An early article on the IFA -
from NEW WORLDS 15, May 1952
A MERIT FOR FANTASY
By LESLIE FLOOD
In this article by the Secretary of the
International Fantasy Award Fund readers will find
complete up-to-the-minute information on the
progress made during the past twelve months and an
explanation of just what the Fantasy Awards
means.
This is not a eulogy for the late master of
fantasy A. Merritt, although connoisseurs who have
savoured his works may well consider this title as
apt an introduction for the International Fantasy
Award. Indeed, as editor of The American Weekly,
and among the foremost of early fantasy authors to
set a high literary standard, I feel that Abraham
Merritt would have bestowed his blessing on such a
venture, now in its second year, with the
announcement of the Award winners for 1952,
shortly to be made.
As it is, the reception given to the first
International Awards - surprise item at the
International Science Fiction Convention held in
London last May - has ranged from enthusiastic
acclaim through sharp criticism to dubious
scepticism, and, in view of such a state of
affairs, it is to be hoped that this brief outline
of the aims and tasks of the Fantasy Award
Committee, together with a résumé of its
achievements to date, will serve to ally the
interest and sympathy of all readers of fantasy
and science-fiction, and to promote the active
participation of those, including authors,
publishers and reviewers, who have at heart the
advancement of literary fantasy in all its
aspects.
Literary awards have long been attractions for men
and women of letters, and such plums as the
Hawthornden Prize, the James Tait Black Memorial
or the ultimate Nobel Prize for Literature, have
set the crowning seal on the careers of famous
authors. The Hollywood “Oscar” is a major event in
the film world, and even the thriller writers of
America chase their “Edgar.” What more natural,
then, than to honour the best work of the year in
the field of published fantasy? This has long been
the happy hunting ground of the few enthusiasts,
now widening into popular acclaim, in keeping with
this modem age of scientific miracles and future
aspirations?
Even so, the idea had not been put into practice
when the birth of the International Fantasy Award
combusted spontaneously, as it were, during a
conversation among four habituees of the London
Circle at the White Horse Tavern one Thursday
evening in April 1951. The originators responsible
for this apparently momentous contribution to
fantasy recognition happened also to be directors
of the British fantasy magazine publishers Nova
Publications, namely John Beynon Harris, noted
author; G. Ken Chapman, well-known afiionado and
fantasy bookman; Frank A. Cooper, instigator of
many active facets of British fantasy, and myself.
From that moment until the first public
announcement at the Convention a few weeks later,
development of the scheme was precipitous, and
perhaps, from the superior viewpoint of subsequent
scrutiny, somewhat incomplete. However it was felt
that the first International Convention would be
admirable for the inauguration of the Award,
particularly as the winners of the 1951 Awards
both transpired to be Americans, and a renowned
figure of the American fantasy world, Forrest J.
Ackerman, would be present at the occasion to
accept on behalf of his compatriots the practical
evidence of the Awards. For the event, it was only
possible in the time available to have ready a
facsimile of the actual Award trophies. These were
made later by an expert model-maker, and took the
form of the traditional space-ship
-
chromium-plated and mounted on a polished oak
plinth for the major fiction award, and bronze
mounted on mahogany for the non-fiction award -
complete with matching Ronson table lighters and
suitably inscribed, the whole approximately 20
inches high. They were later on view at book
centres in London, before being despatched to
their future owners.
For the benefit of those to whom knowledge of the
Fantasy Awards is quite new, I will repeat the
results of the 1951 International Fantasy Awards.
The prize for the best work of fiction, with a
basis of fantasy, from a literary aspect and in
accordance with the vote of the self-appointed
selection committee, and published in 1950, was
awarded to Earth Abides, by George R. Stewart of
California, U.S.A. The book was first published in
Great Britain by Victor Gollancz in 1950 although
it had appeared in America the previous year from
Random House, and therefore eligible in the
opinion of the committee at that time. The prize
for the best work of non-fiction, with a basis of
fantasy, was given to Willy Ley’s The Conquest of
Space, in collaboration with artist Chesley
Bonestell, both of U.S.A., which again, although
first published in Great Britain in 1950 by
Sidgwick & Jackson, had previously appeared in
America from the Viking Press.
The International Fantasy Award was now a fait
accomplt. The enthusiastic reception of the scheme
itself at the Convention, and the general
recognition of the winners as unanimously
meritorious - the international circumstances of
the choices being extremely fortunate - proved
ample recompense to the sponsors who had
themselves undertaken the financing of the project
- although subsequent donations from interested
well-wishers are gratefully acknowledged.
Publicity releases and photographs of the actual
Awards were circulated to book and magazine
publishers, literary periodicals, prominent
personalities in the fantasy world, fans and
amateur editors, as widely as possible in Britain
and America.
It is to deal with subsequent misconceptions that
I am now publicising the activities of the Award
Committee, and giving details of the current 1952
Awards now nearing completion - the results of
which it is hoped will be announced at the
forthcoming London Science-Fiction Convention on
May 31st and June 1st.
