Photo: John Lawrence

Science Fiction Grandmaster Brian W. Aldiss’ over 100 books include the science-fiction masterpieces HOTHOUSE, GREYBEARD, FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND, THE MALACIA TAPESTRY, FINCHES OF MARS, and the Helliconia Trilogy. The short story “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long” served as the basis for the Stanley Kubrick-developed Steven Spielberg film A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

His many short stories and essays have been collected in SPACE, TIME AND
NATHANIEL, THE BOOK OF BRIAN ALDISS, SCIENCE FICTION BLUES, PROGRAMME
BOOK, SUPERTOYS LAST ALL SUMMER LONG AND OTHER STORIES OF FUTURE
TIME, CULTURAL BREAKS, THE INVENTION OF HAPPINESS, THE BRIAN ALDISS
COLLECTION: THE COMPLETE SHORT STORIES, and more. 

Among his several works of nonfiction are the pioneering book of science fiction criticism BILLION YEAR SPREE (revised as TRILLION YEAR SPREE [with David Wingrove]), … AND THE LURID
GLARE OF THE COMET, THE DETACHED RETINA: ASPECTS OF SF AND FANTASY,
and AN EXILE ON PLANET EARTH: ARTICLES AND REFLECTIONS. As an anthologist Aldiss produced numerous influential collections such as PENGUIN SCIENCE FICTION, YEARS BEST SCIENCE FICTION (with Harry Harrison, Volumes 1-6), SPACE OPERA, and A SCIENCE FICTION OMNIBUS. His prodigious output includes eight volumes of poetry. 

Aldiss’ works have garnered him a myriad of awards and accoladed, including the Hugo, Nebula, Campbell, Locus, British Science Fiction, Ditmar, and Eaton awards. In 2005, he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to literature. The electronic pop duo Echoes In Rows released a song entitled “Brian Aldiss” in 2010.

All of us at Tachyon wish the groundbreaking and influential Brian a happy 92nd birthday.

For more info on CULTURAL BREAKS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by John Picacio