Fritz Leiber
Fritz Leiber, Jr. (1910-1992) was an influential American writer known for his contributions to the fantasy and science fiction genres. Born in Chicago to parents who were both Shakespearean actors, Leiber's theatrical background significantly shaped his narrative style, often presenting his stories with dramatic flair. He gained early recognition for his work in horror and ventured into science fiction, producing notable works such as "Conjure Wife" and "Gather, Darkness!" which explore themes of magic and technology. Alongside his professional achievements, Leiber is celebrated for co-creating the iconic sword-and-sorcery duo, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, with fellow writer Harry Fischer.
Throughout his career, Leiber received numerous accolades, including six Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards, and was honored as a Grand Master for his contributions to science fiction. His personal life was marked by challenges, including struggles with alcoholism, and the loss of his first wife in 1969. Leiber's diverse body of work, which encompasses multiple subgenres, has earned him a lasting reputation among fans of imaginative literature. His marriage to Margo Skinner in 1992 occurred shortly before his death, yet his legacy in the literary world continues to inspire readers and writers alike.
Fritz Leiber
American novelist and short fiction writer.
- Born: December 24, 1910
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
- Died: September 5, 1992
- Place of death: San Francisco, California
Biography
Fritz Leiber, Jr., was born on Christmas Eve, 1910, in Chicago, Illinois, the only child of Fritz Leiber and Virginia (Bronson) Leiber, both Shakespearean actors. Leiber’s consequent background in the theater became an important influence in his fiction, and several of his novels are almost dramatic in their presentation (indeed, one, The Big Time, was adapted into a play).
Leiber grew up in various areas of the country as his parents toured, but spent the largest amount of time in Chicago. While touring with his parents’ company, he learned to play chess, a game at which he became almost too proficient, later blaming his devotion to it for getting in the way of his writing at times. He became a devoted fan of Hugo Gernsback’s Amazing Stories. He attended the University of Chicago, graduating with a bachelor of philosophy degree in 1932.
He was persuaded into attending the General Theological Seminary in the same year, and spent five months in New Jersey as lay reader and minister. Lacking any deep vocation, Leiber then turned to acting with his parents’ company, and ended up with a bit part in Camille with Greta Garbo (1936). During this time he married Jonquil Stephens, a British-born poet; they had one son, Justin, who became a writer as well. He also became friends with Harry Fischer, a Kentucky writer with whom Leiber invented what proved to be his most famous creations, the sword- and-sorcery duo of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser.
After his acting career failed, Leiber worked as an editor for a Chicago publisher and as a drama teacher in Los Angeles, becoming a precision inspector during the war in Santa Monica, California. By this time, Leiber’s writing career had begun, chiefly in the horror field, with sales to John W. Campbell’s Unknown magazine. His most important longer works of this period include Conjure Wife, his most adapted work (the best adaptation being the 1962 film Burn Witch Burn), about witches who are the actual creators of their husbands’ successes, and Gather, Darkness!, in which a future rebellion against a theocratic state is fueled by seeming magic that is actually technology. That it was initially published in Campbell’s Astounding Science Fiction reveals its science-fiction underpinnings. Leiber was already showing his adeptness at moving between subgenres and often intermixing them.
Leiber’s last full-time day job was as associate editor for Science Digest; he became a full-time author in 1956. Fallow periods in Leiber’s writing career led to speculation about conflicts with various editors, but the more probable cause was Leiber’s alcoholism. Leiber became an award-winning writer; he was eventually to win six Hugo Awards and three Nebulas, as well as a Grand Master award for his science fiction and the World Fantasy Life Award. Leiber’s wife died in 1969, and he married Margo Skinner in 1992, three and a half months before his death. Leiber’s consummate skill in three subgenres may have diminished his overall reputation, but his standing with those who love imagination, inventiveness, wit, and style will always remain high.
Author Works
Long Fiction:
Conjure Wife, 1943
Gather, Darkness!, 1943
Destiny Times Three, 1945
The Sinful Ones, 1953 (also known as You’re All Alone)
The Green Millennium, 1953
The Big Time, 1957
The Silver Eggheads, 1961
The Wanderer, 1964
Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, 1966
A Specter Is Haunting Texas, 1968
The Swords of Lankhmar, 1968
Our Lady of Darkness, 1977
Rime Isle, 1977
The Dealings of Daniel Kesserich, 1997
Short Fiction:
Night's Black Agents, 1947
Two Sought Adventure, 1957
The Mind Spider, and Other Stories, 1961
Shadows with Eyes, 1962
A Pail of Air, 1964
Ships to the Stars, 1964
The Night of the Wolf, 1966
Swords Against Wizardry, 1968
Swords in the Mist, 1968
The Secret Songs, 1968
Night Monsters, 1969
Swords and Deviltry, 1970
Swords Against Death, 1970
The Book of Fritz Leiber, 1974
The Best of Fritz Leiber, 1974
The Second Book of Fritz Leiber, 1975
The Worlds of Fritz Leiber, 1976
Swords and Ice Magic, 1977
Heroes and Horrors, 1978
Bazaar of the Bizarre, 1978
Ship of Shadows, 1979
Ervool, 1980
The Mystery of the Japanese Clock, 1982
Changewar, 1983
The Ghost Light, 1984
The Knight and Knave of Swords, 1988 (also known as Farewell to Lankhmar)
The Leiber Chronicles: Fifty Years of Fritz Leiber, 1990
Gummitch and Friends, 1992
Ill Met in Lankhmar, 1995
Lean Times in Lankhmar, 1996
Return to Lankhmar, 1997
Dark Ladies, 1999
The Black Gondolier, 2000
Smoke Ghost and Other Apparitions, 2002
Day Dark, Night Bright, 2002
Horrible Imaginings, 2004
Strange Wonders, 2010
Bibliography
Bleiler, Richard. Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of the Major Authors from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day. 2nd ed, Scribner's Sons, 1999. Includes discussion of Leiber as one of the most important authors in twentieth century science fiction and fantasy.
Clute, John. "Obituary: Fritz Leiber." Independent, 13 Sept. 1992, www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-fritz-leiber-1551326.html. Accessed 27 June 2017. This obituary of Leiber provides an overview of his life and career while discussing his major works and influence on fantasy and science fiction.
Gioia, Ted. "Fritz Leiber at One Hundred." Conceptual Fiction, 13 Feb. 2011, www.conceptualfiction.com/fritz‗leiber.html. Accessed 27 June 2017. Discusses Leiber's legacy, suggesting that his lasting influence on the sword-and-sorcery subgenre makes his catalog worth more consideration from readers and critics.
Szumskyj, Benjamin. Fritz Lieber: Critical Essays. McFarland, 2008. Provides academic examination of Leiber's life and works, including recurring themes, influences, and comparison with horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.
Szumskyj, Benjamin, and S. T. Joshi. Fritz Leiber and H. P. Lovecraft: Writers of the Dark. Wildside Press, 2004. Compares and contrasts Leiber and Lovecraft, offering critical analysis of their works and styles.