A Science Fiction Argosy, Edited by Damon Knight

[@PeculiarNotions]

Roger knows you keep the decorations up until Epiphany.

[@michaelsamerdyke108]

When I was a kid, libraries had stickers for science fiction, westerns, and mysteries.

[@ellesse3862]

That cover is very familiar, it stirred some dusty memory crumb in the archive of my brain, it wouldn't surprise me if its on a shelf at my friend's house.

[@glockensig]

We had snow last night....and just a handful of degrees this morning! I imagine people's outdoor light may stay up for a while! Don't be upset with Roger...time is on his side!

[@troytradup]

I think I bought that book from the Science Fiction Book Club back in the day. I sorely miss the cool book clubs of my youth, even those that still sort-of exist.

[@MylesNewman-cc1tx]

Our understanding of evolution is itself an evolution.

[@إسماعيلسعيد-خ8ذ]

Hello Michael Hello. I am glad that the Christmas Spirit carries on as yet. You know something? In the East Orthodox Tradition it's still Christmas, according to a slightly different Calendar. Again it's a great video.

[@waltera13]

It's still Christmas by our calendar too, but Americans aren't always very good at knowing how things work. It would be funny if it were not sad. Yes, Christmas goes until Epiphany. I blame the 1950s.

[@fiacco3000]

Fun fact: much like the current NOSFERATU was a lifelong passion project for David Eggers, so too was THE DEMOLISHED MAN a passion project for filmmaker Brian de Palma (CARRIE, SCARFACE). Unfortunately he never got to do it. That would have been an AWESOME movie!

[@DaleRibbons]

My local library used stickers to mark science fiction (fantasy was included in that) and mysteries.

[@glenmcculla6843]

My local library used to put little skull stickers on the spines of the horror books. I approve of the ringed planet for SF. Presumably fantasy was a wizard's hat. Or indeed sleeve.

[@waltera13]

It's wonderful that you highlight an excellent old collection like this. Thank you.

[@niriop]

It’s a lovely looking book as well. Love that ‘70s design.

[@woolybooger7770]

Back in the 70s and 80s my county library used those styles of stickers on its books since all fiction was grouped together. It was neat because the authors I especially enjoyed wrote in multiple genres.

[@desnuts1238]

Hello Michael! I was wondering if you could make a video about Ross Maconald and how he compared to other hardboiled writers such as Hammett or Chandler. I'd love to see such a video made by you! Have a great weekend:)

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@desnuts1238 that is a good idea.

[@freelivefree7221]

I read one of Knights Orbits years ago. The stories by writers I knew and liked (Gene Wolfe, Avram Davidson, Harlan Ellison, R. A. Lafferty) were really good but the stories by unknowns were forgettable. So I wonder about Knight's taster, which I do a lot of critics. (They are not a breed I have a lot of respectful.) Yeah, a lot of libraries have stickers for genre fiction. Mine has a rocket for SF, a unicorn for Fantasy, and Sherlock Holmes for mystery.

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

Don't you think it's time you unwrapped your mummy present?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@w.adammandelbaum1805 NO!

[@dreamakuma]

Reminds me of the early Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

[@TheMikester307]

I know I've bummed through that book; our public library probably had it at one time; I may have a used copy in a crate somewhere! (I moved into this house nineteen years ago and still haven't unpacked everything!) And yes, Kate Wilhelm was married to Damon Knight, apparently very happily! (Knight's previous marriage may have inspired him to write "To Serve Man...")

[@davidosborn6714]

I remember that book! A perennial of the SF Book Club...

[@Tim_with_Tomes_and_Tales]

Goodness! That is a big book. Thanks for sharing. Happy reading.

[@ABT212]

The Demolished Man doesn't read like a 50s science fiction novel. Ahead of its time.

[@vilstef6988]

Yes, Kate Wilhelm was Damon Knight's wife. Knight edited some great anthologies, as well as the Orbit series. I have a copy of the book club edition, but not the copy I bought from the book club back then.

[@Yesica1993]

I love library editions with the plastic! I don't know why they don't put plastic on all their books, especially the paperbacks. Some of those things look so nasty I can't even touch them.

[@chrisbeveridge3066]

getting galaxy issue with goblin reservation in it Damon Knight story also April 1968 all the best C.I.C THE LEGERDEMAIN

[@AmalijaKomar]

Love those books of the week. Good idea.

[@stevezeidman7224]

I had that book! The stories and novel were really great. So I think Damon had it right. 😂

[@chefeddie6164]

I only read official "good" science fiction. If it doesn't have the seal of approval, don't even bother.

[@ricke.2205]

Love me some good Sci Fi.

[@stretmediq]

Did future Roger upset the space/time continuum? Instead of a weekend reading report there's now a weekly reading report and instead of saying "I'll catch you next time" it's "I'll see you then". It's madness, MADNESS I say! And the only explanation I can think of is I somehow ended up in the wrong time line 😮

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@stretmediq very likely.

[@tonette6592]

I HAVE THAT BOOK, (somewhere). I need to pull it out and read it. The genre stickers are relatively new, and are still used in whatever library feels like using them. (Somebody is making money on them.) I am relieved to know that you are not in possession of stolen goods. No, it is not time for Christmas things to come down until Epiphany, which is Monday this year. Anyway, NOTHNING is coming down in the house, (hopefully), because we are expecting a BIG storm, ice, then snow, unlike what you So. Californians and Egyptians are used to. (My husband was born in LA and then moved to New Hampshire when he was a kid; talk about shock!)

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@tonette6592 snow?! That stuff is real?!

[@tonette6592]

@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Yeah, but I wish the ice storms weren't.

[@ABT212]

Or he made a Part One and Part Two to encourage a paperback edition.

[@2025Mindfulness]

Yes they were married.

[@Yesica1993]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="431">7:11</a> Wait, what happened in 1965 that changed science fiction forever?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@Yesica1993 the New Wave Science Fiction literary movement that began in the mid 60s.

[@secretfirebooks7894]

"He didn't like the pulps," + "He did like Poul Anderson," ...wut?

[@michaelk.vaughan8617]

@@secretfirebooks7894 what I meant was he was highly critical of what we generally now think of as “pulpy” science fiction: adventure driven stories, Bug Eyed Monsters…that kind of thing. He was pretty rough on a lot of those old time pulp writers in his criticism. The magazines themselves he was fine with as long as they printed material that fit his standards. I’m not always able to express myself properly at 5:00 AM…or at any other time, frankly.

[@secretfirebooks7894]

@michaelk.vaughan8617 lol. I get you. I just think Mr. Knight had some pretty specific standards. All the Poul Anderson I've read so far is pretty wacky. Pretty pulpy.

[@jimlewis9704]

You used the S.F. abbreviation and didn't say sci-fi! Thank you Michael! ...and for those that continue to say "sci-fi"...may Kraan preserve their living brains in acid!

[@redwawst3258]

😊

[@MysteryandMayhem-gr7nn]

Lovely battered old copy!