April 1997 issue of Analog.

Analog Science Fiction and Fact is the longest-running science fiction magazine of all time. Initally published in 1930 in the United States as Astounding Stories, it is considered one of the seminal science-fiction magazines. Originally a pulp magazine, by the late 1930s it had become the leader in its field. It has undergone several name changes, most importantly in 1938 to Astounding Science-Fiction, and then in 1960 to Analog Science Fact & Fiction. Its current logo was adopted in 1991 and uses and instead of &. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (608x883, 129 KB) This is an old Analog/Astounding cover, scanned by myself on 21 May 2006 and then edited with Picata2. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (608x883, 129 KB) This is an old Analog/Astounding cover, scanned by myself on 21 May 2006 and then edited with Picata2. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

The Clayton Astounding (1930 - 1933)

Astounding Stories of Super-Science was initially published by Publisher's Fiscal Corporation, which later became Clayton Magazines. The first issue appeared in January 1930 under the editorship of Harry Bates. This incarnation of Astounding was a pulp magazine in every sense of the word, printed on thick, poor quality paper with untrimmed edges, adorned by lurid covers, and offering relatively uncomplicated space adventure stories. However, Bates' emphasis on well-constructed stories, with the science being plausible, can be seen as beginning a trend continued in later versions of the magazine. [1] After the first year of publication, the original name Astounding Stories of Super-Science was shortened to Astounding Stories. Clayton went out of business in early 1933, and the last Clayton Astounding was dated March 1933. 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... Harry Bates (1900-1981) was an American science fiction editor. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Tremaine Years (1933 - 1937)

Following the demise of Clayton, Astounding Stories was bought by Street & Smith, who started to issue their own version of the magazine in October 1933 with F. Orlin Tremaine as editor. Under Tremaine's control, Astounding became a much more serious publication that its previous incarnation. Tremaine introduced the concept of the 'thought variant' story, encouraging authors to come up with genuinely new science fiction ideas rather than recycling the old adventure plots. In 1934, Astounding became one of the first fiction magazines to print a major work of non-fiction, in the form of Charles Fort's Lo!, which was serialized in eight parts between April and November (this was not the first appearance of Lo!, which had been published in book form three years earlier). By the time Tremaine relinquished editorship in 1937 Astounding had gained a reputation in science fiction fandom as the leading magazine of its time. Street & Smith book department in 1906 Street & Smith composing room circa 1905-1910 Street & Smith bindery in 1910 Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... F. Orlin Tremaine was an American science fiction editor. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Charles Fort, 1920 Charles Hoy Fort (6 August 1874 - 3 May 1932) was an American writer and researcher into anomalous phenomena. ... Lo! is a book by Charles Fort, originally written in 1931. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is the community of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy literature, and in contact with one another based upon that interest. ...

John W. Campbell Takes Command

The Golden Age (1937 - 1949)

"Grey Lensman" by E. E. Smith in Astounding, Oct. 1939

Following 8 years of publication under two different editors, the magazine's helm was assumed by John W. Campbell, who took over from the October 1937 issue. The period of Campbell's editorship between the late 1930s and late 1940s is often referred to as "the golden age of Astounding", or even "the Golden Age of Science Fiction". It is almost certainly true that a larger proportion of the fiction published in the magazine during these years has subsequently been reprinted in book form than is true of any of the other science-fiction magazines of this period or even of later periods of Astounding itself. E. E. Smith, Grey Lensman (part of the Lensman series) in Astounding, Oct 1939 This is a magazine cover. ... E. E. Smith, Grey Lensman (part of the Lensman series) in Astounding, Oct 1939 This is a magazine cover. ... Gray Lensman in Astounding Oct. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... The Golden Age of Science Fiction, often recognized as a period from the early 1940s through the 1950s, was an era during which the science fiction genre gained wide public attention and many classic science fiction stories were published. ...

