Galaxy: Thirty Years of Innovative Science Fiction

by Martin H. Greenberg (Editor), Joseph D. Olander (Editor / Contributor), Frederik Pohl (Editor / Contributor)

Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, the creation of noted editor H.L. Gold, who found a responsive readership when he put the emphasis on imaginative sociological explorations of science fiction rather than hardware & pulp prose.
The science fiction genre was flourishing by the end of the '30s, but WWII & attendant paper shortages led to the demise of several magazines. By the late '40s the market began to recover again. From a low of eight active magazines in '46, the field expanded to 20 in '50. Galaxy's appearance then was part of this boom. According to critic Mike Ashley its success was the main reason for the subsequent flood of new releases: 22 more magazines appeared by '54.
Begun as a monthly, the magazine varied between monthly, bimonthly & eventually irregularly-issued status at different times during its 30+ year run. In '53 a French edition, Galaxie, was launched, & in '57, a German edition, Galaxis.
With the 1/75 issue, Galaxy incorporated its sister magazine, Worlds of If, founded in 3/52, with which it had shared several editors after purchase from founding publisher James Quinn in the latter '50s. In '80, Galaxy was acquired from UPD Publishing by Boston's Avenue Victor Hugo bookstore as a companion magazine to their Galileo Science Fiction. Editor Floyd Kemske produced a single issue (7/80) in a standard magazine format rather than a digest, but without newsstand distribution, Galaxy ceased publication that same year.

Title: Galaxy: Thirty Years of Innovative Science Fiction
Editors: Frederik Pohl, Martin H. Greenberg, Joseph D. Olander
Cover: Tommy Soloski

Contents
Introduction (Galaxy) • (1980) • essay by Frederik Pohl
Horace L. Gold • (1980) • essay by Frederik Pohl
Gold on Galaxy • (1980) • essay by H.L. Gold
Coming Attraction • (1950) • short story by Fritz Leiber
To Serve Man • (1950) • short story by Damon Knight
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Damon Knight
Betelgeuse Bridge • (1951) • short story by William Tenn
From a Cave Deep in Stuyvesant Town- A Memoir of Galaxy's Most Creative Years • (1980) • essay by William Tenn [as by Philip Klass]
Cost of Living • (1952) • short story by Robert Sheckley
Memoir of Galaxy Magazine • (1980) • essay by Robert Sheckley
The Model of a Judge • (1953) • short story by William Morrison
Memoir • (1980) • essay by William Morrison
The Holes Around Mars • (1954) • short story by Jerome Bixby
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Jerome Bixby
Horrer Howce • (1956) • short story by Margaret St. Clair
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Margaret St. Clair
People Soup • (1958) • short story by Alan Arkin
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Alan Arkin
Something Bright • (1960) • short story by Zenna Henderson
The Lady Who Sailed the Soul • [The Instrumentality of Mankind] • (1960) • novelette by Cordwainer Smith
The Deep Down Dragon • (1961) • short story by Judith Merril
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Judith Merril
Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night • (1961) • novelette by Algis Budrys
Memoir: Spilled Milk • (1980) • essay by Algis Budrys
The Place Where Chicago Was • (1962) • novelette by Jim Harmon
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Jim Harmon
The Great Nebraska Sea • (1963) • short story by Allan Danzig
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Allan Danzig
Oh, to Be a Blobel! • (1964) • novelette by Philip K. Dick
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Philip K. Dick
Founding Father • (1965) • short story by Isaac Asimov
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Isaac Asimov
Going Down Smooth • (1968) • short story by Robert Silverberg
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Robert Silverberg
All the Myriad Ways • [Time Travel - Parallel Universe] • (1968) • short story by Larry Niven
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Larry Niven
The Last Flight of Dr. Ain • (1969) • short story by James Tiptree, Jr.
From Galaxy Bookshelf • (1980) • essay by Algis Budrys
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Algis Budrys
Galaxy Book Shelf (Galaxy, September 1969) • (1969) • essay by Algis Budrys
Slow Sculpture • (1970) • novelette by Theodore Sturgeon
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Theodore Sturgeon
About a Secret Crocodile • (1970) • short story by R.A. Lafferty
Memoir • (1980) • essay by R. A. Lafferty
Cold Friend • (1973) • short story by Harlan Ellison
Memoir • (1980) • essay by Harlan Ellison
The Day Before the Revolution • [Hainish] • (1974) • short story by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Gift of Garigolli • (1974) • novelette by C.M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl
Overdrawn at the Memory Bank • [Eight Worlds] • (1976) • novelette by John Varley
Note • (1980) • essay by John Varley
Horace, Galaxyca • (1980) • essay by Alfred Bester
Index to Galaxy Magazine • (1980) • essay by uncredited

Genres: Science Fiction, Anthologies, Fiction, Short Stories, Short Story Collection

465 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Martin Harry Greenberg was an American academic and speculative fiction anthologist. 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. In addition, he was a co-founder of the Sci-Fi Channel.

For the 1950s anthologist and publisher of Gnome Press, see Martin Greenberg.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a large anthology that Pohl edited to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Galaxy Magazine in 1980. The stories are for the most part very good, but the real attraction at the time was inclusion of memoirs from many of the authors about their stories or the magazine in general. Remember this was long, long before the internet, so there was no such thing as an author's blog or facebook page and it was something of a rare treat to go "behind the scenes" with a piece of non-fiction from a fiction writer. Pohl, who edited the magazine during one its most productive periods, also contributes entertaining and anecdotal material, and there's an index of the first thirty years of everything that appeared in the magazine. Among my favorite stories are good ones from Fritz Leiber, William Tenn, Robert Sheckley, Robert Silverberg, Larry Niven, Isaac Asimov, Theodore Sturgeon, James Tiptree, Jr., Ursula K. LeGuin, Harlan Ellison, John Varley, and especially Zenna Henderson and Margaret St. Clair. The most famous story here is one that most people know but don't know came from Galaxy: To Serve Man by Damon Knight, adapted as one of the most famous television half-hours of all time. It's an excellent collection of classic fiction and non-fiction!

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of short fiction that spans several decades. Early editor Horace Gold had a strong impact on the field with his choices of what to publish. Later, Fred Pohl did several super human stints as editor. It was in this collection that I discovered authors like James Tiptree Jr. and Ted Sturgeon. Galaxy magazine always had that "fun and wow" approach to SF. I recall having a subscription back in the 90's when Horace Gold's son resurrected it but it was unfortunately a short-lived run. For fans of the SF field, you shouldn't miss reading some of this great stuff.

The field of SF magazines has offered some of the most entertaining reading in this field for generations and helped to keep the fans connected. Over the years, I've subscribed to several SF magazines on and off: Asimov's Science Fiction, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Amazing, Analog, Galaxy, and Omni (published 1 or 2 SF stories an issue). If I had to pick a sentimental favorite it would be Amazing. If I had to pick a historical favorite, it would be Galaxy.

[Austin Beeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retrospective collection featuring stories from Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine. The stories are share in chronological order from 1950 to 1976 and show the some of the transformations that happened in the genre during that time.

While the stories are a little sub-par on average - most of a the story rated average could have easily been moved to poor - there are some gems. “Coming Attraction” and “Oh, To Be a Blobel!” are quite well know and anthologized, but “The Place Where Chicago Was,” “The Great Nebraska Sea,“ and “Horrer Howce” are relatively unknown.

What one really buys this collection for is the historic memoirs about Galaxy that introduce almost every story in the collection. Written by the author, they range from insightful and humorous to angry and bitter. They are wonderful glimpses into a time and place in the history of science fiction.

Galaxy: Thirty Years of Innovative Science Fiction is rated 72%.

13 good / 8 average / 3 poor.

Coming Attraction by Fritz Leiber (1950)

Good. A classic story of a British man in post nuclear war America. Rich is culture and economy of description. Well drawn with intense characters.

To Serve Man by Damon Knight (1950)

Good. The story that inspired the classic Twilight Zone episode. Hinges upon the conclusion for a great first read, but no reread ability.

Betelgeuse Bridge by William Tenn (1951)

Average. A Public Relations man in put in charge of interacting with alien first contact.

Cost of Living by Robert Sheckley (1952)

Good. Family legacy, debt, and the onward push of consumer products drive this short fun morality tale about what we’ll do for the newest and greatest products.

The Model of a Judge by William Morrison (1953)

Good. An carnivorous alien has been domesticated to act as a judge at a cake contest.

The Holes Around Mars by Jerome Bixby (1954)

Average. A standard space tale of astronauts investigating interest holes on Mars. Has some fun puns, though.

Horrer Howce by Margaret St Clair (1956)

Good. A tour of a carnival theme ride and the lovecraftian horrors within.

People Soup by Alan Arkin (1958)

Poor. Children do science in their household sink.

Something Bright by Zenna Henderson (1960)

Good. A low-income daughter spends the night with a neighbor who is desperately searching her house for …. something.

The Lady Who Sailed the Soul by Cordwainer Smith (1960)

Good. An interesting love story between two people who know - and will know - the excruciating pain for being a sailors between planets. Part of the famous Instrumentality series.

The Deep Down Dragon by Judith Merril (1961)

Average. I don’t think I understood this one. VR plus dinosaurs plus relationship dynamics.

Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night by Algis Budrys (1962)

Average. Corporate intrigue, assassination, subterfuge, in a story that never quite came together for me.

The Place Where Chicago Was by Jim Harmon (1962)

Good. I really liked this suspenseful thriller of a future society where people can’t kill, but the great powers can still fight wars. One man - who should be persona-non-grata - needs to get himself back into the apocalyptic Chicago to try to save the world. If his anti-murder control will let him.

The Great Nebraska Sea by Allan Danzig (1963)

Good. A geological tale of the force that created the Great Nebraska Sea and the Midwestern Riviera.

Oh, To Be a Blobel! by Philip K Dick (1964)

Good. A soldier who was transformed to spy behind alien lines, find himself turning into one of aliens every day. A touching parable.

Founding Father by Isaac Asimov (1965)

Good. A lesser Asimov story about men who die on a foreign planet.

Going Down Smooth by Robert Silverberg (1968)

Poor. Computer/AI tries to learn how to be obscene.

All the Myriad Ways by Larry Niven (1968)

Good. A man cleans a gun while thinking about alternative universes and a strange rash of meaningless suicides.

The Last Flight of Doctor Ain by James Tiptree, Jr. (1969)

Average. A sick woman travels frequently by airplane.

Slow Sculpture by Theodore Sturgeon. (1970)

Average. A dying girl, a fringe scientist, and a bonsai tree.

About a Secret Crocodile by R A Lafferty. (1970)

Poor. I know I read this, but I remember nothing about it. Even days later.

Cold Friend by Harlan Ellison. (1973)

Average. A man in the only one left after an apocalypse. He fights off strange threats and meets a girl.

The Day Before the Revolution by Ursula K Le Guin (1974)

Good. A superbly well drawn complex elderly women reminisces about the past and future, while the future she created begins to come to pass.

The Gift of Garigolli by Frederik Pohl & C M Kornbluth (1974)

Average. Very small beings observe a human family dealing with crippling debt.

Overdrawn at the Memory Bank by John Varley (1976)

Good. A man finds himself having to deal with life trapped in VR while the outside world tries to find his body.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since we were stuck in the house today watching for tornados I was playing with my Kindle and found tons of these old short stories to download for free. I enjoyed them for what they were and when they were written. I love how the authors pictured the future and how people would be. Wonder what they would think about how things really are now? All in all, a great way to spend a dreary Saturday waiting for the storms to pass over.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of sci-fi stories along with snippets of memoirs by the authors were a very mixed bag. Some stories were really interesting, some were very well-written, and others were quite lame and forgettable.

The first eight stories are all very short and built on the setup-to-a-twist type of story. Of these, I liked:

To Serve Man, by Damon Knight
Betelgeuse Bridge, by William Tenn
Horrer Howce, by Margaret St. Clair

I thought that these three had the most intriguing and fun ideas / execution.

The rest of the collection are much more varied in style and length. I'm just going to mention the stories that stuck out to me as particularly interesting, and worth a reread:

Wall of Crystal, Eye of Night, by Algis Budrys:
A tale of invention and corporations which felt like a slice from a larger world, good worldbuilding, left me intrigued.

The Place Where Chicago Was, by Jim Harmon:
One of my favourites from the collection, a unique yet familiar "post-apocalypse" tale.

The Great Nebraska Sea, by Allan Danzig:
Excellent description and style, detailing a geological event as a news story / interest piece.

Founding Father, by Isaac Asimov:
A short tale of a crew trying to set up a planet for colonization.

All the Myriad Ways, by Larry Niven:
Multiverse Story that gets at the root of the issue with Multiverses.

The Last Flight of Doctor Ain, by James Tiptree Jr.:
Eerie story which could be spoiled too easily by anything concise.

The Day Before the Revolution, by Ursula K. Leguin:
Excellent description and characterization. Leguin has quickly become one of my favourite writers and this story does not disappoint. Introspection, philosophy, and human nature, as well as a slice of a larger world.

Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, by John Varley:
A cerebral story which reminded me of the Matrix and Inception, very fun and interesting.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been sitting on my shelf for years and years. I finally read it because a Facebook group I'm in, Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Stories, selected it for a group read.

Galaxy Science Fiction was legendary back in the 1950s and 1960s, so I was expecting a lot of fantastic stories. Instead, the twenty-five stories in the collection were kind of a disappointment. Most were good, but none were great. I got the feeling the editors wanted to avoid all the well-reprinted stories and showcase what they thought were forgotten gems.

What I really enjoyed about this anthology was the author's memoirs that preceded each short story. Most gave accounts about dealing with Galaxy Science Fiction and the editors, especially the founding editor, H. L. Gold.

[Ian Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of these stories haven’t aged very well, but none of them are what I would call ‘bad.’ There were a couple of authors I have never come across before as well as a couple of stories that I’ve never read before but should have {To Serve Man was one of them). What really lifts this anthology, though, are the ‘memoirs’ from almost all of the authors retelling their memories of working with Galaxy magazine over time, mostly to do with the frequently-brilliant editor, Horace Gold. Well worth looking out for.

[Mike Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a few great stories on this collection, but it is a mixed bag varying widely in quality. The later stories are stronger, or more to my taste. I especially enjoyed the last one, “Overdrawn at the Memory Bank” by John Varley.

One earlier standout is “Horrer Howce” by Margaret St. Clair, published in July 1956, which creates a wonderfully tense atmosphere. As the writer states in her forward, “Disneyland was newish in the fifties, and McCarthyism was in the air.”

[Cheryl]

mainly for the Margaret St. Clair as I'm having trouble finding her works elsewhere

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a "best of" collection spanning the thirty years that Galaxy Magazine was published, edited by person involved with it during that period. As such, it is better than most such collections, not only for the quality of its writing, but also as an historical survey of the field.