Cyril M. Kornbluth

Cyril M. Kornbluth (July 23, 1923 - March 21, 1958 -- pennames: Cecil Corman and S.D. Gottesman) was a science fiction author and a notable member of the Futurians. Kornbluth served in the US Army, during World War II (European Theatre).

His short fiction includes "The Little Black Bag," "The Marching Morons," "The Altar at Midnight," "Ms. Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie," "Gomez," and "The Advent of Channel 12", "The Marching Morons" is his most famous short story; it is a satirical look at an overpopulated future, with a population consisting of a few geniuses and a huge number of stupid people, in which the few geniuses are working desperately to keep things running from behind the scenes. Part of its appeal is that readers tend to identify with the oppressed geniuses.

Kornbluth died at the age of 34 of a heart attack. He was born in New York City, and lived in Chicago.

All of Kornbluth's short stories have been collected as His Share of Glory: The Complete Short Fiction of C. M. Kornbluth (NESFA Press, 1997).

Selected bibliography

The Marching Morons

Outpost Mars (with Judith Merrill), (first published as a Galaxy serial entitled Mars Child and AKA Sin in Space) 1951

The Space Merchants (with Frederik Pohl), (first published as a Galaxy serial entitled Gravy Planet) 1952
Gunner Cade (with Judith Merrill), 1952
Takeoff, (1952)
The Syndic, (1953)
Gladiator at Law (with Frederik Pohl), (first published as a Galaxy serial) 1954
Search the Sky (with Frederik Pohl), 1954
Wolfbane (with Frederik Pohl), (first published as a Galaxy serial) 1954
Not This August (AKA Christmas Eve), 1955

He also published several mystery novels.