Why doesn't Theodore Sturgeon have the same kind of cult following that surrounds the work of Philip K. Dick or H. P. Lovecraft? Well, certainly Dick was far more prodigious (Sturgeon suffered from bouts with severe writer's block throughout his life), but Sturgeon was, stylistically, at least, a superior writer. The real answer is probably: Whereas Dick's obsession was "What is reality?", and Lovecraft plumbed the unknown, Sturgeon was most interested in love, and all its forms. He was one of the first science fiction writers to pen a gay-themed tale (1953's "The World Well Lost"), his brilliant non-supernatural vampire novel Some of Your Blood equated blood with love, and his final novel, Godbody, gave us a mysterious stranger who descends upon a small town to instill not fear, but - well, you know. Which is not to say Sturgeon's fiction was romantic or sentimental - as a dark fantasist he penned such classics as "It", "Shottle Bop" and "Killdozer". A born gymnast (it was his choice for a profession until he contracted rheumatic fever at 15), Sturgeon wrote with authenticity about circus performers in The Dreaming Jewels (later re-released under the title The Synthetic Man), Sturgeon held numerous 'day jobs' (merchant seaman, bulldozer operator, door-to-door salesman) which he used in his work. He won the International Fantasy Award for his groundbreaking novel More Than Human. His 1970 short story "Slow Sculpture" was awarded with both the Nebula and the Hugo Awards. Sturgeon was also awarded with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award. He died in 1985, at the age of 67.

What does the little symbol in the background art mean?
What is Sturgeon's Law?

Theodore Sturgeon - The best place to start. This page covers Sturgeon's work and life, and includes a couple of great photos.

Sturgeon in the Media

Sturgeon has never sourced a theatrical feature film, but his contribution to filmic science fiction was profound nonetheless, mainly because of a show called...
STAR TREK - Sturgeon wrote two of the original series' very finest hours, "Shore Leave" and "Amok Time". In her critical overview Theodore Sturgeon, Lucy Menger also cites scripts for THE INVADERS and THE WILD WILD WEST, although these seem to have regrettably vanished. A Sturgeon-authored outline for STAR TREK entitled "The Joy Machine" was never filmed, but was recently novelized by James Gunn as a STAR TREK novel.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE - The resurrected 80's version saw adaptations of two Sturgeon pieces, "A Saucer of Loneliness" and "A Matter of Minutes".
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - Sturgeon wrote the novelization of the original feature film.
KILLDOZER made its way to the small screen in a television movie. It was also adapted to comic book form (as was "It").
THE GRAVEYARD READER (pictured above at left) - Sturgeon has been adapted to the stage at least once, in this one-act play which was produced in 1993 as part of LIFE ON THE EDGE: TALES OF URBAN HORROR.

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The background symbol means "Ask the next question." Sturgeon usually included it in his autograph, and wore it as a silver pendant.
Sturgeon's Law was, so legend has it, coined in response to the following question, asked during a speaking engagement: "Don't you think 90% of science fiction is crap?" Sturgeon's Law: "90% of EVERYTHING is crap."