See also: Vogt

A.E. van Vogt (born Alfred Elton van Vogt the April 26th 1912 in the south of Winnipeg, Manitoba - January 26th 2000 with Los Angeles, California) was a Canadian writer of Science-fiction.

He is regarded as one of the leaders of the American science fiction during his golden age, with masterpieces like the novels With the continuation of Slans , the Fauna of space and Le Monde of Ā ; this last work popularized the general Sémantique near the public and caused important a Polémique in the world of the Anglo-Saxon science fiction.

The French translation of the World of Ā , carried out by Boris Vian, largely contributed to launch the science fiction in France. ,

Biography

Youth

Second of a family of six children, Van Vogt is born on the farm from his paternal grandparents from origin Dutchwoman. His/her father is grocer in the small village of Morden, while his/her mother holds the house. Both usually speak the Frison, a Dialecte Dutch widespread in this rural region following an massive immigration coming from the Netherlands during the previous decades.

Whereas it is only four years old, his/her mother imposes the use of the English on the house. In spite of that, Alfred is obstinated with speaking the clippings in his head during one moment, which shows a character marked by a motivation inébranlable, which is found in many characters of its works.

With the school, its mistress beats it regularly. At the eight years age, a boy of his pink size it, which reaches its self-esteem seriously. It becomes solitary and starts to reading fairy tales. At the age of ten years (or twelve, according to other sources), its mistress of class prohibits to him to read these works. It heading, but, finally, passes to the novels of adventure, which it rents with a classmate.

In 1922, his/her father, become lawyer meanwhile, settles in a Protestant small town and preserving. Not being English origin, the Elton young person is put aside, which reinforces its feeling of loneliness.

A few years later, in 1926, his/her father settles with Winnipeg and becomes director for the maritime company Holland-American Steamship Line , specialized in the transport of the Dutch immigrants awaited in the Canadian Prairies. The young person Van Vogt, who comes from the countryside, saw an urban shock. To surmount it, it starts to devour books at a rate of two per day. It is for this period that he discovers the Magazine science fiction Amazing Stories . It is fourteen years old and starts to test the need to write.

In 1929, the consequences of the Great depression striking very early in Canada, the businesses of the company of his/her father périclitent. This one tries to be remade with the purse, but loses what remains to him. Alfred must seek an employment, which it finds at the office of the census with Ottawa in 1930.

Research

In 1931, it is initiated with the writing while following courses to the Palmer' S Institute off Authorship . It approaches them in Autodidacte serious and enthusiastic. These courses propose a method which rests on the Principes of Gallishaw, that van Vogt will apply during a good part of its literary life.

Armed with these principles of drafting, Van Vogt leaves its post of civil servant whom it has occupied for approximately a year, and turns over to Winnipeg in 1932. At its beginnings, he writes fictionalized histories for magazines, especially for True Story , specialist in the written confession, a form of popular account at that time. Having few financial means, the municipal Bibliothèque is used to him as office.

He also attends a group of writers, of which one of the members will become his wife. The father of Edna Mayne Hull has a library of: 4000 volumes, that Alfred reads while his future wife makes up herself and gets dressed. These books give him access to a cultural universe more sophisticated, him which nourished before magazines of bad quality.

In 1933, it is registered with courses of writing by correspondence of the Writer' S Digest . Its trainer, after having read one of his stories intended for True Story , incites it to give up this kind to become a traditional writer. It is in 1934 that Alfred decides to invest in another literary Genre, but defends oneself to do it following the suggestion of the trainer. He produces parts for a Radio station, a trade badly paid according to his assertions. In 1936, by financial obligation, it becomes also corresponding group Maclean' S. The combination of two employment is testing for him.

Glory

It is in 1938 qu ' it is interested in the science fiction. It falls by chance on a copy from the magazine Astounding Stories (not to be confused with Amazing Stories ) and reads the news Who Goes There? It releases such a show of force from it, that Van Vogt decides to contact the editor magazine, John W. Campbell. Following a favorable answer of this last, it starts to write for Astounding Stories . In July 1939, the magazine publishes the news Black Destroyer . It makes an instantaneous high-speed motorboat of it, and Van Vogt becomes one of the major writers of the golden age of the American science fiction.

