Lester del Rey

Lester del Rey was a prominent figure in the science fiction genre as both an author and an editor. He was born in Minnesota and grew up in Minnesota and South Dakota. Del Rey began his career in science fiction by publishing his works in pulp magazines in the 1930s. However, he did not become a full-time author until 1951, and he continued to write and publish his works until the late 1970s.

Del Rey's writing career was marked by his prolific output and his versatility as a writer. He published numerous short stories, novellas, and novels, many of which were featured in popular science fiction magazines of the time, such as Astounding Science-Fiction and Galaxy Science Fiction. Del Rey's works often explored themes of social and political commentary, and he was known for his vivid world-building and character development.

In addition to his work as an author, Del Rey was also a respected editor in the science fiction field. He was the editor for the Winston Science Fiction series in the 1950s, which aimed to provide young readers with accessible and engaging science fiction stories. Del Rey also co-edited Del Rey Books, a fantasy and science fiction imprint of Ballantine Books, with his fourth wife, Judy-Lynn del Rey. Under his guidance, Del Rey Books published works by notable authors such as Stephen R. Donaldson, Terry Brooks, and Anne McCaffrey.

Throughout his career, Del Rey wrote under various pseudonyms, including Philip St. John, Kenneth Wright, Eric Van Lihn, and Edson McCann. His works were highly regarded and won him several awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 1966 for "The Eleventh Commandment." Del Rey's contributions to the science fiction genre as both an author and an editor have left a lasting impact on the field and continue to be celebrated to this day.