Clifford D. Simak

Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was an American science fiction writer. He received three Hugo Awards and one Nebula Award. He was named the third Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) in 1977.
Biography.
Simak was born in Millville, Wisconsin to parent's John Lewis and Margaret (Wiseman) Simak. He married Agnes Kuchenberg on April 13, 1929. They had two children, Scott and Shelley. Simak attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He later worked at various newspapers in the Midwest. He began to work with the "Minneapolis Star and Tribune" (in Minneapolis, Minnesota). This went from 1939 to his retirement in 1976. 
Writing career.
Simak became interested in science fiction after reading the works of H. G. Wells as a child. He started writing for science fiction pulp magazines in 1931. The only science-fiction piece that he published between 1933 and 1937 was "The Creator" ("Marvel Tales" #4, March–April 1935).
In late 1937, Simak returned to science fiction. He was a regular contributor to "Astounding Stories" during the Golden Age of Science Fiction (1938–1950). His first publications, such as "Cosmic Engineers" (1939), were in the style of the earlier superscience type. He soon made his own style, which is usually described as gentle and pastoral. During this period, Simak also published a number of war and western stories in pulp magazines. His best known novel may be "City", a collection of short stories with a common theme of mankind's eventual leaving from Earth.
Simak continued to write award-nominated novels during the 1950s and 1960s. Helped by a friend, he continued writing and publishing science fiction and, later, fantasy, into his 80s.