John Sladek

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John Thomas Sladek (born December 15, 1937 in Waverly , Iowa , † March 10, 2000 in Edina , Minnesota ) was an American author who wrote primarily science fiction literature. He was known for his satirical and often surreal novels and stories.

Life

Sladek initially studied mechanical engineering, but then switched to English literature. He dropped out of the University of Minnesota in 1959 and worked in a number of different jobs, he traveled through Europe in the 1960s and settled in England. In 1966, his first SF short story, The Poets of Millgrove, Iowa , appeared in Michael Moorcock's British New Wave SF magazine, New Worlds ; a disturbing satire about a returning astronaut who does not feed the small town dwellers who stayed at home with heroic stories after his return from space, but insults them. In the following years he also published satirical SF stories there. He wrote two novels with New Worlds author Thomas M. Disch , which they published under the joint pseudonyms "Cassandra Knye" and "Thom Demijohn". Thom Demijohn's book is a wicked detective novel about a greedy father. When his daughter Alice is made the sole heir of her mother's father and he comes away empty-handed, he stages a kidnapping. Alice is turned into a black woman with skin-tinting drugs and a new hairstyle and is held captive in Virginia in a former funeral home, now a small brothel. The Reproductive System ("The Steel Horde") from 1968 was Sladek's first SF novel. He describes a runaway project of a self-replicating machine. 1970 appeared The Müller-Fokker Effect ("The Müller-Fokker Effect"), a novel about a man whose consciousness was copied on a computer tape, full of swipes at religion, big business, patriotism and men's magazines. Roderick or the Education of a Young Machine ("Roderick or the education of a machine") and Roderick at Random ("Roderick II - teaching and wandering years of a machine") fall back on a widely used literary medium: the description of the turmoil of the world from the point of view of an innocent being. Except that the innocent here is a NASA-developed robot that is raised by a couple in Nebraska after the project is discontinued. The 1983 novel Tik-tok ("Tick-Tack") won the BSFA Award . This time a sociopathic robot that lacks the Asimov circuitry responsible for morality manages to become a US vice-presidential candidate.

Sladek received high praise from SF critics, but was never commercially successful. After his divorce and after eighteen years in London, he returned to the United States, Minneapolis , in 1986, where he remarried in 1994 and worked as a technical writer in the computer industry. At the age of sixty-two, he died in 2000 of a chronic, congenital respiratory disease.

bibliography

The series are arranged according to the year of publication of the first part. If only the title and year are given as the source for short stories, the complete information can be found in the corresponding collection.

