Science Fiction author, probably most famous for the Dorsai series. He also wrote "The Final Encyclopedia", an overly-long book and then series about what might happen if you collected (and linked) all knowledge in a single place...

Much more detail:

Dickson, Gordon R(upert)
(Canada, U.S.A., 11/1/1923- )
(Awards: Hugo 1965, 1981 (2) & Nebula 1966, Derleth 1976, Jupiter 1978, E. E. Smith Memorial 1975)
(Ghost writer for: Rod Serling)

Series

The Childe Cycle
(projected cycle, past-present-future, Dorsai is future)
The Dorsai Sequence
Necromancer (1962) (= No Room for Man )
The Tactics of Mistake (1971)
Dorsai! (1976) (rev./ The Genetic General )
(O/3N= Three To Dorsai! (1975) (SFBC) )
Soldier, Ask Not (1967)
The Genetic General (1960)
Lost Dorsai (1980) (rev. 1993 ) (C) (Hugo)
The Spirit of Dorsai] (1979) (C)
(O/2C= The Dorsai Companion (1986) )
The Final Encyclopedia (1984)
The Chantry Guild (1988)
Young Bleys (1991)
Other (1994)

Dilbia
Spacial Delivery (1961)
Spacepaw (1969)

Dragon
The Dragon and the George (1976) (Derleth)
The Dragon Knight (1990)
The Dragon on the Border (1992)
The Dragon at War (1992)
The Dragon, the Earl, and the Troll (1994)

Sea-People
The Space Swimmers (1967)
Home from the Shore (1978)

Secrets of the Deep
Secret Under the Sea (1960) (YA)
Secret Under Antarctica (1963) (YA)
Secret Under the Caribbean (1964) (YA)
(O/3N= Secrets of the Deep (1985) )


Alien Art (1973)
Alien Art / Arcturus Landing (1981) (O/2N)
Alien from Arcturus (1956)
The Alien Way (1965)
Ancient My Enemy (1974) (C)
Arcturus Landing (1979) (rev./ Alien from Arcturus )
Beginnings (1988) (C)
Beyond the Dar al-Harb (1985) (C)
Danger Human (1970) (C= The Book of Gordon R. Dickson )
Delusion World (1961)
Dickson! (NESFA, 1984) (C)
The Earth Lords (1989)
Ends (1988) (C)
The Far Call (1978)
The Forever Man (1986)
Forward! (1985) (C)
Gordon R. Dickson's SF Best (1978) (C)
Guided Tour (1988) (C)
Hour of the Horde (1970)
In Iron Years (1980) (C)
In the Bone (1987) (C= Gordon R. Dickson's SF Best + 2ss )
Invaders! (1985) (C)
The Last Dream (1986) (C)
The Last Master (1984) (rev./ The R-Master )
Love Not Human (1981) (C)
The Magnificent Wilf (1995) (forthcoming)
The Man From Earth (1983) (C)
The Man the Worlds Rejected (1986) (C)
Mankind on the Run (1956) (= On the Run )
Masters of Everon (1980)
Mindspan (1986) (C)
Mission to Universe (1965) (rev. 1977 )
Mutants (1970) (C)
Naked to the Stars (1961)
Naked to the Stars / The Alien Way (1991) (O/2N) (Tor Double # 31)
None But Man (1969) (rev. 1989 )
The Outposter (1972)
The Pritcher Mass (1972)
Pro (1978)
The R-Master (1973)
Sleepwalker's World (1971)
The Space Winners (1965)
The Star Road (1973) (C)
Steel Brother (1984) (C= Dickson! + 1 ss )
The Stranger (1987) (C)
Survival! (1984)
Time Storm (1977) (Jupiter)
Time to Teleport (1960)
Time to Teleport / Delusion World (1981) (O/2N)
Way of the Pilgrim (1987)
Wolf and Iron (1990)
Wolfling (1969)

with Poul Anderson

(Same Universe)
The Hoka Stories
Earthman's Burden (1957) (C)
Hoka! (1983) (C)
Star Prince Charlie (1975)

with Ben Bova

Gremlins Go Home (1974)

with Roland J. Green

Jamie the Red (1984) (rel. to Thieves World)

with Harry Harrison

The Lifeship (1976) (= Lifeboat )

with Keith Laumer

Planet Run (1967)
Planet Run (1982) (C/= N+2ss )

Edited

The Harriers (1991)
Blood and Honor (1993)
Combat SF (1975) (rev. 1981 )
Nebula Winners 12 (1978)

as Rod Serling
Rod Serling's Devils and Demons (1967)
Rod Serling's Triple W: Witches, Warlocks and Werewolves (1963)

Perhaps the best thing to come out of Canada since Ice Hockey, Gordon Rupert Dickson mastered the art of the Science Fiction Novel. Born in Edmonton, Alberta on November 1, 1923, Dickson and mother moved across the border to the United States in 1936, after the death of his father. The pair would settle in the Minneapolis area in the following year.

After high school, Gordy attended the University of Minnesota. The only problem was World War II was going on at the time. This interrupted his collegiate experience. Dickson fought in the war from 1943 to 1946. Thankfully to those who enjoy science fiction literature, he came back to the U.S. safe and sound, and resumed college. He finally graduated in 1948.

While a young child, Dickson used to stop reading about halfway through a book and imagine the ending. He found this entertaining as he could get two stories for the price of one. After college Gordy began pouring out the literature. As you can tell from the bibliography provided in doug's write-up, the man was a busy man.

Gordy tried to do at least one novel a year. Usually he'd be able to finish 2 or 3, not to mention various short stories, novellas, etc. While Dickson wrote a wide variety of science fiction, he will most likely be known for the unfinished Childe Cycle, which is also referred to as The Dorsai Series or Dorsai Cycle, a term Gordy did not like. The Childe Cycle was supposed to consist of 12 novels, broken up between the past, present and future. Dickson only managed to finish eight of the books in the series. Gordon R. Dickson died while working on the 9th book.

Gordon R. Dickson died due to complications from his asthma, which he had throughout his life. Gordon was 77 years old when he passed away, on January 31, 2001. He is interred at the Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. While not a shy person by any means, Gordon was not a big fan of the camera, yet had no problem holding conversations nor jamming out a folk tune on his guitar. Gordy was also allergic to cats.


Sources:
Bassie,Don. http://www.geocities.com/canadian_sf/pages/authors/dickson.htm - Gordon R. Dickson Accessed January 1, 2003
http://members.tripod.com/~gwillick/dickson.html - DICKSON, Gordon R. Accessed January 1, 2003

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