Editing Ben Bova

{{Short description|American writer and editor (1932–2020)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = Ben Bova
| image = Ben Bova at Minicon 8(1974).jpg
| caption = Ben Bova in 1974
| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Benjamin William Bova
| birth_date = {{birth date |1932|11|8}}
| birth_place = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age |2020|11|29 | 1932|11|8 |mf=yes}}
| death_place = [[Naples, Florida]], U.S.
| occupation = {{Hlist|Author|essayist|journalist}}
| education = [[South Philadelphia High School]]<br>[[Temple University]]<br>[[University at Albany, SUNY]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])<br>[[California Coast University]] ([[Doctor of Education|EdD]])
| genre = Science fiction
| movement =
| notableworks =
| awards = [[Inkpot Award]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot|title=Inkpot Award|date=December 6, 2012|website=Comic-Con International: San Diego}}</ref> [[Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Rosa Cucinotta|1953|1974|end=div}}<br>{{marriage|Barbara Berson Rose|1974|2009|end=d}}
| <!-- website = {{URL|benbova.net}} - not working -->
}}

'''Benjamin William Bova''' (November 8, 1932{{spaced en dash}}November 29, 2020) was an American [[writer]] and [[editor]]. During a writing career of 60 years, he was the author of more than 120<ref name="Ben">{{cite web |title=Official Website |url=http://www.benbova.net/bio.html |access-date=December 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130103022310/http://www.benbova.net/bio.html |archive-date=January 3, 2013 }}</ref> works of science fact and fiction, an editor of ''[[Analog Science Fiction and Fact]]'', for which he won a [[Hugo Award]] six times, and an editorial director of ''[[Omni (magazine)|Omni]]''; he was also president of both the [[National Space Society]] and the [[Science Fiction Writers of America]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Orion and King Arthur|year=2012|publisher=Tor Tom Doherty|isbn=9780765330178|pages=inside back flap|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/orionkingarthur00bova}}</ref>

==Personal life and education==
Ben Bova was born on November 8, 1932, in [[Philadelphia]]. He graduated from [[South Philadelphia High School]] in 1949. In 1953, while attending [[Temple University]] in Philadelphia, he married Rosa Cucinotta; they had a son and a daughter. The couple divorced in 1974. That year he married Barbara Berson Rose.<ref name="St. James">{{cite book| title = St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers | editor = Jay P. Pederson| publisher = [[St. James Press]]| date = December 1, 1995| edition = 4th
|isbn = 978-1-55862-179-4}}</ref> Barbara Bova died on September 23, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/09/barbara-bova-dies.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191020/http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/09/barbara-bova-dies.html|url-status=dead|title=Locus sf&f news: ''Barbara Bova Dies''|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> Bova dedicated his 2011 novel ''Power Play'' to Barbara. In March 2013, he announced on his website that he had remarried, to Rashida Loya.<ref name="Ben"/>

Bova was an [[atheist]] and was critical of what he saw as the unquestioning nature of [[religion]].<ref name="FFRF">{{cite web | url=http://ffrf.org/news/day/dayitems/item/14639-ben-bova | title=Ben Bova | publisher=[[Freedom From Religion Foundation]] | work=FFRF Website | access-date=April 3, 2014 | author=Gutsch, Bonnie| date=November 8, 1980 }}</ref> He wrote an [[op-ed]] piece in 2012, in which he argued that atheists can be just as moral as religious believers.<ref name="atheists">{{cite web | url=https://archive.naplesnews.com/columnists/opinion/ben-bova-history-says-atheists-just-as-moral-as-believers-ep-388278393-342462321.html?print=1 | title=Ben Bova: History says atheists just as moral as believers | publisher=Scripps Newspaper Group | work=naplesnews.com | date=July 22, 2012 | access-date=April 3, 2014 | author=Bova, Ben}}</ref>

He went back to school in the 1980s, earning a Master of Arts degree in communications in 1987 from the [[University at Albany, SUNY|State University of New York at Albany]] and a [[Doctor of Education]] degree from [[California Coast University]] in 1996.<ref name="Ben" />

