Back in 1984 and 1985, Crown Publishing issued a series called “Classics of Modern Science Fiction.” The small hardcovers were a little larger than a traditional paperback and sold for $7.95. My favorite volume in the series is The Classic Philip Jose Farmer 1952-1964. Isaac Asimov wrote a “Forward” about the rationale for a hardcover reprint series. Martin H. Greenberg contributed an informative “Introduction” about Philip Jose Farmer’s career. Then comes some of the most astounding PJF early stories: “Sail On! Sail On!”, “Mother,” “The God Business,” “The Alley Man,” “My Sister’s Brother,” and “The King of the Beasts.” These are ground-breaking stories that changed the landscape of science fiction. Sadly, Crown pulled the plug on the series in 1985. If you can find these wonderful volumes (usually at library book sales), all of them are well worth reading.
CROWN CLASSICS OF MODERN SCIENCE FICTION SERIES
1 Men, Martians and Machines Eric Frank Russell
2 The Joy Makers James Gunn
3 The Shores of Another Sea Chad Oliver
4 The Classic Philip José Farmer, 1952-1964 Philip José Farmer
5 The Classic Philip José Farmer, 1964-1973 Philip José Farmer
6 The Forgotten Planet Murray Leinster
7 The Paradox Men Charles L. Harness
8 Unearthly Neighbors Chad Oliver
9 Shadows in the Sun Chad Oliver
10 Greener Than You Think Ward Moore
Like the man’s work. This would be one I would love to find.
I found THE CLASSIC PHILIP JOSE FARMER 1952-1964 at a library book sale a couple of weeks ago, Randy. These books are still floating round.
Found and ordered. Surprisingly reasonable.
Or you could do it the easy way and order it online, Randy.
A great little series. “Classic” fits all those writers.
The ten volumes in CLASSICS OF MODERN SCIENCE FICTION were a good start, Bill. I wish the series had continued another dozen volumes.
Nice series.
The early Farmer wrote stories about sex and religion, Jeff. Two taboos in SF in the Fifties and early Sixties. Farmer’s work caused the genre to change.
George, a good choice, but I like the other Farmer collection even better, which had a nifty Burroughs/Burroughs mash-up.
This was a wonderful series. The Harness novel is wildly entertaining, and how nice it must have been to have the great Chad Oliver back in print, if only briefly.
Yes, I liked that Burroughs/Burroughs mash-up, too, Drongo. But these early stories of Farmer’s really rocked the SF world. I might review THE PARADOX MEN for a future FFB. Chad Oliver’s work is available in wonderful NESFA editions.
George Zebrowski was no slouch, though Crown turned out to be…Chad Oliver’s work hadn’t been too long OP at the time of this issue, but sure has been mostly since.
That the one story here was originally published as “Open to Me, My Sister” gives a sense of Farmer’s early challenge to the field (abetted, with a broad grin, I’m sure, by Robert Mills, not too long shifted over to editing F&SF from working on VENTURE, where this kind of sexual charge was de rigueur).
Yes, the Crown hardcovers were compact, Todd. They were a little bigger than a paperback and a little smaller than a digest. I wish the series had lasted longer, but what Asimov and Greenberg did publish was pretty good.
They were essentially digest-sized…
Todd – NESFA has done three volumes of Chad Oliver (2 short stories and one novels) which are all in print and very worth while.
George – This was a great series. I still have the Framers and the Oliver from the great book sale. the others have sadly vanished though they can be replaced.
I pick up copies of THE CLASSICS OF MODERN SCIENCE FICTION whenever I run across them, Scott. I’ll be happy to send you any titles you might be lacking if I find them.
Love the NESFA books, if not their proofreading, but there’s still the majority of Oliver. And Zebrowski, as the book advertises, was the series editor for the Crown books…Greenberg on his way to becoming an industry Goliath in the early ’80s, but not quite there yet.
Asimov and Greenberg worked together on a great DAW series of books collecting the “best” short stories of the years preceding the Hugo Awards, Todd. Asimov’s “Introduction” argues that hardcovers were the only way to preserve great SF of the past (paperbacks and magazines being too ephemeral) . Asimov didn’t dream of digital files and ebooks on the Internet.
I have volumes 1 and 6 of this series, none of the others. In my opinion, digital files and ebooks on the Internet are also ephemeral, as time will show. Not existing as an actual object, they ultimately will be viewed as having little value and will be replaced by some other file or program at the whim of the user.
I was amused by Asimov’s faith that a hardcover book represented “permanency,” Rick. Digital files are problematic, too. I’ll make the same offer to you that I made to Scott: if you want any of the other volumes in the CLASSICS OF MODERN SCIENCE FICTION, let me know. The summer library book sale season is in full swing and I’ll be happy to send you any of the volumes you’re missing if I run across them.
Thanks for citing this forgotten series. It must be my age but I’m still thrilled more by 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s sf than by a lot of the newer stuff. This was a classy series of books. I actually prefer this size for reading.
You’re right about THE CLASSICS OF MODERN SCIENCE FICTION books being a classy series, Ed. Like you, I prefer some of the old SF to much of what is being published today.
There’s always good new stuff, but there is always chaff, too…the chaff today seems to be very fan-stroking, whereas the old chaff was more often of the what-the-hell, throw it on the market and see if it moves variety, almost in contempt. Not sure which kind of chaff is more pernicious.
I don’t minimize Greenberg’s work, Geroge…it’s just that this series was one of Zebrowski’s many interesting projects rather than MHG’s or Asimov’s per se.
And Asimov was aware of the potential for electronic products, if not their full flowering multiplicity…he was just a book partisan. It is hard to argue that books are wholly outclassed when the batteries go dead and can’t be immediately recharged because the AC is also out or inaccessible…but, then also, hard to read real books in the dark.
I agree with you, Todd. Asimov probably had some inkling of the potential of computers to store data (like books) back in the early 1980s. But Asimov also knew that libraries didn’t collect paperbacks or SF magazines. That’s why SUNY at Buffalo was so delighted when I donated my collection to them.