John Sladek
John Sladek was an influential American science fiction writer, born in 1937 in Iowa, though the exact date of his birth is ambiguous due to conflicting records. He began crafting stories in his childhood, often inserting himself as the hero in narratives inspired by series like the Hardy Boys and the Oz books. Sladek's writing is marked by a distinct satirical edge, drawing on his Midwestern roots to comment on American life, and his work is noted for its intelligence and humor. He became associated with the British "New Wave" of science fiction during his time in England from 1966 to the mid-1980s, yet his unique voice and style set him apart from his contemporaries.
Throughout his career, Sladek explored various genres, collaborating with noted authors and even co-editing a poetry magazine. His notable works include the novel *Roderick*, which features a robot on a journey reminiscent of Voltaire's *Candide*, and *Tik-Tok*, inspired by the clockwork character from his childhood reading. Despite facing health challenges due to pulmonary fibrosis, Sladek continued his literary pursuits until his passing in 2000. He left behind a legacy as a writer who used science fiction as a lens to make sense of a complex world, survived by his family, including his second wife, Sandra.
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John Sladek
Author
- Born: October or December 15, 1937
- Birthplace: Waverly, Iowa
- Died: March 10, 2000
- Place of death: Edina, Minnesota
Biography
John Sladek was born on the fifteenth day of the month in either October or December (the state and hospital records differ) in 1937. He began his writing, like most other dedicated writers, in childhood, by “thinking” stories. He made himself the hero in whatever book he’d been reading most recently: a volume of the Hardy Boys series, perhaps, or one of the Oz books.
Sladek’s prosaic Midwestern background—he was born in Iowa and attended the University of Minnesota—gave him a particular perspective on America, which he used to great satirical advantage in his science-fiction novels. He spent some time in Morocco, Spain, and Austria before he settled down in England. In order to support himself, he worked, at various times, as a short-order cook, a technical writer, a railroad switchman, and a cowboy before he began to write science fiction that has been described as “stimulating, intelligent, and hilariously or cruelly funny.”
Sladek lived in England from 1966 until the mid-1980’s, when he returned to his native Midwest. He had arrived on the English scene in time to be identified with the “New Wave” that was taking over the world of British science fiction. Sladek’s work however, was always original and defied classification, although he has been compared to both Voltaire and Kurt Vonnegut. In the case of the former, it is because his novel Roderick details the Candide-like experiences of a naïve young robot. In the case of the latter, the comparison is based on similarities in both authors’ use of humor.
Sladek saw science-fiction writing as a way to make sense out of a senseless world, because the genre has the advantage of not depending on preconceptions. In a science-fiction novel, anything might happen. By the same token, Sladek saw no reason to confine himself to only one genre of writing. He collaborated with Thomas M. Disch to write gothic novels as Cassandra Knye and a satirical thriller based on U.S. racial relations as Thom Demijohn.
At one time, Sladek coedited a poetry magazine called Ronald Reagan: The Magazine of Poetry. One of his science- fiction novels, based on one of his favorite themes, was called Tik-Tok, about the exploits of an evil robot. One of the characters in the Oz books from Sladek’s childhood is a clockwork man named Tik Tok.
Sladek’s time in London was his most creative and productive. After returning to the American Midwest, he worked as a technical writer. Sladek suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, a hereditary lung disease, although only his family and closest friends knew of it. When he died in Minnesota in 2000, at age sixty-two, Sladek was survived by his first wife Pamela (divorced in 1986) and their daughter, and by his second wife, Sandra.