John Wyndham

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John Wyndham ([ ˈwindəm ]; actually John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris ; born July 10, 1903 in Dorridge , Warwickshire ; died March 11, 1969 in Steep near Petersfield , Hampshire ) was a British science fiction writer.

Life

Harris was born on July 10, 1903 near Birmingham . His parents separated when he was eight and he grew up in various British boarding schools. After finishing school he worked in various professions as a farmer, graphic designer , advertising specialist and employee. From 1925 he tried his hand at writing, and in 1931 his first short story, Worlds To Barter, appeared in Hugo Gernsback's magazine Wonder Stories under a pseudonym . John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris used numerous pseudonyms that he formed from combinations of his first name and family name, including John Beynon, John Harris, Lucas Parkes, Lucas Benyon and Johnson Harris. A story often appeared under different pseudonyms and changing titles. In addition, he often revised or had his texts revised, which means that it is often unclear which text form should be considered authoritative.

He did not use the name John Wyndham until after World War II . Four of his novels, published in the 1950s, are considered classics of the genre, namely Die Triffids (1951), Wenn der Krake Erwacht (1953), The Chrysalids (1955, in German most recently as rebirth ) and The Midwich Cuckoos (1957, in German most recently as cuckoo children ).

His most famous and successful novel - and with half a million copies sold in the Penguin edition after John Scarborough alone, the most successful science fiction novel of the 20th century - was The Day of the Triffids . The novel has been consistently available in print since its publication. With regard to The Triffids , in which all people go blind with a few exceptions and humanity is then further decimated by mutated mobile plants with poisonous spines - the eponymous Triffids - Brian W. Aldiss coined the term Cozy Catastrophe , the apocalypse, which brings with it some inconvenience, but after which you can arrange it comfortably in the depopulated world with some common sense - provided you are one of the survivors.

The word "Triffid" has entered the vernacular in English as a term for a malicious or dangerous plant and shows how widespread Wyndham's novels were and still are, for example the saying Say it with flowers - give her a triffid! ("Say it with flowers - give her a triffid!") Meanwhile on T-shirts, coffee mugs and license plates.

Some of his works were made into films, such as The Day Of The Triffids as Flowers of Terror and The Midwich Cuckoos twice as The Village of the Damned (1960) and The Village of the Damned (1995) . The first version from 1960 was realized by Wolf Rilla , the second from 1995 was directed by John Carpenter and Christopher Reeve took the lead role.

