Harry Turtledove | |
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 Turtledove at the2005 Worldcon | |
| Born | (1949-06-14)June 14, 1949 (age 76) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Pen name | Dan Chernenko, Eric G. Iverson, Mark Gordian, H. N. Turteltaub |
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| Education | California Institute of Technology (dropped out) University of California, Los Angeles (PhD) |
| Period | 1979–present |
| Genre | Science fiction,fantasy,alternate history,historical fiction,history |
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Harry Norman Turtledove (born June 14, 1949) is an American author who is best known for his work in the genres ofalternate history,historical fiction,fantasy,science fiction, andmystery fiction. He is a student of history and completed hisPhD inByzantine history. His dissertation was on the period 565–582. He lives inSouthern California.
In addition to his birth name, Turtledove writes under a number ofpen names: Eric Iverson, H. N. Turteltaub, Dan Chernenko, and Mark Gordian. He began publishing novels in the realm of fantasy starting in 1979 and continues to write in the 2020s.
Turtledove was born inLos Angeles, California, on June 14, 1949, and grew up inGardena, California. His paternal grandparents, who wereRomanian Jews, had first emigrated toWinnipeg, Manitoba, before moving to California.[1][2] He was educated in local public schools during his early life.
After dropping out during hisfreshman year atCalifornia Institute of Technology, Turtledove attendedUCLA, where he completed his undergraduate degree and received aPhD inByzantine history in 1977. Hisdissertation was entitledThe Immediate Successors ofJustinian: A Study of the Persian Problem and of Continuity and Change in Internal Secular Affairs in theLater Roman Empire During the Reigns ofJustin II andTiberius II Constantine (AD 565–582).[3][4]
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Turtledove published his first two novels,Wereblood andWerenight, in 1979 under thepseudonym "Eric G. Iverson". He later explained that his editor atBelmont Tower did not think that people would believe the author's real name was "Turtledove" and came up with something moreNordic.[5] He continued to use "Iverson" until 1985. Another early pseudonym was "Mark Gordian".
That year, he publishedHerbig-Haro andAnd So to Bed under his real name. In 1998, he began publishing historical novels under the pseudonym "H. N. Turteltaub" (Turteltaube meansturtle dove inGerman).[6] He published three books as "Dan Chernenko" (theScepter of Mercy series).
He has written several works in collaboration, includingThe Two Georges withRichard Dreyfuss, "Death in Vesunna" with his first wife, Betty Turtledove (pen name: Elaine O'Byrne);Household Gods withJudith Tarr; and others withSusan Shwartz,S. M. Stirling, and Kevin R. Sandes.
Turtledove won the Homer Award for Short Story in 1990 for "Designated Hitter", the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction in 1993 forThe Guns of the South, and theHugo Award for Novella in 1994 forDown in the Bottomlands.Must and Shall was nominated for the 1996Hugo Award andNebula Award for Best Novelette and received an honorable mention for the 1995Sidewise Award for Alternate History.The Two Georges also received an honorable mention for the 1995 Sidewise Award for Alternate History.
HisWorldwar series received a Sidewise Award for Alternate History Honorable Mention in 1996. In 1998, his novelHow Few Remain won theSidewise Award for Alternate History. He won his second Sidewise Award in 2003 for his novelRuled Britannia.[7] He won his third Sidewise Award for his short story "Zigeuner”[8] and his fourth for his short story "Christmas Truce".[9]
Turtledove won the Prometheus Award for Best Novel in 1998 forThe Gladiator.[10]
On August 1, 1998, Turtledove was named honoraryKentucky Colonel as guest of honor at Rivercon XXIII inLouisville, Kentucky. HisThe Gladiator was the cowinner of the 2008Prometheus Award.
Turtledove served as the toastmaster forChicon 2000, the 58th World Science Fiction Convention.[11]
Publishers Weekly dubbed Turtledove "The Master of Alternate History".[12] Within the genre, he is known for creating original alternate history scenarios, such as survival of theByzantine Empire or analien invasion during the middle of theSecond World War. In addition, he has been credited with giving original treatment to alternate themes that had been dealt with by many others, such as thevictory of the South in theAmerican Civil War or thevictory ofNazi Germany during the Second World War. His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream.[13]
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