13 Facts About Bob Shaw

Robert Shaw was a science fiction writer and fan from Northern Ireland, noted for his originality and wit.

Bob Shaw won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980.

Bob Shaw's short story "Light of Other Days" was a Hugo Award nominee in 1967, as was his novel The Ragged Astronauts in 1987.

Bob Shaw was born and raised in Belfast, the eldest of three sons of a policeman.

Bob Shaw later described the experience as being more significant and long-lasting than taking LSD.

The group was influential in the early history of science fiction fandom and produced fanzines Hyphen and Slant; Bob Shaw contributed material to both.

Bob Shaw gave up writing and went with his first wife Sadie and their son and two daughters to live in Canada from 1956 to 1958.

Bob Shaw nearly lost his eyesight through illness, and suffered migraine-induced visual disturbances throughout his life.

Bob Shaw was known as a drinker, and at one stage considered himself an alcoholic.

Bob Shaw is the author of "Pilot Plant" which first appeared in New Worlds and "Light of Other Days", the story that introduced the concept of slow glass, through which the past can be seen.

Shaw sold this story to Analog editor John W Campbell, who liked it so much Shaw wrote a sequel for him, "Burden of Proof", in May 1967.

Bob Shaw's work ranged from essentially mimetic stories with fantastic elements far in the background to van Vogtian extravaganzas.

Bob Shaw wrote The Enchanted Duplicator with Walt Willis in 1954, a piece of fiction about science fiction fandom modelled on John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.