James Tiptree, Jr.

James Tiptree, Jr., the enigmatic pseudonym of Alice Bradley Sheldon, emerged as a provocative and influential voice in science fiction, leveraging the genre's speculative framework to interrogate complex issues of gender dynamics, sexuality, identity, and mortality, while maintaining a shroud of mystery around her true persona for much of her literary career.

Sheldon’s life was as rich as her fiction. Early on she worked as a painter and art critic, then joined the US Army during World War II to serve as an Air Intelligence officer, rising to the rank of Major. Sheldon worked for the newly-founded CIA and later earned a doctorate in experimental psychology. Although she long had literary aspirations, and published some non-genre stories in the 1940s, Sheldon began writing science fiction in earnest at age 51.

Analog published Sheldon’s first sale, Birth of a Salesman, in 1968. Four more stories appeared that year, launching a decade of work that became increasingly more startling and challenging. Notice and recognition from Sheldon’s readers and peers quickly followed.

The Last Flight of Dr. Ain (1969) was nominated for a Nebula Award, And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side (1972) was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. Tiptree preferred short fiction, writing only two novels. Seven collections of her stories were published during her lifetime. She won three Nebula Awards, two Hugos, one World Fantasy Award, and many others. In 1991 the James Tiptree, Jr. Award for science fiction or fantasy that expands or explores the understanding of gender was created in her honor.