Fletcher Pratt
Murray Fletcher Pratt (1897-1956) was an American writer and intellectual known for his diverse contributions to literature, particularly in the realms of science fiction and military history. Born in Buffalo, New York, Pratt's career spanned various roles, including librarian, journalist, and linguist, where he translated works from German and French. He became involved in the science fiction genre through his association with Hugo Gernsback's magazine, Science World Stories, and published his first short story in 1928. Notable for his fantasy novels such as *The Well of the Unicorn* and *The Blue Star*, Pratt also garnered recognition for his military histories, which often reflected his experiences and insights from World War II. His collaborations with fellow writer L. Sprague de Camp produced a series of humorous novels centered on the character Harold Shea, as well as the collection *Tales from Gavagan's Bar*. Pratt's legacy extends to his influence on the genre of science fiction and the study of military history, earning him a lasting place in American literary culture.
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Fletcher Pratt
Author
- Born: April 25, 1897
- Birthplace: Buffalo, New York
- Died: June 10, 1956
- Place of death: Long Branch, New Jersey
Biography
Murray Fletcher Pratt was born on April 25, 1897, in Buffalo, New York. During his varied career, he was a science-fiction writer, librarian, journalist for several newspapers, military historian, and the inventor of a naval war game. He was also a linguist, translating the work of German and French authors. Pratt attended Hobart College in Geneva, New York, for a year beginning in 1915. He married Inga Stephens, a professional illustrator, in 1926. According to a memoir by Pratt’s frequent collaborator, L. Sprague de Camp, Pratt used insurance money from an apartment fire to study at the Sorbonne in Paris from 1931 until 1933.
Pratt’s introduction to science fiction came when he was a translator and author for Hugo Gernsback’s magazine, Science World Stories. His first published short story, “The Octopus Cycle,” appeared in a science-fiction magazine in 1928 under the pseudonym Irvin Lester, one of Pratt’s pen names. He went on to write numerous science- fiction stories, novellas, and novelettes. Among his most acclaimed works were his fantasy novels, The Well of the Unicorn and The Blue Star (1969).
Pratt’s interest in military history grew out of World War II, and much of his historical writing was about that war. He also wrote about other conflicts, including the Civil War; the New York Civil War Round Table named its annual award for the Best Civil War book for Pratt. His numerous military histories include The Navy: A History (1938), America and Total War (1941), A Short History of the Army and Navy (1944), and The Complete History of the United States Navy (1957).
He collaborated with de Camp to write several humorous novels about the tribulations of Harold Shea, beginning with The Incomplete Enchanter (1941). De Camp continued the series after Pratt’s death. Pratt and de Camp also collaborated on the Gavagan’s Bar Club stories, a collection of tall tales that were published as Tales from Gavagan’s Bar (1953). Pratt and de Camp worked well together. They outlined each story together and junior partner de Camp generally wrote the first draft, with Pratt completing the final draft. Pratt died on June 10, 1956.