The Best of Joe Haldeman

by Joe Haldeman

Joe Haldeman has been one of the world’s most universally admired and beloved science fiction writers for more than four decades. He has earned the respect of both lifelong science fiction fans and mainstream literary writers, both for the originality of his concepts and for the unsurpassed clarity of his prose, and his characters are among the most memorable in all of science fiction.

This first career retrospective of Haldeman’s finest work ranges from early tales such as “Hero”—which instantly earned his reputation and provided the basis for his classic novel The Forever War—to mid-career masterpieces like “Seasons” and “The Hemingway Hoax,” his major tribute to a favorite literary godfather, to very recent stories such as “Sleeping Dogs” and “Complete Sentence.” Haldeman has provided original story introductions for this new landmark collection.

What emerges from The Best of Joe Haldeman is a stunning portrait of a writer who may be more complex and varied than even his most devoted fans suspect. He can build a touching far-future romance from a Shakespeare sonnet (“For White Hill”), depict with ruthless intensity the horrors of war (“Graves”), and ask classic science fictional “what if” questions worthy of Robert A. Heinlein, to whom Haldeman has often been compared as a worthy successor.

Limited: 250 signed numbered numbered copies, bound in leather
Trade: Fully cloth bound hardcover edition

Table of Contents

Introduction
Hero
Anniversary Project
Tricentennial
Blood Sisters
Lindsay and the Red City Blues
Manifest Destiny
More Than the Sum of His Parts
Seasons
The Monster
The Hemingway Hoax
Graves
None So Blind
For White Hill
Civil Disobedience
Four Short Novels
Angel of Light
The Mars Girl
Sleeping Dogs
Complete Sentence

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Collections

497 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2013

About the author

Brother of Jack C. Haldeman II

Haldeman is the author of 20 novels and five collections. The Forever War won the Nebula, Hugo and Ditmar Awards for best science fiction novel in 1975. Other notable titles include Camouflage, The Accidental Time Machine and Marsbound as well as the short works "Graves," "Tricentennial" and "The Hemingway Hoax." Starbound is scheduled for a January release. SFWA president Russell Davis called Haldeman "an extraordinarily talented writer, a respected teacher and mentor in our community, and a good friend."

Haldeman officially received the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master for 2010 by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America at the Nebula Awards Weekend in May, 2010 in Hollywood, Fla.

Reviews

[Reet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this before--pre-Goodreads. Haldeman is a capable and prolific author, and I have so far enjoyed all of his short stories and novels. Here are summaries of the stories that struck me especially:

Anniversary p.71: a million years in the future, future man is getting ready to celebrate the millionth anniversary of the written word. However, barely anybody reads anymore, so a time trawler picks up a newly married couple on a beach in 1952. Their task is to read the classics ( like Faust) so the future-humans can telepathically share what it feels like. And sex--nobody has sex anymore--but future-man doesn't let on that that will also telepathically be shared.

Lindsay and the Red City Blues p. 129: Why do American tourists act so stupid? This particular one goes to marrakesh and lets a boy lead him into a market for a beer. He can't find his way out without the boy, but he tries. He hooks up with a hooker, and gets beaten and robbed. Think that's bad? Wait for the ending. Best story for a misandrist.

More than the Sum of His Parts p.163: Shades of Flowers for Algernon. An electrical engineer working for a mining operation on the moon accidentally walks through aluminum vapor and 3/4 of his body is burnt away. Drs and scientists replace and create parts with cybernetics. His developing power goes to his head and a monster is created. But he kept two diaries and the secret one was discovered by a Dr. Fascinating plot.

Seasons p. 216: A friendly, Pacific alien is observed by explorers for 4 seasons: however, it wasn't realized until the next expedition that there're 6 seasons--the fifth one is where they become...well...alien. Fast-paced, a lot of sex (I suppose if you have a chance of dying, you get horny).

For White Hill p. 383: 27 artists are chosen from the inhabited planets, to do an artwork commemorating Earth, on Earth, in Amazonia, after Earth has had all animal and plant life exterminated by a "virus" set down by the enemy. Two of the artists fall in love and then find out the enemy has accelerated Sol's death. Well, if you believe in "love," this might make you unhappy. Me? Meh.

The Mars Girl p.472: This story is entertaining and fun. It's about a 16-yr-old girl who, along with her family, gets to migrate to the Mars colony. She is working at an online degree (she's advanced) and has to work, helping to build new modules for the colony. When the colony's leader (who hates kids) humiliates her for the second time in front of all the colonists, Carmen takes out her anger by going for a night walk on Mars' surface. Falling through a lava cone, she breaks her ankle and a rib or so, and breaks her suit's heater. She figures she's going to die, but wakes up to a "hospital room" with two Martian"doctors." They cure her and bring her back to the colony, but nobody will believe her story. Then she gets sick with a lung fungus growing and making her cough up blood. Carmen decides that since she caught it from the Martians, maybe they can cure her, and tries to signal them. It works, but when the colonists misunderstand and try to laser open their airlock, things could be bad...

[Kat Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories by Joe Haldeman are always a good things and Subterranean Press has recently put out this “Best of” collection edited by Jonathan Strahan. The hardcover book has 504 pages and includes a general introduction by Joe Haldeman and 19 of his stories. Each story also has a short introduction which reveals some insight into its crafting — perhaps where the idea came from, or some trouble he had writing or placing it, or how he did his research, or his interactions with his agent or editor. I’m not a writer, but I always find these author introductions interesting.

The stories are, in order:
Read more:
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[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection with some longer stories.

[A S Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

A best-of collection for Joe Haldeman may seem premature. He has, after all, published four novels in the last five years, an active figure by most counts. And while Haldeman might be described, like a complex wine, as well matured, he is far from spent. Perhaps a more accurate title should be The Best* of Joe Haldeman: *so far. Haldeman himself seems aware of the irony. He introduces each of the nineteen tales and the book as a whole, and in these twenty introductions he treats the book less as a celebration of greatness and more as a learning exercise. He describes the geneses of stories, talks about the creative process, and gives advice to writers. Throughout, his tone is more bemused than self-pleased. It is as though Haldeman, long a teacher of writing at MIT, finds the processes of instruction and reflection linked—much to the benefit of readers.

...

Read the rest of this review here: http://www.strangehorizons.com/review...

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories by Joe Haldeman are always a good things and Subterranean Press has recently put out this “Best of” collection edited by Jonathan Strahan. The hardcover book has 504 pages and includes a general introduction by Joe Haldeman and 19 of his stories. Each story also has a short introduction which reveals some insight into its crafting — perhaps where the idea came from, or some trouble he had writing or placing it, or how he did his research, or his interactions with his agent or editor. I’m not a writer, but I always find these author introductions interesting.

The stories are, in order:

“Hero” — (1972) This is the opening of Haldeman’s best-known novel, The Forever War, which I loved. I skipped this story since I’d read it before (it takes up about 50 pages in this collection). “Hero” will give readers a sense of what to expect if ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Mike Strider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several of these stories have been widely distributed, like Hoax, Graves, Hero, etc but the way this collection is put together, along with author notes regarding each story, make this a must have book for any fan of Joe Haldeman. I liked this so much I purchased a limited edition, a trade hardback, and the ebook version. Call me addicted, I'll answer.. Great Book !!!

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haldeman is very talented, and I think shorts are his best thing. But I have read virtually all of these before; I would have preferred new stories. I don't buy many books, but I paid for this one and had some very specific wishes for it.

[H. R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haldeman's best single collection of short works. Highlight is the novella For White Hill. You should read this collection if you like Haldeman's novels.

[Elroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of short stories and novellas. A bit uneven, but good stuff nevertheless :-)

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming unpretentious time travel story, with a great twist in the last paragraph. I really enjoyed it, and if you're a sucker for a time traveler story like I am so will you!

[Richard Givan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big book of short fiction by a master sci fi writer.