Robert Sheckley Writer Date of Birth: 16.06.1928 Country: USA

1. Biography of Robert Sheckley
2. Early Writing Career
3. Transition to Novels and Film Adaptations
4. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Robert Sheckley

Robert Sheckley was a renowned American science fiction writer, author of several novels and numerous philosophical, satirical, and fantastical short stories. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in New Jersey. As a child, he was fascinated by the works of Ray Bradbury, Theodore Sturgeon, and Henry Kuttner. After completing high school, Sheckley served in the Korean War from 1946 to 1948, and later attended New York University, specializing in humanities. He also took a literature course taught by Irving Shaw. Upon graduating, Sheckley worked at a metallurgical plant.

Early Writing Career

Starting from 1951, Sheckley began submitting his stories to various science fiction magazines, publishing hundreds of works over the next few years. During this period, he also wrote 15 episodes for the television series "Captain Video" and 60 five-minute novellas for the radio series "Behind the Green Door," which were narrated by renowned actor Basil Rathbone. Sheckley's stories were published in several collections, including "Untouched by Human Hands" (1954), "Citizen in Space" (1955), "Pilgrimage to Earth" (1957), "Notions: Unlimited" (1960), "Store of Infinity" (1960), "Shards of Space" (1963), "The People Trap" (1967), "Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?" (1971), "The Robot Who Looked Like Me" (1978), "The Wonderful World of Robert Sheckley" (1979), and others. Sheckley's stories were characterized by a paradoxical perspective that allowed him to depict ordinary circumstances in an unusual way, effectively highlighting human and social behavior.

Transition to Novels and Film Adaptations

Sheckley's interest in social behavior and stereotypes became more pronounced as he began writing novels. His first novel, "Immortality Inc." (1958), which tells the story of a man who is revived in the distant future in someone else's body, became the basis for the 1992 film "Freejack." Other film adaptations of his works include "La Decima Vittima" (1965), "Escape from Hell Island" (1963), "Le prix du danger" (1983), and more. Although Sheckley's works were regularly published, his fame in his homeland was not particularly widespread, possibly due to the surrealistic plots of his stories, the author's self-irony, and his departure from conventional science fiction techniques, which made it difficult for mass readership. However, his works gained immense popularity in the Soviet Union when translated into Russian, and Sheckley became one of the most read and beloved foreign science fiction writers in the country, rivaling the popularity of Stanislaw Lem.

Later Life and Legacy

In addition to his short stories, Sheckley is best known for his novels, including "The Status Civilization" (1960), "Journey Beyond Tomorrow" (also known as "The Journey of Joenes") (1962), and the Detective Bob Draconian series, consisting of "The Alternative Detective," "Draconian New York," and "Soma Blues." He also collaborated with Roger Zelazny on the "Bring Me The Head Of Prince Charming" trilogy and wrote three humorous detective novels about private investigator Bob Draconian. Sheckley also worked on the screenplay for the computer game "Netrunner."

Throughout his life, Sheckley wrote around 65 books. In 1991, he was awarded the Daniel F. Gallun Award for his contributions to science fiction. In 1998, he received the "Strannik" award in St. Petersburg for his contributions to humor and science fiction. In his later years, Sheckley was married to writer Gail Dana and lived in Portland, Oregon. He occasionally visited Russia, where his main readership resided. In the spring of 2005, during a visit to Ukraine for the fan convention "Portal," Sheckley's health sharply deteriorated, and he was hospitalized. With no medical insurance, Ukrainian businessmen covered his expensive medical treatment ($10,000) and helped him return to his homeland when his health improved. Robert Sheckley passed away on December 9, 2005, in Poughkeepsie, New York, due to complications from a stroke.