I’ve always liked the Ed Valgurskey cover on the hardcover edition of The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Seventh Series. This collection features the classic SF puzzle story, “The Cage,” by Australian writer, A. Bertram Chandler.
Another feature of The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction series is the inclusion of women SF writers. Margaret St. Clair and Mildred Clingerman are represented by fine stories.
I’ve always been a fan of C. M. Kornbluth’s “MS Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie.” Many of you will remember Fritz Leiber’s “The Big Trek.” I’m also fond of Robert F. Young–who worked as a janitor in Buffalo, NY schools–and his fantasy “Goddess in Granite.” All in all, a solid collection well worth rereading! GRADE: A-
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- 9 • Introduction (Best from F&SF 7) • (1958) • essay by Anthony Boucher
- 11 • The Wines of Earth • (1957) • short story by Margaret St. Clair [as by Idris Seabright]
- 19 • In Memoriam: Fletcher Pratt • (1957) • poem by James Blish
- 20 • Adjustment • (1957) • novelette by Ward Moore
- 46 • The Cage • (1957) • short story by A. Bertram Chandler
- 61 • Mr. Stilwell’s Stage • (1957) • short story by Avram Davidson
- 73 • Venture to the Moon • [Venture to the Moon] • (1956) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
- 105 • Expedition • (1956) • short story by Fredric Brown
- 107 • Lyric for Atom Splitters • (1957) • poem by Doris Pitkin Buck (variant of Lyric for Atom-Splitters)
- 108 • Rescue • (1957) • short story by G. C. Edmondson
- 119 • The Horror Story Shorter by One Letter Than the Shortest Horror Story Ever Written • (1957) • short story by Ron Smith
- 120 • Between the Thunder and the Sun • (1957) • novelette by Chad Oliver
- 182 • A Loint of Paw • (1957) • short story by Isaac Asimov
- 184 • The Wild Wood • (1957) • short story by Mildred Clingerman
- 195 • Dodger Fan • (1957) • short story by Will Stanton
- 201 • Goddess in Granite • (1957) • novelette by Robert F. Young
- 231 • Yes, but … • (1957) • poem by Anthony Brode
- 232 • MS. Found in a Chinese Fortune Cookie • (1957) • short story by C. M. Kornbluth
- 247 • Journeys End • (1957) • short story by Poul Anderson
- 258 • Full Circle • (1956) • poem by Dorothy Cowles Pinkney [as by Dorothy C. Pinkney]
- 259 • The Big Trek • (1957) • short story by Fritz Leiber
I love that Robert M. Young worked as a janitor in the Buffalo schools! That reminds me of Bill Crider’s favorite, Earl (Speedo) Carroll of The Cadillacs, who worked as a custodian in P.S. 87 in Manhattan for nearly 25 years. He was even the subject of a childrens’ book, THAT’S OUR CUSTODIAN. The book helped revive his career in doo wop on various PBS specials.
Jeff, I didn’t know about Robert F. Young being a janitor in Buffalo until years after he died. I enjoyed his stories in the Sixties and Seventies.
Good solid collection even though no real classics.
Steve, you’ve summed it up perfectly: solid collection, but no real classic SF stories.
“Journey’s End” pretty close to the best Anderson was doing at that time, though.
Todd, you’re right about “Journey’s End.” Poul Anderson hit that one out of the park!
I wonder if he taught any kids to play chess.
Patti, maybe…
Um…given his submerged or blatant (in the ’70s) sexual obsessions in his fiction, perhaps better if he didn’t…
Todd, good point.
As Steve says, a good solid anthology. I’ve read most of them, but have no recollection of the Chad Oliver story. I’ll have to pull out the NESFA volume of his stories and read it.
Rick, I loved Chad Oliver’s stories when I first read them in the early 1960s.
One I haven’t read, and as a result I haven’t read the vast majority of the stories…this seems a not quite fallow volume, by the standards of F&SF best-ofs…but still definitely looks like the good read you report.
Todd, in the mid-1950 and into the early 1960s, the quality level of THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION was fairly high…and consistent.
I am a long-term champion of the magazine. Avram Davidson still my favorite editor of the magazine, and Robert Mills and Edward Ferman not far behind.
Todd, I’m impressed with the work Anthony Boucher did to get THE MAGAZINE OF FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION up and running.
Back in the day, I always enjoyed the Robert F. Young stories. I recently bought The Worlds of Robert F. Young and it reprints “Goddess in Granite.”
Jim, I have a copy of THE WORLDS OF ROBERT F. YOUNG around here somewhere. Time to find it and reread it!