Anne McCaffrey: A Life with Dragons

Robert's intriguing biography of the legendary Dragon Lady of Pern provides a fascinating overview of Anne McCaffrey's life along with some keen insights into how her career developed. A trail blazer, McCaffrey, now 81, says she "put romance in science fiction." Roberts counts her among authors such as Ursula K. LeGuin and Joanna Russ who helped change the face of a once male-dominated genre. In a chatty, chronological format, Roberts sketches McCaffrey's life as a perky student, frustrated young mother and wife, SF insider (including her brief affair with Isaac Asimov) and expatriate. Her post-divorce move to Ireland came as a surprise to many but soon led to tremendous success, despite her longing for the company of friends such as her mentor and agent, Virginia Kidd. McCaffrey was the first woman to win each and both of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards, and in 1978, she became the first author to have a science fiction book (The White Dragon) on the New York Times bestseller list. This is not an "authorized" biography, and though McCaffrey gave Roberts her blessing and access to crucial papers, she appears to be an elusive interview subject. The result is an authentic but sometimes enigmatic portrait.