fairybookmother's review against another edition
5.0
"Though I am long dead as you read this, explorer, I offer to you a valediction. Contemplate the marvel that is existence, and rejoice that you are able to do so. I feel I have the right to tell you this because, as I am inscribing these words, I am doing the same." – Ted Chiang, "Exhalation"
Fabulous, fantastic collection of science fiction stories. A total must for anyone interested in the genre and in the history of the genre.
Fabulous, fantastic collection of science fiction stories. A total must for anyone interested in the genre and in the history of the genre.
apageinthestacks's review against another edition
4.0
Great collection of SF stories. Read about half of them for my science fiction class, and the other half for fun. "Exhalation" is probably my favorite story, by Ted Chiang, but there's a lot of great ones.
anatomydetective's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent anthology spanning the history of science fiction from classics to 2008. Detailed introductions to the authors and their work as well as further suggested reading gives a great jumping off point for anyone looking to explore the genre further. Definitely worth reading, so many great stories.
libscigrl's review against another edition
5.0
I never would have read this were it not for my Sci-Fi Literature class.
I'm so glad I did and will be keeping it!
I'm so glad I did and will be keeping it!
carolcanaan's review against another edition
5.0
It made me fall in love with science fiction writing. I could reread this every year.
bitterindigo's review
5.0
Love the wide range and the thematic linkages. Comprehensive and sweeping and highly enjoyable.
octoberdad's review
5.0
As an attempt to offer a survey of (mostly 20th century) short science fiction, this anthology is quite successful. Since with a book like this it's almost impossible to make any significant assessment that doesn't boil down to simply preference, I will simply list those stories I liked best out of the collection, followed by some choice quotations.
Stories I liked
Please do not take this list as an endorsement that only these stories should be read. All of the stories in this book are worth reading. These are just the ones that struck me in a particular way. They are listed in chronological order (the order they appear in the book).
Quotations
(Taken out of context, not necessarily related to the list above, and presented in the order they appear.)
Why spend physical energy in combative strife for something we do not wish…? – "The Conquest of Gola," Leslie F. Stone
No planet, no universe, is greater to a man than his own ego, his own observing self. – "Thunder and Roses," Theodore Sturgeon
I finally realized that I was not speculating about masks in general, but about what lay behind one in particular. That's the devil of the things; you're never sure whether a girl is heightening loveliness or hiding ugliness. – "Coming Attraction," Fritz Leiber
…but there are times when a scientist must not be afraid to make a fool of himself. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
…the old are often insanely jealous of the young. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
Live in the world around you. – "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," Harlan Ellison
…but face it, most of the things we call "sexy" are symbolic, you know, except perhaps an exhibitionist's open fly. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
It is people that make stories, not the circumstances they find themselves in. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
There are times when you must walk by yourself because it hurts so much to be alone. – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
"I want you because you can't want me." – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
We can't afford to tease and run. – "Passengers," Robert Silverberg
An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely. – "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long," Brian Aldiss
Did repetition of the individual negate individuality? – "Nine Lives," Ursula K. Le Guin
When one culture has the big guns and the other has none, there is a certain predictability about the outcome. – "When it Changed," Joanna Russ
Nobody wants to spend eternity alone. – "Closer," Greg Egan
You know, all the evil in the world, all the sadness comes from not having a good answer to that question: what do I do next? – "Everywhere," Geoff Ryman
…through the act of reading my words, the patterns that form your thoughts become an imitation of the patterns that once formed mine. And in that way I live again, through you. – "Exhalation," Ted Chiang
Stories I liked
Please do not take this list as an endorsement that only these stories should be read. All of the stories in this book are worth reading. These are just the ones that struck me in a particular way. They are listed in chronological order (the order they appear in the book).
