William Tenn, a pioneer in the realm of science fiction with a wry edge, died last week at the age of 89.
Tenn, born Philip Klass, used the short story as his primary medium, molding it to his own sardonic tastes in a string of influential stories published from the 1940s onward (including favorites like "On Venus, Have We Got a Rabbi," 1974, and "The Liberation of Earth," 1956); but he also expanded two of his scenarios into a novel, Of Men and Monsters (1968), and a novella, A Lamp for Medusa (also 1968). His stories were anthologized in two collections, Immodest Proposals and Here Comes Civilization, and his essays were collected as Dancing Naked. Under his given name he taught literature at Penn State.
Tenn was remembered as an old master with a twinkling eye by his colleagues. "'The Liberation of Earth' in The Best Penguin SF was one of the first science fiction stories I ever read, and it blew me away," said writer Jo Walton on Tor.com. "His stories generally worked by taking some science fiction ideas that nobody else would have thought of putting together, twisting them up with his typical wry humour, and hooking you into them with his way with words. They read aloud wonderfully--I'll always remember hearing him read 'On Venus, Do We Have a Rabbi' at the 2001 Worldcon."
"I first met Phil Klass, who wrote under the name William Tenn, at the 1999 Nebula Awards Weekend in Pittsburgh," wrote Scott Edelman. "Phil was named Author Emeritus by SFWA that year, and though I'm trying to think of a more entertaining speech at a Nebula ceremony than his, I can't think of one. ... Among the many things we have to thank Phil for is that he told 'Flowers for Algernon' author Daniel Keyes, who was being pressured by H.L. Gold to give his story an upbeat ending, that if Keyes dared change a word, he'd break Gold's kneecaps. So if no Klass, perhaps no 'Flowers for Algernon' as we know it."
"I was one of those students, an English lit major in the grad program slowly grasping that I was not destined for academia," said Steven Levy at Wired.com. "In his lengthy comment on the first story I handed in for his class, Klass began, 'Well, at least you can write,' and proceeded to eviscerate almost every line of my work. No matter—I could write!"
Theodore Sturgeon explained Tenn's appeal and influence: "It would be too wide a generalization to say that every SF satire, every SF comedy and every attempt at witty and biting criticism found in the field is a poor and usually cheap imitation of what this man has been doing since the 1940s. His incredibly involved and complex mind can at times produce constructive comment so pointed and astute that the fortunate recipient is permanently improved by it. Admittedly, the price may be to create two whole categories for our species: humanity and William Tenn. For each of which you must create your ethos and your laws. I've done that. And to me it's worth it. "
"Phil was to do a signing at the NESFA Sales table in the dealers room," recalled Deb Geisler of chair of Noreascon IV, "and one of our people was escorting him to the table. There was a long line of people lined up near the door of the dealers room. 'What are those people standing in line for?' Phil asked. 'They're waiting for your signing, Phil,' was the reply. Now that was a glorious day...when a man who thought SF fandom had forgotten him discovered how much he was missed."
"Shaking his hand was, for me, one of those awkward moments where English suddenly seemed to stop being my native language," remembered Matthew Cheney, of an encounter in 2004 at the World Science Fiction Convention. "All I could manage to say was, 'I really admire your work,' and he smiled and nodded. I must have been about the five hundredth person that day to say such a thing to him, and probably some of the people who said such a thing to him didn't even know who he was. I wanted him to know that I knew, that I thought everyone should know the name of the man who wrote 'The Liberation of Earth,' a story I cherish. But I couldn't find the words, and so I smiled and nodded, and he smiled and nodded, and then I fled."
More information and remembrances can be found at his official website.
Tenn, born Philip Klass, used the short story as his primary medium, molding it to his own sardonic tastes in a string of influential stories published from the 1940s onward (including favorites like "On Venus, Have We Got a Rabbi," 1974, and "The Liberation of Earth," 1956); but he also expanded two of his scenarios into a novel, Of Men and Monsters (1968), and a novella, A Lamp for Medusa (also 1968). His stories were anthologized in two collections, Immodest Proposals and Here Comes Civilization, and his essays were collected as Dancing Naked. Under his given name he taught literature at Penn State.
Tenn was remembered as an old master with a twinkling eye by his colleagues. "'The Liberation of Earth' in The Best Penguin SF was one of the first science fiction stories I ever read, and it blew me away," said writer Jo Walton on Tor.com. "His stories generally worked by taking some science fiction ideas that nobody else would have thought of putting together, twisting them up with his typical wry humour, and hooking you into them with his way with words. They read aloud wonderfully--I'll always remember hearing him read 'On Venus, Do We Have a Rabbi' at the 2001 Worldcon."
"I first met Phil Klass, who wrote under the name William Tenn, at the 1999 Nebula Awards Weekend in Pittsburgh," wrote Scott Edelman. "Phil was named Author Emeritus by SFWA that year, and though I'm trying to think of a more entertaining speech at a Nebula ceremony than his, I can't think of one. ... Among the many things we have to thank Phil for is that he told 'Flowers for Algernon' author Daniel Keyes, who was being pressured by H.L. Gold to give his story an upbeat ending, that if Keyes dared change a word, he'd break Gold's kneecaps. So if no Klass, perhaps no 'Flowers for Algernon' as we know it."
"I was one of those students, an English lit major in the grad program slowly grasping that I was not destined for academia," said Steven Levy at Wired.com. "In his lengthy comment on the first story I handed in for his class, Klass began, 'Well, at least you can write,' and proceeded to eviscerate almost every line of my work. No matter—I could write!"
Theodore Sturgeon explained Tenn's appeal and influence: "It would be too wide a generalization to say that every SF satire, every SF comedy and every attempt at witty and biting criticism found in the field is a poor and usually cheap imitation of what this man has been doing since the 1940s. His incredibly involved and complex mind can at times produce constructive comment so pointed and astute that the fortunate recipient is permanently improved by it. Admittedly, the price may be to create two whole categories for our species: humanity and William Tenn. For each of which you must create your ethos and your laws. I've done that. And to me it's worth it. "
"Phil was to do a signing at the NESFA Sales table in the dealers room," recalled Deb Geisler of chair of Noreascon IV, "and one of our people was escorting him to the table. There was a long line of people lined up near the door of the dealers room. 'What are those people standing in line for?' Phil asked. 'They're waiting for your signing, Phil,' was the reply. Now that was a glorious day...when a man who thought SF fandom had forgotten him discovered how much he was missed."
"Shaking his hand was, for me, one of those awkward moments where English suddenly seemed to stop being my native language," remembered Matthew Cheney, of an encounter in 2004 at the World Science Fiction Convention. "All I could manage to say was, 'I really admire your work,' and he smiled and nodded. I must have been about the five hundredth person that day to say such a thing to him, and probably some of the people who said such a thing to him didn't even know who he was. I wanted him to know that I knew, that I thought everyone should know the name of the man who wrote 'The Liberation of Earth,' a story I cherish. But I couldn't find the words, and so I smiled and nodded, and he smiled and nodded, and then I fled."
More information and remembrances can be found at his official website.
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