Doc Smith
Edward E. "Doc" Smith, Ph.D., food chemist, found himself working for the U.S. government during World War I formulating bread recipes without flour (or at least with less flour!). No one would ever have guessed that eventually Doc Smith would pen some of the farthest-out SF ever written and become, according to some, the founder of Space Opera.
Smith's "Skylark of Space" (Amazing, 1928) took the SF world by storm and captured everyone's imagination. Two additional Skylark stories were quickly followed by other SF stories. Then in 1937, with "Galactic Patrol", his monumental Lensman series was begun. Many believe the Lensman series to be one of the best SF series ever written. Doc Smith died August 31, 1965, just as his recently penned, and much-anticipated conclusion to the Skylark series — Skylark DuQuesne — was being published.
Doc Smith and Cons
Doc Smith was revered and honored by all who knew him. The New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) named its annual mid-winter Boskone convention after the Lensman evil empire. At Boskone each year, NESFA presents the "Skylark" award " … to some person, who, in the opinion of the membership, has contributed significantly to science fiction, both through work in the field and by exemplifying the personal qualities which made the late "Doc" Smith well-loved by those who knew him."
Another Boston area convention, Arisia, also took its name from E. E. Smith's science fiction.
And you can read more about Doc Smith's place in Noreascon's heart (and in our bid!) in GalacticPatrol.
E. E. "Doc" Smith Exhibit
Stephen Lucchetti, with help from Al Cromika, is working hard on what we hope will be the definitive E. E. "Doc" Smith exhibit. We plan on exhibiting as comprehensive a collection of works by Doc Smith (or in the worlds he created) as we can manage to scrape together (beg, borrow...).
Lensman, Skylark, Family d'Alembert, Lord Tedric . . . magazine originals, hardback and paperback editions, both US and foreign, all will be represented. Speeches, factual articles, fanzines, artwork, pastiches, filk, comics and even such personal items as letters and royalty and personal checks will all be displayed. Doc Smith's estate has promised the loan of treasured memorabilia.
With any luck several of Doc Smith's grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be in attendance — although we're not sure how they'd feel about being put on display!
This will be one Noreascon 4 exhibit you won't want to miss!
You Can Help!
Stephen Lucchetti and Al Cromika are still on the hunt for Doc Smith memorabilia to include in the exhibit. Please contact Stephen or Al with information on parts of your collection you might be willing to lend us. In particular we are on the hunt for a set of the original leather bound Fantasy Press History of Civilization to exhibit.
Stephen Lucchetti & Al Cromika Noreascon 4 Exhibits — E. E. Smith Exhibit P.O. Box 1010 Framingham, MA 01701 USA