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Book cover of Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 2 (1940)

Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 2 (1940)

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1979350 pagesDaw

Synopsis

This anthology, curated by Isaac Asimov, gathers a selection of influential science fiction stories from 1940. It features works by masters of the genre such as Robert A. Heinlein, Fritz Leiber, Jack Williamson, and Theodore Sturgeon. Readers will discover a range of imaginative tales that helped define the early landscape of science fiction.

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Asimov was born sometime between October 4, 1919 and January 2, 1920 in Petrovichi in Smolensk Oblast, RSFSR (now Russia), the son of a Jewish family of millers. Although his exact date of birth is uncertain, Asimov himself celebrated it on January 2. His family emigrated to Brooklyn, New York and opened a candy store when he was three years old. He taught himself to read at the age of five. He began reading the science fiction pulp magazines that his family's store carried. Around the age of...

Martin Harry Greenberg (March 1, 1941 – June 25, 2011) was an American academic and anthologist in many genres, including mysteries and horror, but especially in speculative fiction. In all, he compiled 1,298 anthologies and commissioned over 8,200 original short stories. He founded Tekno Books, a packager of more than 2000 published books. He was also a co-founder of the Sci-Fi Channel. Greenberg was also an expert in terrorism and the Middle East. He was a longtime friend, colleague and busine...

Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called "the dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most popular, influential, and controversial authors of the genre. He set a high standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of literary quality. He was one of the first writers to break into mainstream, general magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, in the late 1940s, with unvarnished science fiction. He was amo...

Willard E. Hawkins is the author of The Golden Years of Science Fiction, a look into a classic genre. He's a writer who knows his science fiction.

Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. (December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright and chess expert. With writers such as Robert E. Howard and Michael Moorcock, Leiber can be regarded as one of the fathers of sword and sorcery fantasy, having coined the term. Source: [Fritz Leiber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Leiber) on Wikipedia.

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Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories

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Edition

Book cover of Isaac Asimov Presents Great Science Fiction 02
2 editions available

Frequently asked questions

  • Does this anthology need to be read in order with other books in the series?

    This volume is part of a larger series of anthologies, each covering a specific year in science fiction. While it is the second in the series, it can be read independently as it focuses solely on stories published in 1940.

  • What makes this anthology significant in science fiction history?

    This collection highlights foundational stories from a pivotal year in science fiction, showcasing early works by authors who would become genre legends. It provides insight into the evolution of themes and styles that shaped the golden age of science fiction.