Brian Aldiss

Aldiss, Brian (Wilson) (Aldiss, Brian Wilson) (p. 1925), English writer. His numerous writings include critical studies, essays, short stories, and are highly appreciated by 'regular' novels, but his main strength, he concentrated on science fiction. Unlike many of his colleagues, . Aldiss suited to science fiction to the humanitarian position, . focusing on characters and themes more, . than technical achievements, . showing rare in this area writer independence and preferring to hack recipes risky creative experiments,
. He was awarded many honorary awards and is considered a master of science fiction world-class.

Born August 18, 1925 in East Durham (county of Norfolk, England), without much pleasure in private schools. During the Second World War he served in the Army Signal Corps in Burma and Indonesia (Sumatra), was discharged in 1948 and settled by the seller in a bookstore in Oxford. Fictionalized sketches of bookshops, which were printed in the trade journal 'Bukseller', subsequently formed the basis for his first novel, "Braytfaunta Diaries" (Brightfount Diaries, 1955).

By the end of 1950, like a bright meteor scattering verbal sequins, Aldiss burst into the world of science fiction. Evidence of this can become a collection of short stories "The space, . Time and Nathaniel "(Space, . Time and Nathaniel, . 1957), . his first science fiction novel "Non-Stop" (Non-Stop, . 1958), . released in the U.S. called "starship" (Starship), . and the subsequent collections of short stories "Under the cover of Time" (The Canopy of Time, . 1959) and "Tomorrow does not happen" (No Time Like Tomorrow, . 1959),
.

In 1962, Aldiss published novel, "Toeplitz" (Hot-house), won the U.S. title "Long Afternoon of Earth" (The Long Afternoon of Earth). The atmosphere is grim and disturbing poetic beauty of the world, which can not conquer the universe, like the first novel by the writer. For this book, Aldiss was awarded the prize in 1962 'Hugo', it remains a classic version of the possible future of our planet.

In the second half of 1960 Aldiss is one of the leaders of the British 'new wave' - associated with the magazine 'New Uorlds' literary movement, aims at a literary experiment in the genre of science fiction. Provoking debate and discussion, . Aldiss prints more innovative prose - novels "Salivary tree" (The Saliva Tree, . 1966), . received the prize 'Hebyula', . and "Report on the probability" (A Report on Probability, . 1968), . where the techniques of the French 'antinovel' entered into a surreal, enigmatic narrative,
. Behind them followed the book "A barefooted head: European fantasy" (Barefoot in the Head: A European Fantasia, 1969), risuyuschaya consequences of the war in Europe, where the weapons were psychedelic drugs. The narrative, which determines the style of play on words, calling to mind "Finnegans Wake" (1939) Dzh.Dzhoysa, recognized extravagant masterpiece of the author

. R. Matthews, in his book "Exempt Aldiss: Science Fiction of Brian W. Aldiss" (Aldiss Unbound: The Sience Fiction of Brian W. Aldiss) suggests, . what, . mastered in the 1960's requirement of the genre, . Aldiss 'discharged from science fiction' and dared to 'literature standard',
. The result was a complete obscenity Romanized autobiography - 'a series of Horatio Stubbs': "The boy with his hand raised" (The Hand-Reared Boy, . 1970), . "Vertical soldiers" (A Soldier Erect, . 1971) and "bitterly disappointed" (A Rude Awakening, . 1979),
. Humor, typical science fiction Aldiss, combined here with his serious intention to change. The frankness of the author of a trilogy, where a considerable place is occupied by sexual exploits of Horatio, provoked a strong reaction from critics, some of which found its characters 'fresh', but part - vulgar. All, however, recognized the vivid delineation of hostilities in the region of China, Burma and India.

According to critics, dealing with science fiction, one of the best novels of 1970 belongs to "Malasiysky tapestry" (The Malacia Tapestry, 1976) Aldiss. Painted lyricism 'fantasy' with scientific overtones is considered by many critics the best work Aldiss.

In 1980, Aldiss published "Another island Moreau" (Moreau's Other Island), known in the U.S. as "The Island called Moreau" (An Island Called Moreau) and is a remake of "Island of Dr. Moreau" (The Island of Dr. Moreau, 1896) Dzh.G.Uellsa. But the most significant of his work in this genre has received many responses trilogy on Hellikon. Effects included in her novels "Spring Hellikon" (Helliconia Spring, 1982), "Summer Hellikon" (Helliconia Summer, 1983) and "Winter Hellikon" (Helliconia Winter, 1985) takes place on the planet, located in a binary star system. Year 2592 is Hellikon earth, and the seasons last for centuries in the ground calculus. Extreme climatic conditions determine the rise and fall of civilizations, biology and relationships of the inhabitants of the planet, including human beings and Fagor - representatives negumanoidnoy race. This is the most ambitious attempt to convince the author of all that science fiction - serious literature

. After the trilogy saw the light novels, "the day before yesterday the year" (The Year Before Yesterday, . 1987), . "Ruins" (Ruins, . 1987), . "Forgotten Life" (Forgotten Life, . 1989), . "Exempt Dracula" (Dracula Unbound, . 1991), . 'Funeral Sunday "(Remembrance Day, . 1993), . "Somewhere in the east of life" (Somewhere East of Life, . 1994),
.

Indefatigable anthologist and scholar of science fiction, Aldiss wrote a series of books devoted to this genre. Among them stands Billion years of razzle-dazzle "(Billion Year Spree, 1973) - an extensive and inspired historical overview of science fiction. Together with D. Uingrouvom Aldiss made a new version of the book entitled "trillions of years on a spree" (Trillion Year Spree, 1986). 1990's Aldiss began autobiography "Bury My Heart at 'U.H. Smith ': The Life of Writers "(Bury My Heart at WHSmith's: A Writing Life, 1990), not so much the tale of Brian Aldiss, how much that means to him to write.

By the end of 20 in. number of stories Aldiss than 350. Among the latest collections - "TU too far and other stories" (A Tupolev Too Far: And Other Stories, . 1994), . "The secret of this book" (The Secret of This Book, . 1995), . "Common Clay" (Common Clay, . 1996) and "Blink" (Twinkling of an Eye, . 1998).,