Best Sci-Fi of the 1930's

This list is for Science Fiction only. When this list was originally created it was expected to have both Fantasy and Science Fiction. However there are pretty good fantasy specific lists that should be used instead.

Other SF Lists of Note:
Best Science Fiction
Best Science Fiction of the 21st Century
Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century
Best Forgotten Science Fiction of the 20th Century
Popular Highly Rated Science Fiction
Best Science Fiction Fantasy Books

SF Subgenres:
Alternate History
Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic Fiction
Space Opera
Steampunk

Locus Recommended Science Fiction:
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015,
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
2009, 2001, 2000

Sci Fi Award Nominees
2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
2009, 2008, 2007, 2006

Science Fiction By Decade:
1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s,
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s

Science Fiction By Year:
2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012

Can't Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy By Year:
2021, 2020
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

New Speculative Writers by Decade:
2000s, 2010s

Science Fiction By Ratings:
100,000 and more, 50000 to 99999, 25000 to 49999, 10000 to 24999
1000 to 9999, 100 to 999, Less than 100
1

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7

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3.69 avg rating — 1,730 ratings
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8

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3.90 avg rating — 9,595 ratings
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9

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3.99 avg rating — 611 ratings
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3.87 avg rating — 1,568 ratings
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3.86 avg rating — 4,156 ratings
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3.76 avg rating — 1,676 ratings
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14

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3.73 avg rating — 422 ratings
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3.85 avg rating — 1,143 ratings
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16

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3.85 avg rating — 6,552 ratings
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17

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3.84 avg rating — 960 ratings
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18

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3.53 avg rating — 1,331 ratings
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19

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4.11 avg rating — 4,999 ratings
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20

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3.71 avg rating — 1,228 ratings
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21

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3.73 avg rating — 1,514 ratings
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22

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3.72 avg rating — 1,559 ratings
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23

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24

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4.30 avg rating — 6,393 ratings
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25

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26

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27

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28

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29

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3.98 avg rating — 3,856 ratings
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30

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3.78 avg rating — 1,310 ratings
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31

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3.69 avg rating — 1,854 ratings
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32

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3.84 avg rating — 3,665 ratings
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33

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3.68 avg rating — 1,250 ratings
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34

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3.68 avg rating — 1,255 ratings
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35

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3.87 avg rating — 2,208 ratings
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36

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3.61 avg rating — 168,498 ratings
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37

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3.74 avg rating — 1,364 ratings
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38

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3.72 avg rating — 1,316 ratings
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39

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3.79 avg rating — 1,066 ratings
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40

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4.07 avg rating — 5,367 ratings
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41

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3.56 avg rating — 326 ratings
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41

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4.10 avg rating — 28,755 ratings
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43

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3.89 avg rating — 6,999 ratings
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43

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3.71 avg rating — 5,224 ratings
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45

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3.57 avg rating — 107 ratings
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45

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3.74 avg rating — 881 ratings
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47

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3.78 avg rating — 2,453 ratings
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47

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4.07 avg rating — 282 ratings
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49

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3.77 avg rating — 12,521 ratings
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50

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3.57 avg rating — 139 ratings
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51

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3.32 avg rating — 44 ratings
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51

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4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings
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51

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3.76 avg rating — 1,471 ratings
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54

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3.73 avg rating — 502 ratings
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54

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3.77 avg rating — 652 ratings
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56

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3.74 avg rating — 137 ratings
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56

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3.76 avg rating — 731 ratings
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56

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3.91 avg rating — 585 ratings
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56

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3.48 avg rating — 541 ratings
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60

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4.11 avg rating — 1,736 ratings
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60

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3.33 avg rating — 6 ratings
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62

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62

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3.93 avg rating — 964 ratings
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62

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62

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3.81 avg rating — 25,387 ratings
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66

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66

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66

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69

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69

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3.36 avg rating — 36 ratings
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71

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3.97 avg rating — 223 ratings
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72

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3.45 avg rating — 22 ratings
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73

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3.62 avg rating — 1,463 ratings
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74

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0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings
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75

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3.53 avg rating — 130 ratings
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76

