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Poul Anderson

1926 – 2001

American science fiction writer

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About Poul Anderson

Lived 1926 – 2001 (aged 74). Poul Anderson was an American writer, novelist, author and science fiction writer.

Poul William Anderson ( ; November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American fantasy and science fiction author who was active from the 1940s until his death in 2001. Anderson also wrote historical novels. He won the Hugo Award seven times and the Nebula Award three times, and was nominated many more times for awards.

Biography

Poul Anderson was born on November 25, 1926, in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Danish parents. Soon after his birth, his father, Anton Anderson, relocated the family to Texas, where they lived for more than ten years. After Anton Anderson's death, his widow took the children to Denmark. The family returned to the United States after the beginning of World War II, settling eventually on a Minnesota farm.

While he was an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota, Anderson's first stories were published by editor John W. Campbell in the magazine Astounding Science Fiction: "Tomorrow's Children" by Anderson and F. N. Waldrop in March 1947 and a sequel, "Chain of Logic" by Anderson alone, in July.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
University of Minnesota
Awards
Prometheus Award - Special Award; Hugo Award for Best Short Story; Hugo Award for Best Novelette; Nebula Award for Best Novelette; Hugo Award for Best Novella; August Derleth Award; Nebula Award for Best Novella; Edward E. Smith Memorial Award; Prometheus Award - Hall of Fame; Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award; John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel; Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame
Also known as
Poul William Anderson, Winston P. Sanders, A. A. Craig, Michael Karageorge, Petronius Arbiter Kingsley, P. A. Kingsley

People in Poul Anderson's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Poul Anderson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Poul Anderson?

American science fiction writer (1926–2001)

When was Poul Anderson born?

Poul Anderson was born on 25 November 1926 in Bristol.

When did Poul Anderson die?

Poul Anderson died on 31 July 2001 in Orinda.

What was Poul Anderson's occupation?

Poul Anderson was a writer, novelist, author and science fiction writer.

What nationality was Poul Anderson?

Poul Anderson was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Poul Anderson

· Wikidata: Q220883

· DBpedia: Poul Anderson

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Poul Anderson. https://biography.guide/poul-anderson/

MLA: "Poul Anderson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/poul-anderson/.

Chicago: "Poul Anderson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/poul-anderson/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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