John W. Campbell Quotes

6 Sourced Quotes

History does not always repeat itself. Sometimes it just yells, 'Can't you remember anything I told you?' and lets fly with a club.

John W. Campbell

Immunity corrupts; absolute immunity corrupts absolutely.

John W. Campbell

Of course, I never wrote the "important" story, the sequel about the first amplified human. Once I tried something similar. [John Campbell's letter of rejection began: "Sorry — you can't write this story. Neither can anyone else."]

John W. Campbell

No literature is sound, no philosophy of action workable, if it doesn't take a hard look at itself.

John W. Campbell

There's nothing quite so stultifying as having someone around who has all the answers-and gives them to you.

John W. Campbell

Man studied birds for centuries, trying to learn how to make a machine to fly like them. He never did do the trick; his final success came when he broke away entirely and tried new methods.

John W. Campbell

John W. Campbell

John W. Campbell

Born: June 8, 1910

Died: July 11, 1971 (aged 61)

Bio: John Wood Campbell, Jr. was an American science fiction writer and editor. As editor of Astounding Science Fiction from late 1937 until his death, he is generally credited with shaping the Golden Age of Science Fiction.

Known for:

Who Goes There? (1938)
Islands of Space (1957)
The Black Star Passes (1953)
Invaders from the Infinite (1961)
The Mightiest Machine (1947)

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