Greats of Science Fiction

McCaffrey, Anne

Anne McCaffrey 1926 – 2011

Anne was born in Cambridge Massachusetts. After graduating from Montclair High School in New Jersey, she attended Radcliffe College and graduated cum laude in 1947 with a degree in Slavonic languages and literature.

Some of the characteristics which defined Anne were her love of music, opera and ballet and her pride in her Irish heritage.  These often form themes in her novels.  Anne also had a dislike of weak female characters. On the cover of many science fiction books or magazines in the 1950s was a scene of a helpless buxom woman being carried off by hideous bug eyed alien monster. She was quoted by her son as saying. “I was so tired of all of the weak women screaming in the corner while their boyfriends were beating off the aliens. I wouldn’t been – I’d have been in there with something or kicking them as hard as I could.” This quote sums up Anne’s feelings on the subject. Her female characters were always strong, resilient, smart and often in-charge. Characters such as Lessa, Killashandra and Menolly never cower in the corner!

While raising three children, Anne became a full-time writer in the mid-1960s. She published several novels and short stories during this time including “Restoree” and the first of the “Brain and Brawn” series; “The Ship who Sang.”  In 1967 she published “Weyr Search” in Analog magazine. This was the basis for her most notable series “The Dragonriders of Pern.” “Weyr Search” won the Hugo in 1968. The second Pern story, “Dragon Rider” won the Nebula in 1969, making Anne the first woman to win both prizes. In all she was nominated for the Hugo seven times and the Nebula three times. In 2005 she was named the SFWA’s 22nd Grand Master and was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2006. Of note, “The White Dragon” was the first science-fiction story to appear on the New York Times bestseller list.

She was sometimes criticized for her science being soft.  She responded by saying “I don’t keep up with developments, but I do find an expert in any field in which I must explain myself and the science involved.”  She was known to have consulted with Astronomer Steven Beard and Biologist Jack Cohen.  Many of her stories are placed in a universe she created called “The Federated Sentient Planets.” This provided a ready background for new works without the need for re-inventing the wheel.

Some of her other notable works include “The Crystal Singer” series, The “Freedom Series” and the “Acorna” series.

Anne collaborated with other authors on several series including Elizabeth Anne Scarborough, Elizabeth Moon and of course, her son Todd. Her final novel “After the Fall” was incomplete at her death and will be finished by Todd and daughter Gigi.

Anne moved to Ireland in 1971 and became a naturalized Irish citizen. Her home there was called Dragon Hold.  She was sometimes called “The Grande Dame of Science Fiction.”

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Written by WillFlyForFood