Bob Shaw, a prominent Irish science fiction writer known for his innovative storytelling and contributions to the genre, passed away on this day from cancer at the age of 64.
Born in 1931, Shaw was a respected figure in the science fiction literary community, recognized for his imaginative works that explored complex scientific and philosophical themes.
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He was from Northern Ireland, and noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980. His short story "Light of Other Days" was a Hugo Award nominee in 1967, as was his novel The Ragged Astronauts in 1987.
Shaw nearly lost his eyesight through illness, and suffered migraine-induced visual disturbances throughout his life. Speculative treatments of seeing, and references to eyes and vision, appear in some of his works.
He was known as a drinker, and at one stage considered himself an alcoholic. He was quoted in 1991 as saying: "I write science fiction for people who don't read a great deal of science fiction."
He married American Nancy Tucker in 1995 and went to the US to live with her, then returned to England in the last months of his life. before dying of cancer