Back to entry: beck_clyde_f | Show links blue
(1912-1986) US author, fan and critic who began to publish work of genre interest with "When the Moons Met!" for Wonder Stories in August 1930. He is best remembered for the first work of criticism devoted to American sf, Hammer and Tongs (coll 1937 chap). This is assembled from four essays and reviews contributed to The Science Fiction Critic – an early Fanzine edited by Beck's brother Claire P Beck – with a newly written author's preface. It was released by the brothers' Small Press, The Futile Press.
In the early 1950s Beck contributed occasionally to other sf/fantasy fanzines such as Fantasy Advertiser (retitled Science Fiction Advertiser in January 1951), for which he wrote several book reviews. He also published a few more stories including the sf novelette Collision Orbit (Summer 1950 Planet Stories; 2021 ebook). [DRL/LGS]
see also: Critical and Historical Works About SF.
born California: 7 May 1912
died Los Angeles, California: 9 July 1986
works
nonfiction
links
Entry from The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (2011-current) edited by John Clute and David Langford.
Accessed 07:34 am on 19 February 2026.
<https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/beck_clyde_f>