From 1979 through 1992, Donald A. Wollheim books – founded by editor, publisher, and write Donald A. Wollheim, and his wife Elise – published twenty-five volumes of the Science Fiction Anthology Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories. Series authors Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg (whose names appear on each volume’s cover) designed the series such that each volume comprised a set of short stories that they deemed the best science fiction published every year (and only within “that” particular year) from 1939 through 1963, in terms of literary quality and cultural significance. Each volume includes approximately twelve to fifteen stories, the stories themselves chronologically arranged by month of publication within each given year.
At variance from retrospective anthologies wheres stories are arranged by theme, the chronological design of Asimov and Greenberg’s anthology created a “snapshot” of the evolution and development of science fiction across a quarter-century, shedding light on technological, social, ideological, and cultural changes in society commencing with the years just before the Second World War (the first volume covering 1939), through the early years of space exploration (the final volume covering 1963).
An invaluable aspect of the series, especially for one new to science fiction and unacquainted with the stories’ writers, was the way that Asimov and Greenberg presented very brief two-part introductions to each story. These typically comprised a short, “light” biographical blurb focused upon the literary and vocational career (sometimes one and the same; sometimes not!) of the story’s author, written by Greenberg, followed by commentary about the story itself, composed by Asimov. The latter would focus on the story’s literary significance, its “place” in the literature of science fiction (and sometimes literature in general), the cultural and social mechanics of publishing, and simply, the not-so-simple art of writing.
The cover art and content list of every volume can be viewed “here”, at WordsEnvisioned.
As for Volume 13, well… As good, sometimes excellent – and one or two times superlative – as the cover art is for some volumes, that for Volume 13, well…uh…er…leaves much to be desired. Enough said.
The series’ publication history is given below. You’ll see the volume number; the year represented by that volume; the publication date; cover artist or studio; New American Library / DAW Science Fiction Library serial numbers, and, price.
Volume 1: 1939; March, 1979 (Jack Gaughan) (UE 1700; $2.95)
Volume 2: 1940; August, 1979 (Jack Gaughan) (UE 1483; No. 350; $2.25)
Volume 3: 1941; March, 1980 (Jack Gaughan) (UE 1523; No. 377; $2.25)
Volume 4: 1942; October, 1980 (Antonio Bernal; Cover identical to 1945) (UE 1570; No. 405; $2.50)
Volume 5: 1943; March, 1981 (One Plus One Studios) (UE 1604; No. 426; $2.75)
Volume 6: 1944; December 1981 (Oliviero Berni) (UE 1670; No. 461; $2.95)
Volume 7: 1945; July, 1982 (Antonio Bernal; Cover identical to 1942) (UE 1746; No. 489; $3.50)
Volume 8: 1946; November, 1982 (Oliviero Berni) (Excellent cover art – perfectly “thematic”!) (UE 1680; No. 507; $3.50)
Volume 9: 1947; February, 1983 (Antonio Bernal) (UE 1802; No. 519; $3.50)
Volume 10: 1948; August, 1983 (Robert Andre) (Best cover art of the series!) (UE 1854; No. 543; $3.50)
Volume 11: 1949; March, 1984 (Michaelangelo Miani) (UE 1918; No. 571; $3.50)
Volume 12: 1950; September, 1984 (Dino Marsan) (UE 1953; No. 594; $3.50)
Volume 13: 1951; July, 1985 (“meh”!) (UE 2058; No. 636; $3.50)
Volume 14: 1952; January, 1986 (Tony Roberts) (UE 2106; No. 660; $3.50)
Volume 15: 1953; December, 1986 (Tony Roberts) (UE 2171; No. 694; $3.50)
Volume 16: 1954; May, 1987 (Angus McKie) (UE 2200; No. 709; $3.50)
Volume 17: 1955; January, 1988 (Jim Burns) (UE 2256; No. 733; $3.95)
Volume 18: 1956; August, 1988 (Robert Andre) (UE 2289; No. 754; $4.50)
Volume 19: 1957; February, 1989 (Ian Craig) (UE 2326; No. 772; $4.50)
Volume 20: 1958; February, 1990 (Robin Hidden) (UE 2405; No. 808; $4.95)
Volume 21: 1959; June, 1990 (Robin Hidden) (UE 2428; No. 823; $4.95)
Volume 22: 1960; February, 1991 (Angus McKie) (UE 2465; No. 842; $4.50)
Volume 23: 1961; July, 1991 (Angus McKie) (UE 2478; No. 856; $5.50)
Volume 24: 1962; January, 1992 (Angus McKie) (UE 2495; No. 871; $5.50)
Volume 25: 1963; July, 1992 (Bob Layzell) (UE 2518; No. 885; $5.50)
So (no drum roll needed…) here’s the cover and contents of Volume 1.
I, Robot, by Eando Binder, from Amazing Stories
The Strange Flight of Richard Clayton, by Robert Bloch, from Amazing Stories
Trouble With Water, by Horace L. Gold, from Unknown
Cloak of Aesir, by John W. Campbell, Jr. (as “Don A. Stuart”), from Astounding Science Fiction
The Day Is Done, by Lester del Rey, from Astounding Science Fiction
The Ultimate Catalyst, by John Taine, from Thrilling Wonder Stories
The Gnarly Man, by L. Sprague de Camp, from Unknown
Black Destroyer, by A.E. van Vogt, from Astounding Science Fiction
Greater Than Gods, by Catherine L. Moore, from Astounding Science Fiction
Trends, by Isaac Asimov, from Astounding Science Fiction
The Blue Giraffe, by L. Sprague de Camp, from Astounding Science Fiction
The Misguided Halo, by Henry Kuttner, from Unknown
Heavy Planet, by Milton A. Rothman, from Astounding Science Fiction
Life-Line, by Robert A. Heinlein, from Astounding Science Fiction
Ether Breather, by Theodore Sturgeon, from Astounding Science Fiction
Pilgrimage, by Nelson S. Bond, from Amazing Stories
Rust, by Joseph E. Kelleam, from Astounding Science Fiction
The Four-Sided Triangle, by William F. Temple, from Amazing Stories
Star Bright, by Jack Williamson, from Argosy
Misfit, by Robert A. Heinlein, from Astounding Science Fiction
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During publication of the series, between 1979 and 1992, the volumes were released on a semi-annual basis. The exceptions were 13, 16, and 17 (which respectively covered 1951, 1954, and 1955) having been the only volumes published in 1985, 1987, and 1988. (Again, respectively!) The covers of all volumes (except for the above-mentioned 1951) are available for your viewing here, at WordsEnvisioned.
Interestingly, an effort seems to have to re-release the series, with Volumes 1 and 2 (1939 and 1940) having been published by the Dorset Press in 2001 and 2002. However, it seems that no further volumes were re-published. (Why not?…)
The two Dorset Press volumes were printed in a notably larger format than the original books.. They measure 21 cm, while the original volumes are of a standard paperback size and measure 17.5 cm.
The other difference is the cover art of both Dorset Press volumes, both of which were designed by artist Tom McKeveny, whose digital portfolio can be viewed here, while his book cover designs can be viewed here.
The 1939 cover is beautifully adapted from a scene in David Butler’s 1930 science-fiction film Just Imagine, showing a 1930s vision of a city (New York?) of the future half-a-century hence: in 1980. (Now in 2019, thirty-nine years ago…)
You need not merely imagine Just Imagine. Uploaded to YouTube by Geography Video, you can watch the movie, below:
– Michael G. Moskow
