TERRA SF 344 - Donald A. Wollheim (Hrsg.) : Auf fernen Planeten

Donald A. Wollheim (Hrsg.) : Auf fernen Planeten (Adventures on other planets)
Terra SF 344, 22.05.1964
Deutsche Erstausgabe
Originalausgabe 1955
Aus dem Amerikanischem von Heinz F. Kliem
Titelbild : Karl Stephan

Enthält die Texte
Roger Dee : Die Verpflichtung (The obligation, 1952)
Clifford D. Simak : Musik von den Sternen (Ogre, 1944)
Robert Moore Williams : Das Geheimnis der Marsianer (The sound of bugles, 1949)

One of the most significant figures in 20th century American science fiction publishing.

Robert Silverberg über Donald A. Wollheim

Donald A. Wollheim als Schriftsteller (Pseudonym : David Grinnell) braucht man nicht lesen. Die Sachen waren nicht wirklich gut. Donald A. Wollheim als Herausgeber muß man lesen, es gibt keine Anthologie von ihm, die ich nicht mit Genuß gelesen habe. So auch hier, wo er Geschichten der Endvierziger und beginnenden 50er zu einem Bündel zusammenschnürt. Heutzutage etwas angestaubt präsentieren die Stories doch ein schönes Bild der damaligen Zeit.

Ich hab' dann mal etwas herumgesucht und in der englischen Wikipedia (Link) ein paar interessante Sachen über DAW-Books gefunden. Seit 1952 arbeitete Donald A. Wollheim bei ACE. 1968 starb A. A. Wyn, der Inhaber.

Unfortunately, when Wyn died the company was sold to a consortium headed by a bank. ... Few of them had any publishing experience before they found themselves running Ace. It showed. Before long, bills weren't being paid, authors' advances and royalties were delayed, budgets were cut back, and most of Donald's time was spent trying to soothe authors and agents who were indignant, and had every right to be, at the way they were treated.

Frederik Pohl über den Beginn von DAW-Books

Typisch Mänädscher, kennen wir ja auch heute noch zur Genüge. War sicherlich ein Vorfahre von Mehdorn dabei. Auf jeden Fall verließ Wollheim ACE 1972 und gründete seinen eigenen Laden :

Upon leaving Ace, he and his wife, Elsie Balter Wollheim, founded DAW Books, named for his initials. DAW can claim to be the first mass market specialist science fiction and fantasy fiction publishing house.[2] DAW issued its first four titles in April 1972. Most of the writers whom he had developed at Ace went with him to DAW: 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, when his distributor, New American Library, threatened to withhold Thomas Burnett Swann's Biblical fantasy How Are the Mighty Fallen (1974) because of its homosexual content, Wollheim fought vigorously against their decision. They relented.

His later author discoveries included Tanith Lee, Jennifer Roberson, Michael Shea, Ian Wallace, Tad Williams, Celia S. Friedman, and C. J. Cherryh, whose Downbelow Station (1982) was the first DAW book to win the Hugo Award for best novel. He was also able to give a number of British writers — Michael Moorcock, E. C. Tubb, Brian Stableford, Barrington Bayley, Michael Coney — a new American audience. He published translations of international sf as well as anthologies of translated stories, Best From the Rest of the World. With the help of Arthur W. Saha, Wollheim also edited and published the popular "Annual World's Best Science Fiction" anthology from 1971 until his death.

Wikipedia

Und heute findet man so etwas :

Founded in 1971 by veteran paperback editor Donald A. Wollheim, along with his wife, Elsie B. Wollheim, DAW Books was the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy. Now more than 30 years and more than a thousand titles later, DAW has a well-deserved reputation for discovering and publishing the hottest talents in the industry. Many stars of the science fiction and fantasy field made their debuts in the pages of a DAW book, including Tad Williams, C. J. Cherryh, Mercedes Lackey, Melanie Rawn, C.S. Friedman, Jennifer Roberson, and Tanith Lee. Despite its high profile, DAW is still a small private company, owned exclusively by its publishers, Elizabeth R. Wollheim and Sheila E. Gilbert. Betsy and Sheila are strongly committed to discovering and nurturing new talent, and to keeping a personal “family” spirit at DAW—something they feel is all too rare in today’s world of international conglomerate publishing.

DAW-Book bei Penguin

DAW-Books ist also immer noch ein inhabergeführtes Privatunternehmen mit Penguin als Vertriebspartner. Merkt man auch an den Guidelines für Autoren, die sich weniger um Umsatz und mehr um Inhalte drehen. Und für unsere Sammelwütigen hier noch ein Link zu einer Aufstellung aller DAW-Books.