' by

James Blish James Benjamin Blish () was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is best known for his '' Cities in Flight'' novels and his series of ''Star Trek'' novelizations written with his wife, J. A. Lawrence. His novel '' A Case of Conscie ...

, '' Who?'' by

Algis Budrys Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008) was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome (in collaboration with Jerome Bixby), Jo ...

, '' The Big Time'' by

Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright, and chess expert. With writers such as Rober ...

Book reviews

References

External links

* * *
Wolfe, Gary K.
entry 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 ...

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Wolfe, Gary K. 1946 births Living people American speculative fiction critics American speculative fiction editors Science fiction academics Science fiction critics World Fantasy Award-winning writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers Male speculative fiction editors

Life

Writing career

Honors

Bibliography

Books

Book reviews

References

Further reading

External links