Lloyd Biggle Dies
Stephen Lucchetti
-- Stephen Lucchetti
Ypsilanti, Michigan
--------------------------------------------------------------
Obituary from the Ann Arbor News (www.mlive.com), Friday, September 13, 2002
Biggle, Dr. Lloyd Jr.
09/13/02
Dr. Lloyd Biggle, Jr., Ph. D., musician, author, and interna tionally
known oral historian died on September 12, 2002, after a twenty-year
battle with leukemia and cancer. He was born April 17, 1923 in
Waterloo, Iowa. During WWII he served as Communications Sergeant
in a rifle company of the 102nd Infantry Division, and was wounded in
action, twice. He received a shrapnel wound in his leg, near the Elbe
River at the end of the war, which left him disabled for life. After the
war, Dr. Biggle resumed his education. He received an A.B. Degree
with High Distinction from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan,
and M.M. and Ph. D. Degrees from the University of Michigan. Dr.
Biggle taught at the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan
University in the 1950's. He began writing profes sionally in 1955, and
became a full-time writer with the publi cation of his novel, All the Col
ors of Darkness, in 1963, a pro fession that he followed until his death.
Both Dr. Biggle's science fiction and mystery stories have received
international acclaim. He was celebrated in science fiction circles as the
author who introduced aesthetics into a literature known for its scientif
ic and technological complica tions. His stories frequently used musical
and artistic themes. Such notables as song writer Jimmy Webb and
novel ist Orson Scott Card have writ ten of the tremendous impact that
his early story, The Tune smith had on them in their youths. It literally
changed the course of their lives. The Tune smith was recently chosen
for an anthology of stories to be entitled, Masterpiece: The Cen tury's
Best Science Fiction. Among his enduring science fiction creations
were the Inter planetary Relations Bureau and the Cultural Survey,
both fea tured in novels and magazine stories. In the mystery field, his
Grandfather Rastin stories appeared for many years in Ell ery Queen's
Mystery Magazine. He loved writing historical fic tion set in late
Victorian and Edwardian England. He began the new Sherlock Holmes
nov els, The Quallsford Inheritance and The Glendower Conspiracy,
which were researched on long visits to England. These were followed
by a series of stories featured in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine
starring his Victorian sleuth, Lady Sara Varnley. He also wrote the
Pletcher and Lambert mystery novels. He published two-dozen books
as well as magazine stories and articles beyond count. His most recent
novel was The Chronocide Mission. He was writing almost to the
moment of his death. I can write them faster than the magazines can
publish them, he once said, with the result that even though his writing
has been stilled, his publications will continue until his backlog of stories
is exhausted. Dr. Biggle was the founding Secretary Treasurer of
Science Fiction Writers of America and served as Chairman of its
trustees for many years. In the 1970's, he founded the Science Fiction
Oral History Association, which built archives containing hundreds of
cassette tapes of science fiction notables making speeches and
discussing aspects of their craft. He num bered many of these science
fiction notables among his friends, and his article in the July/August
2002 Analog Maga zine,Isaac Asimov Remem bered, was based in
part on his personal recollections of that towering celebrity. He was a
member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American
Veterans, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Dr. Biggle is
survived by his wife of 55 years, Hedwig (Janiszewski) Biggle,
daughter Donna Emerson of Caro, MI, son Kenneth Biggle and devot
ed daughter-in-law, Deanna Biggle of Adrian, MI. His family will
cherish many memories, including the special vacations he planned for
them to enjoy together. He was an example for his family on how to
live each day with courage and hope. Dr. Biggle is also survived by his
sister, Donna Otteson, of Cedar Falls, IA; sister-in-law Helene Hirvela
of St. Peters burg, FL and dear family friends Doris Maleski and Harry
Maleski, Jr. of Willis, MI. Cremation has taken place. Friends may visit
the family, September 15th, from 2pm to 8pm at the Janowiak Funeral
home, 320 N. Washington St., Ypsilanti, Michigan. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society of White Plains, NY, or Arbor Hospice, of Ann Arbor, MI.
