History of Science-Fiction books

[xenofon]

Have you read any books about history of Science-Fiction?
I read a very good one: Jacques Sadoul - "Histoire de la science fiction moderne" (1973) - (The Hystory of the modern SF), a french author, but I haven't found any other book about it.
Some stuff about this subject can be found in Asimov's autobiography "A Memoir" (1994), a very good book.
I know there Brian Aldiss wrote a history of SF in the 1973. This must be interesting coming from one of sf writers.

 

[iansales]

That'll be Billion Year Spree, later expanded to Trillion Year Spree.

There are a ton of books on the history of English language sf - Frank M Robinson's Science Fiction of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History is especially good.

 

[AE35Unit]

That'll be Billion Year Spree, later expanded to Trillion Year Spree.

Yes I want to find that book!

 

[iansales]

Plenty of copies here. Try eBay as well.

 

[AE35Unit]

Plenty of copies here. Try eBay as well.

Ah too expensive for me,things are tight at the moment. But its on my bookmooch wishlist

 

[j d worthington]

There are any number of books on the subject of the history of science fiction, from the broad, general subject of sf as a genre, to specific areas, eras, or writers.

Colin Greenland did a very enjoyable, informative and opinionated book on the New Wave movement, for instance: The Entropy Exhibition: Michael Moorcock and the British 'New Wave' in Science Fiction, while Aldiss' book covers the history of the field; Lester del Rey did a book on the subject, covering through the early 1970s: The World of Science Fiction, 1926-1976: The History of a Subculture; Sam Moskowitz did various books covering various aspects of the field; Harry Warner, Jr.'s All Our Yesterdays deals primarily with the sf fan movement, but necessarily also deals with the writers and literature itself; Alexei Panshin wrote SF in Dimension (with Cory Panshin) and The World Beyond the Hill; Kingsley Amis's New Maps of Hell is also worth looking into; not to mention John Clute and Peter Nicholls' An Encyclopedia of Science Fiction which is an invaluable book on the subject; and so on....

 

[AE35Unit]

I once had a book on the history of SF films/TV shows. Cant remember its title or author but i wish i still had it, even though it was written in the 70s.

 

[dask]

My two favorite sf histories are the above mentioned WORLD BEYOND THE HILL by the PANSHINS, for me an absolutely fascinating book, quite unlike anything I've read before, and THE VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION edited by Brian Ash. Have also read and enjoyed A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF SCIENCE FICTION and THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF SCIENCE FICTION IDEAS AND DREAMS by David Kyle; ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION edited by Robert Holdstock; THE DREAMS OUR STUFF IS MADE OF by Thomas M. Disch. All worth having and reading. Have several others not read yet.

 

[AE35Unit]

, and THE VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION edited by Brian Ash. .

That sounds like the one I had. Big paperback lavishly illustrated throughout?

 

[dask]

That sounds like the one I had. Big paperback lavishly illustrated throughout?

Yes, came out in 1977. I found this book endlessly fascinating. Only had one clunker of an essay, all the rest topnotch. Will probably read it again sometime.

 

[AE35Unit]

Hmmm might have to look for it on bookmooch,would be good to have it again. I love books on SF

 

[Contrary Mary]

I have several books about science fiction. One is James Gunn's Alternate Worlds, published 1975.

Also, I attended my first SF convention in 1976---MidAmerican in Kansas City, Missouri. I met Robert Heinlein! Also, in the dealer's room I met David Kyle. He kindly autographed my newly bought copy of A Pictorial History of Science Fiction, which I still have. Nice writing Mr. Kyle-but the photoes are even more fun to look at! (Since it is unlikely I will even find some of those hard to find books!)

 

[RobD]

Whoops. The Disch title in my previous post should have read The Dreams Our Stuff Is Made Of!