David Lake
Encyclopedia
David John Lake is an Indian-born Australia
n science fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. He moved to Australia in 1967.
, India
26 March 1929, India, Lake received a Jesuit education at St. Xavier's School in Calcutta (1940–44). He was originally a citizen of the United Kingdom
, where he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge
, receiving his Bachelor of Arts
in 1952, and his Master of Arts in 1956. He went on to study at University College of North Wales, where he was awarded a diploma in linguistics
in 1965, and studied at the University of Queensland
(Ph.D., 1974). He became a naturalized Australian citizen in 1975.
He began his writing career as a literary critic, and in that vein he is known for his books Style and Meaning, Queensland University Press, 1971, and The Canon of Thomas Middleton's Plays, Cambridge University Press
, 1975.
After arriving in Australia, Lake published poetry in magazines such as Westerly
, Southerly
, and Makar
. In 1971 he published Portnoyad and in 1973 the poetry collection, Hornpipes and Funerals. He began writing science fiction in 1976. He might be best known for a sequence of books, which take a critical stance to the Barsoom
novels. John Clute
indicates Jungian psychology influences on some of his works. His most known work outside of that sequence is The Man who Loved Morlocks from 1981. As indicated the story is a kind of sequel to The Time Machine
He has been essentially inactive in the genre since 1989 with the exception of one award-winning short story. That story, The Truth About Weena, also involved the Time Machine. It won the Ditmar Award
in 1999.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n science fiction writer, poet, and literary critic. He moved to Australia in 1967.
Biography
Born in BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
26 March 1929, India, Lake received a Jesuit education at St. Xavier's School in Calcutta (1940–44). He was originally a citizen of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, receiving his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1952, and his Master of Arts in 1956. He went on to study at University College of North Wales, where he was awarded a diploma in linguistics
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
in 1965, and studied at the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
(Ph.D., 1974). He became a naturalized Australian citizen in 1975.
He began his writing career as a literary critic, and in that vein he is known for his books Style and Meaning, Queensland University Press, 1971, and The Canon of Thomas Middleton's Plays, Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 1975.
After arriving in Australia, Lake published poetry in magazines such as Westerly
Westerly
Westerly can refer to:* Westerly, Rhode Island, a town in the United States* The Westerlies, the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes* Westerly , a literary magazine from the University of Western Australia...
, Southerly
Southerly
Southerly is the name of a storm or front of air coming from the south. In the Southern Hemisphere these can be cold and have bad weather. In Wellington, New Zealand these storms are normally short and frequently have winds gusting between 120 km/h and 160 km/h though higher speeds are...
, and Makar
Makar
A makar is a term from Scottish literature for a poet or bard, often thought of as royal court poet, although the term can be more generally applied. The word functions in a manner similar to the Greek term which means both maker and poet...
. In 1971 he published Portnoyad and in 1973 the poetry collection, Hornpipes and Funerals. He began writing science fiction in 1976. He might be best known for a sequence of books, which take a critical stance to the Barsoom
Barsoom
Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote close to 100 action adventure stories in various genres in the first half of the 20th century, and is now best known as the creator of the character Tarzan...
novels. John Clute
John Clute
John Frederick Clute is a Canadian born author and critic who has lived in Britain since 1969. He has been described as "an integral part of science fiction's history."...
indicates Jungian psychology influences on some of his works. His most known work outside of that sequence is The Man who Loved Morlocks from 1981. As indicated the story is a kind of sequel to The Time Machine
The Time Machine
The Time Machine is a science fiction novella by H. G. Wells, published in 1895 for the first time and later adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It indirectly inspired many more works of fiction...
He has been essentially inactive in the genre since 1989 with the exception of one award-winning short story. That story, The Truth About Weena, also involved the Time Machine. It won the Ditmar Award
Ditmar Award
The Ditmar Award has been awarded annually since 1969 at the Australian National Science Fiction Convention to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom...
in 1999.
Novels
- Walkers on the Sky (1976)
- The Right Hand of Dextra (1977)
- The Wildings of Westron (1977)
- The Gods of Xuma or Barsoom Revisited (1978)
- The Fourth Hemisphere (1980)
- The Man who Loved Morlocks (1981)
- Ring of Truth (1982)
- Warlords of Xuma (1983)
- The Changelings of Chaan (1985)
- West of the Moon (1988)
Short fiction
- "The Truth About Weena" (1998) in Dreaming Down-UnderDreaming Down-UnderDreaming Down-Under is a 1998 speculative fiction anthology edited by Jack Dann and Janeen Webb-Background:Dreaming Down-Under was first published in Australia in November 1998 by Voyager Books in trade paperback format....
(ed. Jack DannJack DannJack Dann is an American writer best known for his science fiction, an editor and a writing teacher, who has lived in Australia since 1994. He has published over seventy books, in the majority of cases as editor or co-editor of story anthologies in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres...
, Janeen WebbJaneen WebbJaneen Webb is an Australian writer, critic, and editor working mainly in the field of science fiction and fantasy.-Biography:...
) (part of the H. G. WellsH. G. WellsHerbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
' Time MachineThe Time MachineThe Time Machine is a science fiction novella by H. G. Wells, published in 1895 for the first time and later adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It indirectly inspired many more works of fiction...
universe)