Essential Anthologies

[The Wanderer]

OK, I'll start then

Harry Harrison - 50 in 50

Available from amazon on this link

Amazon.co.uk: 50 in 50: Books: Harry Harrison

 

[The Wanderer]

Short story Collections, I mean

 

[The Wanderer]

Robert Silverberg - Phases of the Moon

Available also from Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Phases-Moon-Six-Decades-Masterpieces/dp/1596870575/ref=sr_1_6/202-5788740-8667028?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174764028&sr=1-6

 

[j d worthington]

Hmmm. Collections, or anthologies? The former is difficult because, with so many of the best writers in the field, a lot of their best work is in their novels, or scattered throughout numerous collections of their shorter work. Anthologies are a bit easier for me, I think:

A Treasury of Great Science Fiction (1959) ed. by Anthony Boucher, 2 vols.:

Vol. I:

Book Information: Treasury of Great Science Fiction, Volume 1, A :: Internet Book List :: A database of book information and reviews

Vol. II:

Book Information: Treasury of Great Science Fiction, Volume 2, A :: Internet Book List :: A database of book information and reviews

Adventures in Time and Space (1946), ed. Raymond J. Healy & J. Francis McComas:

Publication Listing

two by Harlan Ellison:

Dangerous Visions (1967):

Dangerous Visions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and Again, Dangerous Visions (1972):

Again, Dangerous Visions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Science Fiction Argosy (1972), ed. Damon Knight:

Find in a Library: A science fiction argosy.

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. I (1970), ed. by Robert Silverberg, picked by the SFWA members (basically, retro-Nebula winners, short stories):

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vols. IIA and IIB (1973), ed. Ben Bova, under the same plan (novelettes and novellas):

The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume Two - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And, of course, the volumes since then, which present the Nebula winners for each year, and the Hugo Winners series, which gives the Hugo winners for each year since 1955. These give a nice potted view of the trends in the field since then....

Dear as Groff Conklin is to me, his anthologies went from excellent to mediocre (though never, I think, bad). So I'd have a hard time picking there, but I think

The Golden Age of Science Fiction (orig. The Best of Science Fiction; 1946):

Publication Listing

though it has some of the same as Adventures in Time and Space, and

The Omnibus of Science Fiction (1952):

Publication Listing

I'd also suggest the Best of annual anthologies by Donald A. Wollheim, Terry Carr, and Gardner Dozois or David G. Hartwell. Also by Hartwell:

The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF (1995; with Kathryn Cramer):

Publication Listing

and The Space Opera Renaissance (2006; also with Kathryn Cramer):

Publication Listing

and The Hard SF Renaissance (2002; also with Kathryn Cramer):

The Hard SF Renaissance

After reading all this, a person should have a pretty good idea of the field overall.....

 

[Pyan]

If you really have only a few minutes spare, there's always 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories, edited by the Good Doctor:

Book Information: 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories :: Internet Book List :: A database of book information and reviews

 

[HardScienceFan]

Does anyone remember the STAR series by Fred Pohl??????
Best of F & SF,whether by Boucher, Davidson,Ferman..

 

[j d worthington]

If you really have only a few minutes spare, there's always 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories, edited by the Good Doctor:

Book Information: 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories :: Internet Book List :: A database of book information and reviews

Yes, that's a good anthology. And for those so inclined, Conklin's Great Science Fiction by Scientists is also a good one to have:

Publication Listing

I've only read one or two of the STAR series, I'm afraid. They had very poor distribution where I lived, and I've not seen that many in the used stores since. But Pohl was a good editor, so I would expect them to be high quality. Which reminds me: his Galaxy: Thirty Years of Innovative Science Fiction (1980; with Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander) is also one that should be high on the list:

Publication Listing

You know, Pyan... Carolyn and Chris should be getting in on this; with their love for and knowledge of the field, this would be a wonderful resource for those wanting to find really good science fiction to cut their teeth on....

 

[The Ace]

I'd have to include, "The Past Through Tomorrow," by Robert A. Heinlein. When he's storytelling, rather than pontificating, he's a master.

 

[j d worthington]

I'd have to include, "The Past Through Tomorrow," by Robert A. Heinlein. When he's storytelling, rather than pontificating, he's a master.

Indeed... and that's a nice big bulky collection, which allows plenty of room to address all sorts of ideas and approaches. *sigh* Damn. Now I'm going to have to go haul a bunch more books out of storage again.....

 

[K. Riehl]

The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology edited by John W. Campbell

I always thought Campbell was showing off with this collection. If you want a very good representation of the golden age of pulps this would be a good start.

