John Wyndham
by George Alex Windish

When he began his writing career, John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beymon Harris wisely chose to use the shorter "John Wyndham." Under this easier pen name, he became one of the foremost science fiction writers of the 1950s.

He was born in England in 1903, and his early years were spent wandering throughout the British Isles with his family. Later, he settled down long enough to attend college from 1918 to 1921. Like many would-be writers, he tried his hand at several careers before picking up the pen, but was unsuccessful in his attempts at farming, the law, advertising and art.

Wyndham began his writing career in 1925, and, being very prolific, churned out dozens of stories during the 1930s and 1940s under a variety of pseudonyms.

Early in the 1950s, he turned his hand toward science fiction. These stories followed the conventions of the day, dealing less with "hard" science and concentrating on threats from outer space and our own environment.
He became a very successful science fiction writer, with many books in the genre, including two certified classics of their kind. THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS was published in 1951, and was followed by THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS in 1957. Hollywood filmed both of these successfully. In the film version of the latter book, its title was changed to VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED, and became a classic of understated horror.

John Wyndham passed away in 1969, leaving behind a body of work that most of us would envy.

George Alex Windish has been writing for many years, and has become a better typist, if nothing else. He has placed nearly a dozen short stories of horror and science fiction, has had a weekly column in a local Baltimore newspaper, and has written for and edited COUNTRY LINE, a small Pennsylvania magazine. He has also done ad copy and correspondence for businesses.  He has long been a fan of genre literature and truly tacky movies, as well as being a collector of vintage records.  Contact him at GeorgeWindish@aol.com. 

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