Editing Cyril M. Kornbluth (section)

==Biography==
Kornbluth was born and grew up in the uptown Manhattan neighborhood of [[Inwood, Manhattan|Inwood]], in New York City.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Rich | first = Mark | title = C. M. Kornbluth | publisher = McFarland | year = 2009 | location = Jefferson, NC | pages = 20 | isbn = 978-0-7864-4393-2}}</ref> He was of Polish-Jewish descent,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/125474/cyril-kornbluth-s-postwar-dystopias/|title=Cyril Kornbluth's Postwar Dystopias|access-date=October 18, 2018}}</ref> the son of a World War I veteran and grandson of a tailor, a Jewish immigrant from [[Galicia (Eastern Europe)|Galicia]].<ref name=Platt/>

The "M" in Kornbluth's name may have been in tribute to his wife, Mary Byers;<ref>{{Cite book | last = Rich | first = Mark | title = C. M. Kornbluth | publisher = McFarland | year = 2009 | location = Jefferson, NC | pages = 127–8 | isbn = 978-0-7864-4393-2}}</ref> Kornbluth's colleague and collaborator [[Frederik Pohl]] confirmed Kornbluth's lack of any actual middle name in at least one interview.<ref>Webster, Bud. [http://baens-universe.com/articles/Cyril_With_an_M__or__I_m_As_Kornbluth_as_Kansas_in Cyril With an M (or, I'm As Kornbluth as Kansas in August)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210203146/http://baens-universe.com/articles/Cyril_With_an_M__or__I_m_As_Kornbluth_as_Kansas_in |date=February 10, 2009 }}. ''Baen's Universe'', February 5, 2009</ref>

According to his widow, Kornbluth was a "precocious child", learning to read by the age of three and writing his own stories by the time he was seven. He graduated from high school at thirteen, received a [[CCNY]] scholarship at fourteen, and was "thrown out for leading a student strike" without graduating.<ref name=Platt/>

As a teenager, he became a member of the [[Futurians]], an influential group of [[science fiction fandom|science fiction fans]] and writers. While a member of the Futurians, he met and became friends with [[Frederik Pohl]], [[Donald A. Wollheim]], [[Robert A. W. Lowndes]], and his future wife Mary Byers. He also participated in the [[Fantasy Amateur Press Association]].

Kornbluth served in the [[United States Army|US Army]] during [[World War II]] ([[European Theatre of World War II|European theatre]]).<ref name="strangehorizons.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.strangehorizons.com/2005/20050103/kornbluth-a.shtml |title=Obituary at StrangeHorizons.com, 2005 |access-date=2016-03-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194137/http://www.strangehorizons.com/2005/20050103/kornbluth-a.shtml |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He received a [[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] for his service in the [[Battle of the Bulge]], where he served as a member of a [[heavy machine gun]] crew. Upon his discharge, he returned to finish his education at the [[University of Chicago]] under the [[G.I. Bill]].<ref name="strangehorizons.com"/> While living in Chicago he also worked at Trans-Radio Press, a news wire service. In 1951 he started writing full-time,<ref name=Platt>[[Charles Platt (author)|Charles Platt]], "C. M. Kornbluth: A Study Of His Work and Interview With His Widow", ''[[Foundation (journal)|Foundation]]'' 17, September 1979, pp.57-63</ref> returning to the East Coast where he collaborated on novels with his old Futurian friends Frederik Pohl and [[Judith Merril]].