On my rereading list to reboot my imagination
5 stars
Still fascinating after all these years.
Paperback
English language
Published Feb. 24, 1977 by Del Rey.
The best of Cordwainer Smith
4 stars
(6 reviews)
The book contains twelve short works of fiction by the author, all set in his "Instrumentality of Mankind" future history series, together with an introduction and timeline by editor J. J. Pierce.
Cordwainer Smith: The Shaper of Myths" [introduction] (J. J. Pierce) "The Instrumentality of Mankind" [timeline] (J. J. Pierce) "Scanners Live in Vain" (from Fantasy Book, Jan. 1950) "The Lady Who Sailed the Soul" (with Genevieve Linebarger) (from Galaxy Magazine, Apr. 1960) "The Game of Rat and Dragon" (from Galaxy Science Fiction, Oct. 1955) "The Burning of the Brain" (from If, Oct. 1958) "Golden the Ship Was — Oh! Oh! Oh!" (with Genevieve Linebarger) (from Amazing Science Fiction Stories, Apr. 1959) "The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal" (from Amazing Stories, May 1964) "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" (from Galaxy Magazine, Aug. 1964) "Under Old Earth" (from Galaxy Magazine, Feb. 1966) "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons" (from Galaxy …
The book contains twelve short works of fiction by the author, all set in his "Instrumentality of Mankind" future history series, together with an introduction and timeline by editor J. J. Pierce.
Cordwainer Smith: The Shaper of Myths" [introduction] (J. J. Pierce) "The Instrumentality of Mankind" [timeline] (J. J. Pierce) "Scanners Live in Vain" (from Fantasy Book, Jan. 1950) "The Lady Who Sailed the Soul" (with Genevieve Linebarger) (from Galaxy Magazine, Apr. 1960) "The Game of Rat and Dragon" (from Galaxy Science Fiction, Oct. 1955) "The Burning of the Brain" (from If, Oct. 1958) "Golden the Ship Was — Oh! Oh! Oh!" (with Genevieve Linebarger) (from Amazing Science Fiction Stories, Apr. 1959) "The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal" (from Amazing Stories, May 1964) "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" (from Galaxy Magazine, Aug. 1964) "Under Old Earth" (from Galaxy Magazine, Feb. 1966) "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons" (from Galaxy Magazine, Jun. 1961) "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard" (from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Jun. 1961) "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" (from Galaxy Magazine, Oct. 1962) "A Planet Named Shayol" (from Galaxy Magazine, Oct. 1961)
Review of 'The best of Cordwainer Smith' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
3.5 stars perhaps. Manages to be original half a century later, even with all that time to be copied by others. It is (for me) the best sort of sci-fi in that it deals with what it means to be human knowing that the answer is not one that comes from science.