Bova died from [[COVID-19]] related pneumonia and a stroke on November 29, 2020, at the age of 88.<ref name=SWFAmemoriam>[https://www.sfwa.org/2020/11/30/in-memoriam-ben-bova/ In Memoriam: Ben Bova], at [[Science Fiction Writers of America]]; published November 30, 2020; retrieved November 30, 2020</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Amazing stories 196201.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Bova's novella ''The Towers of Titan'' was the cover story in the January 1962 issue of ''[[Amazing Stories]]'', illustrated by [[Ed Emshwiller]].]]

Bova worked as a [[technical writer]] for [[Project Vanguard]] in the 1950s and later for the [[Avco]] Everett Research Laboratory<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/feb/14/ben-bova-we-need-more-kantrowitzs-impure-research/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320071111/http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/feb/14/ben-bova-we-need-more-kantrowitzs-impure-research/|url-status=dead|title=Ben Bova: We need more of Kantrowitz's 'impure research'|first = Ben|last = Bova|date =February 14, 2009|work = Naples Daily News|archive-date=March 20, 2012}}</ref>

In 1972, Bova became editor of ''[[Analog Science Fiction and Fact|Analog Science Fact & Fiction]]'', after [[John W. Campbell]]'s death in 1971. At ''Analog'', Bova won six [[Hugo Award]]s for [[Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor|Best Professional Editor]].<ref name="ws791020"/>

Bova served as the science advisor for the television series ''[[The Starlost]]'' (1973)'',''<ref name="ws791020"/><ref>{{Cite news|date=November 2, 1979|title=Sci-fi author critical of TV|pages=31|work=Star-Phoenix|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64339006/sci-fi-author-critical-of-tv/|access-date=November 30, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}}}}</ref> resigning as he lacked the "contractual right to remove his name from the credits."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Patterson|first=William H. Jr.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQPHAgAAQBAJ|title=Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century, Volume 2: The Man Who Learned Better (1948–1988)|date=June 3, 2014|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=978-1-4299-8796-7|pages=349|language=en}}</ref><!-- Unsourcable:and left in disgust after the airing of the first episode (1973) --> His novel ''The Starcrossed'', loosely based on his experiences, featured a characterization of his friend and colleague [[Harlan Ellison]] as "Ron Gabriel".<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Weil|first1=Ellen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XvaIuzLV41gC&pg=PA120|title=Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever|last2=Wolfe|first2=Gary K.|date=2002|publisher=Ohio State University Press|isbn=978-0-8142-0892-2|pages=120–121|language=en}}</ref><!-- trivia and unsourced:Bova dedicated the novel to "Cordwainer Bird", the pen name Ellison uses when he did not want to be associated with a television or film project. --> In 1974, he co-wrote the screenplay for an episode of the children's [[science fiction|science-fiction]] television series ''[[Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]'', titled "The Search".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Erickson|first=Hal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uUyBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA131|title=Sid and Marty Krofft: A Critical Study of Saturday Morning Children's Television, 1969–1993|date=March 13, 2015|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0784-9|pages=131|language=en}}</ref> After leaving ''Analog'' in 1978, Bova went on to edit ''[[Omni (magazine)|Omni]]'', from 1978 to 1982.<ref name="ws791020" />

Bova held the position of President Emeritus of the [[National Space Society]] and served as President of [[Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America]] (SFWA).<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Space Society Governor Ben Bova Biography|url=https://space.nss.org/national-space-society-governor-ben-bova-biography/|access-date=November 30, 2020|website=National Space Society|date=August 3, 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=March 6, 2001|title=Ben Bova|pages=88|work=News-Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64340388/ben-bova/|access-date=November 30, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{open access}}}}</ref>

