Robert Sheckley was one of my favorite writers when I was a teenager. It seemed that every issue of Galaxy and If had a Sheckley story in it. I preferred Sheckley’s humorous stories, but he could also write gritty, hard-hitting fiction. This newly published New York Review of Books edition of 26 Sheckley stories has plenty of great stories in it. I hope this is the first of a series!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
The Monsters
Seventh Victim
Shape
Specialist
Warm
Watchbird
The Accountant
Paradise II
All the Things You Are
Protection
The Native Problem
Pilgrimage to Earth
A Wind is Rising
Dawn Invader
Double Indemnity
Holdout
Language of Love
Morning After
The Red Slayer
The Store of the Worlds
Shall We Have a Little Talk?
Cordle to Onion to Carrot
The People Trap
Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?
Is That What People Do?
Beside Still Waters
Sheckley was one of my favorites, too, one of the best short-story writers in the field. He shouldn’t be forgotten.
THE STORE OF THE WORLDS should help bring Sheckley back, Bill. Plenty of Sheckley’s best stories are in this volume!
I don’t think I’ve ever read him other than a story or two, but since my library ordered this I’ve put it on hold.
You will love Robert Sheckley’s short stories, Jeff. Some are very funny!
I think he was the finest science fiction short-story writer, period. Certainly the most consistently clever one we had. And an interesting novelist, in sf and other genres.
I totally agree with you, Drongo. During the Fifties and Sixties, Sheckley wrote terrific short stories. I enjoyed his non-SF novels, too.
Love some of Sheckley’s work from the 60s, especially “Mindswap” which i thought was brillaintly put together.
Yes, MINDSWAP was one of Sheckley’s cleverest novels, Sergio. If you liked that, you’ll love these short stories in STORE OF THE WORLDS.
I’ve liked some and not cared much for others, but over all, he’s worth reading, especially the older stuff.
Sheckley’s heyday was in the Fifties and Sixties, Rick. It seemed like he had a story in every issue of GALAXY back then. Later, Sheckley turned to novels.
OK, sounds good – ordered MINDSWAP too.
Sheckley specialized in clever stories and novels, Jeff.
Not read a lot of Sheckley, no short fiction that I can remember. The only thing that comes to mind immediately is his victim trilogy, the first of which was a movie novelization based on one f his shorter pieces if I remember correctly and two sequels of his own.
Your memories are accurate, Randy. In fact, the short story that the trilogy is based on, “The Seventh Victim,” is included in STORE OF THE WORLDS. Once you read one of Sheckley’s wonderful short stories, you’ll want to read more.