author
Bob Olsen
1884–1956
A lively early pulp writer, he helped shape magazine science fiction with clever, fast-moving stories that mixed wonder, humor, and mystery. Writing as Bob Olsen, he became a familiar name in the pages of Amazing Stories and other popular magazines of the 1920s and 1930s.
1 Audiobook
Rhythm rides the rocket
by Bob Olsen
About the author
Born Alfred Johannes Olsen Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, he was an American science fiction writer who published under the pen name Bob Olsen. Before and alongside his fiction career, he worked in several fields, including teaching and advertising, bringing a practical, energetic feel to much of his writing.
He began publishing science fiction in the late 1920s, with early work appearing in Amazing Stories. He became especially known for imaginative tales involving unusual scientific ideas, including stories about the fourth dimension, and he also wrote mystery fiction with a scientific twist.
Though he is less widely remembered than some later genre stars, he was an important presence in the early pulp era and helped build the playful, idea-driven spirit that defined much of early magazine science fiction. He died in 1956, leaving behind a body of work that still interests readers exploring the roots of the genre.