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Spider Robinson

スパイダー・ロビンソン

Supaidaa Robinson

Pen Names: Spider（Adopted childhood nickname as professional name）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1948-11-24 （Bronx, New York City, U.S.）
Nationality
Canadian, American
Languages
English
Residence History
Bronx, New York City, U.S. → Nova Scotia, Canada → British Columbia (Vancouver), Canada → Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada

Career

Occupations
Author, Novelist, Short story writer, Critic, Columnist, Podcaster
Active Years
1972-
Affiliations
The Globe and Mail (columnist, 1996–2005), Analog Science Fiction and Fact (contributor/reviewer), Galaxy Science Fiction (book reviewer)
Influenced By
Robert A. Heinlein, John D. MacDonald, Donald E. Westlake

Education

Le Moyne College
Period: 1960年代（在学：約2年）
Country: United States
Attended for two years; later studied at Stony Brook, where he earned his BA
State University of New York at Stony Brook
College of Arts and Sciences / English
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Period: 1960年代（在学）
Country: United States
Earned a BA in English

Awards

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
1974
Category: 新人賞
Organization: World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) / Worldcon
Result: 受賞
Hugo Award for Best Novella
1977
Work: By Any Other Name (later expanded into the novel Telempath)
Category: 中編小説
Organization: World Science Fiction Society (WSFS)
Result: 受賞
Hugo Award for Best Novella
1978
Work: Stardance (with Jeanne Robinson)
Category: 中編小説
Organization: World Science Fiction Society (WSFS)
Result: 受賞
Hugo Award for Best Short Story
1983
Work: Melancholy Elephants
Category: 短編小説
Organization: World Science Fiction Society (WSFS)
Result: 受賞
Nebula Award for Best Novella
1977
Work: Stardance (with Jeanne Robinson)
Category: 中編小説
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: 受賞
Robert A. Heinlein Award
2008
Category: 生涯業績
Organization: Robert A. Heinlein Award committee
Result: 受賞
Forrest J Ackerman Award for Lifetime Achievement
2015
Category: 生涯功労
Organization: Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS)
Result: 受賞
Inkpot Award
2001
Organization: Comic-Con International (San Diego)
Result: 受賞
Guest of Honor at Worldcon (76th)
2018
Category: 名誉
Organization: World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) / Worldcon
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Telempath

1976 Science fiction

A novel expanded from the novella 'By Any Other Name'. Explores themes of emotion and memory and societal reactions to an affliction affecting feelings.

Emotion and memorySocietal responsePersonal resilience

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon

1977 Science fiction / Humorous fiction

A linked collection of stories set in Callahan's bar. Character-driven, humor-laced tales exploring community, compassion, and human connection.

CommunityFriendshipHumorRedemption

Stardance

1979 Science fiction

Co-written with Jeanne Robinson. Connects dance with low-/zero-gravity environments to explore human expression and the expansion of human potential.

Dance and artFusion of science and artPhysical expression
Adaptations
  • [Experimental film / CGI project] The Stardance Project

Mindkiller

1982 Science fiction

A novel dealing with mind control and consciousness-manipulating technologies, exploring the clash between technology and free will.

Mind controlFree willTechnology and ethics

Variable Star

2006 Science fiction

Expanded by Robinson from a short 1955 outline by Robert A. Heinlein. Noted for blending Heinlein's premise with Robinson's own style; received mixed reviews.

Space adventureLegacy and inheritanceBlend of authorial styles

Melancholy Elephants

1982 Short story / Science fiction

A short story that examines the dilemma of preserving art and memory, questioning how perpetual preservation can affect creativity and culture.

Memory and cultural preservationIntellectual property and creativity

Bibliography

  • Telempath (1976)
  • Callahan's Crosstime Saloon (1977)
  • Stardance (1979) — with Jeanne Robinson
  • Time Travelers Strictly Cash (1981)
  • Mindkiller (1982)
  • The Free Lunch (2001)
  • Variable Star (2006) — based on R. A. Heinlein outline
  • Very Hard Choices (2008)

Adaptations

  • The Stardance Project (computer-generated film project)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Conversational, humor-laced proseRealistic depiction with elements of hard science fiction
Recurring Motifs
Barroom conversation and communityHumor (puns and wordplay)Fusion of art and science

Health

  • Heart attack
    2013年8月31日
    Recovered but it affected his writing and publishing schedule; he has not published many novels since the late 2000s

Legacy

A Canada-based science fiction author known for humor and humanistic storytelling. Best known for the Callahan series and Stardance; winner of Hugo and Nebula awards. His community-focused tales and provocative thematic concerns have influenced subsequent writers and fandom.

Academic Societies

  • Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society (LASFS)
  • World Science Fiction Society (WSFS)

Trivia

  • Replaced his childhood nickname 'Robbie' with 'Spider' and adopted it professionally.
  • First short-story sale to Analog in 1972 (debut).
  • Won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1974.
  • Won Hugo Awards in 1977, 1978 (with Jeanne Robinson), and 1983.
  • Published 'Variable Star' (2006) based on an outline by the late Robert A. Heinlein.
  • Became a Canadian citizen in 2002 while retaining U.S. citizenship.
  • Suffered a heart attack on August 31, 2013, and recovered.
  • Wife Jeanne Robinson died in 2010 from cholangiocarcinoma; daughter Terri died in 2014 from breast cancer.