Thackeray Phin (crime series)
  • 1 Black Aura (1974)
  • 2 Invisible Green (1977)
Heavens Below: Fifteen Utopias (short story series)
  • 1 Getting There Is (n-1 / n) th the Fun (1975)
  • 2 The Bright Side (1975)
  • 3 Mr. and Ms. America (1975)
  • 4 Empty Promise (1975)
  • 5 The Paradise Problem (1975)
  • 6 What Changed Doyster's Mind (1975)
  • 7 Handout (1975)
  • 8 Assessment (1975)
  • 9 Art News (1975)
  • 10 Pax Gurney (1975)
  • 11 A Fable (1975)
  • 12 Utopia: A Financial Report (1975)
  • 13 Utopiary (1975)
  • 14 luck (1975)
  • 15 A Picnic (1975)
Roderick (series of novels)
  • 1 Roderick or The Education of a Young Machine (1980, also as Roderick )
    • German: Roderick or raising a machine. Droemer Knaur (Knaur Science Fiction & Fantasy # 5750), 1982, ISBN 3-426-05750-6 .
  • 2 Roderick at Random (1983, also as Roderick at Random or The Further Education of a Young Machine )
    • German: Roderick II: Apprenticeship and wandering years of a machine. Droemer Knaur (Knaur Science Fiction & Fantasy # 5773), 1984, ISBN 3-426-05773-5 .
  • Roderick Goes to School (1981, short story)
  • The Complete Roderick (2001, collective edition of 1 and 2)
    • German: Robot Roderick: Childhood and Adolescence of a Gifted Machine. Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 86), 1992, ISBN 3-453-05419-9 .
Novels
  • The House That Fear Built (1966, with Thomas M. Disch, as Cassandra Knye)
  • The Castle and the Key (1967, as Cassandra Knye)
  • The Reproductive System (1968, also as Mechasm )
    • English: The steel horde. 1981.
  • Black Alice (1968, with Thomas M. Disch, also as Thom Demijohn)
  • The Müller-Fokker Effect (1970)
    • German: The Müller-Fokker Effect. 1972.
  • Tik-Tok (1983)
    • German: Tick-Tack. 1985.
  • Bugs (1989)
  • Wholly Smokes (2003)
Collections
  • The Steam-Driven Boy and Other Strangers (1973)
    • English: The Momster and other aliens. 1987.
  • Keep the Giraffe Burning (1977)
  • The Best of John Sladek (1981)
  • Alien Accounts (1982)
    • German: The people are going !. 1984.
  • The Lunatics of Terra (1984)
  • The Book of Clues (1984)
    • German: On a hot track . 24 detective puzzles. Du Mont, Cologne 1987.
  • Maps: The Uncollected John Sladek (2002)
Short stories
  • A Section from the Adventures of IEM (1963)
  • Is There Death on Other Planets? (1966)
    • German: Does death exist on other planets? In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Best Seller (1966)
    • German: The bestseller. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Way to a Man's Heart (1966, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • The Incredible Giant Hot Dog (1966, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • The Babe in the Oven (1966, also called The Secret of the Old Custard )
    • German: The secret of the old pancake. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Poets of Millgrove, Iowa (1966)
  • The Atheist's Bargain (1967, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • The Happy Breed (1967)
    • German: The happy human race. In: Harlan Ellison (Ed.): 15 Science Fiction Stories II. Heyne (Heyne Anthologies # 34), 1970. Also as: The happy species. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Discovery of the Nullitron (1967, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • 1937 AD! (1967)
    • German: Anno Domini 1937. In: The Momster and other aliens. 1987.
  • Masterson and the Clerks (1967)
    • German: Masterson and the staff. In: The people are going! 1984.
  • In the Distance (1968, play)
  • In the Oligocene (1968, also as John Thomas)
  • No Exit: A One-Act Play (1968, play)
  • Publish and Perish (1968, also as John Thomas)
  • Seventh Inning Stretch: A One-Act Play (1968, play)
  • The Design (1968)
  • The Singular Visitor from Not-Yet (1968, also as The Man from Not-Yet )
    • German: The strange visitor from the not-yet. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Just Another Victim (1968)
  • The Switch (1968)
  • Timetable (1968)
  • You Have a Friend at Fengrove National (1968)
  • New Forms (1968)
    • German: New forms. In: Frank Rainer Scheck (ed.): Koitus 80. Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 1970. Also as: New forms. In: The people are going! 1984.
  • Now That I'm Free (1968)
  • The Sublimation World (1968, also as JG B ******)
    • German: The world of sublimation. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Danny's New Friends from Deneb (1968, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • Practical Joke (1968)
  • A Report on the Migrations of Educational Materials (1968)
    • German: A report on the emigration of educational goods. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Letter (1969)
  • The Commentaries (1969)
  • The Communicants (1969)
    • German: The Communicants - Adventure in Management. In: Langdon Jones (Ed.): Neue SF: Volume 2. Fischer Taschenbuch (Fischer Orbit # 32), 1973, ISBN 3-436-01779-5 . Also as: The Communicants: An Adventure in Management. In: The people are going! 1984.
  • The Lost Nose: A Programmed Book (1969)
  • The Master Plan (1969)
  • The Momster (1969)
    • German: Das Momster. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Anxietal Register B (1969)
    • German: Neurosenprofil B. In: The people are loose! 1984.
  • The Aggressor (1969)
    • German: The aggressor. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Alien Territory (1969)
    • German: Foreign Territory. In: Joachim Körber (Ed.): New Worlds. Sphinx (Edition 23), 1983, ISBN 3-85914-410-3 .
  • Secret Identity (1970)
    • German: Secret Identity. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Misinterpreted Letter (1970)
  • 198-, a Tale of "Tomorrow" (1970)
    • German: 198-, a story of "tomorrow". In: The people are going! 1984.
  • A Game of Jump (1971)
  • Comedo (1971)
  • Pemberly's Start-Afresh Calliope or, The New Proteus (1971, also as HG W * lls)
    • German: Pemberlys Neubeginn-Dampforgel or Der Neue Proteus. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Short, Happy Wife of Mansard Eliot (1971)
