Donald A. Wollheim

• 1. Fandom Foundations And Futurians

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  On the 22nd of October 1936, a group from New York met with a group from Philadelphia in Philadelphia. This gathering became known as the first American science fiction convention. Donald A. Wollheim organized this event when he was just twenty-two years old. The modern Philcon convention claims descent from this meeting. Plans formed for regional and national meetings followed immediately. These plans included the first-ever Worldcon.

  Wollheim joined the New York Science Fiction League shortly after. Hugo Gernsback had established clubs to promote science fiction. When payment failed to arrive for his first story sold to Gernsback, Wollheim took action. He formed a group with several other authors. They successfully sued for payment. The league expelled him as "a disruptive influence" but later reinstated him.

  In 1937, Wollheim founded the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. Its first mailing occurred in July 1937. It contained a statement from him about fans desiring to put out a voice without fear of obligation. In 1938, he formed the Futurians with several friends. Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, Cyril Kornbluth, James Blish, John Michel, Judith Merril, Robert A. W. Lowndes, Richard Wilson, Damon Knight, Virginia Kidd, and Larry T. Shaw all became members at one time or another. The club shifted focus after 1940. Conferences and workshops focused on writing, editing, and publishing instead of fan activities alone.

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• 2. Editorial Innovations And Ace Doubles

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  In late 1940, Wollheim noticed a new magazine titled Stirring Detective and Western Stories on the newsstands. He wrote to Albing Publications to see if they were interested in adding a science fiction title. They invited him to meet them. They did not have capital however. They only guaranteed him a salary if the magazines were successful. He approached fellow Futurians for free stories published under pseudonyms to protect reputations.

  This resulted in Wollheim editing two earliest periodicals devoted to science fiction. Cosmic Stories and Stirring Science Stories started in February 1941. Wartime constraints prevented ongoing publication later that year. No more issues appeared of either title. In 1943 he edited The Pocket Book of Science Fiction. It was the first book containing words "science fiction" in the title. Works by Robert A. Heinlein, Theodore Sturgeon, H. G. Wells, and others filled its pages.

  Between 1947 and 1951, Wollheim worked at Avon Books. He made available highly affordable editions of works by A. Merritt, H. P. Lovecraft, and C. S. Lewis' Silent Planet space trilogy. During this period he edited eighteen issues of the influential Avon Fantasy Reader. Three issues of the Avon Science Fiction Reader also appeared.

  In 1952, Wollheim left Avon to work for A. A. Wyn at Ace Magazine Company. He spearheaded a new paperback book list called Ace Books. In 1953, he introduced science fiction to the Ace lineup. For twenty years as editor-in-chief, he managed their multi-genre list. Most important to him was their renowned sf list. Wollheim invented the Ace Doubles series consisting of pairs of books bound back-to-back with two front covers.

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• 3. The Tolkien Copyright Controversy

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  Prior to the 1960s, no large American paperback publisher would publish fantasy. It was believed there was no public demand for it. Wollheim published an unauthorized paperback edition of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in three volumes. This became the first mass-market paperback edition of Tolkien's epic. Wollheim did not consider himself a fantasy fan.

  Tolkien disputed this account claiming he never received communication from Ace prior to publication. Tolkien had previously authorized paperback editions of The Hobbit and Tree and Leaf. The authorized Ballantine paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings then appeared in November 1965. Ace subsequently agreed to cease publishing the unauthorized edition. They also agreed to pay Tolkien for sales following a grassroots campaign by Tolkien's U.S. fans.

  A 1993 court determined that the copyright loophole suggested by Ace Books was invalid. Its paperback edition was found to have been a violation of copyright under U.S. law. At this time, the U.S. had yet to join the International Copyright Convention. Most laws on books existed to protect domestic creations from foreign infringement. Houghton Mifflin technically violated the law when they exceeded import limits and failed to renew interim copyright.

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• 4. DAW Books And Genre Expansion

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  Wollheim left Ace in 1971. Frederik Pohl described circumstances surrounding his departure. When Wyn died in 1968, the company sold to a consortium headed by a bank. Few members had any publishing experience before running Ace. Bills went unpaid while authors' advances and royalties delayed. Budgets cut back significantly. Donald spent most time soothing indignant authors and agents.

  Upon leaving Ace, he and wife Elsie Balter Wollheim founded DAW Books named for his initials. DAW claimed to be first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house. DAW issued its first four titles in April 1972. Most writers developed at Ace followed him to DAW including Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, Philip K. Dick, John Brunner, A. Bertram Chandler, Kenneth Bulmer, Gordon R. Dickson, A. E. van Vogt, and Jack Vance.

  In later years, distributor New American Library threatened to withhold Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical historical fantasy How Are the Mighty Fallen due to homosexual content. Wollheim fought vigorously against their decision. They relented eventually. His later author discoveries included Tanith Lee, Jennifer Roberson, Michael Shea, Tad Williams, Celia S. Friedman, and C. J. Cherryh. Downbelow Station became first DAW book to win Hugo Award for best novel.

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• 5. Cross-Dressing And Casa Susanna

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  Wollheim actively practiced cross-dressing as a woman throughout his life. He regularly attended events at Casa Susanna in Catskills of upstate New York. This all-male cross-dressing community provided space for men like him to express themselves freely. The location served as gathering point for those seeking acceptance away from mainstream society.

  A Year Among the Girls appeared under pseudonym Darrell G. Raynor in 1966. It concerned his crossdressing experiences and Casa Susanna. Documentary film titled "Casa Susanna" directed by Sébastien Lifshitz aired on the 27th of June 2023 as part of American Experience season 35. Betsy Wollheim daughter of Donald spoke about her father within that film. Her insights revealed depth behind public persona while maintaining privacy around private life details.

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