Mark Clifton

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Mark Irvin Clifton (born 1906 in Philadelphia ; † November 1963 ) was an American science fiction writer and businessman.

Most of his stories belong either to the "Bossy" series (which he partly wrote together with Frank Riley and Alex Apostolides ) or to the "Ralph Kennedy" series (which, with one exception, he wrote as the sole author). His greatest success was the award of his novel Computer of Immortality (original title They'd Rather Be Right , written together with Frank Riley) with the Hugo in 1955.

Clifton worked as a psychologist in human resources until around 1950 and was involved in the statistical analysis of over 200,000 questionnaires. The insights gained in the process also had an impact on his literary work. Barry N. Malzberg wrote in the introduction to The Science Fiction of Mark Clifton :

"Clifton was an innovator in the early 1950s and such an impressive innovator that his approach has become standard among science fiction writers. He used the common themes of science fiction — alien invasion, expanding technology, revolution against political theocracy, and space colonization — but unlike any writer before him, he imposed upon these standard themes the full range of sophisticated psychological insight. "

“An innovator in the early 1950s, Clifton was so successful that his approach became the norm in science fiction. He dealt with the usual subjects - alien invasion, technical upheaval, uprisings against a political theocracy, colonies in space - but unlike anyone before him, he treated these standard subjects with all the tools of the scientific psychologist. "

In 2010 he was posthumously awarded the Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award .

bibliography

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

Ralph Kennedy (short stories)
  • What Thin Partitions (in: Astounding Science Fiction, September 1953 ; with Alex Apostolides)
  • Sense from Thought Divide (in: Astounding Science Fiction, March 1955 )
  • How Allied (in: Astounding Science Fiction, March 1957 )
  • Remembrance and Reflection (in: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, January 1958 ; also: Remembrance & Reflexion , 1965)
  • When They Come from Space (Roman, 1961; also: Pawn of the Black Fleet , 2011)
Bossy (short stories)
  • Crazy Joey (in: Astounding Science Fiction, August 1953 ; with Alex Apostolides)
    • German: Telepaths undesirable. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.
  • Hide! Hide! Witch! (in: Astounding Science Fiction, December 1953 ; with Alex Apostolides)
    • German: Bossy. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.
  • They'd Rather Be Right (novel, 4 parts in: Astounding Science Fiction, August 1954  ff .; also: The Forever Machine , 1958; also: They'D Rather Be Right ; with Frank Riley )
    • German: Computer of Immortality. Translated by Walter Brumm. Moewig (Terra Taschenbuch # 119), 1967.
Novels
  • Eight Keys to Eden (1960)
    • English: The mountain of quartz. Translated by Tony Westermayr. Goldmanns Zukunftsromane # 18, 1961. Also as: Goldmann Weltraum-TB # 40, 1962.
Collections
  • The Science Fiction of Mark Clifton (1980)
    • English: Mac Kenzie's experiment. Translated by Tony Westermayr. Goldmann's Science Fiction # 33, 1962.
  • The Second Golden Age of Science Fiction Megapack (2014)
  • The Kenzie Report (not published)
  • What Have I Done? : The Stories of Mark Clifton (2020)
Short stories

1952:

  • What Have I Done? (in: Astounding Science Fiction, May 1952 )
    • German: What did I do? Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.
  • Star, Bright (in: Galaxy Science Fiction, July 1952 ; also: Star Bright , 1954)
    • German: Children's games. Translated by Lothar Heinecke . In: Galaxy Science Fiction, # 6. Moewig, 1958.
  • The Conqueror (in: Astounding Science Fiction, August 1952 )
    • German: The Conqueror. Translated by Werner Baumann. In: Utopia Science Fiction Magazine, # 17. Pabel, 1958.
  • Star, Bright (1952)
    • German: Children's games. Translated by Lothar Heinecke. In: Lothar Heinecke (Ed.): Galaxis 6. Moewig Galaxis # 6, 1958.

1953:

  • The Kenzie Report (in: If, May 1953 )
    • English: Mac Kenzie's experiment. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.
  • Bow Down to Them (in: Universe Science Fiction, Jun 1953 )
  • Progress Report (in: If, July 1953 ; with Alex Apostolides)
  • Solution Delayed (in: Astounding Science Fiction, July 1953 ; with Alex Apostolides)
  • We're Civilized! (in: Galaxy Science Fiction, August 1953 ; also: Civilized , 1954; with Alex Apostolides)
    • German: We are not savages. Translated by Lothar Heinecke. In: Galaxy Science Fiction, # 8. Moewig, 1958. Also as: We're not savages! Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962. Also as: We are civilized! Translated by Heinz Nagel. In: Brian W. Aldiss and Wolfgang Jeschke (eds.): Titan 18. Heyne SF&F # 3920, 1982, ISBN 3-453-30846-8 .
  • Reward for Valor (in: Universe Science Fiction, September 1953 ; also: Reward for Valor , 1956)
  • Crazy Joe (1953; with Alex Apostolides)
    • German: Telepaths undesirable. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.
  • The Kenzie Report (1953)
    • English: Mac Kenzie's experiment. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.

1955:

  • A Woman's Place (in: Galaxy Science Fiction, May 1955 )
  • Sense from Thought Divide (1955)

1956:

  • Clerical Error (in: Astounding Science Fiction, February 1956 )
    • German: The typo. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.

1958:

  • The Dread Tomato Addiction (in: Astounding Science Fiction, February 1958 )
  • Do Unto Others (in: If, June 1958 )

1959:

  • What Now, Little Man? (in: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1959 )
    • German: The measure of all things. Translated by Tony Westermayr. In: Mac Kenzie's experiment. 1962.

1962:

  • Hang Head, Vandal! (in: Amazing Stories, April 1962 )

literature

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Clifton, Mark
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Clifton, Mark Irvin (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American science fiction writer
DATE OF BIRTH 1906
PLACE OF BIRTH Philadelphia
DATE OF DEATH November 1963