In 1973, in the fall, at the World famous science museum, The Franklin Institute, Isaac Asimov was the keynote speaker at a luncheon gathering of science fiction writers and fans. The event was: Dr. Isaac Asimov “The Last Question” - A Singular Event. September 19, 1973. The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA. At this event, while speaking he said "...reading Leslie F. Stone's stories was what stimulated his interest in science and all that followed...".
As one of the most influential and prolific science fiction writers of all time, Leslie F. Stone’s impact on the genre is undeniable. Her works have inspired countless authors, movie producers, and screenwriters to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in science fiction. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations of writers and fans.
Leslie F. Stone was a pioneering science fiction writer whose stories have had a lasting impact on the genre for almost 100 years. Her published works include 27 stories that were published between 1929 and 1940. Those years were labelled ‘The Golden Years’ of Science Fiction by Isaac Asimov and Stone was considered to be one of its stars. Later publications included her 1967 novel ‘Out of the Void’, based on earlier published stories, and an autobiographical commentary in 1997. Her stories have captivated readers with their imaginative and thought-provoking themes and have been included in at least 21 anthologies, and numerous academic commentaries, showcasing her influence and impact. Original magazines are in the Rare Books Collection of Library of the University of Pennsylvania.
Stone’s writing took readers on incredible journeys through space and time, exploring the boundless possibilities of the human imagination. Her stories were filled with action and adventure, as well as deep, thought-provoking themes that resonated with readers of all ages. She used the pen names Leslie F. Stone and Leslie Frances Stone to hide her identity as female to write about topics such as inter-racial marriage, worlds that were entirely female or had strong female leaders, transgender figures, and the futility of warfare. She dealt with themes like post-apocalyptic worlds, time travel, multiple universes, space exploration, and the impact of technology on society and humanity. Her vivid imagination fostered the creation of beautifully described multi-colored terrain, lush jungles, humans, humanoids, spaceships, and many imagined life forms living in space. Her richly detailed descriptions challenged illustrators, contributed to the high standards employed by successive authors and presaged the many sci-fi movies to come.
Leslie Frances Rubenstein was born in Philadelphia in 1905, into a family with adequate resources to allow her to develop her talents. She was surrounded by creativity: Her mother’s and uncle’s skill as artists undoubtedly contributed to her use of color. She was witness to and acted in the thriving film industry as she saw her mother, Lillian M. Stone (her pen name), become the first screen-writing director for a movie studio, the Lubin Studios, and later a syndicated columnist teaching film writing. She co-wrote several silent film scripts (photoplays) with her mother, with at least a few becoming produced films. Thus, she was accustomed to the idea of creating a scene, starting with an idea, developing characters and a plot and bringing it to reality. Her descriptions employed vivid color which provided an additional dimension to her stories. She read widely, employing her interests in the latest scientific developments, anthropology, Greek mythology, and Irish Folklore in her writing (Her father, George Rubenstein, had emigrated from Ireland). Stone published a children’s story at age 14; by the time she was in high school in Norfolk, Virginia, Stone was publishing fantasy stories in a local newspaper. She went on to be one of the first women to publish in the science fiction pulp magazines of the era. She wrote space operas and thought experiments as well as stories featuring both women and black protagonists.
Stone wrote in her unpublished “Reminiscences” that she chose to deliberately take advantage of her androgynous name, using only her middle initial to avoid the give-away gendered spelling of Frances. She encountered several instances of sexism while submitting science fiction to the pulp magazine editors. She recalled hostile reactions from both editors and fans who learned that she was a woman.
Isaac Asimov, one of the most celebrated science fiction writers, publicly credited Leslie for having sparked his interest in science as a young boy. Asimov included her work in the several anthologies that he published.
Her marriage to William Silberberg, a journalist, helped to maintain an environment conducive to her writing. In 1945 she was horrified by the thought that her writing had somehow helped to seed the idea of developing atomic weapons and stopped writing for several years. However, she resumed writing until her very late years, going through generations of typewriters. She left behind many unpublished stories. In retirement, she won prizes as a gardener and ceramist and successfully bred rare tropical fish but continued to write.
In 1974, Stone published ‘Day of the Pulps’, about her experiences publishing in the 1920s and 1930s. She described the first planet dominated by women in science fiction, used her work to critique racism, raise questions about war, and what outcomes science might bring about. Her stories were filled with action and adventure, as well as deep, thought-provoking themes that resonated with readers of all ages. Her books dealt with themes like post-apocalyptic worlds, time travel, space exploration, and the impact of technology on society and humanity. As a woman, Leslie F. Stone occupied a unique place in the Golden Years of Science Fiction.
