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Robert SilverbergAmerican science fiction writer
Date of Birth: 15.01.1935
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Career
- College and Early Success
- Market Crash and Diversification
- Return to Science Fiction
- "New Wave" Silverberg
- Award-Winning Novels and Stories
- Grand Master and Retirement
- Legacy
Early Life and Career
Robert Silverberg was born in New York City in 1935. He developed a voracious appetite for reading in his youth, especially science fiction. At the age of 18, he sold his first short story to a science fiction magazine.
College and Early Success
Silverberg attended Columbia University, earning a degree in English literature in 1956. Despite his academic pursuits, he continued to write science fiction, and in 1957 he won his first Hugo Award for "Best New Author." Within the next four years, he penned over a million words of fiction per year for various magazines.
Market Crash and Diversification
In 1959, the science fiction market crashed, forcing Silverberg to diversify his writing. He ventured into historical fiction, erotica, and other genres.
Return to Science Fiction
In the mid-1960s, science fiction authors began to embrace more literary ambitions. Silverberg re-entered the field at the behest of editor Frederik Pohl, who recognized his potential.
"New Wave" Silverberg
The works Silverberg produced in this period marked a departure from his earlier writings. He explored complex social dynamics, integrated elements of modernist literature, and focused on the inner lives of his characters.
Award-Winning Novels and Stories
During this time, Silverberg published several acclaimed novels and stories, including the Hugo Award-winning novella "Nightwings" (1969), as well as "Downward to Earth" (1970), the Nebula Award-winning "Time of Changes" (1971), and "Good News from the Vatican" (1971).
Grand Master and Retirement
In 1990, Silverberg received the Hugo Award for his short story "Enter a Soldier, Another Enters." In 2004, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named him Grand Master. In 1975, Silverberg temporarily retired from writing science fiction, but returned in 1980 with "Lord Valentine's Castle" (Majipoor Series).
Legacy
Robert Silverberg is one of the most prolific science fiction authors of all time, with over 100 science fiction novels and more than 60 non-fiction books to his name. His works have won numerous awards and continue to be praised for their literary merit and imaginative vision.