Two months later, the Second world war bursts. Contrary to several compatriots, Van Vogt cannot belong to the army: it is too short-sighted. The Canadian government offers to him a station with the ministry for National defense. He hesitates between his duty and the prospect to become again bureaucrat. Finally, it accepts the offer of Ottawa and leaves in October in company Edna Mayne Hull, which it married in May of the same year.

In spite of this employment, Alfred succeeds in maintaining a certain level of literary production. When it returns at his place after its work, it takes the meal which his wife prepared to him, rests a little, then settles to write until 23:00. Saturdays and Sunday, he works less late, but writes nevertheless. It is under these conditions that he writes With the continuation of Slans and various news which belongs to the Cycle of Rull. In December of the same year, Astounding Stories publishes Discord in Scarlet , which still receives an enthusiastic reception.

Van Vogt, by writing its news, betrays the lesson of Gallishaw. It takes the practice, when an idea comes to him, to introduce it into the text, even if it increases the number of intrigues. If it seems not to have any bond with the history in progress, it reflects by means of introducing it and generally reaches that point.

It is for this period that he discovers the power of the Rêve S and uses them as source of inspiration. Alfred thinks that sleep filters its “machine to think”, whereas it is its diurnal thought which filters the ideas which come from the Inconscient, which are communicated to him via the dreams.

With the autumn 1940, With the continuation of Slans appears in serial in Astounding Stories and the readers shout with the masterpiece. On the other hand, the year 1941 is that of Robert A. Heinlein. At this time, Van Vogt does not produce almost any more. Indeed, the war makes rage in Europe and the Canadian government asks its employees to work of longer hours. At the beginning, it requires two evenings per week, then four, for finally claiming saturdays and Sunday. I ceased writing. I realized that I condemned myself. Also I left my employment. I left it, by chance, two months before the employees of the ministry are blocked at their station for the duration of the war.

It remains a few months with Farmpoint with the Quebec, a French-speaking small village in full wooden. The war drained the local population, consequently the price of the rents is notably lower than in Ottawa. Van written Vogt from eleven to twelve hours per day, the every day of the week. It is at this time that the Swing appears, news which begins the Cycle of the merchants of weapons. Thanks to the incomes of the news which appears in Astounding Stories , it leaves to be established with Toronto.

It remains two years there, writing two novels and about fifteen news. The only recipient of this production is Campbell, who ventilates them between Astounding Stories and Unknown , a magazine of Fantasy which it also publishes. This bulimia comes from the entry in war of the United States at the end of 1941, which mobilizes more than one writer of science fiction.

Campbell publishes a novelette or a news of Van Vogt per month from March in May 1942, October 1942 in April 1943 and July in November 1943. In number of words, the production of Van Vogt is established as follows:

  • 1942: : 130000;
  • 1943: : 220000;
  • 1944: : 65000.

The year 1943 allows him of good food of its feather. Van Vogt mentions that it received: 4000 CAD during this year, whereas the annual salary of a civil servant is of approximately: 1000 CAD. However, it cannot maintain this rate/rhythm, as its production of the year 1944 shows it. To increase the family incomes, his wife also puts herself to write stories of science fiction and fantasy.

Until the end of 1942 (April 1943, if we consider the publications), it continues the Cycle of Rull and writes the news which will belong to Quête without end . However, it devotes the essence of its time to the cycle of the merchants of weapons, since appears a novelette and a novel, The Weapon Shop (not translated into French), which is finally integrated into the Armureries of Isher . This novel is soon followed Fabricants of weapons , the second novel of the cycle of the merchants of weapons.

After this overflow of creative effort, Van Vogt changes style: it produces a novel of Fantasy: the Book of Ptath , it writes news which will belong to the Animal , and others which will belong stellar to Mission . It continues to exploit the seams of the Fauna of space and of Quête without end . Making way, it makes an important discovery.

