The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

For the December discussion we'll be choosing something just a little more modern. Let's read one of those wonderful classics published between 1940 and 1959.

Sci-fi novels or collections of short stories that have not previously been read by the group are eligible, so long as we've not read the author too many times already. Please check the bookshelf (https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...) & the nomination rules (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...) for further clarification before nominating a book.

Please also add your nominated book title as a clickable link directly to the goodreads' book page, with author and year, so it looks like this:

Children of Time
Adrian Tchaikovsky
2015

We'd appreciate it if you tell everyone a bit about why you chose the book that you're nominating, but we don't require that.

Bear in mind, too, that we'll mostly likely be closing this nomination thread on the 15th, in order to have plenty of time for poll(s) and then for acquisitions of the winner(s).

Everything you can do to help the moderators' tasks will help the group flourish, so thank you!

This bookshelf, 1940-1959-golden-age, lists every book this group has already read from this time period. Those books are not eligible to read again.

We've already read 2 each of Heinlein, Asimov, Bradbury, Bester and van Vogt. Only one more will be allowed from each of those, so choose wisely.

The Kraken Wakes
John Wyndham
1953
I loved all of John Wyndham's books when I read them. This book was published in the US as Out of the Deeps for some reason. The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos were also published in the 1950s but I chose The Kraken because it is less well known than the other two and I remember it as my favourite.

list of noms

The Kraken Wakes aka Out of the Deeps
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Tunnel in the Sky
They Shall Have Stars
1984
Alas, Babylon

You can find a list of authors that wrote in that period What This Folder Is For... topic.

I'll nominate Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein. It's one of his juveniles & is important because he managed to have a non-white hero. I think it's a first for the genre & he had to make the signals fairly subtle to get it past the censors.

If it wins, it will be the last book by Heinlein that will be eligible for nomination in the Golden Age.

I will nominate Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney.
1955

I always want to read it and I hope to read it with the group.

How about They Shall Have Stars by James Blish
First published 1956

1984 by George Orwell. It was published in 1949.

Marc-André wrote: "1984 by George Orwell. It was published in 1949."

Thank you. I knew there was a must-read that this group had not yet discussed. I have no idea how we've missed this... it really does need to be read together, imo.

I'm throwing Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, 1959, into the mix. We've been reading a lot of stories about war and bad stuff, but this looks like it's about the rebuilding, post-apocalyptic. I need a little hope in my life right now, or at least something different than all the dystopian stories so fashionable now.

Rafael wrote: "I will nominate Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney.
1955

I always want to read it and I hope to read it with the group."

Marc-André wrote: "1984 by George Orwell. It was published in 1949."

Amazing books, both.

It's amazing & disheartening that we haven't read 1984 yet in this group. It's been a long time since I last read it, so I was thinking of voting for it over my own nomination, but both Invasion of the Body Snatchers & Alas, Babylon are great books. I liked them better, too.

Well, now that we're keeping track of nominations on the bookshelf, we can bring these all 'round again until each does win! :)

Yes, that was a great idea of yours to do this.

Poll is up: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Time to campaign for your choice!
I'll campaign for 1984 in six months, but I'm really not in the mood to read it this time around. All are worthy, but I'm very much interested in Alas, Babylon for December and so I've already voted!

So many interesting covers, with entirely different vibes; it must be a rich, complex book that is likely to provide plenty of fodder for discussion.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
Runoff poll!!