Lester Del Rey

Born Leonard Knapp on June 2, 1915, in Minnesota, Lester del Rey became one of the best-known names in American science fiction. He built his reputation first as a writer, especially in short fiction, and is still remembered for stories such as Helen O'Loy as well as for novels written for younger readers.

Del Rey was also an important editor and critic. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction notes both his long career in the field and his role, with Judy-Lynn del Rey, in shaping Del Rey Books into a major fantasy and science fiction imprint. That mix of storytelling and editorial influence helped give him an outsized place in the genre's history.

He died on May 10, 1993, in New York. For many readers, his legacy is twofold: a classic pulp-era imagination on the page, and a lasting impact on which science fiction and fantasy books reached new generations of fans.