Ben Bova
Ben Bova | |
|---|---|
 Ben Bova in 1974 | |
| Born | Benjamin William Bova November 8, 1932 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S. |
| Died | November 29, 2020(aged 88) Naples, Florida,U.S. |
| Occupation |
|
| Education | South Philadelphia High School Temple University University at Albany, SUNY(MA) California Coast University(EdD) |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Notable awards | Inkpot Award,[1]Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor |
| Spouse |
Rosa Cucinotta
(m.1953;div.1974)Barbara Berson Rose
(m.1974; died 2009) |
Benjamin William Bova(November 8, 1932 – November 29, 2020) was an Americanwriterandeditor.During a writing career of 60 years, he was the author of more than 120[2]works of science fact and fiction, an editor ofAnalog Science Fiction and Fact,for which he won aHugo Awardsix times, and an editorial director ofOmni;he was also president of both theNational Space Societyand theScience Fiction Writers of America.[3]
Personal life and education
[edit]Ben Bova was born on November 8, 1932, inPhiladelphia.He graduated fromSouth Philadelphia High Schoolin 1949. In 1953, while attendingTemple Universityin Philadelphia, he married Rosa Cucinotta; they had a son and a daughter. The couple divorced in 1974. That year he married Barbara Berson Rose.[4]Barbara Bova died on September 23, 2009.[5]Bova dedicated his 2011 novelPower Playto Barbara. In March 2013, he announced on his website that he had remarried, to Rashida Loya.[2]
Bova was anatheistand was critical of what he saw as the unquestioning nature ofreligion.[6]He wrote anop-edpiece in 2012, in which he argued that atheists can be just as moral as religious believers.[7]
He went back to school in the 1980s, earning a Master of Arts degree in communications in 1987 from theState University of New York at Albanyand aDoctor of Educationdegree fromCalifornia Coast Universityin 1996.[2]
Bova died fromCOVID-19-related pneumonia and a stroke on November 29, 2020, at the age of 88.[8]
Career
[edit]
Bova worked as atechnical writerforProject Vanguardin the 1950s and later for theAvcoEverett Research Laboratory[9]
In 1972, Bova became editor ofAnalog Science Fact & Fiction,afterJohn W. Campbell's death in 1971. AtAnalog,Bova won sixHugo AwardsforBest Professional Editor.[10]
Bova served as the science advisor for the television seriesThe Starlost(1973),[10][11]resigning as he lacked the "contractual right to remove his name from the credits."[12]His novelThe Starcrossed,loosely based on his experiences, featured a characterization of his friend and colleagueHarlan Ellisonas "Ron Gabriel".[13]In 1974, he co-wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children'sscience-fictiontelevision seriesLand of the Lost,titled "The Search".[14]After leavingAnalogin 1978, Bova went on to editOmni,from 1978 to 1982.[10]
Bova held the position of President Emeritus of theNational Space Societyand served as President ofScience Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America(SFWA).[15][16]
In 2000, he attended the58th World Science Fiction Convention(Chicon 2000) as the Author Guest of Honor.[17]In 2007,Stuber/Parent Productionshired him as a consultant to provide insight into what the world may look like in the near future, for their filmRepo Men(2010) starringJude LawandForest Whitaker.Also in 2007 he provided consulting services toSilver Pictureson thefilm adaptationofRichard K. Morgan'shardboiledcyberpunkscience-fiction novelAltered Carbon(2002). He was awarded theRobert A. Heinlein Awardin 2008 for his work in science fiction.[18]
Bibliography
[edit]As of February 2016[update],Bova had written over 124 books in various genres.[19]He edited several works, includingThe Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two(1973)[20]andNebula Awards Showcase 2008.[21]He wrote theGrand Tournovel series aboutexplorationand colonization of theSolar Systemby humans. Reviewing a collection of 12 of the series published in 2004,The New York Timesdescribed Bova as "the last of the great pulp writers".[22]
References
[edit]- ^"Inkpot Award".Comic-Con International: San Diego.December 6, 2012.
- ^abc"Official Website".Archived fromthe originalon January 3, 2013.RetrievedDecember 24,2012.
- ^Orion and King Arthur.Tor Tom Doherty. 2012. pp. inside back flap.ISBN9780765330178.
