Boucher, Anthony, 1911-1968

Editor of science fiction stories.

Critic, editor and writer William Anthony Parker (W. A. P.) White, better known by the pseudonym Anthony Boucher, was born in Oakland, Calif. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1932, and obtained a M.A. in German from the Univeristy of California at Berkley. He initially planned to teach languages but turned to writing plays. He eventually moved on to writing for newspapers, as theater and music critic for the Los Angeles based United Progressive News. After settling in Berkeley with his wife Phyllis, White successively -- sometimes simultaneously -- served as mystery book editor for the San Francisco Chronicle; contributor and reviewer of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine; creator, writer and announcer of "Golden Voices," radio KPFA, Berkeley; fantasy reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times and New York Herald Tribune (the latter under another pseudonym, H. H. Holmes); mystery reviewer for the New York Times Book Review; editor for True Crime Detective; and reviewer for Opera News. He won the Edgar Award three times for excellence in criticism. Additionally, White authored eight books of mystery or science fiction (two of them as H. H. Holmes), compiled The Pocket Book of True Crime Stories (1941), and edited Great American Dectective Stories (1945), Four and Twenty Bloodhounds (1950), the annual volumes of The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction (1952-1959), and Best Detective Stories of the Year (1963 and 1964). Perhaps White's most enduring contribution to science fiction and fantasy writing was the founding in 1949 of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction with his friend J. Francis McComas. The two co-edited the magazine until McComas' resignation in 1954 to concentrate on his own writing. White resigned in 1958 after disagreements with the publishers, though he continued to write book reviews for the magazine. Other activities in White's career include: translator of detective and science fiction from French, Spanish, and Portuguese into English (he was an early translator of Jorge Louis Borges); writer of the Canadian Broadcasting Company's radio series' "Sherlock Holmes" and "Gregory Hood," 1945-1948; consultant for the television series "Checkmate"; and informal advisor and reference librarian to hundreds of writers, readers, and publishers in the fields of mystery and fantasy fiction. A most noteworthy posthumous recognition of his many contributions was the naming of the annual mystery fiction conventions as "Bouchercons" in 1969.

Biography

Anthony Boucher (born 1911 as William Anthony Parker White in Oakland, California) was best known as the mystery novel critic for the New York Times. An incredibly talented individual with broad-ranging interests, Boucher produced a weekly radio program "Golden Voices" for Pacifica station KPFA in Berkeley, California from 1949 until his death in 1968.

Better known by his pseudonym Anthony Boucher, White was born in Oakland, California, the only child of two physicians. He attended college in Southern California, graduating from the University of Southern California in 1932, then obtained an M.A. in German from the University of California at Berkeley. He initially planned to teach languages but turned to writing plays. Eventually he moved on to writing for newspapers, as theater and music critic for the Los Angeles based United Progressive News.

After settling in Berkeley with his wife Phyllis, White successively-sometimes simultaneously-served as mystery book editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, contributor and reviewer for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, creator, writer and announcer of "Golden Voices," radio KPFA, Berkeley, fantasy reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times and New York Herald Tribune (the latter under another pseudonym, H. H. Holmes), mystery reviewer for the New York Times Book Review, editor for True Crime Detective, and reviewer for Opera News. He won the Edgar Award three times for excellence in criticism. Additionally, White authored eight books of mystery or science fiction (two of them as H. H. Holmes), compiled The Pocket Book of True Crime Stories (1941), and edited Great American Detective Stories (1945), Four and Twenty Bloodhounds (1950), the annual volumes of The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction (1952-1959), and Best Detective Stories of the Year (1963 and 1964).

Perhaps White's most enduring contribution to science fiction and fantasy writing was the founding in 1949 of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction with his friend J. Francis McComas. The two co-edited the magazine until McComas' resignation in 1954 to concentrate on his own writing. White resigned in 1958 after disagreements with the publishers, though he continued to write book reviews for the magazine. Other activities in White's career include: translator of detective and science fiction from French, Spanish, and Portuguese into English (he was an early translator of Jorge Louis Borge); writer of the Canadian Broadcasting Company's radio series' "Sherlock Holmes" and "Gregory Hood," 1945-1948; consultant for the television series "Checkmate"; and informal advisor and reference librarian to hundreds of writers, readers, and publishers in the fields of mystery and fantasy fiction. A most noteworthy posthumous recognition of his many contributions was the naming of the annual mystery fiction conventions as "Bouchercons" in 1969.