ZAGAT, Arthur Leo

(1895-1949)

   US writer, extremely prolific in a number of PULP-MAGAZINE genres, publishing about 500 stories; of the relatively few that are sf, several were with Nat SCHACHNER, including ALZ's first, "The Tower of Evil" for Wonder Stories Quarterly in 1930. The 11 tales producedcollaboratively before they separated in 1931 were ALZ's best early work. After about 1936, most of his work appeared in Argosy, including theTomorrow series, set in a NEAR FUTURE post- HOLOCAUST USA; the 1st tale in the sequence, "Tomorrow" (1939), later appeared in Famous Fantastic Classics 1 (anth 1974). In Drink We Deep (1937 Argosy; 1951) strangesubterranean dwellers call a human downwards to them. In Seven Out of Time (1939 Argosy; 1949), his best novel, 7 contemporary humans are studied bypeople of the future to rediscover the value of emotions. A post-WWII novel, "Slaves of the Lamp" (1946 ASF), was little noticed and did not reach book form, for ALZ had failed to adjust his style and plotting to the demands of the new world.

   JC

   See also: GENRE SF; INVASION; OPERATOR \#5; THRILLING WONDER STORIES.