Fred Nadis has been a visiting associate professor of American studies at Doshisha University in Japan, as well as a freelance journalist, publishing articles in the "Atlantic Monthly" and other magazines. He is the author of "Wonder Shows: Performing Science, Magic, and Religion in America." Nadis has a Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Texas at Austin. He lives in California.
The sci-fi pulps made a lasting imprint, as Fred Nadis shows in his
entertaining "The Man From Mars" Mr. Nadis does not take sides in
what was once a civil war among the fans but reminds them that
there was more than one mighty editor back in the Golden Age.
--Tom Shippey, WALL STREET JOURNAL
"One of science fiction's greatest gadflies gets his due in this
lively and entertaining biography. Nadis quotes liberally from
[Richard A. Palmer's] editorials and readers letters to piant a
vivid portrait of the postwar science fiction scene and fan
culture."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
He produces a vivid cultural history, capturing subtle
transformations in American attitudes through an examination of the
voluble Palmer s career and writings.
KIRKUS REVIEWS
The author paints a story of a larger-than-life writer, editor, and
publisher whose unorthodox methods propelled a nascent genre of
tales, conspiracies, and other worlds into high visibility.
LIBRARY JOURNAL
"He [Palmer] was surely one of the most distinctive characters to
grace (some would say, disgrace) the science fiction field in the
past century. Fred Nadis book does him justice, and will provide
invaluable insights into the science fiction world of the pulp
era"
Richard A. Lupoff, "Locus Magazine" "Lucidly written and
unfailingly lively, "THE MAN FROM MARS" is a biography worthy of
its subject. Nadis never stoops to lazy hyperbole but maintains his
balance and his sense of nuance."
"Fate Magazine" (originally founded by Ray Palmer)
"Brisk, entertaining accounts of the beginnings of the
science-fiction genre and the zealous fandom it inspired, as well
as the complicated relationships between fans and related
subcultures devoted to UFOs, the paranormal, and New Age
spirituality."
"Los Angeles Review of Books"
"Palmer could not have asked for a more sympathetic chronicler, or
a better one, than Fred Nadis. His prose and his pronouncements are
everything Palmer s practically never were: restrained, nuanced,
intelligently considered. Nadis has a great story, and he relates
it exquisitely."
"Jerome Clark, Fortean Times" ""THE MAN FROM MARS" provides a
fascinating glimpse into a little known regional writer from
Wisconsin and his many influences Ray Palmer was part Isaac Asimov,
part P. T. Barnum, and part Charles Fort, a legendary American icon
shining most brightly in kooky waystations of various
subcultures."
Karl Wolff, "New York Journal of Books"
Lucidly written and unfailingly lively, The Man From Mars is a
biography worthy of its subject. Nadis never stoops to lazy
hyperbole but maintains his balance and his sense of nuance.
FATE MAGAZINE THE MAN FROM MARS is a fascinating story, superbly
told.
JT Lindroos, Bookgasm
Fred Nadis s insightful biography demonstrates that Palmer is
significant as well as intriguing.
Michael Saler, The Washington Post
Palmer could not have asked for a more sympathetic chronicler, or a
better one, than Fred Nadis. His prose and his pronouncements are
everything Palmer s practically never were: restrained, nuanced,
intelligently considered. Nadis has a great story, and he relates
it exquisitely."
Jerome Clark, FORTEAN TIMES
From pulp fiction and occultism to UFO and conspiracy theories,
Sci-fi magus Ray Palmer was ahead of the crowd, fashioning 21st
century sensibilities far in advance of the online generation. Fred
Nadis s "The Man From Mars" is a full bodied, in-depth and
addictive investigation into the life of this truly underground
man. As fast paced and gripping as any pulp adventure, Nadis brings
to life the truly amazing story of this 'impresario of the
paranormal'. Grab a copy at the newsstand while they last!
Gary Lachman, author of "A Secret History of Consciousness" and
"Madame Blavatsky"
A superb biography of one of the leaders in twentieth-century
fringe phenomena. I found it more enthralling than any science
fiction I have ever read.