THE APPEAL
If I have given you delight
By aught that I have done
Let me lie quiet in the night
Which shall be yours anon.
And for the little, little span
The dead are borne in mind
Seek not to question than
The books I leave behind.
--Rudyard Kipling
Suggested by Poul Anderson
Johnny1A
> He WILL be missed by many who knew him and loved his writings!
>
> -- Stephen Lucchetti
> Ypsilanti, Michigan
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Obituary from the Ann Arbor News (www.mlive.com), Friday, September 13, 2002
>
> Biggle, Dr. Lloyd Jr.
>
> 09/13/02
>
> Dr. Lloyd Biggle, Jr., Ph. D., musician, author, and interna tionally
> known oral historian died on September 12, 2002, after a twenty-year
> battle with leukemia and cancer. He was born April 17, 1923 in
> Waterloo, Iowa. During WWII he served as Communications Sergeant
> in a rifle company of the 102nd Infantry Division, and was wounded in
> action, twice.
<Snip obit>
I always liked his Jan Darzek stories.
Biggle took the galaxy-wide multispecific civilization concept set
forth by 'Doc' Smith and gave it a different spin. Instead of a
galactic government run by competent men of action, it's a basically
benevolent, but bureaucratic and inefficient outfit run by a
supercomputer called Supreme. There is no real military, and it's
been at peace for ages.
Instead of Kimball Kinnison, bred and trained from youth to run
things, Biggle gives us Jan Darzek, a former private eye from Earth,
who ends up as the ruler of the Galaxy (to the degree there is one)
mostly by _accident_.
Shermanlee
Danny Sichel
>
> He WILL be missed by many who knew him and loved his writings!
> Dr. Lloyd Biggle, Jr., Ph. D., musician, author, and interna tionally
> known oral historian died on September 12, 2002, after a twenty-year
> battle with leukemia and cancer. He was born April 17, 1923 in
> Waterloo, Iowa. During WWII he served as Communications Sergeant...
Damn.
I was just reading his story about the Last Violin the other week.
Paul F. Dietz
> I was just reading his story about the Last Violin the other week.
I really hope they don't make that into a TV series.
Paul
David E. Siegel
That was a wonderfulk story, tragic in the proiper sense of the word.
I haven't read much new Biggle for years, but the news story says he
was writting. I wonder what he was doing -- i will have tro look it
up.
-DES
MikeJ
sherm...@hotmail.com (Johnny1A) wrote:
> slucc...@comcast.net (Stephen Lucchetti) wrote in message
> news:<5ff4a55f.0209...@posting.google.com>...
> > He WILL be missed by many who knew him and loved his writings!
> >
> > -- Stephen Lucchetti
> > Ypsilanti, Michigan
> >
> > --------------------------------------------------------------
> > Obituary from the Ann Arbor News (www.mlive.com), Friday, September 13,
> > 2002
> >
> > Biggle, Dr. Lloyd Jr.
> >
> > 09/13/02
> >
> > Dr. Lloyd Biggle, Jr., Ph. D., musician, author, and interna tionally
> > known oral historian died on September 12, 2002, after a twenty-year
> > battle with leukemia and cancer. He was born April 17, 1923 in
> > Waterloo, Iowa. During WWII he served as Communications Sergeant
> > in a rifle company of the 102nd Infantry Division, and was wounded in
> > action, twice.
>
> <Snip obit>
Sadden here as well. My teenage daughter just read Monument to me (I
lost my sight 6 years ago. I am 52). She liked it as much as I did
decades ago.
I never knew he as a WWII combat veteran. My Dad landed at Omaha Beach
on D-Day (a fact I never knew until the last year of his life 2001). He
landed late in the day.
Death is a part of life. Emotionally hard to deal with, despite being
intellectually prepared for it.
MikeJ
--
MikeJ
michael...@email.com
Bill & Sue Miller
I love _Monument_. It's one I give to non-SF readers to start them off.
