Robert Augustine Ward "Doc" Lowndes (September 4, 1916 – July 14, 1998) was an American science fiction author, editor and fan. He was known best as the editor of Future Science Fiction, Science Fiction, and Science Fiction Quarterly, among many other crime-fiction, western, sports-fiction, and other pulp and digest sized magazines for Columbia Publications. Among the most famous writers he was first to publish at Columbia was mystery writer Edward D. Hoch, who in turn would contribute to Lowndes's fiction magazines as long as he was editing them. Lowndes was a principal member of the Futurians.[1] His first story, "The Outpost at Altark" for Super Science in 1940, was written in collaboration with fellow Futurian Donald A. Wollheim, uncredited.
Lowndes was also a horror enthusiast—as a young fan, he received two letters of encouragement from H. P. Lovecraft in 1937.[2] The two Lovecraft letters are reprinted in Crypt of Cthulhu Volume 8, No 3 (Whole number 62)(Candlemas 1989), a special issue devoted to Lowndes. He wrote a number of dark fantasy stories such as "The Abyss" (1941) (reprinted in "Revelations from Yuggoth" No 2 (May 1988) and "The Leapers" (1942), inspired by Lovecraft. The Crypt of Cthulhu tribute issue also reprints Lowndes' Lovecraftian stories "Leapers" (a shorter version, first published as by 'Carol Grey' appeared in the Dec 1942 issue of Future Fantasy and Science Fiction; a revised version appeared in the Magazine of Horror; and the Crypt of Cthulhu version represents a third and final revision, with a new intro by Lowndes explaining its publication history) and "Settler's Wall" (a shorter version of the latter as "The Long Wall" by 'Wilfred Owen Morley' was published in the March 1942 issue of Stirring Science Stories and was twice revised for later publication). The Lowndes tribute issue also includes two Lovecraftian poems, "The Burrowers Beneath" and "Forbidden Books" (which also appeared under the 'Wilfred Owen Morley' pseudonym in Stirring Science Stories for April and July 1941 respectively); along with two critical articles by Lowndes which first appeared in Magazine of Horror, and an essay on Lowndes - "Lowndes, Lovecraft and the Health Knowledge Years" by Mike Ashley.
Lowndes also wrote a series of poems inspired by Lovecraft's Fungi from Yuggoth - "The Annals of Arkya", which he followed up with "The New Annals of Arkya." The 12-sonnet sequence "Annals of Arkya"was reprinted in Crypt of Cthulhu 10, No 3 (Whole number 78) (St John's Eve, 1991). These have also been reprinted in an issue of Shawn Ramsey's "Revelations from Yuggoth". His nonfiction "A Tribute to H. P. Lovecraft" appears in Peter Cannon, ed. Lovecraft Remembered (Arkham House, 1988).
The Health Knowledge magazinesedit
In 1963, Lowndes initiated the Magazine of Horror (1963–1971) for Health Knowledge Inc., which mixed reprints with new stories.[3] The magazine was popular and spawned several companion magazines: Startling Mystery Stories, Famous Science Fiction (both 1966) Weird Terror Tales (1969) and Bizarre Fantasy Fiction (1970). Lowndes also edited two non-fantastic-fiction magazines for the company, Thrilling Western Magazine (1967) and World Wide Adventure (1967), along with the speculative nonfiction titles they published.[3] However, the collapse of Health Knowledge in 1971 ended these magazines.[4]Startling Mystery Stories was notable for carrying the first stories of Stephen King and F. Paul Wilson.[5] Lowndes subsequently went on to work on the Gernsback Publications' non-fiction magazine, Sexology.[3]
Believer's World, Avalon Books, 1961 (serialized in 1952), 224p.(expanded from the 1952 appearance in Space magazine as "A Matter of Faith" as by Michael Sherman).
The Abyss and other Dark Places, UK, Logos Press, 1998 (Chapbook). Edited by Stephen Sennitt.
Non-fictionedit
Three Faces of Science Fiction: SF as Instruction, Propaganda, and Delight, Boston, NESFA Press, 1973, 96p. Collects Lowndes' literary columns from Famous Science Fiction.
Orchids for Doc: The Literary Adventures and Autobiography of Robert A.W. "Doc" Lowndes (with Jeffrey M. Elliot), Borgo Press, Borgo Bioviews No 7, ISBN0-89370-344-3, Note: According to the Internet Science Fiction Database, this volume was never published.
The Gernsback Days: A Study of the Evolution of Modern Science Fiction from 1911 to 1936 (with Mike Ashley), Wildside Press, 2004, ISBN0-8095-1054-5 hardcover, ISBN0-8095-1055-3 paperback, 500p.
"Introduction" in Dracula; New York: Airmont Publishing Company, Inc., 1965.
"Introduction" for The Time Chariot, Avalon Books, 1966.
