First published in 1984 by editors Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg. This Genre Anthology contains fifteen Science Fiction stories that were first published in 1949, ranging in length from Short Story to Novelette. The introduction describes "the world outside reality" first, marking significant historical events, sports trivia, and literary publications. The "real world" is the science fiction and fantasy pop culture, the Diamond Age of Science Fiction.
Works in this anthology:
- "The Red Queens Race", by Isaac Asimov
- "Flaw", by John D Mac Donald
- "Private Eye", by Lewis Padgett
- "Manna", by Peter Phillips
- "The Prisoner In The Skull", by Lewis Padgett
- "Alien Earth", by Edmond Hamilton
- "History Lesson", by Arthur C. Clarke
- "Eternity Lost", by Clifford Simak
- "The Only Thing We Learn", by Cyril M. Kornbluth
- "Private - Keep Out!", by Philip Mac Donald
- "The Hurkle Is A Happy Beast", by Theodore Sturgeon
- "Kaleidoscope", by Ray Bradbury
- "Defense Mechanism", by Katherine Mac Lean
- "Cold War", by Henry Kuttner
- "The Witches of Karres", by James H. Schmitz
Isaac Asimov Presents: The Great Science Fiction Stories, Volume 11 (1949) provides examples of:
- Becoming the Mask: Lewis Padgett's "Private Eye": The main character radically changes his identity in order to give himself an alibi for a murder he is planning. Since the police have chronoscopes in the future, he needs to play the role to the hilt. At the end he realizes he liked his new identity better.
- Biography: Each story is prefaced by a short description of why this story (from this author) was chosen to represent one of the fifteen best stories of the year along with a paragraph from Isaac Asimov's perspective.
- Call a Smeerp a "Rabbit": Theodore Sturgeon's "The Hurkle Is A Happy Beast": The titular Hurkle has got six legs, the middle pair of which is essentially a pair of prongs it can rock back and forth on, and it turns invisible when anxious, among other things. The narrator happily calls it a "kitten" anyway.
- Dramatic Space Drifting: Ray Bradbury's "Kaleidoscope": Most of them are alive (for now), and able to talk to each other by radio till they get out of range.
- Future Imperfect: Arthur C. Clarke's "History Lesson": Venusian reptiles discover a few relics of now-extinct humanity. One of them is a canister containing a reel of film, which the Venusians view and attempt to interpret for clues about human civilization — an effort that will lead to nothing but confusing false conclusions:Millions of times in the ages to come those last few words would flash across the screen, and none could ever guess their meaning: A Walt Disney Production.
- Gadgeteer Genius: "Norman" from "The Prisoner In The Skull" is a strange variation: he has no will of his own, so he will not do anything unless told to — but his solution to most requests is to build a futuristic contraption from junk.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Lewis Padgett's "The Prisoner In The Skull": Fowler exploits this major telepath devoid of volition for his own gain, only for it to turn out that "Norman" is really Fowler himself given powers his brain cannot handle and sent back in time.
- My Skull Runneth Over / Too Much for Man to Handle: It is revealed in "The Prisoner In The Skull" that "Norman", the savant with Super-Intelligence but no free will, became like this by unlocking functions of his brain he was not meant to use — and frying the rest.
- One-Word Title:
- "Flaw", by John D Mac Donald
- "Kaleidoscope", by Ray Bradbury
- "Manna", by Peter Phillips
- Pen Name: Three stories from Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore were published in this volume; "Private Eye" and "The Prisoner In The Skull" under the name Lewis Padgett, and "Cold War" under the name Henry Kuttner. In the introductions, the editors remind us that regaurdless of the name used, they were a team, and would influence the stories each other wrote, even when not co-authoring. They believe "Private Eye" was written mostly by Henry Kuttner.
- Shout-Out: In the introduction, multiple works are mentioned as being first published or becoming hits in 1949:
- Adam's Rib
- All the King's Men
- Amos 'n' Andy makes the jump from radio to television.
- The Best Science Fiction: 1949, the first of an annual "Best Of" Genre Anthology.
- Jerome Bixby published their first story, "Tubemonkey", in the winter issue of Planet Stories.
- Mel Brooks is singled out as (probably) still using the name Melvin Kaminsky.
- Captain Video began airing.
- John Christopher published their first story, "Christmas Tree", in February.
- "Dear Hearts And Gentle People"
- Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller
- Roger Dee published their first story, "The Wheel Is Death", in the fall issue of Planet Stories.
- Detective Story, by Sidney Kingsley
- Exiles Of Time, by Nelson Bond
- Flight Into Yesterday, by Charles L Harness was serialized in a Pulp Magazine.
- The Fox Woman, by A Merritt
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Carol Channing
- The Girl With The Hungry Eyes And Other Stories, edited by Donald A Wollheim
- Gnome Press, run by David Kyle and Martin Greenberg ("the other Marty Greenberg"), began their publishing business.
- The Goldbergs premiered the Sitcom genre.
- "I Dont Care If The Sun Dont Shine"
- The Incredible Planet, by John W Campbell
- "Lazarus", the sculpture by Jacob Epstein
- Lords Of Creation, by Eando Binder
- Katherine Mac Lean published their first story, "Defense Mechanism", in October.
- The Magazine of Fantasy went on sale in October, edited by Anthony Boucher and J Francis Mc Comas. It would later change its name to The Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction.
- The Man With The Golden Arm, published by Nelson Algren
- A Martain Odyssey by Stanley G. Weinbaum
- A Merritts Fantasy Magazine appears on shelves for the first time.
- Mighty Joe Young
- Needle, by Hal Clement was serialized in a Pulp Magazine.
- Kris Neville published their first story, "The Hand From The Stars" in July.
- Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell
- Other Worlds Science Stories appear for the first time, edited by Raymond A Palmer.
- The Perfect Woman
- "Red Sun", painted by Marc Chagall
- "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer"
- Sands of Iwo Jima
- "Scarlet Ribbons"
- Seetee Shock, by Jack Williamson was serialized in a Pulp Magazine.
- She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
- Sixth Column, by Robert A. Heinlein
- Skylark of Valeron, by E. E. "Doc" Smith
- South Pacific, starring Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin
- The Star Kings, by Edmond Hamilton
- The Sunken World, by Stanton A Coblentz
- Super-Science Fiction issues are selling again, with editor Eijer Jacobsson.
- The Third Man, by Graham Greene
- Twelve O'Clock High
- What Mad Universe, by Fredric Brown
- White Heat
- Future Science Fiction author Malcolm Edwards is singled out for being born.