One of Campbell's first editorial acts, in March 1938, was to retitle the magazine Astounding Science-Fiction. He brought an unprecedented insistence on placing equal emphasis on both words of "science fiction." No longer satisfied with gadgetry and action alone, Campbell demanded that his writers think out how science and technology might really develop in the future - and, most important, how those changes would affect the lives of human beings.This new sophistication soon made Astounding the undisputed leader in the field. 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The famous November 1949 "future" issue, in which all the stories had previously been "reviewed" in November of 1948

Perhaps Campbell's most important achievement during the 1940s was to nurture the careers of a number of young and often previously unpublished writers by offering copious amounts of feedback and encouragement, even if accompanied by a rejection slip. Among Campbell's most important "discoveries" of this period were Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein and A. E. Van Vogt. Image File history File links Astounding_November_1949. ... Image File history File links Astounding_November_1949. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... Isaac Asimov, Ph. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Alfred Elton van Vogt (April 26, 1912 – January 26, 2000) was a Canadian-born science fiction author who was one of the most prolific, yet complex, writers of the mid-twentieth century Golden Age of the genre. ...

Campbell revealed a sly sense of humor in the November 1949 issue. He had always encouraged literary criticism by Astounding's readership, and in the November 1948 issue he published a letter to the editor by a reader named Richard A. Hoen that contained a detailed ranking of the contents of an issue one year in the future. Campbell went along with the joke and contracted stories from most of the authors mentioned in the letter that would follow the fan's imaginary story titles. One of the best-known stories from that issue is "Gulf", by Robert A. Heinlein. Other stories and articles were written by a number of the most famous authors of the time: Isaac Asimov, Theodore Sturgeon, Lester del Rey, A. E. van Vogt, L. Sprague de Camp, and the astronomer R. S. Richardson. ^[1] Gulf (1949) is a novella by Robert A. Heinlein, originally published as a serial in the November and December 1949 issues of Astounding Science Fiction. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Isaac Asimov, Ph. ... Theodore Sturgeon (February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985) was an American science fiction author. ... Lester del Rey (Ramon Felipe Alvarez-del Rey) (June 2, 1915 - May 10, 1993) was an American science fiction author and editor. ... Alfred Elton van Vogt (April 26, 1912 – January 26, 2000) was a Canadian-born science fiction author who was one of the most prolific, yet complex, writers of the mid-twentieth century Golden Age of the genre. ... L. Sprague de Camp from the cover of Time and Chance: an Autobiography, Donald M. Grant, 1996 Lyon Sprague de Camp, (November 27, 1907, New York City – November 6, 2000, Plano, Texas) was an American science fiction and fantasy author. ...

In a minor change, in the November issue of 1946 the name of the magazine was changed from Astounding Science-Fiction to Astounding SCIENCE FICTION, with the hyphen missing and the last two words in large block letters. It would retain this logo until January, 1953. ^[2]

The Transitional Years (1950 - 1959)

Campbell continued at the helm of Astounding throughout the 1950s, but the magazine's style and reputation altered somewhat during this period. Part of this was due to the emergence of Astounding's first serious competitors like The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and Galaxy Science Fiction, and the boom in paperback originals, which meant that Astounding was no longer the only place to find top-quality science fiction. A second reason was Campbell's increasing interest in what can be described as fringe science, in particular psionics and antigravity-type devices such as the Dean drive. However, this reflected a shift in subject matter rather than quality, and such topics were always dealt with in a serious and rational way. F&SF April 1971, special Poul Anderson issue. ... The Puppet Masters by Robert A. Heinlein in Galaxy, Sept. ... Paperback may refer to a kind of book binding by which papers are simply folded without cloth or leather and bound - usually with glue rather than stitches or staples - into a thick paper cover; or to a book with this type of binding. ... Fringe science is a phrase used to describe scientific inquiry in an established field that departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories. ... Psionics is the practice of using a variety of psychic abilities. ... AntiGravity is a group of New York gymnasts/performance artists. ... The Dean drive or Dean device was invented by Norman L. Dean, who called it a reactionless drive — a mechanical device that could use energy to produce linear acceleration without the use of any reaction mass. ...

Many historically important stories and articles continued to appear in the pages of Astounding during the 1950s. Tom Godwin's "The Cold Equations" - sometimes listed as one of the top dozen or so best science fiction short stories - was published in the August 1954 issue. It generated more response mail than any story the magazine had ever printed. Writer L. Ron Hubbard published the first article on his Dianetics concepts, which would soon expand into Scientology, in the magazine in May 1950. [2] Tom Godwin (1915–1980) is a science fiction author. ... The Cold Equations is a science fiction short story by Tom Godwin, first published in Astounding Magazine in 1954. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (13 March 1911 – 24 January 1986), better known as L. Ron Hubbard, was an American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction[3] writer and founder of Scientology and Dianetics. ... Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices regarding the relationship between mind and body that were developed by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

A United States submarine in Martian orbit, propelled there by a Dean drive, on a 1960 cover.

Image File history File links Analog_Sub_in_Martian_Orbit. ... Image File history File links Analog_Sub_in_Martian_Orbit. ... The Dean drive or Dean device was invented by Norman L. Dean, who called it a reactionless drive — a mechanical device that could use energy to produce linear acceleration without the use of any reaction mass. ...

The Birth of Analog (1960 - 1971)

Throughout his editorship of Astounding, Campbell felt the title of the magazine was too "sensational" or "juvenile" to reflect what it was actually doing. He addressed this as far back as 1946 by de-emphasizing the word "Astounding", printing it in narrow script above the bold words "SCIENCE FICTION". However, this was not enough, and he renamed the magazine Analog in 1960. Over the course of the year the title logo was changed; the large initial "A" stayed the same while the letters "stounding" were faded down and the letters "nalog" faded up on top of them. Bibliographers often abbreviate the magazine as ASF, which can of course stand for either title. The word "and" was sometimes replaced in the logo by a pseudo-mathematical symbol comprising a horizontal right-pointing arrow piercing an inverted U-shape. The symbol, apparently invented by Campbell, was said to mean "analogous to." 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... In mathematics, a set of symbols is frequently used in mathematical expressions. ...

Ben Bova's Analog (1972 - 1978)

October 1972 issue of Analog

After Campbell died suddenly in 1971, Ben Bova took over as editor starting with the January 1972 issue. He remained in this capacity until November 1978. He won the Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor for 5 consecutive years, 1973 through 1978. (The award did not exist before 1973.) Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (511x709, 74 KB) Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact magazine, October 1972 issue, copyright 1972 by Condé Nast Publications Inc. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (511x709, 74 KB) Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact magazine, October 1972 issue, copyright 1972 by Condé Nast Publications Inc. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Benjamin William Bova (born November 8, 1932) is an American science fiction author and editor. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor. ...

Analog today: Stanley Schmidt, Editor

Bova was succeeded as editor by Stanley Schmidt at the end of 1978, and Schmidt remains editor to this day. Schmidt has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor for 26 consecutive years, 1980 through 2006, without ever winning it, quite possibly a record in futility in any genre of awards-giving. Stanley Schmidt (March 7, 1944- ) is an American science fiction author, and since 1978 has been the editor of the SF magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Due to the economics of the magazine publishing industry (i.e. not much money in the budget), Analog frequently prints material from previously unknown authors, and has launched the careers of popular contributors within the genre (e.g. Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game in the 1970s, and early work by Harry Turtledove in the 1980s and Paul Levinson in the 1990s.) The introduction to this article is too long. ... Enders Game (1985) is the best-known novel by Orson Scott Card, set in a future where mankind is facing annihilation by an alien society, the insectoid Buggers (more formally known as Formics). Having barely survived two separate Bugger invasions, humanity institutes a program for the breeding and training... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... Harry Turtledove at Worldcon 2005 in Glasgow Harry Norman Turtledove (born June 14, 1949), is a historian and prolific novelist who has written historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction works. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Paul Levinson, 2002 Paul Levinson (b. ... See also 1990s, the band The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive, sometimes informally including popular culture from the late 1980s and shortly after the year 2000. ...

