Donald H. Tuck
Encyclopedia
Donald Henry Tuck was a bibliographer of science fiction
, fantasy
and weird fiction
. His works were "among the most extensive produced since the pioneering work of Everett F. Bleiler
."
Tuck was born in Launceston, Tasmania, but his family soon moved to Hobart
, where his father was Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Tasmania
.
From a young age Don was interested in all aspects of science. In his teens he discovered the gaudy American science fiction magazines
on sale in local department stores and began collecting them. He located other sf fans in Hobart and together they produced the first Tasmanian science fiction fanzine
, Profan, which had three issues between April and September 1941. Each included an author’s biography and index to their published stories, demonstrating Tuck’s early interest in bibliography.
During the war, Tuck trained as a radio technician before serving in the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps
on Horn and Thursday Islands in the Torres Strait
. Afterwards he completed his science degree at the University of Tasmania and then joined the Electrolytic Zinc (EZ) Company at Risdon, near Hobart. Starting as a technical librarian, Tuck would spend his entire career with this company, rising through the ranks.
He maintained his interest in sf as a correspondent and collector. A list of paperbacks sent to him by Perth fan Roger Dard inspired Tuck to begin compiling a card index to sf, fantasy and weird literature published in various forms. Acquiring details of works from contacts around the world, Tuck expanded his card index and self-published this in book format as A Handbook of Science Fiction and Fantasy in January 1954. It received enthusiastic reviews in the three leading sf magazines of the day.
Tuck married Audrey Jean Cranston in May 1954. He continued to expand his Handbook; the second edition was published in 1959 and received a Special Hugo Award
in 1962. The couple established a home in Lindisfarne, on Hobart’s eastern shore, and had a son in 1961. The Tucks hosted regular informal gatherings by local and visiting sf fans at Lindisfarne for the next 20 years, with regular visitor A. Bertram Chandler
commemorating the locale by naming one of the spaceship bases in his novels after it.
The culmination of Tuck’s efforts was the publication of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy: a bibliographic survey of the fields of science fiction, fantasy and weird fiction through 1968 by Advent:Publishers in three volumes between 1974 and 1983. The volumes of this work received more awards, including Locus Award
s for best non-fiction reference work for volumes 2 and 3, a special World Fantasy Award
in 1979 for volumes 1 and 2, and a Hugo Award
for volume 3 in 1984.
Tuck was also invited to be Australian Guest of Honour at the first Aussiecon
in 1975. A very private person, he was initially reluctant, but did accept the invitation. As the date of the convention approached, however, commitments arose which he felt required his presence at Electrolytic Zinc. He was Acting Head of Industrial Services at the Risdon plant at this time and drastic falls in zinc prices had led to job losses and industrial action. His decision proved controversial, overshadowing his hosting of several groups of fans visiting Hobart after the convention, during one of which he was presented with the E.E. Evans Memorial Big Heart Award for 1975 by Forrest J. Ackerman.
Tuck retired from the zinc factory in 1982 and dispatched his extensive sf collection to university libraries in Perth and Brisbane. The Tucks moved to Melbourne and enjoyed an active retirement before Audrey passed away in August 2010 and Don followed her six weeks later.
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...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and weird fiction
Weird fiction
Weird fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction written in the late 19th and early 20th century. It can be said to encompass the ghost story and other tales of the macabre. Weird fiction is distinguished from horror and fantasy in that it predates the niche marketing of genre fiction...
. His works were "among the most extensive produced since the pioneering work of Everett F. Bleiler
Everett F. Bleiler
Everett Franklin Bleiler was an editor, bibliographer, and scholar of science fiction, detective fiction, and fantasy literature. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he co-edited the first "year's best" series of science fiction anthologies, and his Checklist of Fantastic Literature has been called...
."
Tuck was born in Launceston, Tasmania, but his family soon moved to Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, where his father was Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
.
From a young age Don was interested in all aspects of science. In his teens he discovered the gaudy American science fiction magazines
Science fiction magazine
A science fiction magazine is a publication that offers primarily science fiction, either in a hard copy periodical format or on the Internet....
on sale in local department stores and began collecting them. He located other sf fans in Hobart and together they produced the first Tasmanian science fiction fanzine
Science fiction fanzine
A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of science fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day...
, Profan, which had three issues between April and September 1941. Each included an author’s biography and index to their published stories, demonstrating Tuck’s early interest in bibliography.
During the war, Tuck trained as a radio technician before serving in the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Corps
Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the Australian Army that has responsibility for the maintenance and recovery of all land electrical and mechanical equipment...
on Horn and Thursday Islands in the Torres Strait
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
. Afterwards he completed his science degree at the University of Tasmania and then joined the Electrolytic Zinc (EZ) Company at Risdon, near Hobart. Starting as a technical librarian, Tuck would spend his entire career with this company, rising through the ranks.
He maintained his interest in sf as a correspondent and collector. A list of paperbacks sent to him by Perth fan Roger Dard inspired Tuck to begin compiling a card index to sf, fantasy and weird literature published in various forms. Acquiring details of works from contacts around the world, Tuck expanded his card index and self-published this in book format as A Handbook of Science Fiction and Fantasy in January 1954. It received enthusiastic reviews in the three leading sf magazines of the day.
Tuck married Audrey Jean Cranston in May 1954. He continued to expand his Handbook; the second edition was published in 1959 and received a Special Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
in 1962. The couple established a home in Lindisfarne, on Hobart’s eastern shore, and had a son in 1961. The Tucks hosted regular informal gatherings by local and visiting sf fans at Lindisfarne for the next 20 years, with regular visitor A. Bertram Chandler
A. Bertram Chandler
Arthur Bertram Chandler was a British-Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M....
commemorating the locale by naming one of the spaceship bases in his novels after it.
The culmination of Tuck’s efforts was the publication of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy: a bibliographic survey of the fields of science fiction, fantasy and weird fiction through 1968 by Advent:Publishers in three volumes between 1974 and 1983. The volumes of this work received more awards, including Locus Award
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
s for best non-fiction reference work for volumes 2 and 3, a special World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
in 1979 for volumes 1 and 2, and a Hugo Award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
for volume 3 in 1984.
Tuck was also invited to be Australian Guest of Honour at the first Aussiecon
33rd World Science Fiction Convention
The 33rd World Science Fiction Convention, informally known as Aussiecon, was held in Melbourne, Australia, 14–17 August 1975, at the Southern Cross Hotel. Its guests of honour were Ursula K. Le Guin , Susan Wood , Mike Glicksohn , and Donald Tuck...
in 1975. A very private person, he was initially reluctant, but did accept the invitation. As the date of the convention approached, however, commitments arose which he felt required his presence at Electrolytic Zinc. He was Acting Head of Industrial Services at the Risdon plant at this time and drastic falls in zinc prices had led to job losses and industrial action. His decision proved controversial, overshadowing his hosting of several groups of fans visiting Hobart after the convention, during one of which he was presented with the E.E. Evans Memorial Big Heart Award for 1975 by Forrest J. Ackerman.
Tuck retired from the zinc factory in 1982 and dispatched his extensive sf collection to university libraries in Perth and Brisbane. The Tucks moved to Melbourne and enjoyed an active retirement before Audrey passed away in August 2010 and Don followed her six weeks later.
External links
- Donald H. Tuck at the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 3rd edition (draft)