Book Description
This critical work concentrates on the science fiction writings of Paul Linebarger, who wrote under the pseudonym Cordwainer Smith, as well as other highly developed pseudonyms he created in order to reflect his different writing styles. His writings give voice to concerns about humanity and personal struggle; his ideas about love, loss, alienation, and psychic pain continue to influence science fiction writing today. This work begins with a brief biographical sketch of Cordwainer Smith, linking elements of his past to his writing and focusing on his contributions to science fiction. Also discussed are Smith's published and unpublished novel-length non-science fiction, his revision process, the true man-underpeople dichotomy in his published and unpublished short fiction, his only published novel-length science fiction work Norstrilia, and the author's argument that his importance in the science fiction genre arises from his concern with humanity.

About the Author
Karen L. Hellekson is a freelance copy editor. She resides in Jay, Maine.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"The science fiction writings of Paul Linebarger (under the pseudonym Cordwainer Smith) give voice to concerns about humanity and personal struggle. His ideas about love, loss, alienation, and psychic pain continue to resonate today, decades after his death." This critical work begins with a brief biographical sketch of Cordwainer Smith, linking elements of his life to his writing and focusing on his contributions to science fiction. Also discussed are Smith's published and unpublished novel-length general fiction, his revision process, the "true-man" - underpeople dichotomy in his published and unpublished short fiction, and his only published science fiction novel, Norstrilia.

SYNOPSIS

Independent scholar Hellekson examines the science fiction (both published and unpublished) of Paul Linebarger who wrote under the pseudonym of Cordwainer Smith. Coverage includes a brief biography of Smith, his revision process, and his only published science fiction novel, Norstrilia. The volume also includes a glossary of terms used in Smith's writings. The text is a revised version of Hellekson's master's thesis (U. of Kansas, 1991).