Each year, Analog conducts a readers' poll—called the Analytical Laboratory, or AnLab—to determine the favorite stories, articles and cover art published in the magazine in the previous year. Many recipients of the AnLab Award have gone on to receive the much-coveted Hugo Award. The 2005 Hugo Award with base designed by Deb Kosiba. ...

British Reprint Editions

From August 1939 until April 1963, the version of ASF that was sold in the United Kingdom was quite different from the American original. These "British Reprint Editions", as they were known, were published by the Atlas Publishing and Distributing Company under license from Street and Smith. The material in the British editions was a subset of the original magazine contents, in the sense that there was nothing in the British edition that had not previously appeared in the U.S. version, but that parts of the original contents were quite often omitted from the British version. This was particularly true up to October 1953, when the British edition was much slimmer than its American counterpart. For this reason the serials, editorials, factual articles and letter columns that were often the most appealing features of the American version were denied to British readers. 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Street & Smith book department in 1906 Street & Smith composing room circa 1905-1910 Street & Smith bindery in 1910 Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc. ... A is a subset of B, and B is a superset of A. In mathematics, especially in set theory, a set A is a subset of a set B, if A is contained inside B. The relationship of one set being a subset of another is called inclusion. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

The material appearing in the British reprint was usually taken from the American issue dated three or four months earlier. However, this was never systematic, and cross-reference between U.S. and British editions is a complicated process. A further anomaly occurs because the covers of the British editions were almost always redrawn from the corresponding American edition, possibly for copyright reasons. At first sight the covers often look the same, but closer inspection reveals subtle differences.[3] Copyright symbol Copyright is a set of exclusive rights regulating the use of a particular expression of an idea or information. ...

Like the American original, the British Reprint Edition underwent a gradual change of title from Astounding to Analog. However, due to the lag in contents and cover image, this process was completed a few months later - the first issue completely devoid of the Astounding logo was February 1961 rather than October 1960. The final British Reprint Edition of Analog appeared in April 1963; after this time the American version published by Condé Nast Publications was imported directly into the UK. Condé Nast Publications Inc is a worldwide magazine publishing company based in New York City. ...

Reputation

In contrast to the literary bent of its main competitors, Asimov's Science Fiction and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Analog is known for focusing more on the brass tacks of science and technology (the book review column is even called "Brass Tacks"). Some critics refer to this as "scientist fiction" and charge that scientific accuracy is often presented as more important than plot or character in Analog stories. George R.R. Martin described Analog as having "the reputation of being hard-nosed, steel-clad, scientifically rigorous, and perhaps a bit puritanical." Cover for an issue of Asimovs Science Fiction. ... F&SF April 1971, special Poul Anderson issue. ... George R. R. Martin, circa 1986 George Raymond Richard Martin (born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, and also a screenwriter and producer. ...

Summary of Editors

• Harry Bates, January 1930 - March 1933
• F. Orlin Tremaine, October 1933 - October 1937
• John W. Campbell, Jr., October 1937 - December 1971 (his death)
• Ben Bova, January 1972 - November 1978
• Stanley Schmidt, December 1978 to present

Harry Bates (1900-1981) was an American science fiction editor. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... F. Orlin Tremaine was an American science fiction editor. ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... John Wood Campbell, Jr. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Benjamin William Bova (born November 8, 1932) is an American science fiction author and editor. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Stanley Schmidt (March 7, 1944- ) is an American science fiction author, and since 1978 has been the editor of the SF magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Notes

1. ^ A Requiem for Astounding, by Alva Rogers, pages 176-180
2. ^ A Requiem for Astounding, by Alva Rogers, page 141

External links

• Analog Science Fiction and Fact official web site
• Comprehensive index of issues and contents (1930-1960)
• Comprehensive index of issues and contents (1960-Present)
• Gallery of cover art at sfcovers.net