Tom Godwin (June 6, 1915 – August 31, 1980) was an American science fiction author active throughout the 1950s into the 1970s. In his career, Godwin published three novels and around thirty short stories.[1] He is best known for his short story, "The Cold Equations". Published in 1954, the short story was Godwin’s fourth work to be published and was one whose controversial dark ending helped redefine the genre.[2]
Godwin was born in Maryland in 1915.[3] He had a rough childhood that was marked by much loss and suffering. At the age of five, his younger sister died as a result of an accidental shooting that occurred after he had been "playing with the gun that killed her".[4] After his mother's death, he was raised by his father, with whom he did not have the best relationship. He withdrew from school after the third grade,[1] but he went on to teach himself multiple other subjects to expand his knowledge and be able to write better stories.[4]
Personal life
Godwin had a spinal disorder known as kyphosis, which results in a curvature of the spine, making him appear hunchbacked.[1][4] He spent a few months in the Army before he was discharged due to his spinal condition worsening.[5]
In the early 1960s, Godwin was living in a remote area of northwestern Arizona with his father writing and making his own drywashers to sell. It was in the summer of 1961 that he met his future wife, Laureola Godwin, and his then twelve-year-old step-daughter, whom he later adopted, Diane Godwin Sullivan, through the sale of one of his drywashers. He went on to base two of the main characters in his second novel, The Space Barbarians, after them.
He worked for the forest service in Washington state for a short period of time. His wife died from a heart attack in the early 1970s. This was something that had a heavy impact on him for the rest of his life. After living with his adopted daughter and her family in Texas for some time after his wife's death, he moved to Nevada.[6]
Death
Throughout his life, Godwin battled with alcohol abuse with varying degrees of success in being able to control it. It was his wife's death that eventually led him to be "consume[d]" by drinking which led to many health problems. Godwin died in a Las Vegas hospital in the summer of 1980. He did not have any identification on him so his body was held at a funeral home until a friend of his who was a physician assistant learned of his death and contacted his daughter, Diane.[5]
Godwin's novelette, "No Species Alone," was not published until the November issue despite being cover-featured on the July 1954 issue of Universe Science Fiction.
Godwin's, "The Nothing Equation," was his first short story to be published in Amazing Stories. It appeared in the magazine's December issue in 1957.
Works by Tom Godwin at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
January 01, 2023
godwin, other, people, with, same, name, thomas, godwin, disambiguation, june, 1915, august, 1980, american, science, fiction, author, active, throughout, 1950s, into, 1970s, career, godwin, published, three, novels, around, thirty, short, stories, best, known. For other people with the same name see Thomas Godwin disambiguation Tom Godwin June 6 1915 August 31 1980 was an American science fiction author active throughout the 1950s into the 1970s In his career Godwin published three novels and around thirty short stories 1 He is best known for his short story The Cold Equations Published in 1954 the short story was Godwin s fourth work to be published and was one whose controversial dark ending helped redefine the genre 2 Tom GodwinBorn6 June 1915 Died31 August 1980 aged 65 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Personal life 3 Death 4 Works 4 1 Novels 4 2 Short stories 4 3 Collections 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksEarly life and education EditGodwin was born in Maryland in 1915 3 He had a rough childhood that was marked by much loss and suffering At the age of five his younger sister died as a result of an accidental shooting that occurred after he had been playing with the gun that killed her 4 After his mother s death he was raised by his father with whom he did not have the best relationship He withdrew from school after the third grade 1 but he went on to teach himself multiple other subjects to expand his knowledge and be able to write better stories 4 Personal life EditGodwin had a spinal disorder known as kyphosis which results in a curvature of the spine making him appear hunchbacked 1 4 He spent a few months in the Army before he was discharged due to his spinal condition worsening 5 In the early 1960s Godwin was living