FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #711: THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, A SPECIAL 25th ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY Edited by Edward L. Ferman

There is no The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, 21st Series. Instead, Edward L. Ferman assembled this The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction: A Special 25th Anniversary Anthology (1974) featuring stories from the special Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction first six special one-author issues.

The one-author issues started in early 1960s with Theodore Sturgeon (September 1962) followed by Ray Bradbury (May 1963) then Isaac Asimov (October 1966), Fritz Leiber (July 1969), Poul Anderson (April 1971), and James Blish (April 1972).

In his Introduction, Ferman gives credit to Joe Ferman, then the publisher of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, for the idea of one-author issues and the format: a major new work of fiction by the author, accompanied by a profile, critical appreciation, and bibliography.

If you’re a fan of Sturgeon, Bradbury, Asimov, Leiber, Anderson, and Blish this anthology should be a fixture in your library. Great stories! And I enjoyed reading the critical appreciations by Judith Merril, William F. Nolan, L. Sprague de Camp, Gordon R. Dickson, and Robert A. W. Lowndes. GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

7 thoughts on “FRIDAY’S FORGOTTEN BOOKS #711: THE BEST FROM FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION, A SPECIAL 25th ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY Edited by Edward L. Ferman

  1. wolf

    Just reading the list of authors makes me happy – couldn’t say which of them was “the best” – they’re all mong my favourites.
    That was one of the best things about the 60s and 70s:
    At least every month you would discover a new great author.

    Reply
  2. Byron

    I wasn’t familiar with this book or these issues of the magazine. This looks like a lot of fun. I’ll have to look for a copy. Great writers, all of them.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Byron, the single-author issues of F&SF were very popular back in the day. If you can track a copy down online, it’s worth checking out! Meanwhile, this 25th Anniversary volume can be found at affordable rates. And, some good libraries might still have this book on their shelves.

      Reply
      1. Todd Mason

        More popular with collectors than newsstand buyers, though…a highlighted writer apparently could turn people off. While even the Stephen King issue wouldn’t necessarily vanish from the magazine racks.

  3. Todd Mason

    Not the most hideous cover Ace, in its tree-martyring days (there were about a hundred words per page on a lot of mid/late ’70s Ace Books), but ugly enough…the one they slapped on the next volume worse. Interesting…I’d forgotten that Ferman had chosen “Abyss” from the two Bradbury stories in the tribute issue to RB.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *