Poul Anderson (1926-2001), a paragon of late Golden Age science fiction, was a prolific and award-winning author of fantasy, SF, and historical fiction, known for his fast-paced adventure-story plots, a strong knowledge of hard science, and libertarian political leanings. He won several lifetime achievement awards over his career, including election as a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America.

Early Life and Career in SF

Early Life and Career in SF

Born in Bristol, Pennsylvania, Anderson spent his childhood between Texas, Denmark, and Minnesota. His father, Anton, was an engineer and a First World War veteran; his mother, Astrid, worked mostly as a librarian. Anderson’s Danish heritage would greatly influence his future work. Both he and his brother grew up bilingual,

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Citation: Wise, Dennis Wilson. "Poul Anderson". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 June 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=14611, accessed 04 December 2024.]

14611 Poul Anderson 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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