James Benjamin Blish began writing stories for the specialized science-fiction magazines during the 1940s while he was an editor of a trade newspaper in New York. Although he had published dozens of books, mostly science fiction, it was not until Blish moved to England in 1968 that he permanently became a full-time author. From 1951 until that time, he worked mostly as a public relations counselor in New York and Washington, D.C., writing advertising copy. After 1968 Blish spent a considerable amount of time on contract work for the Star Trek novels, work that was apparently congenial though hardly challenging. He also published a contemporary novel, an extensively researched historical novel, two witchcraft novels, and two books of essays; in addition he edited numerous volumes of others' work. In spite of these demands on his time, Blish produced more than twenty original science-fiction novels and four collections of original short...