R. A. Lafferty - Perry, OK - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

Raphael Aloysius Lafferty was a noted author of both short stories and novels that almost defy categorization; they are distinguished by his original use of language, metaphor, narrative structure, and etymological wit. His first published short story, in 1959, was followed by additional short stories and novels as well as a handful of non-fiction biographical and historical novels. Over his twenty-year writing career he garnered several Hugo award nominations (winning the award once), numerous Nebula Award nominations, and a World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. His writing output declined following strokes in 1990 and 1994, and he passed away on March 18, 2002. He is laid to rest with his family in Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Perry, OK. His marker notes his service and rank with the U.S. Army during WWII.

Description: Lafferty was born on November 7, 1914 in Iowa; his family moved to Perry, Oklahoma a few years later. He attended school in Tulsa and then served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He never married, living with his sister for most of his life, and did not begin writing until his late thirties. Lafferty's writing is difficult to categorize; a blend of science fiction, fantasy, and both Irish and Native American traditional styles in which the telling is often more important than the actual tale. Author Neil Gaiman said that "[he] was, for a little while in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the best short story writer in the world... his stories were unclassifiable and odd and inimitable - you knew you were reading a Lafferty story within a sentence." Much of his work is out of print. However, in 2011 LOCUS magazine (as suggested by Gaiman, who is a board member) acquired Lafferty's literary estate and is in the process of republishing many of his works. Date of birth: 11/17/1914 Date of death: 03/18/2002 Area of notoriety: Literature Marker Type: Horizontal Marker Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Dawn to Dusk Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log   07/21/2018 The Snowdog visited it