American Beauty: Stories

by Allen M. Steele

17 Agape Among the Robots51 Her Own Private Sitcom68 Green Acres (1999)106 Missing Time (1996)121 Graceland147 Jake and the Enemy171 Warning, Warning (2000)176 The Fine Art of Watching203 A Walk Across Mars230 Tom Swift and His Humongous Mechanical Dude

Genres: Science Fiction

Hardcover

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Before becoming a science fiction writer, Allen Steele was a journalist for newspapers and magazines in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Missouri, and his home state of Tennessee. But science fiction was his first love, so he eventually ditched journalism and began producing that which had made him decide to become a writer in the first place.

Since then, Steele has published eighteen novels and nearly one hundred short stories. His work has received numerous accolades, including three Hugo Awards, and has been translated worldwide, mainly into languages he can’t read. He serves on the board of advisors for the Space Frontier Foundation and is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He also belongs to Sigma, a group of science fiction writers who frequently serve as unpaid consultants on matters regarding technology and security.

Allen Steele is a lifelong space buff, and this interest has not only influenced his writing, it has taken him to some interesting places. He has witnessed numerous space shuttle launches from Kennedy Space Center and has flown NASA’s shuttle cockpit simulator at the Johnson Space Center. In 2001, he testified before the US House of Representatives in hearings regarding the future of space exploration. He would like very much to go into orbit, and hopes that one day he’ll be able to afford to do so.

Steele lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, Linda, and a continual procession of adopted dogs. He collects vintage science fiction books and magazines, spacecraft model kits, and dreams.

Reviews

[Mark Catalfano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked "Jake and the Enemy" and "A Walk Across Mars"

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of some of Steele's short fiction, mostly from a relatively short span of 1999-2001. There are a couple of good stories about dogs and robots that reminded me of Clifford Simak; a good rock'n'roller, "Graceland," set on Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld; "Green Acres," the best marijuana story ever; and several other fun tales. The book concludes with "Tom Swift and His Humongous Mechanical Dude," not only one of the funniest stories in years, but one that that I'll bet thousands of boys wrote their own versions of after reading the Tom Swift books.