David G. Hartwell

I learned recently that anthologist and editor David G. Hartwell passed away recently. I didn't know much of his work, although apparently he did a ton of things -- including founding the New York Times Review of Science Fiction.

The way I know him is through a book he edited co-edited with Kathryn Cramer in 1994 -- a collection of short stories called Masterpieces of Fantasy and Wonder. It was a beautiful green, leather-bound volume originally purchased from Walden Books at the local mall. This was highschool for me and, although I'd been reading fantasy for ages, I got this particular book because of that gorgeous cover. My love of the short story form begins there: Masterpieces first introduced me to Harlan Ellison, Graham Greene, William Morris, Patricia McKillip, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and a number of others. Now that I think of it, Masterpieces is the reason I first started writing short stories in the first pieces. (Prior to that I was trying to write a novel, since novels were all that I had been reading.)

Sadly, I lent that anthology to someone years ago and never got it back. I just might order, though.