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3.53 avg rating — 62 ratings
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77

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3.64 avg rating — 909 ratings
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78

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3.24 avg rating — 836 ratings
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79

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3.17 avg rating — 42 ratings
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80

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3.80 avg rating — 252 ratings
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81

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3.23 avg rating — 1,299 ratings
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82

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3.49 avg rating — 378 ratings
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83

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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84

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3.42 avg rating — 294 ratings
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85

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3.39 avg rating — 3,729 ratings
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86

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3.36 avg rating — 33 ratings
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87

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3.71 avg rating — 3,383 ratings
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88

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3.53 avg rating — 43 ratings
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89

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4.08 avg rating — 1,872 ratings
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90

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4.09 avg rating — 90 ratings
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91

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3.84 avg rating — 44 ratings
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92

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3.83 avg rating — 35 ratings
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93

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4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings
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94

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3.25 avg rating — 20 ratings
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95

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4.10 avg rating — 2,862 ratings
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96

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it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 3 ratings
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96

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3.85 avg rating — 919 ratings
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98

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3.17 avg rating — 113 ratings
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99

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3.71 avg rating — 1,623 ratings
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100

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4.42 avg rating — 896 ratings
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102 books · 116 voters · list created September 17th, 2013 by Mitchell Friedman (votes) .
66 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Mitchell 11089 books
172 friends
Walt 2215 books
30 friends
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3388 books
851 friends
Kamakana 6575 books
460 friends
Ric 2009 books
614 friends
Cheryl 21464 books
381 friends
Sally 4263 books
25 friends
Andreas 2071 books
206 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-13 of 13 (13 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads What distinction, if any, are you making between science fiction and traditional fantasy?


message 2: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman On this list I make no distinction between science fiction and traditional fantasy. When I created the 70s and 80s lists I seeded those lists with any book nominated for Hugo or Nebula - which absolutely includes fantasy. If we could fine 100 relevant science fiction and fantasy books from the 30s I'd be pretty pleased.


message 3: by Ric (new)

Ric If you start a list for the 1920s, here are two books that belong:
The Clockwork Man
The Skylark of Space


message 4: by [deleted user] (new)

I removed the following because they were outside of the listed time frame:

Mary Poppins Opens the Door
I Burn Paris

Though I did add I Burn Paris to my to-read list.


message 5: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Just a heads up, I will be changing this list to remove the fantasy books and point people to existing fantasy lists.


message 6: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman I will eventually remove the Fantasy books from this list, though anyone could remove their own votes first. But might as well start with The Hobbit.


message 7: by Melbourne (new)

Melbourne Bitter Jackboot Britian? Wasn't that written a couple of years ago and not the 1930s?


message 8: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Melbourne wrote: "Jackboot Britian? Wasn't that written a couple of years ago and not the 1930s?"

removed. apparently Jackboot Britain with 60 ratings and 8 reviews has been put on 300 some odd lists.


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads Yeah, that's been persistently spammed on lists.


message 10: by Liquidlasagna (new)

Liquidlasagna can we replace book 67 by Siodmak's German Screenplay/Book with the 1933 English translation by Collins?

F.p. 1 antwortet nicht - 1931
to
FP1 Fails to Reply - 1933
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads A. There's no way of switching editions. B. Everyone would then have to revote the "correct" volume back on.


message 12: by Liquidlasagna (new)

Liquidlasagna Well with 1 vote and zero ratings, i think it would be a wise idea to put in the English Language Edition without much hardship

just add the other one, and remove the other one which is woefully neglected, and someone can link the german version to the english version...

Though i really wonder if the book's reputation is more to the movie and the author... but if someone thinks the actual book is a classic of the 30s, in english [or german], so be it.

I'm surprised it wasn't reprinted in the 40s 50s 60s though
like his other books but i did find one link

Science-Fiction Classics: The Stories That Morphed Into Movies (1999)
Editor: Forrest J. Ackerman
17 stories
446 pages

http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?1...

hopefully someone who's an expert with listings here can update the German and English listing of the book to an accessible copy!


Susanna - Censored by GoodReads The most popular edition will always predominate. Most voters aren't that careful.


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