]> kornbluth_cm Cyril M. Kornbluth Papers An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University Michele Combs &su_name; &su_address; 27 Jan 2026 Michele Combs27 Jan 2026 English Overview of the Collection &su_name; &su_address; Kornbluth, C. M. (Cyril M.), 1923-1958 Cyril M. Kornbluth Papers 1935-1990 1951-1966 1.0 linear ft. Correspondence, memorabilia, and writings of the American science fiction author kornbluth_cm English Biographical History

Cyril M. Kornbluth (1923-1958) was an American science fiction author. A precocious student, he graduated from high school at age 13. He began writing at age 15 and by 1951 was a full-time author. As a teenager he joined the Futurians, whose members included Frederik Pohl, Don Wollheim, and Robert A. W. Lowndes, as well as Mary Byers, who became his wife. He collaborated with Judith Merril and with Frederik Pohl on several novels, including the well-known and critically acclaimed The Space Merchants. He died in 1958 at the age of 34, leaving a number of unfinished works which were eventually completed by others and published. His short story "The Meeting" was the co-winner of the 1973 Hugo Award for Best Short Story.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Cyril M. Kornbluth Papers consists of correspondence, financial and legal material, memorabilia, and writings.

Correspondence contains both incoming and carbon copies of outgoing. The bulk of the correspondence is with science fiction author and editor Frederik Pohl, with whom Kornbluth collaborated on several projects. Some of the correspondence is with Kornbluth's wife, later widow, Mary.

Financial and legal material contins contracts and agreements, copyright registration forms, correspondence on various legal matters, and royalty payments, receipts, and account summaries.

Memorabilia consists of clippings, family material, material related to Kornbluth's military service, obituarues and other items related to his death, photographs, school and college material, and a few miscellaneous items.

Writings consists mostly of typed drafts of books and short stories. There is also one synopsis of a proposed television series, and several different bibliographies of his work.

Arrangement of the Collection

Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name. Legal and financial material and Memorabilia are arranged alphabetically by type or topic. Writings are subdivided by type (e.g. books, stories, etc.) and within that arranged alphabetically by title.

Separated Material

The collection originally contained several published works by Kornbluth. These have been transferred to Rare Books for cataloting. Please refer to &summitref; to locate these items.

Subject and Genre Headings Science fiction Literature -- American Fiction Gold, H. L. (Horace Leonard), 1914-1996. Kornbluth, C. M. (Cyril M.), 1923-1958. Pohl, Frederik, 1919- American literature -- 20th century. Authors, American. Novelists, American. Science fiction, American. Clippings (information artifacts) Contracts. Correspondence. Manuscripts for publication. Photographs. Authors. Novelists. Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advance notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Some items in the collection have sustained water damage. There is no mold, but some of the items in the collection do have a distinct musty odor which may affect sensitive users.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Cyril M. Kornbluth Papers, &su_name;

Acquisition Information

Gift of Marilyn Brooker, 2025

Inventory Correspondence "Dotty"to Mary Kornbluth19661 Dirk Wylie Literary Agency1951, 1955-19561 Doubleday1954, 1958, undated1 Eastern Science Fiction Association (ESFA)19551 Galaxy19661 Gold, Horaceto Mary Kornbluth; includes draft of Gold's foreword to a collection of Kornbluth's stories19661 Hoffman, Dorothyto Mary Kornbluth; includes draft of a paper by Hoffman on the Milgram experiment1965, 19671 Pohl, Frederik1951-1960, 1984, undated4 folders1 Miscellaneous, A-Z1 Miscellaneous, unidentified1 Financial and legal material Bills and receipts1953-19561 Contracts and agreements1951-19681 Copyright registrationrenewal of copyright for The Naked Storm19571 Correspondence, miscellaneous1954, 1957-1959, 19661 Royalties1940, 1953-1954, 1958, 1964-19651 Memorabilia Clippingsincludes review of Kornbluth's Takeoff, ads for Galaxy and for the 1956 movie The Bad Seed, articles on various science-related topics1935-19851 CollegeCity College of New York19391 Familymostly father Samuel1 Military servicedraft card, discharge papers, etc.1943-19491 Obituary and death19581 Photographsmost unidentified and undated, appear to span 1940s to 1960s1 Miscellaneousincludes letter to Mary with two photographs and an ink portrait of Kornbluth, thanking her for their use in a book1959, 19821 Writings Bibliographies "Cyril Kornbluth: A working bibliography" by Phil Stephensen-Payne and Gordon Benson Jr.19882 "Bibliography: C.M. Kornbluth"20 typed pages, appears to span his entire career; numerous water-damaged pages3 copies2 Miscellaneous Books Gladiator-at-lawcover for paperback edition2 The innocent sleepnotes, outline for a few chapters; includes some poetry, unclear whether it was to be part of the book or not2 Not this Augusttyped draft with corrections and notes for typesetting3 folders2 Passion pillstyped draft2 folders2 Society's childnotes for chapter outlines2 Sorority houseoutline for Lion Books2 Poetry The unfortunate topologist2 Stories The education of Tigress Macardleseveral copies of a typed two-page fragment, water-damaged2 Fraternization incidenttyped draft2 Ms found in a Chinese fortune cookieseveral copies of a typed three-page fragment, water-damaged2 Nightmare with zeppelinstyped draft2 The penitenttyped draft2 The reversible revolutionsissue of Argosy containing the storyMay 19902 Television The wishtyped synopsis for proposed television series16 Dec 19572 Miscellaneous Fragments2 Notes2