The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

We are looking for nominations for any sci-fi novel or collection of short stories written in the Golden Age between 1940 and 1959 that has not previously been read by the group. Please check the bookshelf here before nominating.

As previously mentioned to increase the variety of authors read per period we will exclude authors where we have already read two or more books in the period. Therefore for the Golden age nominations, this time we will not accept any nominations for book by Ray Bradbury or Robert A Heinlein

Don't know what I would vote for at this time but here's 3 good but very different choices from the 1940's.

Sirius - Olaf Stapledon
What Mad universe - Fredric Brown
The Fairy Chessmen - Lewis Padgett

The 50's will be tougher with many more good choices.

Jim, you should pick one & put a link to the book for a proper nomination. Something like this: What Mad Universe

If you want to tell us why it is a good pick, that's helpful, but we need the book link so everyone knows exactly what book you mean, especially Jo since she's going to go through the topic & create a poll out of them later this month.

I'll nominate The Time Traders (1958) by Andre Norton. We haven't read anything by her & should. It's in the public domain.

Librivox has it in audio here:
https://librivox.org/the-time-traders...

Gutenberg has various text formats here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19145

My old paperback is still readable, but I think I'll try the audio book this time. I haven't read it in a long time, 70s I guess.

I nominate The Chrysalids by John Wyndham:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

I nominate The Complete Venus Equilateral by George O. Smith. It is a collection of related stories that were published in the 1940s.

I nominate The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke.

Marc-André wrote: "I nominate The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke."

Works for me. I'm reading it now.

While I've read it 20+ years ago in translation, I'd like to read Foundation by Isaac Asimov, originally published in 1951

Asimov v Clarke: Dawn of the War of the Nerds.

Marc-André wrote: "Asimov v Clarke: Dawn of the War of the Nerds."

Both are must-reads, the question is only from which one to start

Oleksandr wrote: "While I've read it 20+ years ago in translation, I'd like to read Foundation by Isaac Asimov, originally published in 1951"

That works for me. I need to read it.

Marc-André wrote: "Asimov v Clarke: Dawn of the War of the Nerds."

What about Bester vs Bradbury? [link is to a Simpson's quote].

Martin Prince:
As your president, I would demand a science-fiction library, featuring an ABC of the genre. Asimov, Bester, Clarke.

Student:
What about Ray Bradbury?

Martin Prince:
I'm aware of his work...

Randy wrote: "I nominate The Complete Venus Equilateral by George O. Smith. It is a collection of related stories that were published in the 1940s."

Oleksandr wrote: "While I've read it 20+ years ago in translation, I'd like to read Foundation by Isaac Asimov, originally published in 1951"

I withdraw my nomination in order to throw my support behind Foundation.

I just bought all the Foundation Series so I'm game too!

Apple to create tv adaptation of Asimov's Foundation:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/arstechn...

Ronald wrote: "Apple to create tv adaptation of Asimov's Foundation:"

tbh, I always prefer books to movies/TVseries

Oleksandr wrote: "Ronald wrote: "Apple to create tv adaptation of Asimov's Foundation:"

tbh, I always prefer books to movies/TVseries"

Same.

Ronald wrote: "Apple to create tv adaptation of Asimov's Foundation:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/arstechn..."

Why don't we move any discussion of this to Asimov's topic:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Jo has to go through this topic looking for nominations to make up the poll. Let's not clutter it up too much.