by Isaac Asimov
First published 1987
This collection gathers thirty stories and novellas that defined science fiction during its formative years of 1947 and 1948. Asimov curated works from the genre's leading voices including Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Theodore Sturgeon, and Henry Kuttner. The anthology spans from Asimov's own robot tale "Little Lost Robot" to Bradbury's chilling "Zero Hour" about alien invasion through children's games. Stories explore themes of artificial intelligence, time travel, genetic mutation, and humanity's expansion into space. Poul Anderson examines post-apocalyptic survival in "Tomorrow's Children" while Jack Williamson presents mechanical servants in "With Folded Hands." The collection captures science fiction at a pivotal moment when writers were establishing the genre's core concepts and concerns. Previously published as two separate volumes covering stories from 1947 and 1948, this compilation preserves the era when science fiction magazines flourished and authors were crafting the ideas that would influence decades of speculative fiction.
Genres: short-stories, science-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: dystopia, found-family
Period: 1947, 1948
641 pages · Hardcover · Bonanza Books