John Bangsund

John Bangsund (21 April 1939 – 22 August 2020)^[1] was an Australian science fiction fan in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. He was a major force, with Andrew I. Porter, behind Australia winning the right to host the 1975 Aussiecon, and he was Toastmaster at the Hugo Award ceremony at that convention.

Work

Bangsund was an influential and founding member of ANZAPA – the Australian and New Zealand Amateur Press Association; and long-time editor of the newsletter for the Victorian Society of Editors in Australia (of which he was an honorary life member^[2]). His fanzine, Australian Science Fiction Review (ASFR), did much to help revive science fiction fandom in Australia during the 1960s.^[3]

He was co-chair of the 9th Australian S.F. Convention (1970), and Fan Guest of Honor at Ozcon (1974 Australian National SF Convention).^[4]

Bangsund was the instigator of the term Muphry's law,^[5] which states that "if you write anything criticizing editing or proofreading, there will be a fault of some kind in what you have written".^[6]

Personal life and death

Bangsund was married to Sally Yeoland, who announced on his Facebook page that on 22 August 2020, he had died from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

Awards

• Hugo Award for Best Fanzine 1967, Australian SF Review, nominated^[7]
• Hugo Award for Best Fanzine 1968, Australian SF Review, nominated^[8]
• Ditmar Award Best Australian Amateur Science Fiction Publication or Fanzine 1969, Australian SF Review, winner^[9]
• Ditmar Award Best Australian Fanzine 1972, Scythrop, nominated^[10]
• Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer 1975, nominated^[11]
• Ditmar Award Best Australian Fan Writer 1979, nominated^[12]
• Ditmar Award William Atheling Jr Award 1979, Parergon Papers 10, ANZAPA, Oct 1978, nominated^[12]
• Chandler Award, 2001^[13]
• FAAN Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016

Book references

• Approaches to the Fiction of Ursula K. Le Guin by James Warren Bittner Approaches to the Fiction of Ursula K. Le Guin
• The History of the Science-fiction Magazine by Michael Ashley Transformations: The Story of the Science-fiction Magazines from 1950 to 1970
• The Language of the Night by Ursula K. Le Guin, Susan Wood The Language of the Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction
• Overland by O.L. Society Overland
• Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1992-1995 by Halbert W. Hall Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1992-1995: An International Subject and Author Index to History and Criticism

Bibliography

Edited

• John W. Campbell: An Australian tribute (1972)^[14]

Major fanzines

• Australian SF Review^[15] (1966–69) - twice nominated for a Hugo Award
• Scythrop (1969–1972)
• Philosophical Gas
• Parergon Papers

Essays

• John Bangsund, "1968 and All That" Archived 14 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine

References

1. "Summary Bibliography: John Bangsund". www.isfdb.org. The Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
2. Society of Editors Newsletter March 2007^{[permanent dead link‍]}
3. Warner, Julian (April 2001). "2001 Chandler Award appreciation". The Australian Science Fiction Foundation. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
4. "Natcon list". Archived from the original on 1 October 2009.
5. "Muphry's law". The Society of Editors Newsletter. March 1992. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2008.
6. McIntyre, John E. (2 May 2016). "In a word: Muphry's Law". Baltimore Sun. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
7. "1967 Hugo Awards". 26 July 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
8. "1968 Hugo Awards". 26 July 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
9. "1969 Ditmars". Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
10. "1972 Ditmars". Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
11. "1975 Hugo Awards". 26 July 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
12. "1979 Ditmars". Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
13. "A. Bertram Chandler Award". The Australian Science Fiction Foundation. 25 November 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
14. Bangsund, John; Graham, Ronald E., eds. (4 February 1972). "John W. Campbell: an Australian tribute". Ronald E. Graham & John Bangsund. Retrieved 4 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia (new catalog).
15. "Index of /fanzines/Australian_SFR". fanac.org. F.A.N.A.C. Inc. Retrieved 4 February 2021.