    • English: The fat and happy woman Mansard Eliot. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Man Who Devoured Books (1971)
  • The Interstate (1971)
    • German: In the intercity bus. In: The people are going! 1984.
  • By an Unknown Hand (1972)
  • The Locked Room (1972)
  • The Steam-Driven Boy (1972)
  • The Purloined Butter (1972, as * dg * r * ll * n P ** and Edgar Allan Poe)
    • German: The stolen thingies: A story by * dg * r * ll * n P **. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Engineer to the Gods (1972, as Hitler IE Bonner and R * b * rt H ** nl ** n)
    • German: Engineer of the Gods. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Broot Force (1972, as Iclick As-I-Move and * s ** c * s * m * v)
    • German: With brutal violence. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Joy Ride (1972, as Barry DuBray and * y Br * db * ry)
    • German: The excursion. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Transcendental Sandwich (1973)
    • English: The transcendental sandwich. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Bill Gets Hep to God! (1973)
  • Flatland (1973)
  • Name (Please Print): (1973)
    • German: Names (please write in block letters!): In: The people are going! 1984.
  • Ralph 4F (1973, as Hugogre N. Backs and H * g * G * rnsb * ck)
    • German: Ralph 4F. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • Solar Shoe-Salesman (1973, as Chipdip K. Kill and Ph * l * p K. D * ck)
    • German: The solar shoe seller. In: Uwe Anton (Ed.): Welcome to Reality: The Nightmares of Philip K. Dick. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 4713, 1990, ISBN 3-453-04298-0 . Also as: The Solar Shoe Seller. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Great Wall of Mexico (1973)
  • One Damned Thing After Another (1973, as A Co-ordainer's Myth and C * rdw ** n * r Sm * th)
    • German: One damn thing at a time. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • The Moon Is Sixpence (1973, as Carl Truhacker and * rth * r C. Cl * rk *)
    • English: The moon is a dime. In: The Momster and Other Aliens. 1987.
  • It Takes Your Breath Away (1974)
  • Peabody Slept Here (1974)
  • The Kindly Ones (1974)
  • Space Shoes of the Gods: An Archaeological Revelation (1974)
  • The Face (1974)
  • Another Look (1975)
  • Heavens Below: Fifteen Utopias (1975)
  • Scenes from Rural Life (1975)
  • Elephant with Wooden Leg (1975)
  • Machine Screw (1975)
    • German: Robot Romance. In: Michael Kubiak (Ed.): Höhenflug. Bastei Lübbe Science Fiction Bestseller # 22044, 1982, ISBN 3-404-22044-7 .
  • The Hammer of Evil, or Career Opportunities at the Pascal Business School (1975)
  • After Flaubert (1976)
  • Undecember (1976)
  • Mystery Diet of the Gods: A Revelation (1976, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • Goodbye, Germany? (1977)
  • Scenes from the Country of the Blind (1977)
    • English: Scenes from the land of the blind. In: The people are going! 1984.
  • The Future of John Sladek (1977)
  • You'd Feel Dizzy (1977)
  • Transplant Your Own Heart - A Do-It-Yourself Guide (1977, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • Breakfast with the Murgatroyds (1978)
  • The Next Dwarf (1979)
    • German: The next dwarf. In: Werner Fuchs (Ed.): Street of the snakes. Droemer Knaur (Knaur Science Fiction & Fantasy # 5761), 1983, ISBN 3-426-05761-1 .
  • Some Mysteries of Birth, Death and Population That Can Now Be Cleared Up (1979)
  • The Brass Monkey (1979)
    • English: The brass monkey. In: Maxim Jakubowski (Ed.): Quasar 2. Bastei Lübbe Science Fiction Bestseller # 22019, 1980, ISBN 3-404-22019-6 .
  • Robot 'Kiss of Life' drama (1979)
  • Guesting (1982)
  • Red Noise (1982)
  • The Entropy Tango: A Comic Romance (1982)
  • An Explanation for the Disappearance of the Moon (1982)
  • Calling All Gumdrops (1983)
  • John Sladek's List of Seven Unexplained Mysteries of Our Time (With Explanations) (1983)
  • Ursa Minor (1983)
  • Answers (1984)
  • Fables (1984)
  • How to Make Major Scientific Discoveries at Home in Your Spare Time (1984)
  • The Island of Dr Circe (1984)
  • The Last of the Whaleburgers (1984)
  • White Hat (1984)
  • Absent Friends (1984)
  • Love Among the Xoids (1984)
  • Stop Evolution in Its Tracks! (1988)
  • Blood and Gingerbread (1990)
  • Radio Cats (1990)
  • Dining Out (1990)
  • Reinventing the Wheel (1992)
  • Sweetly Sings the Chocolate Budgie: A Stirring New Adventure of the Green Magician (2002, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • The Floating Panzer (2002, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • The Marching Raspberries: A Thrilling New Adventure of the Pink Avenger and His Faithful Companion Oxbridge (2002, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • United We Stand Still (2002, with Thomas M. Disch)
  • The Real Martian Chronicles (2010)
Non-fiction
  • The New Apocrypha: A Guide to Strange Sciences and Occult Beliefs (1973)
  • Arachne Rising: The Thirteenth Sign of the Zodiac (1974, as James Vogt)
  • The Cosmic Factor (1978, as James Vogt)
  • Judgment on Jupiter (1980, as Richard A. Tilms)

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The London address of Sladek, Thomas M. Disch and Pamela Zoline is legendary in SF circles [1]
personal data
SURNAME Sladek, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sladek, John Thomas (full name); Sladek, John T. (alternative spelling); As-I-Move, Iclick (pseudonym); B ******, JG (pseudonym); B-, JG (pseudonym); Backs, Hugogre N. (pseudonym); Bonner, Hitler IE (pseudonym); D * ck, Ph * l * p K. (pseudonym); Demijohn, Thom (pseudonym); DuBray, Barry (pen name); G * rnsb * ck, H * g * (pseudonym); H ** nl ** n, R * b * rt (pseudonym); Kill, Chipdip K. (pseudonym); Knye, Cassandra (pen name); * s * m * v, * s ** c (pseudonym); Thomas, John (pseudonym); Truhacker, Carl (pseudonym); W * lls, HG (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American writer
DATE OF BIRTH December 15, 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH Waverly , Iowa
DATE OF DEATH March 10, 2000
Place of death Edina (Minnesota)