- "Rappaccini's Daughter" – [a:Nathaniel Hawthorne|7799|Nathaniel Hawthorne|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1291476587p2/7799.jpg]
- "The Machine Stops" – [a:E. M. Forster|6919082|E M Forster|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-251a730d696018971ef4a443cdeaae05.jpg]
- "Shambleau" – [a:C. L. Moore]
- "Reason" – [a:Isaac Asimov|16667|Isaac Asimov|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1341965730p2/16667.jpg]
- "Desertion" – [a:Clifford D. Simak|23012|Clifford D. Simak|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1193507980p2/23012.jpg]
- "That Only a Mother" – [a:Judith Merrill]
- "There Will Come Soft Rains" – [a:Ray Bradbury|1630|Ray Bradbury|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1361491094p2/1630.jpg]
- "Fondly Fahrenheit" – [a:Alfred Bester|10992|Alfred Bester|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1224111385p2/10992.jpg]
- "All You Zombies—" – [a:Robert A. Heinlein|205|Robert A. Heinlein|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1192826560p2/205.jpg]
- "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" – [a:Harlan Ellison|7415|Harlan Ellison|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1206546229p2/7415.jpg]
- "The Heat Death of the Universe" – [a:Pamela Zoline|31004|Pamela Zoline|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-251a730d696018971ef4a443cdeaae05.jpg]
- "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long" – [a:Brian Aldiss|33297|Brian W. Aldiss|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1333457329p2/33297.jpg] (way better than the movie A.I. that was based on it)
- "Nine Lives" – [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg]
- "Speech Sounds – [a:Octavia Butler|29535|Octavia E. Butler|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1242244143p2/29535.jpg]
- "Forever Yours, Anna" – [a:Kate Wilhelm|48885|Kate Wilhelm|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1279479899p2/48885.jpg]
- "Computer Friendly" – [a:Eileen Gunn|1307441|Eileen Gunn|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-F-50x66-2a9d702c2a0f483c9f7dd119cc28a9a7.jpg]
- "Useful Phrases" – [a:Gene Wolfe|23069|Gene Wolfe|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207670073p2/23069.jpg]
- "Closer" – [a:Greg Egan|32699|Greg Egan|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-M-50x66-e07624dc012f2cce49c7d9aa6500c6c0.jpg]
- "Everywhere" – [a:Geoff Ryman|50408|Geoff Ryman|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1217410348p2/50408.jpg]
- "Exhalation" – [a:Ted Chiang|130698|Ted Chiang|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1208187207p2/130698.jpg]
Quotations
(Taken out of context, not necessarily related to the list above, and presented in the order they appear.)
Why spend physical energy in combative strife for something we do not wish…? – "The Conquest of Gola," Leslie F. Stone
No planet, no universe, is greater to a man than his own ego, his own observing self. – "Thunder and Roses," Theodore Sturgeon
I finally realized that I was not speculating about masks in general, but about what lay behind one in particular. That's the devil of the things; you're never sure whether a girl is heightening loveliness or hiding ugliness. – "Coming Attraction," Fritz Leiber
…but there are times when a scientist must not be afraid to make a fool of himself. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
…the old are often insanely jealous of the young. – "The Sentinel," Arthur C. Clarke
Live in the world around you. – "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," Harlan Ellison
…but face it, most of the things we call "sexy" are symbolic, you know, except perhaps an exhibitionist's open fly. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
It is people that make stories, not the circumstances they find themselves in. – "Day Million," Frederik Pohl
There are times when you must walk by yourself because it hurts so much to be alone. – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
"I want you because you can't want me." – "Aye, and Gomorrah…," Samuel R. Delany
We can't afford to tease and run. – "Passengers," Robert Silverberg
An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely. – "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long," Brian Aldiss
Did repetition of the individual negate individuality? – "Nine Lives," Ursula K. Le Guin
When one culture has the big guns and the other has none, there is a certain predictability about the outcome. – "When it Changed," Joanna Russ
Nobody wants to spend eternity alone. – "Closer," Greg Egan
You know, all the evil in the world, all the sadness comes from not having a good answer to that question: what do I do next? – "Everywhere," Geoff Ryman
…through the act of reading my words, the patterns that form your thoughts become an imitation of the patterns that once formed mine. And in that way I live again, through you. – "Exhalation," Ted Chiang
melerihaf's review
5.0
I originally checked this book out because it was the only one in the library system that had "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" (aka the story that Total Recall was based on). I got it in November and finally had to return it today. It was a wrench to give it back. It took me so long to read not because the stories weren't great, but because I would read the some of the same ones over and over, enjoying the worlds created by different authors. I didn't want to move on to other stories.
Of course, as in all short story collections, some stories were amazing and some made me never want to read SF again. One story in particular was so smug that I felt almost sick after reading it. Some didn't make me feel the sense of wonder that I often get from SF. There were definitely some surprises (Forster of Room with a View fame writing SF?), and there were some that made me wish I was a teacher so that I could give people these stories to read, hoping it might help them see something new about themselves and their world. I might have to buy this one.