bibliography

Troons (series of short stories, with Lucas Parkes)
  • The Space Station AD 1994 (1958, also as The Troons of Space , also as For All the Night )
    • German: 1994 - The space station. In: Reaching for the Stars. 1965.
  • The Moon AD 2044 (1958, also as The Moon , also as Idiot's Delight , 1958, also as The Troons of Space - The Moon AD 2044 )
    • German: 2044 - the moon. In: Reaching for the Stars. 1965.
  • Mars AD 2094 (1958, also as The Troons of Space - Mars AD 2094 , also as The Thin Gnat-Voices )
    • German: 2094 - The Mars. In: Reaching for the Stars. 1965.
  • Venus AD 2144 (1958, also as The Troons of Space - Venus AD 2144 , also as Space Is a Province of Brazil )
    • German: 2144-Die Venus. In: Reaching for the Stars. 1965.
  • The Asteroids, 2194 (1960, also as The Emptiness of Space: The Asteroids AD 2194 , also as The Emptiness of Space )
  • The Outward Urge (1959, collection)
    • German: Reach for the Stars. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 3055 1965.
Novels
  • Foul Play Suspected (1935, as John Beynon)
  • The Secret People (1935, also as John Beynon or John Beynon Harris)
    • German: The hidden people. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 3371, 1974, ISBN 3-453-30248-6 .
  • Stowaway to Mars (1936, also as The Space Machine , 1937, also as Planet Plane , 1936, as John Beynon)
    • German: The trip to Mars. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 3359, 1973, ISBN 3-453-30236-2 .
  • The Day of the Triffids (1951, also as Revolt of the Triffids , 1951, also as The Triffids , 1973)
    • English: The Triffids . Translated by Hubert Greifeneder. Süddeutscher Verlag, 1955. Also: Heyne (Heyne General Series # 39), 1960. Also as: The Triffids. Translation by Hubert Greifeneder revised by Inge Seelig. Heinrich & Hahn, 2006, ISBN 3-86597-036-2 . Also as: Heyne (Masterpieces of Science Fiction), 2012, ISBN 978-3-453-52875-8 .
  • The Kraken Wakes (1953, also called Out of the Deeps )
    • German: Colony in the sea? Translated by Lothar Heinecke. Goldmann (Goldmanns Zukunftsromane # 19) 1961. Also as: When the octopus wakes up . Suhrkamp (Fantastic Library # 212 / Suhrkamp Taschenbuch # 1535), 1988, ISBN 3-518-38035-4 .
  • The Chrysalids (1955, also called Re-Birth )
    • German: Who does the earth belong to? Translated by Tony Westermayr. Goldmann (Goldmanns Zukunftsromane # 15), 1961. Also as: Rebirth. Suhrkamp (Fantastic Library # 192), 1988, ISBN 3-518-37886-4 (text as Goldmann translation).
  • The Midwich Cuckoos (1957, also called Village of the Damned , 1960)
    • German: It happened on day X… Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 3039, 1965. Also as: It happened on day X. The best (On the way into the world of tomorrow # 119), 1990, ISBN 3-87070-361-X . Also as: cuckoo children. Translated by Christiane Schreiter. Suhrkamp (Fantastic Library # 277 / Suhrkamp Taschenbuch # 1893), 1991, ISBN 3-518-38393-0 .
  • Trouble with Lichen (1960)
    • English: Trouble with immortality. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 3207, 1970.
  • Chocky (1968)
  • Web (1979)
  • Plan for Chaos (2009)
Collections
  • Jizzle (1954)
  • The Seeds of Time (1956)
    • German: Die Kobaltblume. Goldmann (Goldmanns Zukunftsromane # 14), 1960. Also: Suhrkamp (Fantastic Library # 202 / Suhrkamp Taschenbuch # 1474), 1988, ISBN 3-518-37974-7 .
  • Tales of Gooseflesh and Laughter (1956)
  • Consider Her Ways and Others (1961)
  • The Infinite Moment (1961)
  • Sleepers of Mars (1973)
  • The Best of John Wyndham (1973, also as The Man from Beyond and Other Stories , 1975)
  • Wanderers of Time (1973)
  • The Best of John Wyndham 1932-1949 (1975)
  • The Best of John Wyndham 1951-1960 (1977)
  • Exiles on Asperus (1979)
  • No Place Like Earth (2003)
Short stories

If only the title and year are given as the source for short stories, the complete information can be found in the corresponding collective edition.

