Richard Morris (author)
Encyclopedia
Richard Ward Morris was an American
author, editor, and poet.
He received his master's in physics from the University of New Mexico and his doctorate in physics
from the University of Nevada
, then moved to San Francisco, where he started the little magazine Camels Coming. In 1968, he started and became the executive director of the Committee of Small Magazine Editors and Publishers (COSMEP). His COSMEP newsletter guided classic little magazines and underground hippie
tabloids right through the Vietnam War
into the Ronald Reagan
era. He published as well poetry
, fiction
and drama
; his selected poetry, Assyrians, was published by The Smith in 1991.
Beginning in 1979, Morris became known to the wider world as the author of a series of mainstream
science
books
. These texts were translated and published to good sales in dozens of countries. He still continued publishing small-press collections of poetry and drama, which were read mostly by his friends and peers.
He published more than 20 books in his lifetime, many of which were written to "explain the intricacies of science to the general public". His literary style and narrative
talents made easy reading for otherwise heady and intellectual topics, bringing sometimes abstract
scientific ideas to a level the common person could understand.
His final work, The Last Sorcerers: The Path from Alchemy to the Periodic Table, was published posthumously in 2003.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author, editor, and poet.
He received his master's in physics from the University of New Mexico and his doctorate in physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
from the University of Nevada
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, then moved to San Francisco, where he started the little magazine Camels Coming. In 1968, he started and became the executive director of the Committee of Small Magazine Editors and Publishers (COSMEP). His COSMEP newsletter guided classic little magazines and underground hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
tabloids right through the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
into the Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
era. He published as well poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
and drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
; his selected poetry, Assyrians, was published by The Smith in 1991.
Beginning in 1979, Morris became known to the wider world as the author of a series of mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
books
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
. These texts were translated and published to good sales in dozens of countries. He still continued publishing small-press collections of poetry and drama, which were read mostly by his friends and peers.
He published more than 20 books in his lifetime, many of which were written to "explain the intricacies of science to the general public". His literary style and narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
talents made easy reading for otherwise heady and intellectual topics, bringing sometimes abstract
Abstract object
An abstract object is an object which does not exist at any particular time or place, but rather exists as a type of thing . In philosophy, an important distinction is whether an object is considered abstract or concrete. Abstract objects are sometimes called abstracta An abstract object is an...
scientific ideas to a level the common person could understand.
His final work, The Last Sorcerers: The Path from Alchemy to the Periodic Table, was published posthumously in 2003.