Douglas Hill
Douglas Hill, born on April 6, 1935, in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada, is a notable figure in the realm of writing, especially recognized for his contributions to science fiction and poetry. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan and pursued further education at the University of Toronto before relocating to London in 1959. Hill's career has spanned various roles, including editor positions at several publishing houses, where he shaped the genre through anthologies and curated collections that highlighted themes of magic, witchcraft, and the supernatural. In addition to his editorial work, he is known for writing science fiction novels targeted at both younger and older audiences and has collaborated with his former wife, poet Gail Robinson. Hill has also published poetry in esteemed anthologies and has contributed articles and reviews to various periodicals. He remains active in the literary community as a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and the British Science Fiction Association. His multifaceted career reflects a deep engagement with both science fiction and poetic forms, marking him as a significant contributor to contemporary literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Douglas Hill
Writer
- Born: April 6, 1935
- Birthplace: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
- Died: June 21, 2007
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
Douglas Hill was born on April 6,1935, in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. He was the son of William Hill, a locomotive engineer, and Cora (nee Smith), a nurse. Hill studied at the University of Saskatchewan, graduating with a B.A., with honors, in 1957. He then went to the University of Toronto, where he undertook graduate study from 1957 to 1959. He moved to London, England, in 1959. Before he left the United States, Hill married the poet and author Gail Robinson on April 8, 1958, and the couple had a son, Michael Julian. The couple separated in1975.
Since 1959, Hill has been a freelance writer as well as undertaking a number of other jobs. From 1962 to 1966, he was an editor at Aldus Books Ltd. in London before becoming the science-fiction advisor to another publisher, Rupert Hart-Davis, from 1966 to 1968. At Rupert Hart-Davis, he edited several anthologies. Hill performed similar duties at Mayflower Books from 1969 to 1971; at J.M. Dent & Sons from 1972 to 1974; and at Pan Books beginning in 1974. He was also associate editor of New Worldsmagazine from1967 to 1968.
Hill is a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and has been a member of the British Science Fiction Association. In 1965, he collaborated with Pat Williams on his first published book, The Supernatural, which was a nonfiction book. It looked at historical and current practices of magic and witchcraft, as well as discussing supernatural beings, spiritualism, and cults. The interest in these subjects is also apparent in the choice of stories for the anthologies he edited. In 1975 he began publishing a long sequence of science-fiction novels for younger and older children and collaborated with Gail Robinson. He also wrote under the pseudonym of Martin Hillman.
Hill’s poems have been included in a number prestigious anthologies including The Anthology of British Poetsedited by Dave Cuncliffe. He has contributed poems, book reviews and articles to many periodicals.