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Big Book of Science Fiction
A collection of SF stories edited by Groff Conklin. Contains stories by Clifford Simak, Theodore Sturgeon, Murray Leinster, Lester del Rey, Frederic Brown, Fletcher Pratt, Ray Bradbury, John D. MacDonald, Fritz Leiber Jr, and C. M. Kornbluth.
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak
"Mewhu's Jet" by Theodore Sturgeon
"Nobody Saw the Ship" by Murray Leinster
"The Wings of Night" by Lester del Rey
"Arena" by Fredric Brown
"The Roger Bacon Formula" by Fletcher Pratt
"Forever and the Earth" by Ray Bradbury
"The Miniature" by John D MacDonald
"Sanity" by Fritz Leiber
"The Only Thing We Learn" by C. M. Kornbluth
"Desertion" by Clifford D. Simak
"Mewhu's Jet" by Theodore Sturgeon
"Nobody Saw the Ship" by Murray Leinster
"The Wings of Night" by Lester del Rey
"Arena" by Fredric Brown
"The Roger Bacon Formula" by Fletcher Pratt
"Forever and the Earth" by Ray Bradbury
"The Miniature" by John D MacDonald
"Sanity" by Fritz Leiber
"The Only Thing We Learn" by C. M. Kornbluth
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
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86 people want to read
About the author
Groff Conklin
111 books25 followersEdward Groff Conklin (September 6, 1904, Glen Ridge, New Jersey - July 19, 1968, Pawling, New York) was a leading science fiction anthologist. Conklin edited 41 anthologies of science fiction, wrote books on home improvement and was a freelance writer on scientific subjects. From 1950 to 1955, he was the book critic for Galaxy Science Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 12, 2020
This is a an anthology of ten short science fiction works edited by Groff Conklin, one of the premiere early editors of the field who's no longer well remembered. Most of the stories originally appeared in the genre pulp magazines in the 1940s. There are stories from C.M. Kornbluth, Fritz Leiber, Fletcher Pratt, Lester del Rey, Ray Bradbury, John D. MacDonald, Theodore Sturgeon, and Murray Leinster; my two favorites are Desertion by Clifford D. Simak and Arena by Fredric Brown. It seems likely that my Berkley paperback is a truncated version of a Crown hardback. The title is a little ironic, since the book is less than half an inch thick and measures a shade less than 4.25" x 6.25"!
August 9, 2008
A very nice collection of early SF works, although many are available in other, later collections. I got it partly because of the John D. MacDonald sory, "The Miniature," which I don't have elsewhere. Good stuff, though.
January 22, 2023
1989 Review:
There is an element of pathos, of precise irony, that can only be drawn from certain science fiction, getting me waxing philosophical, ruminating on existential conundrums. And optimistic about the future. Because despite man's frailties through the centuries, humanity will prevail. Given by Tita Letty in 1989 and read countless times since then, this collection is the Holy Grail of Science Fiction stories, encapsulating everything I crave about the genre.
October 2022 Review:
This review partially demolishes my impression from some thirty years ago. I have completely forgotten nearly all 32 stories in this book. Apart from three stories which at first blush, must have made the most impact on me, because rereading them now doesn't even evoke a sense of deja vu--they're just too familiar--with one in particular, too dear.
The Unforgettables, indicated by title, author, and categorization
1. Arena by Fredric Brown (World of Tomorrow) - The stage is set for a fight scene between a random GI space traveler against a random alien space cadet in a desert-like world with blue sand. Arranged by a far superior, unseen being, this is not merely a fight to the death--the loser's defeat spells the annihilation of his entire planet, spaceships, and citizens, wherever they may be. The taut narrative from the Earthman's point of view palpably conveys the disbelief and fear, the frustration, and the seeming impossibility of the whole enterprise. Which brings me to the Enterprise. I have just concluded my long-deferred voyage into the Star Trek universe. As a fan of retro SF, the Star Trek saga was something I intentionally delayed until carte blanche access to the complete series from the sixties, as I had with the Twilight Zone sixties collection courtesy of my brother's resourceful downloads, was guaranteed. And so I have Netflix to thank for my introduction and expected fandom to the many worlds of Star Trek. As with The Twilight Zone, some of the stories were already familiar to me, having come across them in science fiction anthologies. Arena was one, with Captain Kirk representing Earth, and with an ending more palatable to the spirit of Star Trek. Watching Arena triggered the desire to read this entire book again.
