First published in 1952 by editor Robert A. Heinlein, this Science Fiction Genre Anthology contains fourteen stories.
Works in this anthology:
- "Im Scared", by Jack Finney (1951)
- "The Silly Season", by Cyril M. Kornbluth (1950)
- "The Report On The Barnhouse Effect", by Kurt Vonnegut (1950)
- "The Tourist Trade", by Bob Tucker (1951)
- "Rainmaker", by John Reese (1949)
- "Absalom", by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore (1946)
- "The Monster", by Lester del Rey (1951)
- "Jay Score", by Eric Frank Russell (1941)
- "Betelgeuse Bridge", by William Tenn (1951)
- "Survival Ship", by Judith Merril (1951)
- "Keyhole", by Murray Leinster (1951)
- "Misbegotten Missionary", by Isaac Asimov (1950)
- "The Sack", by William Morrison (1950)
- "Poor Superman", by Fritz Leiber (1951)
Tropes appearing in this work:
- Actual Pacifist: In "The Report On The Barnhouse Effect", a Short Story by Kurt Vonnegut, Prof. Arthur Barnhouse has developed an ability to manipulate probability, including causing machines to fail as he directs. He and the military both realize the destructive ways he could be used, so Prof. Barnhouse hides and uses his power to remotely deactivate all weapons. At the end of the book, he attempts to pass on this power and quest to the narrator.
- all lowercase letters: on the original cover, the title is displayed in all lowercase letters, despite the authors being written in all-caps and the tagline written in proper case.
- Billed Above the Title:
- On the original Doubleday cover, the Tagline with Robert A. Heinlein is printed above the picture and title.
- On the 1967 Berkley Medallion covers, the Tagline by Saturday Review is written in fairly large text above the title, and names Isaac Asimov, Cyril M. Kornbluth, Kurt Vonnegut, and Frank Leiber as authors within this Anthology.
- On the 1979 Berkley Medallion cover, Robert A. Heinlein's name is printed in LARGE letters, and incorporated into a Tagline (the rest of the tagline is in very small letters).
- Bizarre Baby Boom: In "Absalom", by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore, every generation of children are smarter and smarter. It causes a problem when the older generations grow envious and afraid.
- Character Narrator:
- In "The Report On The Barnhouse Effect", by Kurt Vonnegut, the narrator was a student of Prof. Arthur Barnhouse, and at the end of the story, they're taught how to use Prof. Barnhouse's power and continue his quest to remotely rendering all weapons inert.
- In "Betelgeuse Bridge", a Short Story by William Tenn, the narrator is called Dick and he addresses the audience as Alvarez, as if the entire story is a conversation that Dick is relaying to you.
- Crying Wolf: This trope is weaponized by the villains in "The Silly Season".
- Master Computer: In "Poor Superman", by Fritz Leiber, Maizie is a nearly two-story large electronic brain built by the Thinkers' Foundation. To communicate with Maizie, it is fed ticker tape, but the technicians have developed the superstition that the computer can see and hear.
- Pen Name:
- "Betelgeuse Bridge" is credited to William Tenn, a pseudonym of Philip Klass
- "The Tourist Trade" is credited to Bob Tucker, a pseudonym Wilson Tucker used for fanzines.
- Switching P.O.V.: "Poor Superman", by Fritz Leiber, goes through many character perspectives very rapidly.
- Tagline:
- "An anthology of superb science-fiction stories, edited and with an introduction by Robert A. Heinlein." — Doubleday cover
- "Isaac Asimov, C.M. Kornbluth, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Frank Leiber, and many others are featured in this 'topnotch SF anthology'." — Saturday Review (1967 Berkley Medallion cover)
- "Edited by Robert A. Heinlein the modern master of Science Fiction" — 1979 Berkley Medallion cover
- Take Up My Sword: In "The Report On The Barnhouse Effect", by Kurt Vonnegut, the Character Narrator is chosen to carry on the quest of Prof. Barnhouse; the remote deactivation of all weapons, using probability manipulation.
- Telepathic Spacemen: In "Poor Superman", by Fritz Leiber, the Martians are all telepathic, and because of their telepathic abilities, they cannot come to Earth. The stress/conflicts of a world full of humans is enough to kill some of them. Thinkers have practiced ways to calm their minds enough that they can communicate to the Martians.
- Winds of Destiny, Change!: In "The Report On The Barnhouse Effect", a Short Story by Kurt Vonnegut, Prof. Arthur Barnhouse develops the ability to alter probability by keeping a particular series of thoughts in his head. Initially, he used it to roll snake-eyes on two dice (50 consecutive times). With practice, he was able to manipulate probability to cause machines to fail at will around himself. Afraid of being turned into a Human Weapon, Prof. Barnhouse goes into hiding and dedicates his life to rendering all weapons inert via his power.
- World War III: "Poor Superman", a Novelette by Fritz Leiber, is set not long after the events of the nuclear war, which devastated the cities and countries of the world, although survivors are creating a new world from the ashes.