Considerable publicity has been given the Awards
on both sides of the Atlantic and our thanks are
due to the perceptive editors for their
assistance. One sharp criticism appeared in an
article by Anthony Boucher in the New York
Herald-Tribune, however. This was the result of a
misunderstanding, since amicably cleared up,
concerning a scheme introduced by the Committee
for the purpose of obtaining funds for the
continuance expansion of the Awards, which,
although non-profit making, should not allowed in
all fairness to be a perpetual burden on the
original sponsors. The idea was, for our American
friends, a dollar-a-throw competition which
entailed listing in order of preference their own
six choices, with prizes amounting to $25.00
offered to the three winners placing the books
correct order of merit as revealed by the
adjudicators’ final selection.
The error which crept in was that this statement
inferred that anyone who contributed a dollar
automatically became an adjudicator. I am
therefore emphasising that this is not so and that
the judging of the Award will be made by a
responsible panel of experts, whose names appear
in this article. The competition idea as
indicated, however, has been withdrawn. I need
hardly add that ordinary philanthropic donations
will as in the past, gratefully welcomed.
All this, however, is comparatively unimportant.
The main question that has been asked, and which
is still the most important factor of all, is who
will be the judges of what are the best works of
fiction and non-fiction of 1951 in the fantasy
field ? Who are the best-suited people to state
categorically that a certain book was the best
literary achievement in fantasy published last
year, worthy of an Award that could conceivably
influence the sales of that book, and certainly
enhance the reputation of the author? To find the
answer to that problem the Award Committee
immediately realised that the adjudicating panel
would also have to be international, because only
the combined knowledge of experts from many
countries would give a truly representative
result.
I therefore have pleasure in announcing that the
following well-known personalities actively
connected with many literary aspects of fantasy
fiction have been invited to join the Adjudicating
Panel, and, as of this writing, most of them have
already accepted.
Great Britain -
J. M.
WALSH -noted mystery writer, fantasy bibliophile,
and former science-fiction author. JOHN CARNELL -
editor of New Worlds and Science-Fantasy, and
forthcoming anthologist. WALTER GILLINGS -
one-time editor of Tales of Wonder, Fantasy, and
former editor of Science-Fantasy. WALTER A. WILLIS
- fandom’s leading expert and critic. FRED C.
BROWN - noted London bibliophile.
France
-
GEORGES GALLET - Leading Parisian editor and
publisher. Theodore maslowski - fantasy book
critic for Mystere Magasin.
United States – ANTHONY BOUCHER and J.
FRANCIS McCOMAS (jointly), as editors of Magazine
of Fantasy and Science-Fiction, both noted
connoisseurs, critics and anthologists. EVERETT
F.
BLEILER - leading anthologist and bibliophile.
GROFF CONKLIN - well-known anthologist and book
reviewer. BASIL DAVENPORT - literary critic of the
New York Times and Book-of- the-Month Club. AUGUST
DERLETH - outstanding anthologist, author and book
reviewer. JUDITH MERRIL - leading woman fantasy
author and editor.
Sweden – SIGVARD OSTLUND - foremost
Scandinavian fantasy bibliophile.
In addition, the following three judges will not
be participating upon the panel this year, as they
have books eligible for the Awards JOHN BEYNON
HARRIS (Britain) - noted author. WILSON TUCKER
(U.S.A.) - mystery writer and noted critic, WILLY
LEY (U.S.A.) - scientist, author and fantasy
expert, who will cover German publications.
To return to the 1951 Awards for a moment, I will
state that the original committee of four, limited
as it was, but with the advice and help of such
fantasy experts as John Carnell, did, by virtue of
their combined experience and personal good taste,
manage to produce worthy winners of that year’s
Awards. The modest advent of the Fantasy Award,
however, could not be allowed to continue upon
what might have been construed as a partisan
basis, plus the fact that interest in the project
had quickly moved into an international bracket.
Even though we now have many of the foremost
experts upon the Adjudicating Panel, it is hoped
that their ranks will be strengthened and improved
as circumstances and opportunities arise.
Meanwhile, the actual working Committee of the
project consists of the three original members,
Chapman, Cooper and myself, responsible for the
financial arrangements, publicity and
correspondence. To clear up the question of which
books will he eligible, it has been decided that
the following conditions must apply: The work of
fiction shall be a complete novel, or series of
stories by the same author (mixed anthologies are
therefore excluded), which is first published in
book form in any country during 1951. Thus, a
story which has seen print earlier in a magazine,
perhaps serialised, and subsequently reprinted as
a book, more often than not revised or rewritten,
is eligible. A new edition of an earlier book is
not.
The definition of “fantasy” as an “image-making
faculty, mental image; fantastic design; whimsical
speculation” admittedly covers everything from the
fairy tale to the fantasy of science-fiction;
however, I feel that the selection of fantasy
books eligible for the Award can confidently be
left to the wisdom of the judges.
Eligibility of the non-fiction Award is more
difficult to define, even ignoring the
black-and-white logic of “non-fiction” being,
perforce, “fact.” Here the qualification shall be
that which attempts to illustrate, or could
influence, the progress of scientific or
sociological development. In other words,
imaginary extrapolations of known facts or
accepted theories.
The Award trophies for 1952 will be similar to
those for 1951, classically simple, but
nevertheless handsome and valuable, and it is to
be hoped that sufficient financial support will be
forthcoming to maintain the high standard already
set, and to establish a sound foundation for the
future. The address for the International Fantasy
Award is c/o 52 Stoke Newington Road, London,
N.16, and donations made out to the Hon.
Secretary—”L. Flood,” crossed “Fantasy Award A/c.” |