Harry Harrison

Harry Harrison, born as Henry Maxwell Dempsey on March 12, 1925, in Stamford, Connecticut, was an acclaimed American science fiction author. He adopted the surname Harrison at the age of 30, unaware that his parents had changed the family name from its original Dempsey. Harrison's father, Leo Dempsey, was of Irish descent and worked as a painter, while his mother was a Jewish immigrant from Russia. Due to his father's profession, Harrison lived in various countries during his childhood, including England, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico, and Italy.

Before embarking on his writing career, Harrison served in the military and developed an interest in Esperanto to combat boredom. This interest later influenced his writing, with Esperanto frequently appearing in his books. Harrison moved to Ireland during the 1970s, where he built a house in County Wicklow and resided with his family for many years. He became an advocate for Esperanto and served as the honorary president of Ireland's Esperanto Association.

Harry Harrison is best known for his science fiction and fantasy novels, particularly his character, the Stainless Steel Rat, and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), which served as the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). Before becoming a novelist, Harrison worked as an artist for EC Comics, contributing to series like Weird Fantasy and Weird Science. He also wrote syndicated comic strips. Harrison's science fiction stories typically featured adventure and satire, often incorporating serious themes. He began his writing career with the publication of Deathworld in 1960, although he had already made significant contributions to the genre before then. Harrison was also a co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group, alongside Brian W. Aldiss.