R. A. Lafferty

Born in Neola, Iowa, in 1914 and raised in Oklahoma, R. A. Lafferty was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, and short stories. He came to publishing later than many writers, with his first science-fiction story appearing in 1960, and he was noted for working in the electrical business before turning to writing full-time around 1970.

Lafferty became especially admired for the burst of novels and short fiction he produced in the 1960s and 1970s. Readers and critics remember him for an unmistakable voice: playful, learned, comic, philosophical, and full of tall-tale energy. His work often drew on folklore, religion, history, and an offbeat sense of wonder, making books such as Past Master, Fourth Mansions, and Nine Hundred Grandmothers stand out even within speculative fiction.

Though never a conventional genre writer, he became hugely influential to later admirers and remains a cult favorite for readers who like fiction that feels surprising on every page. He died in 2002, but his stories continue to be rediscovered for their originality and their refusal to sound like anybody else.