Bates, Harry, 1900-1981

Harry Bates (1900–1981) was an American science fiction editor and writer. He founded the magazine Astounding Stories, which had a profound influence on the Golden Age of science fiction. As an editor, he provided through this publication a venue for early science fiction and helped drive the genre's flourishing in the 1930s and 1940s. His own fiction is notable for its polar ice settings; representative works include Seed of the Arctic Ice and Under Arctic Ice, which combine science fiction imagination with harsh natural environments and display a distinctive narrative style. Two of his works are held in this collection. Public information about the details of his life is limited, yet his editorial practice and fiction show that he played a transitional role in the development of American science fiction, both supporting new writers and enriching the genre's thematic range through his own writing.