Oldest Living SF Writers
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Below is a list of oldest science fiction and fantasy writers still with us, so far as we know. (We are looking at professional publishing, more than just a fan with a couple obscure stories.)
Compare to Most Senior SF Writer (based on the length of active career; the title Dean of Science Fiction was used for some of those) and see also Most Senior Fan.
For writers who sadly have been removed from the table, view history of the page or ISFDB below.
| Born | First published | Latest sf[1] | Who? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1920 | 1971 | 1979 | Basil Jackson |
| Dec 1920 | 2010 | 2011 | Christine Grenville |
| 1920 | 1976 | 1988 | Frank Dartal |
| 1921 | 1958 | 1959 | John W. Ashton |
| 1921 | 1963 | 1990 | Joan Clarke |
| Sep 1923 | 1981 | 2022 | David Osborn |
| 1923 | 1991 | 1995 | Courtway Jones |
| Jan 1924 | 1973 | 2007 | Richard Rohmer |
| Apr 1924 | 1985 | 1995 | William Beechcroft |
| Oct 1925 | 1957 | 1975 | Edward Ormondroyd |
| Oct 1925 | 1981 | 1996 | Wilanne Schneider Belden |
| Jul 1926 | 1964 | 2010 | Patricia Coombs |
| Aug 1926 | 1952 | 1954 | Mari Wolf |
| Sep 1926 | 1975 | 1985 | Alfred Slote |
| 1926 | 1951 | 1961 | Peter Hawkins |
| 1926 | 1971 | 1985 | Beverly Keller |
| 1926 | 1986 | 2016 | John Gilbert |
| 1926 | 1995 | 2001 | Jackie Shank |
| Jan 1927 | 1979 | 2016 | George W. Harper |
| Apr 1927 | 1973 | 1987 | Barbara Ireson |
| May 1927 | 1963 | 2022 | Roberto Vacca |
| Sep 1927 | 1971 | 1981 | Ralph Hayes |
| Nov 1927 | 1983 | 2003 | Julian F. Thompson |
| Nov 1927 | 1961 | 2023 | David Ely |
| 1927 | 1976 | 1987 | John Halkin |
| 1927 | 1980 | 2021 | Charles Robertson |
| Jan 1928 | 1983 | 1983 | Desmond Morris |
| Apr 1928 | 1961 | 2013 | Cynthia Ozick |
| May 1928 | 1968 | 1985 | Julia Birley |
| May 1928 | 1985 | 1987 | Patricia Wendorf |
| Jun 1928 | 1983 | 2004 | James Lincoln Collier |
| Jul 1928 | 1980 | 2007 | Jane Gardam |
| Jul 1928 | 1950 | 2020 | Allen Kim Lang |
| Aug 1928 | 1953 | 2015 | Tony Thorne |
| Aug 1928 | 1968 | 1968 | John Hay |
| Sep 1928 | 1975 | 1984 | Shulamith Oppenheim |
| Sep 1928 | 1970 | 1976 | Donald S. Rowland |
| Nov 1928 | 1970 | 1978 | Anthony Storey |
| Nov 1928 | 1962 | 1986 | Michael Chester |
| 1928 | 1962 | 1976 | Robert Ray |
| 1928 | 1979 | 1981 | Roger Perry |
| 1928 | 1998 | 1998 | Lawrie Ryan |
| Feb 1929 | 1978 | 1978 | Len Deighton |
| Apr 1929 | 1976 | 2008 | Kenneth McKenney |
| May 1929 | 1983 | 2001 | Kenneth Ireland |
| Aug 1929 | 1948 | 1997 | X. J. Kennedy |
| Sep 1929 | 1983 | 1997 | Mary Caraker |
| Dec 1929 | 1968 | 1999 | Lael Littke |
| 1929 | 1961 | 1964 | William Butler |
| Jan 1931 | 1962 | 2023 | Joseph L. Green |
| Jul 1931 | 1951 | 2008 | Dean McLaughlin |
| Aug 1931 | 1999 | 1999 | Roger Penrose |
| Aug 1931 | 1979 | 2011 | Maurice Gee |
| Nov 1931 | 1972 | 1985 | Nina Beachcroft |
| Apr 1932 | 1984 | 2014 | Dennis L. McKiernan |
| Jul 1932 | 1971 | 2009 | Tom Robbins |
| 1932 | 1980 | 1987 | Madeline Rose |
| Feb 1933 | 1967 | 1990 | Juanita Coulson |
| Mar 1933 | 1970 | 2008 | Penelope Lively |
| Aug 1934 | 1963 | 2023 | Piers Anthony |
| Oct 1934 | 1960 | 2021 | Alan Garner |
| Jan 1935 | 1954 | 2024 | Robert Silverberg |
| Feb 1935 | 1951 | 2019 | R. L. Fanthorpe |
| Apr 1935 | 1981 | 2024 | Jack McDevitt |
| May 1935 | 1955 | 2019 | Susan Cooper |
| Jun 1935 | 1965 | 1992 | Josephine Saxton |
| Jun 1935 | 1988 | 1988 | Nikolai Tolstoy |
| Oct 1935 | 1980 | 2023 | Sheila Finch |
| Feb 1936 | 1980 | 2011 | Jean M. Auel |
| Mar 1936 | 1970 | 1991 | Marge Piercy |
| Oct 1936 | 1979 | 2006 | Robert Ingpen |
| Nov 1936 | 1971 | 2020 | Don DeLillo |
| May 1937 | 1963 | 2013 | Thomas Pynchon |
| Feb 1938 | 1962 | 2023 | Ted White |
| Mar 1938 | 1964 | 2014 | Michael Kurland |
| Apr 1938 | 1964 | 2022 | Larry Niven |
| Jun 1938 | 1963 | 2023 | Joyce Carol Oates |
| Jun 1938 | 1958 | 2022 | Lawrence Block |
| Nov 1938 | 1971 | 2005 | William Kotzwinkle |
| Feb 1939 | 1968 | 2024 | Jane Yolen |
| Feb 1939 | 1978 | 1990 | Gerald Murnane |
| Apr 1939 | 1957 | 2024 | Peter S. Beagle |
| Jul 1939 | 1979 | 2011 | Victor Kelleher |
| Nov 1939 | 1964 | 2023 | Margaret Atwood |
| Dec 1939 | 1956 | 2024 | Michael Moorcock |
- Oldest Living Writers list at ISFDB – includes mostly those obscure enough that no death report could be found, but cut off to range between 85 and 116 years
- Oldest Non-Living Writers list at ISFDB.
| Miscellaneous |
| This is a miscellaneous page |