2. Not With a Bang by Damon Knight (World of Tomorrow) - The last story in the batch, and the shortest. Made memorable to me for the three sentences that struck me as way ahead of its time-- despite its "World of Tomorrow" classification--for mainstream SF of 1950. Equally unforgettable is the last word of the last paragraph--MEN. That took me a while, back when I first read it in 1989, to figure out. Wars of apocalyptic proportions, plague and bombing "mistakes" have decimated Earth, now down to its last two inhabitants: Louise, an extremely prudish nurse and Rolf, a rakish--an asshole, really--lab assistant. Desperate to have a nurse administer to his unnamed ailment and eager to replenish the human race, Rolf needs to woo Louise first. As Rolf ruminates, "afterwards, he could do with her as he liked--beat her when he pleased, submit her to any proof of his scorn and revulsion, use her. Then it would not be too bad, being the last man on Earth--not bad at all. She might even have a daughter..." This is the World of Tomorrow's Adam and Eve redux, with the apple falling far, very far from the tree. The title surely, comes from T.S. Eliot's The Hollow Men: This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.
3. Desertion by Clifford D. Simak (Far Traveling) - "This collection is the Holy Grail of Science Fiction stories, encapsulating everything I crave about the genre." These were my sentiments for the book in 1989, and the next few years after that. But today I have to paraphrase it to "Desertion by Clifford D. Simak is the Holy Grail of Science Fiction stories, encapsulating everything I crave about the genre." And it took me this long to realize that this gruffly, stoically narrated story of a command station's mysterious, and to all intents and purposes, unthinkable mission on Jupiter is also a beautiful, allegorical tale of death. Of heaven, if you will. I read Desertion in 1989, it is the stimulus for my preoccupation with retro science fiction. Since then I have encountered quite a few that have equalled the kind of reverie, the epiphany that comes with reading science fiction with beatific ramifications: The Star by Arthur C. Clarke, Light of Other Days by Bob Shaw, and Nightfall by Isaac Asimov. My immense gratitude goes to Mr Simak.
The Mentionables (stories which should have stayed with me, back when I first read this book)
1) Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell (From Outer Space) - This is practically a novella, as it is one of the longer stories here. Tentacled Martians arrive on Earth, post-desolation. A quick foray reveals a planet no longer viable, so they decide to leave. But one determined Martian decides to stay. Dismissed unnecessary to the operation, the captain allows him. Yes, it is a male Martian, and his name is Fander. And Fander is a poet, a calling deemed as expendable to Martians as it is to Earthlings. Or is it? Written in 1950, Dear Devil is one of the most touching stories in the book, and certainly worth a rereading.
2) The Ship That Turned Aside by Green Peyton (Adventures in Dimension) - Inter-dimensional travel, destination: the past. Or what looks to be the past. My kind of fetish.
Five stories out of 32, plus an illuminating foreword by Groff Conklin still gains this 5 stars.
* While rereading this, my hardbound book just fell apart. Into five pieces. I guess this is the price for being so beloved.
There is an element of pathos, of precise irony, that can only be drawn from certain science fiction, getting me waxing philosophical, ruminating on existential conundrums. And optimistic about the future. Because despite man's frailties through the centuries, humanity will prevail. Given by Tita Letty in 1989 and read countless times since then, this collection is the Holy Grail of Science Fiction stories, encapsulating everything I crave about the genre.
October 2022 Review:
This review partially demolishes my impression from some thirty years ago. I have completely forgotten nearly all 32 stories in this book. Apart from three stories which at first blush, must have made the most impact on me, because rereading them now doesn't even evoke a sense of deja vu--they're just too familiar--with one in particular, too dear.
