by Isaac Asimov
First published 1983
Isaac Asimov introduces this collection with his thoughts on fat and society's obsession with weight. The anthology brings together fifteen science fiction tales that explore humanity's complex relationship with food and body image. Stephen King contributes "Quitters, Inc.," his brutal story about a smoking cessation program that uses extreme methods. H.G. Wells offers "The Truth about Pyecraft," featuring a man whose weight-loss wish goes horribly wrong. Frederik Pohl presents "The Man who ate the world," while Orson Scott Card delivers "Fat farm." Other contributors include Robert Silverberg, Jack Vance, and William Tenn. Each story uses speculative elements to examine weight loss, overeating, and body transformation. The tales range from darkly comic to genuinely disturbing, united by their focus on how technology and science might reshape human appetites and physical forms. Together, they create a collection that treats weight and food as both personal struggles and social commentary.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, science-fiction
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: body-transformation, social-commentary
249 pages · Hardcover · Crown Publishers
Content warnings: body-horror, graphic-violence