Fan History

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(Do you mean Lee Hoffman's apazine or Joe Siclari’s fanzine?)


Fanhistory is, of course, the history of fandom, an absorbing subject worth study. Timebinding forms a major component of trufandom, and has since fandom's earliest days, fans being an analytical bunch. Fans who take an almost sercon interest in fanhistory and write about it are, obviously, fanhistorians.

The two most famous fanhistorians were Jack Speer, who wrote the first stand-alone history of fandom, Up to Now, in 1939, and the first edition of Fancyclopedia, and Harry Warner, Jr., who wrote two books on fandom.

FanHistoriCon, an irregularly scheduled get-together, offers programming of interest to fanhistory buffs, as, often, do the fanzine conventions Corflu and Ditto. Sadly, few other conventions bother.

See also: Fanhistory Resources, Fan Memoirs.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
History For that of our little microcosm, you are referred to such entries as that for Fandom and Conventions. In various fan groups historical series have been presented from time to time, as Harry Warner's "When We Were Very Young" and Dan McPhail's "From Out of the Past" articles in FAPA, Wrai Ballard's "Tiny Acorn" in SAPS, and Warner's "All Our Yesterdays" in general fanmags.

Fanzines with useful articles on fanhistory[edit]

Some major books of fanhistory[edit]

Title Pub. Editor Notes
Up to Now 1939 Jack Speer The first history of science fiction fandom was originally circulated as mimeographed fanzine in the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA). Much of the material covered in Moskowitz' is here in shorter and less vitriolic form.
The Immortal Storm 1954 Sam Moskowitz A book-length study of the Sturm und Drang in fandom in the '30s.
Explorers of the Infinite 1963 Sam Moskowitz Book of articles on the predecessors of modern SF. This does not cover fandom per se but is useful to understand the starting point out of which modern SF and fandom grew in the '30s.
All Our Yesterdays 1969 Harry Warner, Jr. A book-length study of the history of fandom in the '40s.
A Wealth of Fable 1977-81, 1992 Harry Warner, Jr. A book-length study of the history of fandom in the '50s. The original version was published in three mimeographed volumes. A hardback version with unapproved revisions was published in 1992.
The Futurians 1977 Damon Knight A book about the Futurians which covers their pro careers as well as their fannish life.
The Way the Future Was 1979 Fred Pohl Fred Pohl's memoir of his career which includes a lot about early fandom and the the Futurians.
A History of Australian Science Fiction Fandom 1935 -- 1963 1980 Vol Molesworth Reprinted in issues 82 to 87 of The Mentor.
The Science Fiction Reference Book 1981 edited by Marshall B. Tymn A hefty book-length collection with an academic bent. It has nearly 200 pages on science fiction fandom.
The Little Fandom That Could 1983 Bill Patterson Describing Phoenix fandom from its start to Iguanacon
Years of Light 1982 John R. Colombo About Les Croutch's fan days and early Canadian fandom.
Over My Shoulder 1983 Lloyd Arthur Eschbach A book-length memoir of his time in fandom and personal history of the small press publishers of which he was the one of the most successful.
The History of Science Fiction Fandom in ... New Zealand .... 1981 Nigel Rowe A 23-page history of fandom in New Zealand
Timeless Sands 1983 Nigel Rowe History of fandom in New Zealand
Then 1988-93, 2016 Rob Hansen A chronological history of British Fandom from its beginnings in the 1930s to the 1980s. The original mimeographed version is available here. A slightly updated digital version is available here. The much expanded one-volume book version appeared in 2016.
Science Fiction Fandom 1994 edited by Joe Sanders A book-length collection on all aspects of science fiction fandom.
Australian Fan History 1953-1966 ~1999 John Foyster
With Stars in My Eyes 2004 Peter Weston A personal history of Weston's life in British fandom from the 1960s to 2000.
Arthur C. Clarke: A Life Remembered Fred Clarke Includes much history of 30s and 40s UK fandom.
The Visual History of Science Fiction Fandom 2020-21 David Ritter A huge, lavishly illustrated history of fandom in the 30s (Volume 1) and 1940 (Volume 2).
Proud and Lonely — a History of Science Fiction Fandom in Australia 2024 Leigh Edmonds Part one (1936-1961) of a history of Australian fandom from 1936 to 1975

Websites with useful fanhistory material[edit]


Fanhistory
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