It awakes regularly the night, in prey with the various financial anguishes which torture it. In July 1943, he notices that the alarm clocks are often carrying answers which enable him to advance the intrigues in progress. He decides to systematize the access to his Inconscient. He regulates his alarm clock so that this one sounds after 90 minutes. Before falling asleep, Van Vogt thinks of the problem to solve and falls asleep. On each alarm clock, it still thinks of it, before falling asleep again. The next morning, it often has an original solution. During the seven years which follow, it awakes four times per night, 300 nights per annum.

At that time, Canada is locked up in the Conformisme by the means of the Censure. For example, several American magazines of science fiction are blocked at the borders. It is extremely probable that Van Vogt chokes in such a yoke, and that it wishes to escape some. In 1944, it decides to be established with the the United States. Campbell invites it to New York, but Van Vogt prefers the hotter climate of Los Angeles. It leaves in company of his wife, of which it affirms that she is hysterical, emotive and often patient.

In this disproportionate city for the countryman who it is, Alfred saw an important cultural shock. Its production drops, it is satisfied to continue the cycles in progress. Then comes August 1945 and the publication in Astounding Stories from the first part of the Monde of Ā , its work headlight. The last part of the serial is published a few months later, and the novel is acclaimed by a very great number of readers, but, at the same time, severely criticized by some professionals of the literary circle.

The comment more the devastator comes from the critic and author of science fiction Damon Knight. The article In Search off Wonder attacks with the writings of Van Vogt, but especially the novel Le Monde of Ā . Knight reproaches Van Vogt its often illogical and chaotic stories. For this reason, it treats it of “cosmic gachor” and “Pygmy who uses a typewriter giant”, mark the starting point not of a new career, but rather of a bracket which will last more than 10 years.

Indeed, this book draws the attention of L. Ron. Hubbard which publishes in Astounding Stories the article founder of the Dianétique. In contact with Hubbard, Van Vogt, which considers the dianétique one of a favorable eye, agrees to take part in the establishment, in 1950, of a center of Dianétique in California. However, it closes 9 months later, and the dianétique one of Hubbard is incorporated in the church of scientology, which van Vogt does not accept. Estimating that the dianétique one returned health to his wife, it consequently creates its own center of dianetic.

Devoting itself quasi completely to dianetic, van Vogt writes few original stories of 1950 to 1963. It is satisfied, generally, to apply the technique of the mosaic. It récrit its traditional novels ( the Fauna of space , With the continuation of Slans , Arms manufacture of Isher , etc) to satisfy the requests of the publishers. Other novels will follow. In the years 1970, it however takes its distances with respect to the dianétique one.

The French readers discover Van Vogt in 1953, following the translation of Boris Vian of the Monde of Ā . In 1957, Vian repeats and translates for the Players of Ā . Certain observers of the French literary scene estimate that these two novels are the release of the French passion for the science fiction.

The return

Towards the end of the Years 1950, Van Vogt diversifies its register. It attacks the drafting of a novel on the psychological methods of rehabilitation used in the prison camps in China. They are more commonly called “Lavage of brain”. After the reading of many works on psychology, a hundred according to Van Vogt, it is confined of a novel: beautiful rough a . Contrary to the others, the main character is antipathetic, because egoistic, very sure of him and misses sensitivity. Rather than usual the Superman, Van Vogt offers a violent man to us.

A few years later, at the request of Frederik Pohl, Alfred goes back to write original science fiction. Pohl probably wishes to see it writing continuations with the Fauna of space and with the Joueurs of Ā .

Alfred again tries to redefine his style, and if the first original writings of this time, Sacrificed Sézigue and the , are rather ordinary, he perseveres and manages to be defined a style which continues as from 1969. A new method enables him to write several novels of face. It produces, inter alia, Quête without end , Ténèbres on Diamondia and the Children of tomorrow .

In 1968, his/her father dies in 81 years. Van Vogt is put at the Jogging, then with fast walk. It also uses a technique promulgated by the dianétique one: the autoaudition. Four years later, his/her Ira brother dies too. He spends the summer 1973 to Canada, visits his mother out of hearth, just like he returns visit to the places of his childhood.