Of course, as in all short story collections, some stories were amazing and some made me never want to read SF again. One story in particular was so smug that I felt almost sick after reading it. Some didn't make me feel the sense of wonder that I often get from SF. There were definitely some surprises (Forster of Room with a View fame writing SF?), and there were some that made me wish I was a teacher so that I could give people these stories to read, hoping it might help them see something new about themselves and their world. I might have to buy this one.
tachyondecay's review
5.0
How do you even review a 760-page book comprising 52 short stories that is meant to offer a comprehensive look at the genre for the purposes of teaching? I don’t know.
The Ben of seven years ago would have rated each story out of 5 stars and taken the average, but ain’t nobody got time for that these days. It took me over a year to read this anthology—because if I had torn straight through it, I might have torn out my hair. I’m not built for anthologies; I need the slow, simmering build-up of novels and sweet, sweet payoff of character development. That being said, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the short story form is where one can find some of the best and brightest science fiction. The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction certainly proves this.
I could try to highlight my very favourite stories, but that would still probably be excessive. At 52, there is a lot to choose from. There are only 14 women authors in the selection, but I think it’s admirable the editors tried to include several earlier women who were at the forefront of early SF publishing. Moreover, as we get into the 1960s onwards, quite a few more women authors put in an appearance. While I think the editors might have done a little better, this anthology is far from being an all-male panel, and I appreciate that.
Before I get into talking about some of the individual stories, however, I also want to mention that this book comes with two tables of contents. The first is a chronological listing, which is how the stories are organized in the actual text. The second table of contents is a thematic listing, along the lines of “Alien Encounters”, “Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse”, etc. This is a sweet idea, especially because this is obviously a teaching anthology. (The inclusion of a link to a teaching guide helps with that last part, too.) I read the stories chronologically, which has its own benefits, but I could easily see someone choosing to read, say, all the stories about “Time Travel and Alternate History” to get a brief overview of some of those ideas.
The introduction provided before each story is great too. It gives me just enough information about each author, including highlights of their works, without overstaying its welcome. I also like how it introduces the specific piece without spoiling too much. The actual introduction to the overall book is your typical university course textbook introduction: if you are a student of a course, it’s probably something you want to read so you can quote from it in your midterm paper. Otherwise, you are probably wise to skip it. Unless you can’t sleep?
OK, but since you really want to know some favourites….
I liked a lot of the early ones just because I have not read as much early SF, so it was nice to expose myself to these stories and their styles. “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is fascinating just because of its age. I am familiar, of course, with the tracing of the provenance of SF back towards Frankenstein, but it was nice to learn about an almost-as-old story I hadn’t heard of. I also enjoyed “Thunder and Roses”, by Theodore Sturgeon, so obviously inspired by the military life during the Second World War.
The collection includes some classics, like Cordwainer Smith’s “The Game of Rat and Dragon” (which, to be honest, I’m not much of a fan of) and one of my favourite time travel stories, the amazing “‘All You Zombies—’”, by Robert Heinlein, which also features some very interesting titular punctuation. And who can forget “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”, by Philip K. Dick?
Maybe one of the more useful aspects of this anthology for someone who is not a student is the exposure to authors I mean to read but haven’t yet. For example, Carol Emshwiller, Pat Cadigan, and Kate Wilhelm are all on my list. Wilhelm’s “Forever Yours, Anna” is a neat time-travel story, and while “‘All You Zombies—’” is an elegant depiction of paradox, there is just something so beautiful about Wilhelm’s time travel mystery/romance. I recall enjoying this story and not wanting it to end, far more so than a lot of the entries in this collection.
I don’t think there are any bad stories in this collection. There are some I didn’t personally like much, but even then I can see their merit as stories and works of literature; it’s just that neither their characters nor their plots held my interest. Perhaps half the fun of this book is arguing with the other people who have read it which stories are the best (the other half being bludgeoning your opponent with the sheer weight of this tome—definitely the definition of a doorstopper).