Bill
--
Home: wbmi...@ghg.net
Work: william....@jsc.nasa.gov
Homepage: http://www.ghg.net/wbmiller3
Shaad M. Ahmad
>> >
>> > He WILL be missed by many who knew him and loved his writings!
>>
>> > Dr. Lloyd Biggle, Jr., Ph. D., musician, author, and interna tionally
>> > known oral historian died on September 12, 2002, after a twenty-year
>> > battle with leukemia and cancer. He was born April 17, 1923 in
>> > Waterloo, Iowa. During WWII he served as Communications Sergeant...
Darn! I have always had a soft spot for his _The Still, Small Voice of
Trumpets_. He'll be missed.
Regards.
- Shaad
Steve Taylor
> Darn! I have always had a soft spot for his _The Still, Small Voice of
> Trumpets_. He'll be missed.
That's the one for me too. I had a lot of affection for that book, and
by extension, its author.
> - Shaad
Steve
Default User
> Instead of Kimball Kinnison, bred and trained from youth to run
> things, Biggle gives us Jan Darzek, a former private eye from Earth,
> who ends up as the ruler of the Galaxy (to the degree there is one)
> mostly by _accident_.
Sounds interesting. The library has many of his books, including All The
Colors of Darkness. I presume that is the first in the Darzek series as
it has the oldest publication date according to the ISFDB.
I've requested up a copy.
Brian Rodenborn
Warrick M. Locke
From my bookshelf:
The Metallic Muse (short stories, best is "The Tunesmith" IMO)
(a hardcover; the others are mass-market paperbacks)
The Rule of the Door and other Fanciful Regulations (also
short stories)
The Fury out of Time (slight IMO)
All the Colors of Darkness (first Darzek)
The Still Small Voice of Trumpets
Monument
The Light that Never Was
Somewhere here is the other Cultural Survey book, a semi-
sequel to _The Still Small Voice of Trumpets_. I spent a good
bit of time haunting used bookstores to find a copy of _The
Light that Never Was_, one of my favorites. I never really
got into the Darzek stories, probably a personal problem :-)
"Dust thou art, to dust returneth, was not spoken of the soul."
Nor of the work left behind --
Regards,
Ric
Johnny1A
Be warned, the first of them occurs pretty much entirely on Earth.
The sequence of events that leads to Darzek becoming the ruler of the
Galaxy (to the degree it has one) comes in a latter novel.
Shermanlee
Robert Sneddon
<sherm...@hotmail.com> writes
[Re: _All the Colours of Darkness_
>Be warned, the first of them occurs pretty much entirely on Earth.
>The sequence of events that leads to Darzek becoming the ruler of the
>Galaxy (to the degree it has one) comes in a latter novel.
(Spoilers)
Well, actually no. A large part of the book (maybe half) is set on the
Moon.
Good book, though. I should dig it out and reread it.
--
Robert Sneddon nojay (at) nojay (dot) fsnet (dot) co (dot) uk
Urban Fredriksson
Warrick M. Locke <warl...@mesh.net> wrote:
>Somewhere here is the other Cultural Survey book, a semi-
>sequel to _The Still Small Voice of Trumpets_.
That must be _The World Menders_. A brief review:
<http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/diverse/recensioner/The_World_Menders.txt>
--
Urban Fredriksson http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind.
Default User
> Be warned, the first of them occurs pretty much entirely on Earth.
> The sequence of events that leads to Darzek becoming the ruler of the
> Galaxy (to the degree it has one) comes in a latter novel.
Ok, I'll be forewarned. Thanks for the info.
It looks like the library has all but the second in the series, so I
have an inter-library loan request out for that one.
Biggle is an author I'd never heard of, so I'll be interested to see how
things develop.
Brian Rodenborn
Ted Nolan <tednolan>
Personally, I recommend you start with _Monument_, which is not a Darzek
book.
(Spoilers..)