  • Worlds to Barter (1931, also as John Beynon or John B. Harris)
  • The Lost Machine (1932, also as John Beynon or John B. Harris)
  • The Venus Adventure (1932, also as John Beynon or John B. Harris)
    • German: Call of Venus. In: Science-Fiction-Stories 42. Ullstein 2000 # 79 (3089), 1974, ISBN 3-548-03089-0 .
  • The Stare (1932)
  • Exiles on Asperus (1933, as John Beynon Harris)
  • Wanderers of Time (1933, also as Wanderers of Time by John Beynon Harris and as Love in Time , 1945, by Johnson Harris)
  • The Third Vibrator (1933, also as by John Beynon Harris)
  • Spheres of Hell (1933, also as The Puff-Ball Menace , also as John Beynon Harris or John Beynon)
  • Invisible Monster (1933, also as John Beynon or John B. Harris)
  • The Moon Devils (1934, also as The Last Lunarians , 1938, also as John Beynon Harris)
  • The Man from Earth (1934, also as The Man from Beyond , also as John Beynon or John B. Harris or John Beynon Harris)
    • German: The man from the past. In: Roger Elwood (ed.): The dream planet. Pabel-Moewig (Terra Astra # 240), 1976.
  • The Cathedral Crypt (1935, as John Beynon Harris)
  • The Perfect Creature (1937, also as Female of the Species or Una , also as John Beynon)
    • German: Una. Translated by Leopold Voelker. In: Just a Martian Woman and Other Science Fiction Stories. Ullstein Books # 248, 1959. Also called: The female of the species. Translated by Erik Simon . In: Peter Haining (Ed.): Scheibenwahn. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 9037, 1999, ISBN 3-453-15602-1 .
  • Sleepers of Mars (1938)
  • Child of Power (1939, as Wyndham Parkes)
  • Derelict of Space (1939, as John Beynon)
  • The Trojan Beam (1939, as John Beynon)
  • Judson's Annihilator (1939, also as Beyond the Screen , 1938, also as John Beynon)
  • Vengeance by Proxy (1940, as John Beynon)
  • Meteor (1941, also as Phoney Meteor , also as John Beynon or John Beynon Harris)
    • German: Meteor. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • The Living Lies (1946, as John Beynon)
  • Technical Slip (1949, as John Beynon or John Beynon Harris)
  • Jizzle (1949)
    • German: Jizzles Models. Translated by Ingrid Neumann. In: AD Krauss, HW Mommers (Ed.): 22 horror stories. Heyne (Heyne anthologies # 16), 1966. Also as: Schissl. Translated by Jürgen Abel . In: Peter Haining (Ed.): Ungeheuer. Fischer Taschenbuch (Fischer Taschenbücher # 1417), 1973, ISBN 3-436-01806-6 .
  • Adaptation (1949, as John Beynon)
  • Time to Rest (1949, also as John Beynon)
    • English: Wanderer on Mars. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • The Eternal Eve (1950)
  • Pawley's Peepholes (1951, also called Operation Peep )
    • German: Today tour guide. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • The Red Stuff (1951, as John Beynon)
  • And the Walls Came Tumbling Down (1951)
  • A Present from Brunswick (1951)
  • Bargain from Brunswick (1951)
  • No Place Like Earth (1951, also as Tyrant and Slave-Girl on Planet Venus , also as John Beynon)
  • Pillar to Post (1951)
    • German: The time duel. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • Affair of the Heart (1952)
  • The Wheel (1952)
  • Survival (1952)
  • Dumb Martian (1952, also called Out of This World , 1996)
    • German: Just a Martian woman. Translated by Leopold Voelker. In: Just a Martian Woman and Other Science Fiction Stories. Ullstein Books # 248, 1959. Also called: Whoever Laughs Last. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • Time Out (1953)
  • Close Behind Him (1953)
  • Time Stops Today (1953)
  • Chinese Puzzle (1953, also as A Stray from Cathay )
  • Chronoclasm (1953)
    • German: visit from the future. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: The cobalt flower. 1960. Also called: The Chronoklasm. Translated by Yoma Cap. In: Wolfgang Jeschke , Frederik Pohl (Ed.): Titan 1. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 3487, 1976, ISBN 3-453-30357-1 .
  • Reservation Deferred (1953)
  • More Spinned Against (1953)
  • Confidence Trick (1953)
  • How Do I Do? (1953)
  • Esmeralda (1954)
  • Heaven Scent (1954)
  • Look Natural, Please! (1954)
  • Never on Mars (1954, as John Beynon)
  • Perforce to Dream (1954)
  • Opposite Numbers (1954)
    • German: Spiegelbild. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • Compassion Circuit (1954)
  • Wild Flower (1955)
    • German: Die Kobaltblume. In: The cobalt flower. 1960.
  • Consider Her Ways (1956)
    • German: Go to the ant! In: Wolfgang Jeschke (Ed.): Heyne Science Fiction Annual Volume 1985. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy # 4183, 1985, ISBN 3-453-31160-4 . Also as: Go to the ant. In: Arnulf D. Krauss, Helmuth W. Mommers (Ed.): 8 Science Fiction Stories. Heyne (Heyne Anthologies # 23), 1967.
  • The Triffid (1957)
  • But a Kind of Ghost (1957)
  • The Meddler (1958)
  • A Long Spoon (1960)
  • Odd (1961)
  • Oh, Where, Now, Is Peggy MacRafferty? (1961)
  • Random Quest (1961)
  • A Stitch in Time (1961)
    • German: experiment with small mistakes. In: Charlotte Winheller (Ed.): Saturn in the morning light. Heyne General Series # 214, 1963.
  • It's a Wise Child (1962, also as Wise Child , 1967)
  • Chocky (1963)
  • From The Day of the Triffids (1964)
  • In Outer Space There Shone a Star (1965)
  • A Life Postponed (1968)
  • Vivisection (2000, as JWB Harris)
  • Blackmoil (2003)

