Henry Kuttner

Biography

Henry Kuttner (1915–1958) was an American science fiction and fantasy author who, along with his wife and frequent collaborator C.L. Moore, produced some of the most inventive and stylistically accomplished genre fiction of the mid-twentieth century. Born in Los Angeles, Kuttner began publishing in the pulp magazines of the 1930s, writing prolifically under numerous pseudonyms including Lewis Padgett, Lawrence O’Donnell, and Keith Hammond. His stories range from dark fantasy influenced by H.P. Lovecraft to sophisticated science fiction that explores artificial intelligence, time travel, and the nature of consciousness. After marrying C.L. Moore in 1940, the couple’s collaboration became so thorough that neither could reliably identify which passages each had written. Kuttner studied at the University of Southern California and his later work shows increasing literary ambition and psychological complexity. Despite his early death at forty-two, Kuttner influenced numerous writers including Ray Bradbury, who credited Kuttner as a mentor. His best stories—including “Mimsy Were the Borogoves” and “The Twonky”—are recognized classics of the genre.