Fredric Brown

(1906 -- 1972)

Fredric William Brown was a SF and mystery writer who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He is perhaps best known for his use of humor and for his mastery of the "short, short" form. Humor carried over into his novels as well. One of his stories, "Arena," was adapted as an episode of the Star Trek TV series.

His classic SF novel What Mad Universe (1949) is a parody of pulp SF story conventions. The novel functions both as a critique of its genre and a superior example of it. The Lights in the Sky Are Stars (1952) tells the story of an aging astronaut who is trying to get his beloved space program back on track after Congress has cut off the funds for it. His other genre books included Space On My Hands (1951), Angels and Spaceships (1954), Martians, Go Home (1955), Star Shine (1956), Rogue in Space (1957), The Mind Thing (1961), Nightmares and Geezanstacks (1961), and The Best of Fredric Brown (1977).

NESFA Press collected Brown's complete short SF and an omnibus of novels.

He occasionally used the pseudonym of Felix Graham.

Awards, Honors and GoHships:

• 1946 -- Best Short Story Retro Hugo, Best Novelette Retro Hugo nominee
• 2012 -- Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award
• Brown's mystery novel, The Fabulous Clipjoint, won an Edgar Award for outstanding first mystery novel.

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Person

1906—1972

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