FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #592: THE GREAT SF STORIES #22 (1960) Edited by Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

The most recognizable stories from The Great SF Stories #22 (1960) would be “The Lady Who Sailed the Soul” by Cordwainer Smith followed by J. G. Ballard’s “The Voices of Time.” I liked Richard M. McKenna’s “Mine Own Ways” a lot. Henry Slesar’s “Chief” provides one of his patented clever short-short stories.

What was the beginning of a growing trend, SF stories printed in “men’s magazines” like Playboy and Rogue started to show up in YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION anthologies. In this case, Damon Knight’s “The Handler” and Arthur C. Clarke’s “I Remember Babylon” are represented.

I’d also forgotten how good prolific SF writers like “Christopher Anvil (aka, Christopher Crosby) could be. “Mind Partner” is first-rate. I’ve only a few more volumes in this series to reread and review. I’m feeling sad about this 25-month project nearing its end. GRADE: A-

18 thoughts on “FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #592: THE GREAT SF STORIES #22 (1960) Edited by Isaac Asimov & Martin H. Greenberg

  1. Steve Oerkfitz

    My favorite here would be the Richard McKenna (The Sand Pebbles) and the Ballard. Some I know I’ve read but can’t remember like the Leiber, Pohl, Knight, Clarke and Moore. Never read the Raphael, Slesar or Anvil. Doesn’t include Poul Anderson’s The Longest Voyage which won the Hugo and was published in 1960.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Steve, I think we’re seeing the migration of SF writers from writing short stories for the SF magazines to writing for the paperback publishers: ACE, PYRAMID, BERKLEY, BALLANTINE, AVON, etc.

      Reply
  2. Patti Abbott

    Of course, I am clueless here. I think I read something by Ballard though. Or maybe it was Phil who did.

    Reply
  3. Jeff Meyerson

    #20 and 21 are the last two I have. I’ve read a few – the Ballard and Clarke, for sure.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I only have three more volumes to reread and review. It’s hard to believe I’ve been working on this project for over TWO years!

      Reply
  4. Jerry House

    Another great volume in this great series. You can’t go wrong with these authors. I was particularly glad to see underappreciated Ward Moore included.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jerry, I have some of Ward Moore’s novels that I intend to reread if this Stay-at-Home order lasts a few more months. I am certainly getting a lot of reading done!

      Reply
      1. Steve Oerkfitz

        Bring the Jubilee is Ward Moore’s best novel. It’s an alternative history in which the south had won the civil war.

      2. george Post author

        Steve, I think I read BRING THE JUBILEE back in the 1960s. But, I could read it again…if I can find it in my basement. I’m working on organizing the thousands of books, but it’s a mammoth job!

  5. James W. Harris

    I’m still stuck back in 1953. I finished the Bleiler/Dikty volume, but I’m in the middle of the Asimov/Greenberg. I’m looking forward to getting to the 1960s. I’ve got sidetrack by even another short story reading project. I’m in a Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/472875506624413/ – and we’ve started reading through THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME stories. If you have a Facebook account come on by.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jim, I’m not on Facebook. THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME stories include classic stories. Plenty of great reading!

      Reply
  6. Rick Robinson

    Anvil has long been a favorite, and I like the Leiber and Clarke, though I read the latter in the collected stories, not in Playboy. I’m pretty sure I’ve read a couple of the others, but couldn’t swear to it. You’ve done a great job posting on this series, George. Well done.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Rick, all the credit goes to James Wallace Harris who inspired me to attempt this project. It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s almost done.

      Reply
  7. wolf

    Probably said it already:
    I’m happy and proud to have the complete series and of course I have read them all – but I have to admit that I don’t remember many stories, seems I’m getting old.

    PS and rather OT:
    We’re in Hungary right now and because of the closed borders have to stay here, who knows how long …
    of course as a German I could travel home – but then I couldn’t travel back to Hungary.
    Crazy situation!
    So most of my books are far, far away …

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, Jim thinks our reviews of THE GREAT SF STORIES have sent the price of those DAW paperbacks skyward! I’m sad that you and your wonderful books are separated.

      Reply
  8. Steve Lewis

    Based on the authors — and the editors who selected them — these are probably great stories. Only problem is, I don’t remember reading any of them. The only reason I can think of is that I was in college and didn’t have as much time to read as o did in high school.

    I’ll have to find my copy of this one!

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Steve. there are copies of THE GREAT SF STORIES around. The problem is that in the past year or so, prices have spiked upwards. Jim thinks it’s because of our reviews of the series on our blogs. He might have a point there…

      Reply

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