author
William Tenn
1920–2010
Best known for sharp, funny science fiction that poked at politics, technology, and human behavior, this classic satirist turned big ideas into stories that still feel lively and sly. He wrote relatively little compared with some of his peers, but his short fiction left a lasting mark on the genre.
6 Audiobooks
Project Hush
by William Tenn
Of All Possible Worlds
by William Tenn
Venus is a Man's World
by William Tenn
Ricardo's Virus
by William Tenn
Me, Myself and I
by William Tenn
The Men in the Walls
by William Tenn
About the author
Born Philip Klass in London in 1920, he moved to the United States as an infant and later wrote under the pen name William Tenn. He became one of science fiction's standout satirists, with stories that mixed humor, social criticism, and a very clear-eyed view of human nature.
After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, he began publishing fiction in the 1940s. His work appeared widely in magazines, and he became especially admired for short stories rather than long novels. Readers and critics have often singled out him for being both genuinely funny and genuinely incisive.
Later, he taught writing and science fiction at Pennsylvania State University for many years, influencing a new generation of writers. He died in 2010, but his reputation has endured through collections such as The Complete Science Fiction of William Tenn and through the continued affection readers have for his wit.