Basically a planet explorer gets marooned in paradise, and realizes
that if "paradise" is ever discovered, it will be run straight into
the ground (his society isn't malignant, but it will doubtless
destroy the native society without meaning to). He comes up with
a plan the natives can use to avoid the otherwise inevitable. (An
obvious, but very enjoyable, riff on the European "discovery" of
Polynesia, coupled with the realization that by the time that
happened, the Europeans were somewhat more societies of law than
straight conquistadors.)
Ted
GSV Three Minds in a Can
the wonderful person "Ted Nolan <tednolan>" <t...@loft.tnolan.com> said
<snip>
>Personally, I recommend you start with _Monument_, which is not a Darzek
>book.
>
that much to the shorter (novella? Novelette?) and earlier version. Both
are worth reading.
I am a big LB fan - I don't think I've bought anything of his that
wasn't worth both reading, and keeping to re-read.
--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Default User
>
> Bitstring <bxRh9.66628$AY5.30...@e3500-atl1.usenetserver.com>, from
> the wonderful person "Ted Nolan <tednolan>" <t...@loft.tnolan.com> said
> <snip>
> >Personally, I recommend you start with _Monument_, which is not a Darzek
> >book.
> >
> I like _Monument_, but (imo) the novel version really doesn't add all
> that much to the shorter (novella? Novelette?) and earlier version. Both
> are worth reading.
Based on the information from Ted's post and this, I'm 99% sure I have
read the shorter version of Monument. I've read so much short SF over
the years, specific authors and titles often don't stick with me.
Since the first couple of books in the Darzek series have been requested
from the library, I'll go ahead and start with those. We'll see where
the path wends from there.
Thanks to both of you.
Brian Rodenborn
Default User
> Based on the information from Ted's post and this, I'm 99% sure I have
> read the shorter version of Monument. I've read so much short SF over
> the years, specific authors and titles often don't stick with me.
Ha! A quick look in the ISFDB lets me know that I read it in the Analog
1 collection, edited by John Campbell.
Brian Rodenborn
David Given
--
+- David Given --McQ-+ Did you hear about the hard-working but ill sage
| d...@cowlark.com | who got cursed with garlic breath? He was a
| (d...@tao-group.com) | super-calloused fragile mystic hexed with
+- www.cowlark.com --+ halitosis.
Pete McCutchen
I always had a weakness for _The Still Small Voice of Trumpets_.
--
Pete McCutchen
wth...@godzilla6.acpub.duke.edu
I've always thought he was underrated. I reread one
of his books on my last holiday (not TSSVT, but
only because I couldn't find my copy).
From what I've learned since his death it seems that
he was a very good man, as well as a good writer.
William Hyde
EOS Department
Duke University
Martin Bonham
>>Personally, I recommend you start with _Monument_,
>>which is not a Darzek book.
>
>>I like _Monument_, but (imo) the novel version really doesn't add all
>>that much to the shorter (novella? Novelette?) and earlier version. Both
>>are worth reading.
Coincidently, I have just read and enjoyed _Monument_ for the first time.
I assume that this is the Novelette form.
Offhand, I don't recall ever consciously reading anything by Lloyd Biggle,
Jr. before.
It is currently available at Baen's website for Free.
http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200301/0743435850___1.htm
It is included in the Thematic Anthology _Give Me Liberty_ edited by Mark
Tier & Martin H. Greenberg.
This is a Baen January 2003 paperback.
containing
http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200301/0743435850.htm?blurb
"Monument" by Lloyd Biggle. Copyright © 1961
"Gadget vs. Trend" by Christopher Anvil. Copyright © 1962
"The Ungoverned" by Vernor Vinge. Copyright © 1985
"Historical Note" by Murray Leinster. Copyright © 1951
"The Weapons Shops" by A.E. van Vogt. Copyright © 1942
"Second Game" by Katherine MacLean and Charles de Vet. Copyright © 1958
"Committee of the Whole" by Frank Herbert. Copyright © 1965
"And Then There Were None" by Eric Frank Russell. Copyright © 1951
Martin.