Theodore Cogswell
Encyclopedia
Theodore Rose Cogswell, was an American
science fiction
author. His first published short story
, "The Spectre General
" in the magazine Astounding (June 1952), was a humorous tale in which a long-forgotten maintenance brigade of the Imperial Space Marines holds the promise of reinvigorating a declining Galactic empire
. Cogswell wrote nearly 40 science fiction stories, most in the same lighthearted vein as his first, and was co-author of a novel
in the Star Trek
franchise.
Cogswell was also the editor of the long-running "fanzine
for pros", Proceedings of the Institute for Twenty-First Century Studies, a collection of which was published in 1993. In this, writers and editors discussed their and each other's works.
During the Spanish Civil War
, he served as an ambulance driver on the Republican side in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
.
In recent years, Cogswell's short story "The Wall Around the World
" (1962) was rediscovered and received much attention, due especially to the many similarities between its protagonist and Harry Potter
: Like Potter, Cogswell's Porgie is an orphan boy living with his aunt and uncle, who learns magic in school, flies on a broomstick and is constantly persecuted by a nasty cousin (who is in this case, however, part of the magical community). There is, however, no direct evidence that J.K. Rowling read Cogswell's story or was influenced by it.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author. His first published short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, "The Spectre General
The Spectre General
"The Spectre General" is the first science fiction story of Theodore Cogswell. It was initially published in the June 1952 issue of Astounding magazine...
" in the magazine Astounding (June 1952), was a humorous tale in which a long-forgotten maintenance brigade of the Imperial Space Marines holds the promise of reinvigorating a declining Galactic empire
Galactic empire
Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fiction and science fantasy, particularly in space opera. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background, or written about the growth or decline of such an empire...
. Cogswell wrote nearly 40 science fiction stories, most in the same lighthearted vein as his first, and was co-author of a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
in the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise.
Cogswell was also the editor of the long-running "fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
for pros", Proceedings of the Institute for Twenty-First Century Studies, a collection of which was published in 1993. In this, writers and editors discussed their and each other's works.
During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he served as an ambulance driver on the Republican side in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade
Abraham Lincoln Brigade
The Abraham Lincoln Brigade refers to volunteers from the United States who served in the Spanish Civil War in the International Brigades. They fought for Spanish Republican forces against Franco and the Spanish Nationalists....
.
In recent years, Cogswell's short story "The Wall Around the World
The Wall Around the World
"The Wall Around the World" is a science fiction short story written by Theodore Cogswell and first published in Beyond Fantasy Fiction in 1953. It is set in a world where magic is taken for granted and technology is shunned.-Plot summary:...
" (1962) was rediscovered and received much attention, due especially to the many similarities between its protagonist and Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
: Like Potter, Cogswell's Porgie is an orphan boy living with his aunt and uncle, who learns magic in school, flies on a broomstick and is constantly persecuted by a nasty cousin (who is in this case, however, part of the magical community). There is, however, no direct evidence that J.K. Rowling read Cogswell's story or was influenced by it.