It is in this atmosphere that it decides to develop a fast method to learn the languages, clippings at the head. It publishes Silkie , galactic Invasion and Of the following days which scintillate . It publishes a book on financial psychology, The Money Personality , as well as a Autobiographie: Reflections off A.E. Van Vogt . Other novels follow, each one expressing the Pessimisme and fate of death. In 1971, basing on the New the Witch , it collaborates in the scenario of the Televised series Beyond reality .

His wife dies in 1975. In 1979, he marries Lydia.

For the enième time, Jacques Sadoul requires one following the of him Joueurs of Ā . That made 30 years that this last plans to write it, but without never being solved there. Sadoul requests the assistance of Lydia and obtains finally the End of Ā , which appears in 1983.

Old age

Van Vogt receives in 1980 the Prix Casper Canadian to reward its work in science fiction. In 1996, he becomes member of the , which honors the life, work and the heritage arts persons of writers of science fiction. The same year, he is member elect of the price Damon Knight Memorial Large Master Award decreed by SFWA with an alive author for the whole of his work in science fiction or Fantasy.

Reached disease of Alzheimer for several years, Van Vogt has died in 2000 in Los Angeles.

Work analyzes

Van Vogt is regarded as a genius without literary talent and an author with ideas, whereas him sees itself like a technician of the writing. The favorite topics of its work in science fiction are: the Immortality, the fight of the Homo sapiens against the superman and the Omnipotence of the philosophical knowledge.

He proposed original and unexpected solutions with the problems lived by his characters, just like he created the various supermen, most notable being Jommi Cross in With the continuation of Slans , Robert Hedrock in the Cycle of the merchants of weapons and Gilbert Gosseyn in the Cycle of Ā. Finally, he imagined several monsters in the extraordinary capacities, such Ixtl in the Fauna of space , Ezwal in the War against Rull and Gliss in Silkie .

David Pringle, critical and editor of Magazine S of science fiction, estimates for its part that “the work of van Vogt, which gave so many happy moments of escape, is now regarded as the greatest embarrassment of the modern science fiction. ”

The writer of a Fanzine, Damon Knight, wrote a Pamphlet in which it qualifies Van Vogt of “Pygmy on a typewriter giant”. Van Vogt retorts by predicting a beautiful literary career to him, prediction which will be carried out. Knight will make amend by writing itself a news of pure style vanvogtien: the Tree of time .

The influence of its work on Philip K. Dick, another author of science fiction, is proven.

During the Years 1980, Van Vogt engaged a continuation against the 20th Century Fox, Réalisateur of the film Alien - the eighth passenger , because it estimated that the scenario was inspired largely by an adventure of its novel the Fauna of space , that where the members of the crew face an intelligent and fatal monster. This continuation was regulated by amicable agreement. This novel has vraisemblement also inspired Star Trek , since it tells the epopee of a spacecraft whose mission is the exploration of the universe in the search of extraterrestrial civilizations, in order to study them.

There exists several Pastiche S of its work and somebody even suggested one following the novel With the continuation of Slans which would be entitled the Son of Slan .

The “method” Van Vogt

Itself was seen like a technician of the writing, and has all its life sought of new methods to reach a technical perfection which was to ensure success to him. In spite of the multiplicity of the methods used, the fundamental characteristics of its science fiction books can be described in the following way:

  • They offer one moment of escape, i.e. the history carries us in a remote region out of time present.
  • They get the feeling to take part in something of larger than oneself.
  • They bring into play men or monsters at the surprising capacities.
  • They are read in a fluid way; i.e. descriptions are sufficiently clear and long to have an idea of what is held, but, at the same time, they should not be too long, in order to maintain the activity of the analytical spirit at least, while requesting the imaginary spirit.
  • They contain many bounces, in order to maintain the reader in alarm.
  • They express sufficiently strong ideas so that a reader can easily remind them at the conclusion of his reading.
  • They release a strange or unknown atmosphere.
  • They develop under-intrigues intended for better locating the principal intrigue.
  • Once the reading of finished work, the reader is supposed being marked by its ingeniousness, the variety of the topics approached and the bounces of the history; it must feel the desire of reading another book of Van Vogt.

Major works

Here a list of works, classified alphabetically, which answer the criteria mentioned best above:

List works

See also: List of works of A.E. van Vogt

See too

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