Andre Norton
Say her name to someone who's read her work and watch the flash in their eyes. There's something about Andre Norton.
She calls herself an old-fashioned storyteller and, indeed, whether it's fantasy, science fiction, adventure, romance or any other genre of popular literature, she manages to capture the audience's attention in the gracious style of the long-gone bardic masters. This quality, acknowledged by both the readers and critics has given her the title of the Grande Dame of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Read More of Andre Norton - Intro
Andre Norton 10/21/2002
Biography
by Maciej Zaleski - Ejgierd
Andre Norton in her Office: Winter Park, Florida in the 1990's
Alice Mary Norton was born on February 17, 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. She was the second daughter of Adalbert Freely Norton, owner of a rug company, and Bertha Stemm. Being a late child, born seventeen years after her sister, she never developed close relationships with her siblings or contemporaries and was influenced primarily by her parents, especially her mother, who later on did all her proofreading and served as a critic-in-residence.
Much attention was paid in Ms. Norton's family to books, the visible sign of which was the weekly visit to a public library. Even before she could read herself, her mother would read to her and recite poetry as she went about various household chores. Even the good grades at school were rewarded by books, namely by copies of Ruth Plumly Thompson's Oz novels. It was this fondness of her parents that marked her whole life. She started writing at the Collinwood High School in Cleveland, under the tutelage and guidance of Miss Sylvia Cochrane. She became an editor of a literary page in the school's paper, called The Collinwood Spotlight. As such, she had to write many short stories. It was at the school hall, where she wrote her first book - "Ralestone Luck", which was finally published as the second in 1938 (the first one was "The Prince Commands" in 1934). Also in 1934, she legally changed her name to Andre Norton (Andre Alice Norton, to be exact). She was expected to be writing for young boys, and the male name was expected to increase her marketability.
Read More of Andre Norton's Biography
The "Grande Dame" of Science Fiction and Fantasy
~ An Introduction ~
Andre Norton is one of the best-known authors of contemporary science fiction and fantasy. A number of her works in the Ace paperback editions have sold over one-million copies (Locus, December 1977, pp. 1, 2), and many of her novels regularly remain in print for long periods of time. Scarface has sold over thirty-thousand copies, an amazingly high number for a juvenile novel. Six other novels have been reprinted by various book clubs, and librarians and book dealers are well aware of the popularity of Ms. Norton's books with both young and old. Her works have been published in nine foreign languages----French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Italian, Hungarian, Russian, Arabic, and Portuguese----and two books, Star Rangers and The Sword is Drawn, have been reproduced as talking books for the blind. The former has also been published in Braille.
To classify Ms. Norton as strictly a science-fiction and fantasy writer or as a juvenile author would be an error. Her genres range far beyond the confines of only a few types of literature. Her canon includes mysteries, westerns, gothic fiction, historical novels, adventure stories, a biography, poetry, and non-fiction (see titles by genre), as well as science fiction and fantasy. [Webmaster's note: the "titles by genre" link takes you to the list created for this site which is based off of lists by Roger C. Schlobin and others, combined.]
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Despite her popularity and the range of her fiction, she has never received the critical acclaim that might be expected in the case of so creative and prolific a writer. Both Barry McGhan ("Andre Norton: Why Has She Been Neglected?", Riverside Quarterly, 4 [January 1970] pp. 128-131) and Donald A. Wollheim ("Introduction" The Many Worlds of Andre Norton. Ed. Roger Elwood, Radnor, PA: Chilton, 1974) have examined this unexpected phenomenon. McGhan speculates that the reasons for this neglect are the general critical disinterest in fantasy, and the classification of Ms. Norton's works as escapist and juvenile literature. While also noting that her books have been restrictively labeled as “young adult,” Wollheim points to more concrete concerns: Ms. Norton’s works have rarely appeared in the popular science-fiction magazines, and her poor health has prevented her from promoting herself, as many authors do, at the numerous science-fiction conventions that are regularly held throughout the country each year. In addition to the reasons advanced by these two critics, another may be suggested: she is a superb storyteller, and her command of the narrative form is at times so effective that even the most critical reader becomes too enthralled to reflect and analyze.
Read More of Introduction: A Primary and Secondary Bibliography
Andre Norton and Sue Stewart
By J. Geoffrey Jones: Days Gone By - August 10, 2006
Andre-Norton.com
The “Estate Authorized” website of Andre Norton
Andre-Norton.com
Is a nonprofit site staffed by volunteers dedicated to the memory of ~
Andre Norton
Here you will find information on over 300 titles by Andre. Hundreds of articles, thousands of images, and five plus hours of video, about Andre Norton and her works. Please, take the time to look at everything. You may very well discover a bit of Andre you were previously unaware of. Check back often as we are adding new content every day.
We have come a very long way since we started online way back in 2004. Since that time, we have earned the right to call our site the only:
“Estate Authorized” Andre Norton website.
Because of the extensive quantity of information we have amassed over the years, and our dedication to the preservation of Andre’s legacy the Estate granted us this right in 2013, but this is our only true attachment to the Estate.
Spend some time on this site and learn all about Andre's wonderful work. There are books to read and share with friends, interesting tidbits of trivia and interesting images spread throughout the site. You may just find something you have never seen before or titles that you have never heard of. What a great find – a previously unread Andre Norton novel!
Keep in mind that many of Andre Norton's "early" novels were written for what is considered the adolescent male market from another time (1950's and 60's). Andre Norton soon became the gateway to Science Fiction and Fantasy for many and remains an excellent author for introducing all readers to Science Fiction and Fantasy, among other genres. ~ She can't help but inspire their imaginations.
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Thank You for your continued support ~ Jay P. Watts (aka Lotsawatts)
