by Terry Carr
First published 1974
This anthology brings together nine distinct voices in science fiction, each exploring different facets of communication, identity, and human nature. Alan Dean Foster opens with "Dream Done Green," followed by George Alec Effinger's "Ashes All My Lust" and Frederik Pohl's "Enjoy, Enjoy." Mildred Downey Broxon contributes "The Stones Have Names," while Fritz Leiber asks "Do You Know Dave Wenzel?" Pamela Sargent offers "Shadows," Alan Brennert presents "In This Image," and John Brunner delivers "What Friends Are For." The collection concludes with Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Author of the Acacia Seeds," which examines fictional extracts from a journal dedicated to studying animal languages. Each story tackles questions of understanding across different forms of consciousness, whether human, alien, or artificial. The writers probe how beings attempt to bridge gaps in comprehension and connection.
Genres: short-stories, science-fiction, literary-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: bridging-gaps, found-family
222 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster