Today, February 26, is the birthday of Theodore Sturgeon (1918-1985).
Sturgeon was one of the most highly regarded writers of his day, especially his short fiction. I read “Thunder and Roses” today when I had a few minutes free from work and traveling.
“Thunder and Roses” is a postapocalyptic story in which the United States was attacked by unnamed enemies from both the east and the west.
Instead of retaliating, the government chose to not respond. Continue reading
Today is February 26, which means it’s the birthday of Theodore Sturgeon (1918-1985). I read a great deal of Sturgeon in my teens and early twenties, and over the last few years, I’ve been revisiting some old favorites. “Shottle Bop” is one of those. It’s probably among the top two or three of my favorite stories by him, if not my favorite.
“Shottle Bop” was first published in the February 1942 issue of Unknown. I read it for the first time in Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories Volume 3, 1941. It’s one of Sturgeon’s most reprinted stories and is currently available electronically in Microcosmic God: Volume II of the Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon. Continue reading
“Killdozer!” was first published in the November 1944 issue of Astounding. There are two versions of this novella. It was revised when it was reprinted in Sturgeon’s collection Aliens 4. The revised version is currently available in Killdozer!: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon Volume 3 and in Selected Stories. I’m not sure if the original is currently available. I don’t know what the differences are, and I’m not going to compare the two versions.
I originally read “Killdozer!” in Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 6. I think it’s the original version. Asimov and Greenberg tended to reprint the original versions of any stories that had undergone later revision. That was what I reread it in for this post. Continue reading
“The Professor’s Teddy Bear”
Theodore Sturgeon
Originally published in Weird Tales, March 1948
Currently available in Thunder and Roses Volume IV: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon
ebook $8.99
Things have been extra hectic this last week or two, and I’ve missed several birthdays that I wanted to post about. I’ll do some posts about the authors I wanted to discuss over the next few weeks. Today is Theodore Sturgeon’s birthday, and I didn’t want to miss it. Sturgeon (1918-1985) was born on February 26. He was one of the first sf authors I read as a teenager, and some of his short stories left a big impressions. Continue reading
“It”
Theodore Sturgeon
First published in Unknown, August 1940
After posting the birthday tribute on Theodore Sturgeon yesterday, I downloaded a copy of his Selected Stories (after paying for it, of course). I thought I’ve got all of them in paper and wasn’t sure which one I wanted to get an electronic copy of. So I went with the selected stories. Some of my favorites are missing, such as “Shottle Bop”, but this volume contains some good stuff.
Like the horror classic “It”, which even though it seems to end on an upbeat note, has one of the most chilling last lines you’ll find anywhere. Continue reading
I’m a day late on this one, but Edward Hamilton Waldo, AKA Theodore Sturgeon, was born on February 26, 1918 on Staten Island, New York.
Sturgeon was best known as a short story writer, although he wrote some well received novels, such as More Than Human, The Dreaming Jewels, and the under-appreciated Some of Your Blood.
He got his start writing for Unknown and Astounding in the late 1930s and early 1940s, Much of his best work was done in that time period. 
Outside of science fiction and fantasy he’s probably best known for what has come to be called Sturgeon’s Law: 90% of everything is crap.
I really like Sturgeon’s short fiction, especially his early work. There’s a level of craftsmanship and fun that some of his later works, such as “If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?” lack. Skip that story and go to “It” or “Mewhu’s Jet” or “Yesterday Was Monday.
His first collection was entitled Without Sorcery, which was something of a misnomer since much of it was fantasy. It was reprinted by Ballantine under the title Not Without Sorcery and is an excellent introduction to his work.
There was an attempt in the late 90s and 00s to collect all of Sturgeon’s short fiction between hardcovers. I think I’m missing the last of that set. But if you get a chance, read some of his work. It’s worth seeking out.