A
(Arthur) Bertram Chandler was born in Aldershot, England in 1912, Chandler sailed
the world in every-thing from tramp steamers to troop transports before emigrating
to Australia in 1956. Here he commanded merchant vessels under the Australian and
New Zealand Flags up to his retirement in 1974.
Up until his death in 1984 he published over 40 science fiction novels and over
200 works of short fiction writing as A Bertram Chandler, George Whitley or Andrew
Dunstan. Many of the novels had a nautical theme, with the plot moved from the seas
of earth to the ships of space in the future. Many of the stories revolved around
the character of John Grimes some times referred to as “Hornblower of Space”. While
most stories are set in the future, they also have a distinctly “Australian” theme
with places and stories relating back to Australia today.
Chandler was the last master of the aircraft carrier Melbourne. Law required it
to have a master aboard for the months while it was laid up and waiting to be towed
off to Asia to be broken up for scrap, so in a sense he really was briefly the master
of the Australian navy's former flagship. Apparently he had his typewriter aboard,
and worked on his novels!
Chandler received four Australian SF "Ditmar" Achievement Awards for his
novels. Nearly all of his novels were published in the USA. Two of his short stories
'The Cage' and 'Giant Killer’ are regarded as some of the best SF stories
written in the 1950's. He was also very popular in Japan winning the prestigious
SEIUN SHO, the premier Science Fiction award. The Japanese editions have some of
the best covers of any of the published editions.
Baen Books
Baen Books have released four John Grimes anthologies
To the Galactic Rim: The John Grimes Saga
,
First Command: The John Grimes Saga II
,
Galactic Courier: The John Grimes Saga III
and
Ride the Star Winds: The John Grimes Saga IV
. These are available as both eBooks and Trade Paperbacks
Prologue Books
Prologue Books have reprinted 8 Novels as eBooks, including the hard to find Glory Planet, now available for the second time since the initial Hard Cover publication. The published novels include Frontier of The Dark, Kelly Country, The Bitter Pill, The Sea Beasts, The Alternate Martians, Glory Planet, The Coils of Time and The Hamelin Plague
Audio Books
There are now 31 Novels available as audio books, including all the John Grimes
Novels. These are all available from
audible.com.
Tales From Super-Science Fiction
The short story I'll take over (originally published as by George Whitely)
has been published in the anthology
Tales from Super-Science Fiction
edited by Robert Silverberg.
Letter
This letter was published in SFWA Forum (June 1973).
A BERTRAM CHANDLER writes:
I just have to comment on Mr Toomey's suggestion that SFWA members wear uniform. It reminds me of a period during which I was able to achieve an advantageious, income tax-wise, financial schizophrenia. It was when I was sailing in trans-Tasman cargo liners under the New Zealand flag. I paid income tax in New Zealand as a New Zealand shipmaster, giving my address as the Company's Head Office in Wellington. I paid income tax in Australia as an Australian writer. To split one's income is, actually, quite legal. Anyhow, my Australian tax accountant absentmindedly included in my Return the usual deduction of expenses for "upkeep of uniform". The Australian income tax authorities promptly wanted to know what the hell a writer wanted a uniform for. Not surprisingly, the deduction was disallowed.
In any case, Mr Toomey's idea isn't such a good one. Service, regimental, or whatever ties are not worn with uniform, but only with civilian clothes. And, in any case, why give our top-selling members the rank of "General"? What's wrong with "Admiral" or "Commodore"? {How about Field Marshal The Inspector General of the Fleet?}
Still on the subject of neckwear -- I suppose that most people now have seen the latest Hitchcock thriller, FRENZY. It's about a bloke who murders popsies by strangling them with whatever tie he happens to be wearing at the time, leaving the piece of coloured, patterened fabric about the neck of the otherwise naked corpse. It would never do for me to go on such a rampage. All that the police would have to do would be to find out who, in the neighbourhood, was (a) a member of the British Interplanetary Society (b) an officer of the Merchant Navy (c) a member of Tattersall's Club and (d) an employee of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. And then I'd be qualified for a hemp necktie. - {Would they have to limit the search to the neighbo(u)rhood? I mean, are there two people in the whole Universe who belong to all those outfits?}
Still, Hitchcock did raise one good point. Falsely accused of the murders, and tried, and convicted, was an ex-Squadron Leader R.A.F. Throughout the course of the film this unfortunate gentleman never once wore the R.A.F. tie to which he was entitled. If he'd made a point of wearing his R.A.F. tie at all times he would never have become a suspect.
It all goes to show something or other.
Finally, did you ever hear the Bow Tie Song?
Some call it madness
Bow tie call it love...
With best wishes, /A Bertram Chandler/