In 2000, he attended the [[58th World Science Fiction Convention]] (Chicon 2000) as the Author Guest of Honor.<ref name="csun000827">{{cite news|last=Halevi|first=Charles Chi|date=August 27, 2000|title=Science fiction is fun for fen|page=28|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]}}</ref> In 2007, [[Mary Parent|Stuber/Parent Productions]] hired him as a consultant to provide insight into what the world may look like in the near future, for their film ''[[Repo Men]]'' (2010) starring [[Jude Law]] and [[Forest Whitaker]]. Also in 2007 he provided consulting services to [[Silver Pictures]] on the [[Altered Carbon#Film adaptation|film adaptation]] of [[Richard K. Morgan]]'s [[hardboiled]] [[cyberpunk]] science-fiction novel ''[[Altered Carbon]]'' (2002). He was awarded the [[Robert A. Heinlein Award]] in 2008 for his work in science fiction.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Heinlein2008.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423023607/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Heinlein2008.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 23, 2010|title=The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2008 Robert A. Heinlein Award|date=2008|publisher=[[Locus Publications]]|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>

==Published works==
{{main|Ben Bova bibliography}}{{As of | February 2016}}, Bova had written over 124 books in various genres.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ben Bova|url=http://www.benbova.net/biblio.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215175710/http://www.benbova.net/biblio.html|archive-date=February 15, 2016|access-date=February 10, 2016|website=www.benbova.net}}</ref> He edited several works, including ''[[The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two]]'' (1973)<ref>''[[The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two]]'', (1973), Volume two A {{OCLC|12264834}} and Volume two B {{OCLC|12264899}}</ref> and ''[[Nebula Awards Showcase 2008]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Nebula awards showcase 2008 : the year's best SF and fantasy|date=2008|publisher=Roc|editor-last=Bova|editor-first=Ben|isbn=978-0-451-46188-9|location=New York|oclc=192027364}}</ref> He wrote the [[Grand Tour (novel series)|''Grand Tour'']] novel series about [[exploration]] and colonization of the [[Solar System]] by humans. Reviewing a collection of 12 of the series published in 2004, Gerald Jonas in ''The New York Times'' described Bova as "the last of the great pulp writers".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jonas|first=Gerald|date=March 7, 2004|title=Science Fiction (Published 2004)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/books/science-fiction.html|access-date=November 30, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|25em |refs=
<ref name="ws791020">{{cite news |agency=[[Canadian Press]] |work=[[Windsor Star]] |title=Sci-fi writer blasts gimmicks |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cFc_AAAAIBAJ&pg=3071,1618005 |date=October 20, 1979 |access-date=March 5, 2011}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{official website }}
* {{Gutenberg author |id=33114| name=Ben Bova}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Ben Bova}}
* {{Librivox author |id=565}}
* {{OL author}}
* {{ISFDB name|184}}
* {{IBList |type=author|id=427|name=Ben Bova}}
* {{Discogs artist|Ben Bova}}
* [https://www.analogsf.com/the-rivets/in-memoriam/ Obituary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418202443/https://www.analogsf.com/the-rivets/in-memoriam/ |date=April 18, 2021 }} at ''[[Analog Science Fiction and Fact|Analog]]''
* {{IMDb name|id=0100550|name=Ben Bova}}

{{Inkpot Award 1980s}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bova, Ben}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century American short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American essayists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American short story writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American essayists]]
[[Category:American atheists]]
[[Category:American male essayists]]
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American male short story writers]]
[[Category:American writers of Italian descent]]
[[Category:American science fiction writers]]
[[Category:Analog Science Fiction and Fact people]]
[[Category:American anthologists]]
[[Category:California Coast University alumni]]
[[Category:American critics of religions]]
[[Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Florida]]
[[Category:Hugo Award–winning editors]]
[[Category:Inkpot Award winners]]
[[Category:The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction people]]
[[Category:Novelists from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Novelists from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:People from West Hartford, Connecticut]]
[[Category:American science fiction critics]]
[[Category:American science fiction editors]]
[[Category:Technical writers]]
[[Category:Temple University alumni]]
[[Category:Writers about religion and science]]
[[Category:Writers from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Writers of books about writing fiction]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association]]