- ^Jay P. Pederson, ed. (December 1, 1995).St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers(4th ed.).St. James Press.ISBN978-1-55862-179-4.
- ^"Locus sf&f news:Barbara Bova Dies".Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2016.
- ^Gutsch, Bonnie."Ben Bova".FFRF Website.Freedom From Religion Foundation.RetrievedApril 3,2014.
- ^Bova, Ben (July 22, 2012)."Ben Bova: History says atheists just as moral as believers".naplesnews.com.Scripps Newspaper Group.RetrievedApril 3,2014.
- ^In Memoriam: Ben Bova,atScience Fiction Writers of America;published November 30, 2020; retrieved November 30, 2020
- ^Bova, Ben (February 14, 2009)."Ben Bova: We need more of Kantrowitz's 'impure research'".Naples Daily News.Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2012.
- ^abc"Sci-fi writer blasts gimmicks".Windsor Star.Canadian Press.October 20, 1979.RetrievedMarch 5,2011.
- ^"Sci-fi author critical of TV".Star-Phoenix.November 2, 1979. p. 31.RetrievedNovember 30,2020– viaNewspapers.com
.
- ^Patterson, William H. Jr. (June 3, 2014).Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century, Volume 2: The Man Who Learned Better (1948–1988).Macmillan. p. 349.ISBN978-1-4299-8796-7.
- ^Weil, Ellen; Wolfe, Gary K. (2002).Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever.Ohio State University Press. pp. 120–121.ISBN978-0-8142-0892-2.
- ^Erickson, Hal (March 13, 2015).Sid and Marty Krofft: A Critical Study of Saturday Morning Children's Television, 1969–1993.McFarland. p. 131.ISBN978-1-4766-0784-9.
- ^"National Space Society Governor Ben Bova Biography".National Space Society.August 3, 2017.RetrievedNovember 30,2020.
- ^"Ben Bova".News-Press.March 6, 2001. p. 88.RetrievedNovember 30,2020– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^Halevi, Charles Chi (August 27, 2000). "Science fiction is fun for fen".Chicago Sun-Times.p. 28.
- ^"The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2008 Robert A. Heinlein Award".Locus Publications.2008. Archived fromthe originalon April 23, 2010.RetrievedNovember 21,2016.
- ^"Ben Bova".www.benbova.net.Archived fromthe originalon February 15, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 10,2016.
- ^The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two,(1973), Volume two AOCLC12264834and Volume two BOCLC12264899
- ^Bova, Ben, ed. (2008).Nebula awards showcase 2008: the year's best SF and fantasy.New York: Roc.ISBN978-0-451-46188-9.OCLC192027364.
- ^Jonas, Gerald (March 7, 2004)."Science Fiction (Published 2004)".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedNovember 30,2020.
External links
[edit]
- Official website
- Works by Ben BovaatProject Gutenberg
- Works by or about Ben BovaatInternet Archive
- Works by Ben BovaatLibriVox(public domain audiobooks)
- Works by Ben BovaatOpen Library
- Ben Bovaat theInternet Speculative Fiction Database
- Ben Bovaat the Internet Book List
- Ben Bovadiscography atDiscogs
- ObituaryArchivedApril 18, 2021, at theWayback MachineatAnalog
- Ben BovaatIMDb
- 1932 births
- 2020 deaths
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century American non-fiction writers
- 20th-century American novelists
- 20th-century American short story writers
- 20th-century American essayists
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American non-fiction writers
- 21st-century American novelists
- 21st-century American short story writers
- 21st-century American essayists
- American atheists
- American male essayists
- American male non-fiction writers
- American male novelists
- American male short story writers
- American writers of Italian descent
- American science fiction writers
- American speculative fiction editors
- Analog Science Fiction and Fact people
- American anthologists
- California Coast University alumni
- American critics of religions
- Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida
- Deaths from pneumonia in Florida
- Hugo Award-winning editors
- Inkpot Award winners
- The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction people
- Novelists from Connecticut
- Novelists from Pennsylvania
- People from West Hartford, Connecticut
- Science fiction critics
- Science fiction editors
- Technical writers
- Temple University alumni
- Writers about religion and science
- Writers from Philadelphia
- Writers of books about writing fiction
- Presidents of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association