The Unforgettables, indicated by title, author, and categorization
1. Arena by Fredric Brown (World of Tomorrow) - The stage is set for a fight scene between a random GI space traveler against a random alien space cadet in a desert-like world with blue sand. Arranged by a far superior, unseen being, this is not merely a fight to the death--the loser's defeat spells the annihilation of his entire planet, spaceships, and citizens, wherever they may be. The taut narrative from the Earthman's point of view palpably conveys the disbelief and fear, the frustration, and the seeming impossibility of the whole enterprise. Which brings me to the Enterprise. I have just concluded my long-deferred voyage into the Star Trek universe. As a fan of retro SF, the Star Trek saga was something I intentionally delayed until carte blanche access to the complete series from the sixties, as I had with the Twilight Zone sixties collection courtesy of my brother's resourceful downloads, was guaranteed. And so I have Netflix to thank for my introduction and expected fandom to the many worlds of Star Trek. As with The Twilight Zone, some of the stories were already familiar to me, having come across them in science fiction anthologies. Arena was one, with Captain Kirk representing Earth, and with an ending more palatable to the spirit of Star Trek. Watching Arena triggered the desire to read this entire book again.
2. Not With a Bang by Damon Knight (World of Tomorrow) - The last story in the batch, and the shortest. Made memorable to me for the three sentences that struck me as way ahead of its time-- despite its "World of Tomorrow" classification--for mainstream SF of 1950. Equally unforgettable is the last word of the last paragraph--MEN. That took me a while, back when I first read it in 1989, to figure out. Wars of apocalyptic proportions, plague and bombing "mistakes" have decimated Earth, now down to its last two inhabitants: Louise, an extremely prudish nurse and Rolf, a rakish--an asshole, really--lab assistant. Desperate to have a nurse administer to his unnamed ailment and eager to replenish the human race, Rolf needs to woo Louise first. As Rolf ruminates, "afterwards, he could do with her as he liked--beat her when he pleased, submit her to any proof of his scorn and revulsion, use her. Then it would not be too bad, being the last man on Earth--not bad at all. She might even have a daughter..." This is the World of Tomorrow's Adam and Eve redux, with the apple falling far, very far from the tree. The title surely, comes from T.S. Eliot's The Hollow Men: This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper.
3. Desertion by Clifford D. Simak (Far Traveling) - "This collection is the Holy Grail of Science Fiction stories, encapsulating everything I crave about the genre." These were my sentiments for the book in 1989, and the next few years after that. But today I have to paraphrase it to "Desertion by Clifford D. Simak is the Holy Grail of Science Fiction stories, encapsulating everything I crave about the genre." And it took me this long to realize that this gruffly, stoically narrated story of a command station's mysterious, and to all intents and purposes, unthinkable mission on Jupiter is also a beautiful, allegorical tale of death. Of heaven, if you will. I read Desertion in 1989, it is the stimulus for my preoccupation with retro science fiction. Since then I have encountered quite a few that have equalled the kind of reverie, the epiphany that comes with reading science fiction with beatific ramifications: The Star by Arthur C. Clarke, Light of Other Days by Bob Shaw, and Nightfall by Isaac Asimov. My immense gratitude goes to Mr Simak.
The Mentionables (stories which should have stayed with me, back when I first read this book)
1) Dear Devil by Eric Frank Russell (From Outer Space) - This is practically a novella, as it is one of the longer stories here. Tentacled Martians arrive on Earth, post-desolation. A quick foray reveals a planet no longer viable, so they decide to leave. But one determined Martian decides to stay. Dismissed unnecessary to the operation, the captain allows him. Yes, it is a male Martian, and his name is Fander. And Fander is a poet, a calling deemed as expendable to Martians as it is to Earthlings. Or is it? Written in 1950, Dear Devil is one of the most touching stories in the book, and certainly worth a rereading.
2) The Ship That Turned Aside by Green Peyton (Adventures in Dimension) - Inter-dimensional travel, destination: the past. Or what looks to be the past. My kind of fetish.
Five stories out of 32, plus an illuminating foreword by Groff Conklin still gains this 5 stars.
* While rereading this, my hardbound book just fell apart. Into five pieces. I guess this is the price for being so beloved.
August 3, 2024
One of the first comprehensivve science fiction anthologies, this one covering works from magazines starting in 1945 through 1950, which demonnstrate the increasing sophisticated nature of the short fiction.
August 18, 2024
Amusing old sci-fi stories.
Read
August 22, 2008The Classic Book of Science Fiction by Groff Conklin (1982)
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June 12, 20151976 no grade
short stories
Berkley Books G-53
short stories
Berkley Books G-53
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews