Forerunner, Beastmaster, The Time Traders…well, I could go on and on and on, but you probably know the titles as well as I do.
Ask any substantial gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans who gave them their first introduction to science fiction, and probably half of them will say, “Andre Norton.” (The other half seem pretty evenly divided between Robert Heinlein and those Holt Winston series books.) Books such as Star Rangers, Daybreak 2250 A.D. She could recite folklore from nearly every culture and historical period.Īndre used her extensive knowledge of other times, places, and cultures to create other worlds. An accomplished storyteller herself, she loved stories of all kinds, from all cultures.
She read widely: history, biography, archeology, cultural studies, fiction…the depth of her knowledge and the accuracy of her memory never ceased to amaze me. Decades after reading a book, she could recount the plot in detail. She had a sharp mind, a nearly photographic memory for the written word, and she was the best-read person I’ve ever encountered. Working with Andre was like taking a Master’s course in little-known and fascinating facts. It was a tremendous honor for a new writer who had made only one professional sale. We began corresponding in the late 70’s, and I was the first author she asked to join her in writing a Witch World novel. Andre went through that final Gate as easily as Simon Tregarth, one of her favorite heroes, passed from our world into Witch World.
Her faithful caregiver, Sue Stewart, told me that she had announced that it was time to go, and that she was ready. She sounded calm, though it was clear that she was having difficulty breathing. I spoke to her for the last time 12 days before her passing, and she knew who I was and thanked me for calling. She had been clear-headed pretty much till the end. She died pretty much as she had wished to: at home, peacefully. Some of the magic has gone out of our world.Īndre Norton died on Thursday, March 17, 2005, one month to the day after her 93rd birthday. I’m reposting it here to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Andre Norton’s death. The following is an article that Ann wrote for the SFWA Bulletin back in 2005.
0 kommentar(er)
