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Spatium, issue 5, September 1949
Page 3
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SPATIUM FEATURE THE CREATOR By Ronald Stone Stanley Grauman Weinbaum was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1902. He attended High School in Milwaukee, and thence proceeded to the University of Wisconson, where he majored in journalism. While at the University, he served on the new defunct "Wisconsin Literary Magazine." He left the magazine in 1923. Stanley stated that he never formally became interested in science-fiction. He was always a reader of Burroughs, Wells, Verne, et al. Later came Bellamy, Doyle, Poe, and Mary Shelly. Standley was always interested in science, At one time he had a minature museum in the house. This lasted until his mother came upon his hornet collection unexpectidly. Exit museum. Stanley was also interested in music. At one time he collaborated with his sister, Helen, on an operatta, entitled, "Omar the Tentmaker." Stan's first story, "A Martian Odessey" (July '34, Wonder Stories) was originally intended as a satire on science-fiction in general and other world stories with human extra-terrestrial characters, in other words, as it has been put, "speaking English." The story recieved almost unparalleled reception from science-fiction readers. Stan never understood this reception. The sequel, "Valley of Dreams," never recieved as wide a reception, but it was well liked among almost all readers of the magazine (Wonder Stories, Nov. '34) in which it appeared. One of Standley's best friends was his fellow author and Milwaukeean, Ralph Milne Farley, with whom Stan collaborated in a little known non-science-fictional work, "Yellow Slaves" (Feb. '36, True Gang Lige). Farley finished an uncompleted manuscript entitled "Revolution in 1950." This was published in the Oct. and Nov. '38 issues of Amazing Stories, while the magazine was under the editorship of another of his friends, Raymond A. Palmer. Stanley used the pseudonym of John Jessel on one story, "The Adaptive Ultimate." Stanley always wrote his stories in longhand; he said that the mechanics of a typewriter took so much concentration that he could not compose a story on one. One of Weinbaum's most controversial tales is "The New Adam," (Siff-Davis, '39, Amazing Stories Feb., March 1943). "The New Adam" is a good story but needed more work on it. Weinbaum would have done this had he lived. Stanley has has three other books published. They are all posthumous: "Dawn of Flame," (Ruppert Printing Co., 1936); "The Black Flame," (Fantasy Press, 1948); "A Martian Odessey," (Fantasy Press, 1949). One 60,000 word novel, "The Mad Brain," has never been printed because of its theme which makes it too difficult for any magazine too handle. Stanley Weinbaum's wife stated that throughout the long battle for his life, Stan never knew he was fighting a losing battle. It was one of the greatest shocks of s-f history when Stanley passen on on the 14th of December, 1935. There can never be another Stanley G. Weinbaum; although whenever editors recieve a first story, they ask themselves, "Is this another Weinbaum?" They know that they are setting an impossible standard. For there can be only one Stanley G. Weinbaum. PAGE -(3)-
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SPATIUM FEATURE THE CREATOR By Ronald Stone Stanley Grauman Weinbaum was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1902. He attended High School in Milwaukee, and thence proceeded to the University of Wisconson, where he majored in journalism. While at the University, he served on the new defunct "Wisconsin Literary Magazine." He left the magazine in 1923. Stanley stated that he never formally became interested in science-fiction. He was always a reader of Burroughs, Wells, Verne, et al. Later came Bellamy, Doyle, Poe, and Mary Shelly. Standley was always interested in science, At one time he had a minature museum in the house. This lasted until his mother came upon his hornet collection unexpectidly. Exit museum. Stanley was also interested in music. At one time he collaborated with his sister, Helen, on an operatta, entitled, "Omar the Tentmaker." Stan's first story, "A Martian Odessey" (July '34, Wonder Stories) was originally intended as a satire on science-fiction in general and other world stories with human extra-terrestrial characters, in other words, as it has been put, "speaking English." The story recieved almost unparalleled reception from science-fiction readers. Stan never understood this reception. The sequel, "Valley of Dreams," never recieved as wide a reception, but it was well liked among almost all readers of the magazine (Wonder Stories, Nov. '34) in which it appeared. One of Standley's best friends was his fellow author and Milwaukeean, Ralph Milne Farley, with whom Stan collaborated in a little known non-science-fictional work, "Yellow Slaves" (Feb. '36, True Gang Lige). Farley finished an uncompleted manuscript entitled "Revolution in 1950." This was published in the Oct. and Nov. '38 issues of Amazing Stories, while the magazine was under the editorship of another of his friends, Raymond A. Palmer. Stanley used the pseudonym of John Jessel on one story, "The Adaptive Ultimate." Stanley always wrote his stories in longhand; he said that the mechanics of a typewriter took so much concentration that he could not compose a story on one. One of Weinbaum's most controversial tales is "The New Adam," (Siff-Davis, '39, Amazing Stories Feb., March 1943). "The New Adam" is a good story but needed more work on it. Weinbaum would have done this had he lived. Stanley has has three other books published. They are all posthumous: "Dawn of Flame," (Ruppert Printing Co., 1936); "The Black Flame," (Fantasy Press, 1948); "A Martian Odessey," (Fantasy Press, 1949). One 60,000 word novel, "The Mad Brain," has never been printed because of its theme which makes it too difficult for any magazine too handle. Stanley Weinbaum's wife stated that throughout the long battle for his life, Stan never knew he was fighting a losing battle. It was one of the greatest shocks of s-f history when Stanley passen on on the 14th of December, 1935. There can never be another Stanley G. Weinbaum; although whenever editors recieve a first story, they ask themselves, "Is this another Weinbaum?" They know that they are setting an impossible standard. For there can be only one Stanley G. Weinbaum. PAGE -(3)-
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