Spider Robinson

Spider Robinson (born November 24, 1948 in New York City) is a Canadian science fiction writer.

Related Topics:
1948 - New York City - Canadian - Science fiction

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His pen name may be attributed to his slender build as a youth as well as his public admiration of Minneapolis-based musician Spider John Koerner. Robinson has lived in Canada for the past 30 years (primarily in the provinces of Nova Scotia and British Columbia) and as an author, he is a Hugo and Nebula award winner. He also worked as a book reviewer for the Galaxy science fiction magazine during the mid- to late 1970s and later contributed book reviews to the original anthology series Destinies. In 1996?2005, he served as a columnist in the Op-Ed section (and briefly in the technology section) of the Globe and Mail. In 2004, he pronounced himself "overjoyed" to begin working on a lengthy 1955 novel outline by the late Robert A. Heinlein in order to expand it into a novel, thus making it a collaborative effort. The book will be titled Robert A. Heinlein's Variable Star.

Related Topics:
Minneapolis - Spider John Koerner - Nova Scotia - British Columbia - Hugo - Nebula - Galaxy science fiction magazine - 1970s - Destinies - Globe and Mail - Robert A. Heinlein

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Robinson is also an admirer of mystery writer John D. MacDonald. Lady Sally McGee from the Callahan's series is apparently named in honor of Travis McGee, the central character in MacDonald's mystery novels. The lead character in Lady Slings The Booze frequently refers to Travis McGee as a role model. In Callahan's Key the patrons make a visit to the marina near Fort Lauderdale where the Busted Flush was usually moored in the McGee series. Similarly important to Robinson is writer Donald E. Westlake.

Related Topics:
John D. MacDonald - Callahan's - Fort Lauderdale - Donald E. Westlake

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His first published novel, Telempath (1976), was an expansion of his Hugo award-winning novella "By Any Other Name". The first edition had cover art by 'Powers'.

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Robinson's style may be described as humanistic and humorous. He has frequently encouraged a positive attitude towards world issues, claiming that a pessimistic world view will help pessimistic results. Frequently in his writing, the conflicts center around a science fiction issue with a human solution, following Theodore Sturgeon's definition of a good science fiction story.

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