T. O'Conor Sloane

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

T(homas) O'Conor Sloane (November 21, 1851-1940) was the editor of Amazing Stories from 1929 through 1938, when publisher Ziff-Davis moved production of the magazine to Chicago and named Raymond A. Palmer as Sloane's successor.

Sloane was involved with Amazing Stories from the very beginning, serving as Hugo Gernsback's managing editor. His own role in the magazine production grew and in 1929, he was named editor. Shortly after, in an editorial, he wrote that he believed that man would never achieve spaceflight. Nevertheless, he published first stories by luminaries such as Jack Williamson, John W. Campbell, Jr., Clifford D. Simak, and E.E. "Doc" Smith. His skills as an editor were debatable, and he was a slow respondent. Furthermore, Ziff-Davis's payment rates and policies caused many of its more successful authors to sell their stories to competitors.

Dr. Sloane was the author of The Standard Electrical Dictionary, first published in 1892 (which sold for US$3.00 in 1897), as well as How to become a Successful Electrician, Arithmethic of Electricity, Electricity Simplified and Electric Toy Making. He held an A.M., an E.M. and a Ph.D..

Sloane's son was married to Thomas Alva Edison's daughter.