Richard Smoley, author of "Supernatural: Writings on an Unknown
History"
" The Man from Mars "is a deeply researched and wonderfully
well-written biography of Ray Palmer, a science-fiction editor who
opened the field up to some of the craziest pseudoscientific ideas,
from ancient underground robots to UFOs.Nadis recreates the
wild-and-wooly world of the pulp magazines with gusto and flair,
evoking Palmer as part earnest, hard-working editor, part
sensationalizing huckster and ultimately, as a quintessential
American. The book is a joy to read."
Rob Latham, professor of English, University of California at
Riverside; editor, "Science Fiction Studies"
An extremely moving account of one of the genuine fathers of
contemporary pop culture, told with just the right balance of humor
and seriousness. Nadis brilliantly shows that the impulse to ask
"What if?" is one of the most thoroughly American habits there
is.
Ptolemy Tompkins, author of "Paradise Fever "and "The Modern Book
of the Dead"
When I first encountered, up close, the imagination of Ray Palmer,
I thought: 'Someone "has" to write a biography of this man. And now
someone has. The trick with Palmer has always been this: how to
write about biographical facts that merge with pulp fictions that,
in turn, merge with biographical facts. Fred Nadis has exactly
pulled off this piece of real-world magic. Beautifully."
Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of "Mutants and Mystics: Science Fiction,
Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal"
"
"The sci-fi pulps made a lasting imprint, as Fred Nadis shows in
his entertaining "The Man From Mars..".Mr. Nadis does not take
sides in what was once a civil war among the fans but reminds them
that there was more than one mighty editor back in the Golden
Age."
--Tom Shippey, WALL STREET JOURNAL
"One of science fiction's greatest gadflies gets his due in this
lively and entertaining biography. Nadis quotes liberally from
[Richard A. Palmer's] editorials and readers letters to piant a
vivid portrait of the postwar science fiction scene and fan
culture."
--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"He produces a vivid cultural history, capturing subtle
transformations in American attitudes through an examination of the
voluble Palmer's career and writings."
--KIRKUS REVIEWS
"The author paints a story of a larger-than-life writer, editor,
and publisher whose unorthodox methods propelled a nascent genre of
tales, conspiracies, and other worlds into high visibility."
--LIBRARY JOURNAL
"He [Palmer] was surely one of the most distinctive characters to
grace (some would say, disgrace) the science fiction field in the
past century. Fred Nadis' book does him justice, and will provide
invaluable insights into the science fiction world of the pulp
era"
--Richard A. Lupoff, "Locus Magazine" "Lucidly written and
unfailingly lively, "THE MAN FROM MARS" is a biography worthy of
its subject. Nadis never stoops to lazy hyperbole...but maintains
his balance and his sense of nuance."
--"Fate Magazine" (originally founded by Ray Palmer)
"Brisk, entertaining accounts of the beginnings of the
science-fiction genre and the zealous fandom it inspired, as well
as the complicated relationships between fans and related
subcultures devoted to UFOs, the paranormal, and New Age
spirituality."
--"Los Angeles Review of Books"
"Palmer could not have asked for a more sympathetic chronicler, or
a better one, than Fred Nadis. His prose and his pronouncements are
everything Palmer's practically never were: restrained, nuanced,
intelligently considered. Nadis has a great story, and he relates
it exquisitely."
--"Jerome Clark, Fortean Times"
""THE MAN FROM MARS" provides a fascinating glimpse into a little
known regional writer from Wisconsin and his many influences...Ray
Palmer was part Isaac Asimov, part P. T. Barnum, and part Charles
Fort, a legendary American icon--shining most brightly in kooky
waystations of various subcultures."
--Karl Wolff, "New York Journal of Books"
"Lucidly written and unfailingly lively, The Man From Mars is a
biography worthy of its subject. Nadis never stoops to lazy
hyperbole...but maintains his balance and his sense of nuance."
--FATE MAGAZINE "THE MAN FROM MARS is a fascinating story, superbly
told."
--JT Lindroos, Bookgasm
"Fred Nadis's insightful biography demonstrates that Palmer is
significant as well as intriguing."
--Michael Saler, The Washington Post
"Palmer could not have asked for a more sympathetic chronicler, or
a better one, than Fred Nadis. His prose and his pronouncements are
everything Palmer's practically never were: restrained, nuanced,
intelligently considered. Nadis has a great story, and he relates
it exquisitely."
--Jerome Clark, FORTEAN TIMES
"From pulp fiction and occultism to UFO and conspiracy theories,
Sci-fi magus Ray Palmer was ahead of the crowd, fashioning 21st
century sensibilities far in advance of the online generation. Fred
Nadis's "The Man From Mars" is a full bodied, in-depth and
addictive investigation into the life of this truly underground
man. As fast paced and gripping as any pulp adventure, Nadis brings
to life the truly amazing story of this 'impresario of the
paranormal'. Grab a copy at the newsstand while they last!"
--Gary Lachman, author of "A Secret History of Consciousness"and
"Madame Blavatsky"
"A superb biography of one of the leaders in twentieth-century
fringe phenomena. I found it more enthralling than any science
fiction I have ever read."
--Richard Smoley, author of "Supernatural: Writings on an Unknown
History"
""The Man from Mars"is a deeply researched and wonderfully
well-written biography of Ray Palmer, a science-fiction editor who
opened the field up to some of the craziest pseudoscientific ideas,
from ancient underground robots to UFOs. Nadis recreates the
wild-and-wooly world of the pulp magazines with gusto and flair,
evoking Palmer as part earnest, hard-working editor, part
sensationalizing huckster--and ultimately, as a quintessential
American. The book is a joy to read."
--Rob Latham, professor of English, University of California at
Riverside; editor, "Science Fiction Studies"
"An extremely moving account of one of the genuine fathers of
contemporary pop culture, told with just the right balance of humor
and seriousness. Nadis brilliantly shows that the impulse to ask
""What if?"" is one of the most thoroughly American habits there
is."
--Ptolemy Tompkins, author of "Paradise Fever "and "The Modern Book
of the Dead"
"When I first encountered, up close, the imagination of Ray Palmer,
I thought: 'Someone "has" to write a biography of this man.' And
now someone has. The trick with Palmer has always been this: how to
write about biographical facts that merge with pulp fictions that,
in turn, merge with biographical facts. Fred Nadis has exactly
pulled off this piece of real-world magic. Beautifully."
--Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of "Mutants and Mystics: Science
Fiction, Superhero Comics, and the Paranormal"
"One of science fiction's greatest gadflies gets his due in this
lively and entertaining biography. Nadis quotes liberally from
[Richard A. Palmer's] editorials and readers letters to piant a
vivid portrait of the postwar science fiction scene and fan
culture."
--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"He produces a vivid cultural history, capturing subtle
transformations in American attitudes through an examination of the
voluble Palmer's career and writings."
--KIRKUS REVIEWS
"The author paints a story of a larger-than-life writer, editor,
and publisher whose unorthodox methods propelled a nascent genre of
tales, conspiracies, and other worlds into high visibility."
--LIBRARY JOURNAL
"Lucidly written and unfailingly lively, The Man From Mars is a
biography worthy of its subject. Nadis never stoops to lazy
hyperbole...but maintains his balance and his sense of nuance."
--FATE MAGAZINE
"Palmer could not have asked for a more sympathetic chronicler, or
a better one, than Fred Nadis. His prose and his pronouncements are
everything Palmer's practically never were: restrained, nuanced,
intelligently considered. Nadis has a great story, and he relates
it exquisitely."
--Jerome Clark, FORTEAN TIMES
"From pulp fiction and occultism to UFO and conspiracy theories,
Sci-fi magus Ray Palmer was ahead of the crowd, fashioning 21st
century sensibilities far in advance of the online generation. Fred
Nadis's "The Man From Mars" is a full bodied, in-depth and
addictive investigation into the life of this truly underground
man. As fast paced and gripping as any pulp adventure, Nadis brings
to life the truly amazing story of this 'impresario of the
paranormal'. Grab a copy at the newsstand while they last!"
--Gary Lachman, author of "A Secret History of Consciousness"and
"Madame Blavatsky"
"A superb biography of one of the leaders in twentieth-century
fringe phenomena. I found it more enthralling than any science
fiction I have everl
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