17th World Science Fiction Convention explained

The 17th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Detention, was held on 4–7 September 1959 at the Pick Fort Shelby Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, United States.

The chairmen were Roger Sims and Fred Prophet.

Participants

Attendance was 371.

Guests of Honor

• Poul Anderson (pro)
• John Berry (fan)
• Isaac Asimov (toastmaster, "...with the assistance of Robert Bloch")

Awards

1959 Hugo Awards

The winners were:

• Best Novel: A Case of Conscience, by James Blish
• Best Novelette: "The Big Front Yard", by Clifford D. Simak
• Best Short Story: "That Hell-Bound Train", by Robert Bloch
• Best SF or Fantasy Movie: no winner chosen
• Best Professional Magazine: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, edited by Anthony Boucher and Robert P. Mills
• Best Professional Artist: Frank Kelly Freas
• Best Fanzine: Fanac, edited by Terry Carr and Ron Ellik
• Best New Author of 1958: no winner chosen

See also

• Hugo Award
• Science fiction
• Speculative fiction
• World Science Fiction Society
• Worldcon

External links

• NESFA.org: 1959 convention notes