A. E. (Alfred Elton) Van Vogt

Born in Manitoba, Canada, in 1912, Alfred Elton van Vogt became one of the standout science fiction writers of the mid-20th century. He began publishing in the famous magazine Astounding Science Fiction and quickly drew attention for stories that mixed adventure, strange logic, and big speculative ideas.

His best-known works include Slan, The Weapon Shops of Isher, The Book of Ptath, and the Null-A novels. Readers and writers alike remembered his fiction for its dreamlike momentum and surprising turns, and his work went on to influence later science fiction authors.

Van Vogt moved to the United States in the 1940s and later became a naturalized American citizen. Over a long career, he remained closely associated with the Golden Age of science fiction, and in 1996 he received the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Grand Master honor.