R obert Silverberg was born on January 15, 1935, in New York City to Michael Silverberg, an accountant, and Helen (nee Baim) Silverberg. Robert began writing for publication while still in his teens. When he graduated with a B.A. from Columbia University in 1956, he married Barbara H. Brown, an engineer, and began a full-time writing career. He was an incredibly prolific writer whose production included short stories, novels, and nonfiction books, produced sometimes at a rate over two million words per year.

During the early years of his career he was regarded a competent but not necessarily good writer.

In the mid-1960s came a shift in his output. His novels and stories became more detailed; the issues he encountered in his nonfiction research became significant elements in his fiction. By the early 1970s some critics regarded Silverberg as an accomplished writer.

Although there have...