in a remote area of northwestern Arizona with his father writing and making his own drywashers to sell It was in the summer of 1961 that he met his future wife Laureola Godwin and his then twelve year old step daughter whom he later adopted Diane Godwin Sullivan through the sale of one of his drywashers He went on to base two of the main characters in his second novel The Space Barbarians after them He worked for the forest service in Washington state for a short period of time His wife died from a heart attack in the early 1970s This was something that had a heavy impact on him for the rest of his life After living with his adopted daughter and her family in Texas for some time after his wife s death he moved to Nevada 6 Death EditThroughout his life Godwin battled with alcohol abuse with varying degrees of success in being able to control it It was his wife s death that eventually led him to be consume d by drinking which led to many health problems Godwin died in a Las Vegas hospital in the summer of 1980 He did not have any identification on him so his body was held at a funeral home until a friend of his who was a physician assistant learned of his death and contacted his daughter Diane 5 Works EditNovels Edit Ragnarok series The Survivors Gnome Press 1958 also known as Space Prison Pyramid Books 1960 The Space Barbarians Pyramid Books 1964 Others Beyond Another Sun Curtis 1971 Short stories Edit Godwin s novelette No Species Alone was not published until the November issue despite being cover featured on the July 1954 issue of Universe Science Fiction Godwin s The Nothing Equation was his first short story to be published in Amazing Stories It appeared in the magazine s December issue in 1957 The Gulf Between in Astounding October 1953 Mother of Invention in Astounding December 1953 The Greater Thing in Astounding February 1954 The Cold Equations in Astounding August 1954 No Species Alone in Universe November 1954 You Created Us in Fantastic Universe October 1955 The Barbarians in If December 1955 Operation Opera in Fantasy and Science Fiction April 1956 Brain Teaser in If October 1956 Too Soon to Die basis for his novel The Survivors in Venture March 1957 The Harvest in Venture July 1957 The Last Victory in If August 1957 The Nothing Equation in Amazing December 1957 The Wild Ones in Science Fiction Stories January 1958 My Brother The Ape in Amazing January 1958 Cry From a Far Planet in Amazing September 1958 A Place Beyond the Stars in Super Science Fiction February 1959 Empathy in Fantastic October 1959 The Helpful Hand of God in Analog December 1961 and Devious the Line of Duty in Analog December 1962 Desert Execution in The Man from U N C L E Magazine July 1967 The Gentle Captive in the original story anthology Signs and Wonders 1972 She Was a Child in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine April 1973 We ll Walk Again in the Moonlight in the anthology Crisis 1974 Backfire in Ed McBain s 87th Precinct Mystery Magazine April 1975 The Steel Guardian in Antaeus Spring Summer 1977 Social Blunder in Amazing July 1977 Before Willows Ever Walked in Fantasy and Science Fiction March 1980Collections Edit The following stories are collected in the book The Cold Equations amp Other Stories ed Eric Flint Baen Books 2004 The Survivors novel The Harvest short story Brain Teaser short story Mother of Invention novella and Devious the Line of Duty novelette Empathy novelette No Species Alone novelette The Gulf Between novella The Cold Equations noveletteReferences EditCitations Edit a b c Godwin Tom 2005 sfn error no target CITEREFGodwin Tom2005 help Friedberg 2011 sfn error no target CITEREFFriedberg2011 help Tom Godwin 2003 sfn error no target CITEREFTom Godwin2003 help a b c Godwin Sullivan 1990 p 19 a b Godwin Sullivan 1990 p 20 Godwin Sullivan 1990 p 19 20 Bibliography Edit Author Spotlight Tom Godwin Lightspeed Magazine July 2011 Retrieved December 7 2019 Godwin Sullivan Diane Summer 1990 Tom Godwin A Personal Memory Quantum Science Fiction amp Fantasy Review No 37 Thrust Publications pp 19 20 ISSN 0198 6686 Retrieved December 7 2019 Godwin Tom The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction January 1 2005 Retrieved December 7 2019 Tom Godwin Contemporary Authors Online Literature Resource Center Gale 2003 External links EditTom Godwin at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database Works by Tom Godwin at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Tom Godwin at Internet Archive Works by Tom Godwin at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tom Godwin amp oldid 1109087881, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
