Weslayan University Press has posted the table of contents for the awesome-looking anthology The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction edited by Arthur B. Evans, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay Jr., Joan Gordon, Veronica Hollinger, Rob Latham, & Carol McGuirk.

Check out this table of contents, organized by story theme:


Alien Encounters

  1. C. L. Moore, “Shambleau” (1933)
  2. Stanley Weinbaum, “A Martian Odyssey” (1934)
  3. Arthur C. Clarke, “The Sentinel” (1951)
  4. Robert Sheckley, “Specialist” (1953)
  5. Robert Silverberg, “Passengers” (1968)
  6. Nancy Kress, “Out of All Them Bright Stars” (1985)
  7. Gene Wolfe, “Useful Phrases” (1992)
  8. James Patrick Kelly, “Think Like a Dinosaur” (1995)

Apocalypse and Post-apocalypse

  1. H. G. Wells, “The Star” (1897)
  2. Fritz Leiber, “Coming Attraction” (1950)
  3. Ray Bradbury, “There Will Come Soft Rains” (1950)
  4. J. G. Ballard, “The Cage of Sand” (1962)
  5. Octavia E. Butler, “Speech Sounds” (1983)
  6. Misha Nogha, “Chippoke Na Gomi” (1989)

Artificial/Posthuman Life-forms

  1. Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844)
  2. Isaac Asimov, “Reason” (1941)
  3. Alfred Bester, “Fondly Fahrenheit” (1954)
  4. Avram Davidson, “The Golem” (1955)
  5. Brian Aldiss, “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long” (1969)
  6. Ursula K. Le Guin, “Nine Lives” (1969)
  7. Ted Chiang, “Exhalation” (2008)

Computers and Virtual Reality

  1. Philip K. Dick, “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale” (1966)
  2. William Gibson, “Burning Chrome” (1982)
  3. Pat Cadigan, “Pretty Boy Crossover” (1986)
  4. Eileen Gunn, “Computer Friendly” (1989)

Evolution and Environment

  1. Jules Verne, from Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864)
  2. Edmond Hamilton, “The Man Who Evolved” (1931)
  3. Clifford D. Simak, “Desertion” (1944)
  4. Frank Herbert, “Seed Stock” (1970)
  5. Charles Stross, “Rogue Farm” (2003)

Gender and Sexuality

  1. Leslie F. Stone, “The Conquest of Gola” (1931)
  2. Frederik Pohl, “Day Million” (1966)
  3. Samuel R. Delany, “Aye, and Gomorrah . . .” (1967)
  4. Pamela Zoline, “The Heat Death of the Universe” (1967)
  5. Joanna Russ, “When It Changed” (1972)
  6. James Tiptree Jr., “And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill’s Side” (1972)
  7. Carol Emshwiller, “Abominable” (1980)
  8. Greg Egan, “Closer” (1992)

Time Travel and Alternate History

  1. Robert A. Heinlein, ” ‘All You Zombies-’” (1959)
  2. Stanislaw Lem, “The Seventh Voyage” from Star Diaries (1971)
  3. John Varley, “Air Raid” (1977)
  4. Kate Wilhelm, “Forever Yours, Anna” (1987)
  5. John Kessel, “Invaders” (1990)

Utopias/Dystopias

  1. E. M. Forster, “The Machine Stops” (1909)
  2. R. A. Lafferty, “Slow Tuesday Night” (1965)
  3. Harlan Ellison, “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” (1965)
  4. Geoff Ryman, “Everywhere” (1999)

War and Conflict

  1. Theodore Sturgeon, “Thunder and Roses” (1947)
  2. Judith Merril, “That Only a Mother” (1948)
  3. William Tenn, “The Liberation of Earth” (1953)
  4. Cordwainer Smith, “The Game of Rat and Dragon” (1955)
  5. Bruce Sterling, “We See Things Differently” (1989)

There’s also an Online Teacher’s Guide.

[via Anya Weber]

Related posts:

  1. MEME: Paul McAuley’s List of Essential SF Titles
  2. David Hartwell’s Top 32 Gateway Science Fiction Books
  3. Design Your Own Dream Anthology
  4. Science Fiction through the Decades
  5. Science Fiction for People Who Hate Science Fiction

Filed under: Books

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