Michael Swanwick

American science fiction author · United States · On the map · Writers · Born 1950 · age 75

Michael Swanwick is an American fantasy and science fiction author who began publishing in the early 1980s.

Michael Swanwick is read about 53 times a day, in 19 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 9 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 111 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2008Locus Award for Best Short StoryAward2004Hugo Award for Best NoveletteAward2003“He was accustomed to questioning an essentially impassive universe.”In their wordsMarch 2003Chapter 1, “Predation Event” (p. 11)Read the whole statement

“And she was off, leaping like a salmon from idea to idea.”In their wordsMarch 2003Chapter 2, “The Riddle of Achilles” (p. 37)Read the whole statement

“Everybody dies. So much of growing up consists of coming to grips with this fact.”In their wordsMarch 2003Chapter 3, “Lagerstätten” (p. 62)Read the whole statement

“She had learned at an early age that it was not how often you were wrong that counted in science, but how often you were right.”In their wordsMarch 2003Chapter 4, “Cuckoo’s Nest” (p. 65)Read the whole statement

“You have to spell things out for the press - you can’t rely on them to know even the simplest things.”In their wordsMarch 2003Chapter 4, “Cuckoo’s Nest” (p. 75)Read the whole statement

“The authority of superior knowledge was different in kind from the authority of assumed power. Still, he felt a little awkward assuming it.”In their wordsMarch 2003Chapter 10, “Sexual Display” (p. 202)Read the whole statement

Hugo Award for Best NoveletteAward2002Hugo Award for Best Short StoryAward2001Locus Award for Best CollectionAward2000Hugo Award for Best Short StoryAward1999Hugo Award for Best Short StoryAward1996World Fantasy Award for Best NovellaAward1992Nebula Award for Best NovelAward1990Theodore Sturgeon AwardAward1950Born18 November 1950

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At the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow, August 2005

At the Avram Davidson tribute, NYC, 2007

In their own words 4

Michael Swanwick

4 statements, newest first

Common sense has very little to do with physics.
March 2003 · Chapter 2, “The Riddle of Achilles” (p. 29), Own words
We did it the way we did it because according to the records, that’s the way we did it. The rules against paradox bind us as tightly as they do you.
March 2003 · Chapter 2, “The Riddle of Achilles” (p. 45), Own words
But the way she saw it, you only had so much organization in your life. You had to choose: Invest it in your research, or fritter it away on housework.
March 2003 · Chapter 4, “Cuckoo’s Nest” (p. 66), Own words