 

[j d worthington]

The Astounding Science Fiction Anthology edited by John W. Campbell

I always thought Campbell was showing off with this collection. If you want a very good representation of the golden age of pulps this would be a good start.

LOL. Well, JWC certainly wasn't above that sort of thing.... But yes, it's a very introduction to the "hard" end of the sf spectrum, on the whole....

 

[HardScienceFan]

Judith Merrill's Best SF(the first five,preferably)
Conklin's Thinking Machines

Ow jeez,I feel old suddenly.
Those ones I chose out of sheer nostalgia,probably(and for the Powers covers).
I am being very partizan,here.
Aytch(that fossil from the Middle Triassic)

 

[HardScienceFan]

Re:Star by Fred Pohl
I think I have pts 1 to 6.Want a rundown of the contents?

The edit(afterthoughts):U know,I think it would be fun to create a 'guide
to fantastic literature',a kind of roadmap if U will.Since Poe,Verne,Wells,etc.a LOT has been written.Most new readers,both young and old,probably haven't got a clue where to enter the labyrinth.City?Bug Jack Barron?Alpha Centauri or Die?H***ll,even I don't have a clue about anything written after 1984(the year,not the novel).

 

[j d worthington]

Re:Star by Fred Pohl
I think I have pts 1 to 6.Want a rundown of the contents?

I don't want to put you to the bother but... if you don't mind doing it, yes, I'd appreciate it; thanks!

 

[HardScienceFan]

I don't want to put you to the bother but... if you don't mind doing it, yes, I'd appreciate it; thanks!

Sorry,but I'm skipping the titles,perhaps later
Pt 1 Asimov,Bradbury,Clarke Del Rey,HL Gold,Kornbluth,Kuttner and Moore, Leiber,Leinster,Judith Merrill,Morrison,Sheckly,Simak,Bill Tenn,Wyndham
*U still on your chair?*
pt 2 Bester,Bixby,Blish,Boucher,Budrys,CLement Crane Del Rey
Kornbluth Pratt Sheckley sturgeon wiliamson ,Wilson
pt3 Asimov Bradbury,Clarke,del Rey Dick,Kersh,Matheson Chad Oliver,Jack Vance,Williamson
pt 4 Kuttner,Kornbluth,Leiber,Wilson Del Rey DeFord,Cooper,Knight,Gunn,
pt 5 Budrys,R G Brown,Chan Davis,Galouye,Hyde, Matheson,MacLean Sellings Silverberg
pt 6 Borgese,Cottrell de Ford,Dickson,Koch ,McGuire,Purdom,Cordwainer Smith
Pt one looks like the TOC of Seekers of Tomorrow,I notice!
There is absolutely brilliant stuff in these!Foster You're dead,Idiot Stick,Man Working.....
AYTCH

 

[j d worthington]

Thanks! Will keep an eye out for those and (finances permitting) try to get them online, if nothing else....

 

[Snowdog]

The Doors Of His Face, The Lamps Of His Mouth, And Other Stories - Roger Zelazny

The Seeds Of Time - John Wyndham

I've a couple of books in the World's Best Science Fiction series, from the 1960s. They are both pretty good. They feature authors such as Fred Pohl, Roger Zelazny, Philip K Dick, Brian Aldiss, R.A. Lafferty, Larry Niven etc., so the stories are top quality.

 

[HardScienceFan]

The Doors Of His Face, The Lamps Of His Mouth, And Other Stories - Roger Zelazny

The Seeds Of Time - John Wyndham

I've a couple of books in the World's Best Science Fiction series, from the 1960s. They are both pretty good. They feature authors such as Fred Pohl, Roger Zelazny, Philip K Dick, Brian Aldiss, R.A. Lafferty, Larry Niven etc., so the stories are top quality.

AND don't forget the Jack Gaughan illustrations,with each story!

 

[Snowdog]

AND don't forget the Jack Gaughan illustrations,with each story!

Absolutely. I love 50s/60s SF art. I'm always buying old paperbacks (in good condition) from charity shops simply for their covers. Whether or not I've heard of the books/authors.

The excellent illustrations in these particular anthologies bring back memories of Dan Dare, Kemlo and those b-movies you used to get on Saturday Morning Cinema, if anyone else experienced that.

 

[Dr. Atomic]

J.D. -- check abebooks.com for cheap "reading copies" of the Star Science Fiction collections. Someone's bound to have them for good prices -- especially later editions.

Nothing to contribute to the above reading lists -- everyone's said the ones I'd have offered up for inclusion.