As a teacher, I love collections like this. It’s well-rounded, clearly carefully curated. I don’t get much of a chance to teach science fiction short stories in my English classes, though I tend to sneak some in there when I can (I love opening a unit on short stories with Vanessa Torline’s “#TrainFightTuesday” just because it is so deliciously atypical in its form). Still, this is a great resource, both in how it augments my understanding of the genre as a whole, and in its ability to offer up story ideas no matter what theme or era I’m interested in covering at the moment.
Definitely recommend for teachers, SF fans who want to dive deeper, and people with doors that keep closing on them.
The Ben of seven years ago would have rated each story out of 5 stars and taken the average, but ain’t nobody got time for that these days. It took me over a year to read this anthology—because if I had torn straight through it, I might have torn out my hair. I’m not built for anthologies; I need the slow, simmering build-up of novels and sweet, sweet payoff of character development. That being said, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the short story form is where one can find some of the best and brightest science fiction. The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction certainly proves this.
I could try to highlight my very favourite stories, but that would still probably be excessive. At 52, there is a lot to choose from. There are only 14 women authors in the selection, but I think it’s admirable the editors tried to include several earlier women who were at the forefront of early SF publishing. Moreover, as we get into the 1960s onwards, quite a few more women authors put in an appearance. While I think the editors might have done a little better, this anthology is far from being an all-male panel, and I appreciate that.
Before I get into talking about some of the individual stories, however, I also want to mention that this book comes with two tables of contents. The first is a chronological listing, which is how the stories are organized in the actual text. The second table of contents is a thematic listing, along the lines of “Alien Encounters”, “Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse”, etc. This is a sweet idea, especially because this is obviously a teaching anthology. (The inclusion of a link to a teaching guide helps with that last part, too.) I read the stories chronologically, which has its own benefits, but I could easily see someone choosing to read, say, all the stories about “Time Travel and Alternate History” to get a brief overview of some of those ideas.
The introduction provided before each story is great too. It gives me just enough information about each author, including highlights of their works, without overstaying its welcome. I also like how it introduces the specific piece without spoiling too much. The actual introduction to the overall book is your typical university course textbook introduction: if you are a student of a course, it’s probably something you want to read so you can quote from it in your midterm paper. Otherwise, you are probably wise to skip it. Unless you can’t sleep?
OK, but since you really want to know some favourites….
I liked a lot of the early ones just because I have not read as much early SF, so it was nice to expose myself to these stories and their styles. “Rappaccini’s Daughter” is fascinating just because of its age. I am familiar, of course, with the tracing of the provenance of SF back towards Frankenstein, but it was nice to learn about an almost-as-old story I hadn’t heard of. I also enjoyed “Thunder and Roses”, by Theodore Sturgeon, so obviously inspired by the military life during the Second World War.
The collection includes some classics, like Cordwainer Smith’s “The Game of Rat and Dragon” (which, to be honest, I’m not much of a fan of) and one of my favourite time travel stories, the amazing “‘All You Zombies—’”, by Robert Heinlein, which also features some very interesting titular punctuation. And who can forget “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”, by Philip K. Dick?
Maybe one of the more useful aspects of this anthology for someone who is not a student is the exposure to authors I mean to read but haven’t yet. For example, Carol Emshwiller, Pat Cadigan, and Kate Wilhelm are all on my list. Wilhelm’s “Forever Yours, Anna” is a neat time-travel story, and while “‘All You Zombies—’” is an elegant depiction of paradox, there is just something so beautiful about Wilhelm’s time travel mystery/romance. I recall enjoying this story and not wanting it to end, far more so than a lot of the entries in this collection.
I don’t think there are any bad stories in this collection. There are some I didn’t personally like much, but even then I can see their merit as stories and works of literature; it’s just that neither their characters nor their plots held my interest. Perhaps half the fun of this book is arguing with the other people who have read it which stories are the best (the other half being bludgeoning your opponent with the sheer weight of this tome—definitely the definition of a doorstopper).
As a teacher, I love collections like this. It’s well-rounded, clearly carefully curated. I don’t get much of a chance to teach science fiction short stories in my English classes, though I tend to sneak some in there when I can (I love opening a unit on short stories with Vanessa Torline’s “#TrainFightTuesday” just because it is so deliciously atypical in its form). Still, this is a great resource, both in how it augments my understanding of the genre as a whole, and in its ability to offer up story ideas no matter what theme or era I’m interested in covering at the moment.
Definitely recommend for teachers, SF fans who want to dive deeper, and people with doors that keep closing on them.
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