Mary Gnaedinger
Mary Catherine Gnaedinger (September 28, 1897 – July 31, 1976) was an American editor of science fiction and fantasy pulp magazines. Education and Career. Born in Brooklyn, New York as Mary Catherine Jacobson, she attended the Columbia University School of Journalism. After stints as a society reporter for the "Brooklyn Eagle" newspaper and work for publishing company E. P. Dutton, she spent several decades of her career working in science fiction. Personal life. Mary Jacobson married Louis Beverley Nichol Gnaedinger (1898-1977), a Canadian from Montreal, on September 22, 1919. They probably met at the Columbia University School of  Journalism, since both attended at the same time. They had one child, Arthur Beverly Gnaedinger ("b." April 13, 1920). Louis B. Gnaedinger was a business reporter for the New York Times and other papers. The couple divorced, date unknown. Editorial Work in Science Fiction. In her career as an editor, Mary Gnaedinger became the editor of the science fiction and fantasy magazines "Famous Fantastic Mysteries" in 1939 and "Fantastic Novels" in 1940, as well as "A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine". She is known as the first female lead editor of a science fiction publication. Gnaedinger was known for ardently interacting  with her readers, basing the stories she printed in the magazines she edited on their requests, and commonly praising their knowledge of science fiction. In his obituary of Gnaedinger published in 1977, fantasy and science fiction author Lin Carter wrote: Copies of "Famous Fantastic Mysteries" and "Fantastic Novels," including issues edited by Mary Gnaedinger, can be found in the City Tech Science Fiction Collection.