Film adaptations

literature

items
  • Brian W. Aldiss : Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction. Atheneum, 1986, ISBN 0-689-11839-2 , pp. 252-255.
  • Vivian Beynon Harris: My Brother, John Wyndham: A Memoir. In: Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction 28 (Spring 1999), pp. 5-50.
  • David Ketterer : Questions and Answers: The Life and Fiction of John Wyndham. In: The New York Review of Science Fiction 16 (March 2004).
  • David Ketterer: The Genesis of the Triffids. In: The New York Review of Science Fiction 16 (March 2004), pp. 11-14.
  • David Ketterer: John Wyndham and the Sins of His Father: Damaging Disclosures in Court. In: Extrapolation 46 (Summer 2005), pp. 163-188.
  • David Ketterer: 'Vivisection': Schoolboy John Wyndham's First Publication? In: Science Fiction Studies 78 (July 1999), pp. 303-311. Expanded and corrected in: Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction 29 (Summer 2000), pp. 70-84.
  • David Ketterer: 'A Part of the… Family': John Wyndham's “The Midwich Cuckoos” as Estranged Autobiography. In: Patrick Parrinder (Ed.) Learning From Other Worlds: Estrangement, Cognition and the Politics of Science Fiction and Utopia. University of Liverpool Press, Liverpool 2001, pp. 146-177.
  • David Ketterer: When and Where Was John Wyndham Born? In: Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction 42 (Summer 2012/13), pp. 22–39.
  • David Ketterer: John Wyndham: The Facts of Life Sextet. In: David Seed (Ed.): A Companion to Science Fiction. Blackwell, Oxford 2003, pp. 375-388.
  • David Ketterer: John Wyndham's World War III and His Abandoned “Fury of Creation” Trilogy. In: David Seed (Ed.): Future Wars: The Anticipations and the Fears. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool 2012, pp. 103-129.
  • David Ketterer: John B. Harris's Mars Rover on Earth. In: Science Fiction Studies 41 (July 2014), pp. 474–475.
  • John Scarborough: John Wyndham, 1903-1969. In: Everett Franklin Bleiler : Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of the Major Authors From the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day. Scribner, 1982, ISBN 0-684-16740-9 , pp. 219-224.
  • Phil Stephensen-Payne: John Wyndham: Creator of the Cozy Catastrophe: A Working Bibliography. Galactic Central Publications, Leeds, West Yorkshire 2001, ISBN 1-871133-58-0 .
Monographs
  • Amy Binns: Hidden Wyndham: life, love, letters , Hebden Bridge: Grace Judson Press, 2019, ISBN 978-0-9927567-1-0
Lexicons

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Wyndham entry at Merriam-Webster , accessed March 7, 2012
  2. ^ John Scarborough: John Wyndham, 1903-1969. In: Everett Franklin Bleiler: Science Fiction Writers. Scribner, 1982, ISBN 0-684-16740-9 , p. 219.
  3. ^ Brian Aldiss: Billion Year Spree: The True History of Science Fiction. Doubleday 1973, ISBN 0-385-08887-6 , p. 293.


personal data
SURNAME Wyndham, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Harris, John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon (real name); Beynon, John (pseudonym); Harris, John Beynon (pseudonym); Harris, John B. (pen name); Harris, Johnson (pen name); Harris, JWB (pseudonym); Parkes, Lucas (pseudonym); Parkes, Wyndham (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British science fiction writer
DATE OF BIRTH July 10, 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH Dorridge , Warwickshire
DATE OF DEATH March 11, 1969
Place of death Steep at Petersfield , Hampshire