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Robert Augustine Ward Doc Lowndes September 4 1916 July 14 1998 was an American science fiction author editor and fan He was known best as the editor of Future Science Fiction Science Fiction and Science Fiction Quarterly among many other crime fiction western sports fiction and other pulp and digest sized magazines for Columbia Publications Among the most famous writers he was first to publish at Columbia was mystery writer Edward D Hoch who in turn would contribute to Lowndes s fiction magazines as long as he was editing them Lowndes was a principal member of the Futurians 1 His first story The Outpost at Altark for Super Science in 1940 was written in collaboration with fellow Futurian Donald A Wollheim uncredited Robert LowndesRobert A W Lowndes in 1953Born 1916 09 04 September 4 1916DiedJuly 14 1998 1998 07 14 aged 81 OccupationEditor writerGenreScience fictionNotable workseditor of Future Science Fiction Science Fiction and Science Fiction QuarterlyNotable awardsFirst Fandom Hall of Fame Award 1991 Contents 1 Lovecraftian work 2 The Health Knowledge magazines 3 Works 3 1 Novels 3 2 Short stories 3 3 Non fiction 3 4 Editor 4 References 5 External linksLovecraftian work editLowndes was also a horror enthusiast as a young fan he received two letters of encouragement from H P Lovecraft in 1937 2 The two Lovecraft letters are reprinted in Crypt of Cthulhu Volume 8 No 3 Whole number 62 Candlemas 1989 a special issue devoted to Lowndes He wrote a number of dark fantasy stories such as The Abyss 1941 reprinted in Revelations from Yuggoth No 2 May 1988 and The Leapers 1942 inspired by Lovecraft The Crypt of Cthulhu tribute issue also reprints Lowndes Lovecraftian stories Leapers a shorter version first published as by Carol Grey appeared in the Dec 1942 issue of Future Fantasy and Science Fiction a revised version appeared in the Magazine of Horror and the Crypt of Cthulhu version represents a third and final revision with a new intro by Lowndes explaining its publication history and Settler s Wall a shorter version of the latter as The Long Wall by Wilfred Owen Morley was published in the March 1942 issue of Stirring Science Stories and was twice revised for later publication The Lowndes tribute issue also includes two Lovecraftian poems The Burrowers Beneath and Forbidden Books which also appeared under the Wilfred Owen Morley pseudonym in Stirring Science Stories for April and July 1941 respectively along with two critical articles by Lowndes which first appeared in Magazine of Horror and an essay on Lowndes Lowndes Lovecraft and the Health Knowledge Years by Mike Ashley Lowndes also wrote a series of poems inspired by Lovecraft s Fungi from Yuggoth The Annals of Arkya which he followed up with The New Annals of Arkya The 12 sonnet sequence Annals of Arkya was reprinted in Crypt of Cthulhu 10 No 3 Whole number 78 St John s Eve 1991 These have also been reprinted in an issue of Shawn Ramsey s Revelations from Yuggoth His nonfiction A Tribute to H P Lovecraft appears in Peter Cannon ed Lovecraft Remembered Arkham House 1988 The Health Knowledge magazines editIn 1963 Lowndes initiated the Magazine of Horror 1963 1971 for Health Knowledge Inc which mixed reprints with new stories 3 The magazine was popular and spawned several companion magazines Startling Mystery Stories Famous Science Fiction both 1966 Weird Terror Tales 1969 and Bizarre Fantasy Fiction 1970 Lowndes also edited two non fantastic fiction magazines for the company Thrilling Western Magazine 1967 and World Wide Adventure 1967 along with the speculative nonfiction titles they published 3 However the collapse of Health Knowledge in 1971 ended these magazines 4 Startling Mystery Stories was notable for carrying the first stories of Stephen King and F Paul Wilson 5 Lowndes subsequently went on to work on the Gernsback Publications non fiction magazine Sexology 3 In 1991 he received the First Fandom Hall of Fame award Works edit nbsp Lowndes s Intervention written under his Michael Sherman byline was the cover story on the February 1952 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about Robert Augustine Ward Lowndes Novels edit Mystery of the Third Mine Philadelphia Winston 1953 201p Juvenile The Duplicated Man with James Blish New York Avalon 1959 first magazine publication 1953 Believer s World Avalon Books 1961 serialized in 1952 224p expanded from the 1952 appearance in Space magazine as A Matter of Faith as by Michael Sherman The Puzzle Planet Ace Books Ace Double D 485 1961 Short stories edit The Abyss and other Dark Places UK Logos Press 1998 Chapbook Edited by Stephen Sennitt Non fiction edit Three Faces of Science Fiction SF as Instruction Propaganda and Delight Boston NESFA Press 1973 96p Collects Lowndes literary columns from Famous Science Fiction Orchids for Doc The Literary Adventures and Autobiography of Robert A W Doc Lowndes with Jeffrey M Elliot Borgo Press Borgo Bioviews No 7 ISBN 0 89370 344 3 Note According to the Internet Science Fiction Database this volume was never published The Gernsback Days A Study of the Evolution of Modern Science Fiction from 1911 to 1936 with Mike Ashley Wildside Press 2004 ISBN 0 8095 1054 5 hardcover ISBN 0 8095 1055 3 paperback 500p Introduction in Dracula New York Airmont Publishing Company Inc 1965 Introduction for The Time Chariot Avalon Books 1966 Editor edit Blish James and Robert Lowndes The Best of James Blish New York Ballantine Books 1979 ISBN 0 345 25600 XReferences edit Pohl Frederik May 8 2009 The Quadrumvirate The Way the Future Blogs Frederik Pohl Retrieved May 8 2009 An H P Lovecraft Encyclopedia edited by S T Joshi and David E Schultz Greenwood Publishing Group 2001 pg 158 a b c Mike Ashley Transformations the story of the science fiction magazines from 1950 to 1970 Liverpool University Press 2005 p 289 Peter Nicholls and John Clute Encyclopedia of Science Fiction page 738 John Clute and John Grant Encyclopedia of Fantasy page 611 Mike Ashley and Boden Clarke The Work of Robert A W Lowndes An Annotated Bibliography and Guide Borgo Press 1997 ISBN 0 8095 0504 5 Crypt of Cthulhu Volume 8 No 3 Whole number 62 Candlemas 1983 Special Robert A W Lowndes issue External links editSpacelight biography Works by Robert A W Lowndes at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Robert A W Lowndes at Internet Archive Works by Robert A W Lowndes at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Robert A W Lowndes at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert A W Lowndes amp oldid 1176598457, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
