George Allan England (1877 – 1937) was an American writer and explorer, best known for his speculative and science fiction. He attended Harvard University and later in life unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Maine. England was a socialist and many of his works have socialist themes.
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England was born in Nebraska.[1] He attended Harvard University, where he received Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) degrees.[1] In 1912 he stood for Governor of Maine as the socialist candidate.[1] England died in a hospital in New Hampshire, although there is a legend that he disappeared on a treasure hunt.[1]
England's writing career took place mainly in New York and Maine.[1] Many of with works have a socialist theme.[1] Influences on England's writing include H. G. Wells, Jack London and Algernon Blackwood. [2]
His short story, "The Thing from—'Outside'", which had originally appeared in Hugo Gernsback's magazine Science and Invention, was reprinted in the first issue of the first science fiction magazine, Amazing Stories, in April 1926.[3] The novel The Air Trust (1915) is the story of a billionaire, Isaac Flint, who attempts to control the very air people breathe, and the violent consequences of his ambition and greed. In the concluding chapter, Flint is described as one of "the most sinister and cruel minds ever evolved upon this planet." [4]
England's trilogy, Darkness and Dawn (published in 1912, 1913 and 1914 as The Vacant World, Beyond the Great Oblivion and Afterglow) tells the story of 2 modern people who awake a thousand years after the earth was devastated by a meteor. They work to rebuild civilization. Richard A. Lupoff has noted that Darkness and Dawn contains "an unfortunate element of racism" (the villains who menace the heroes are descended from African-Americans). [2]