Modern science fiction emerged in the 1950s, particularly in America, where it broke free from traditional conventions. Writers began to explore their imaginations in novel-length works, marking an era of stylistic experimentation and speculative storytelling that addressed the uncertainties of a rapidly changing world. Often overlooked by the literary elite, these “outsider” novels are now celebrated as American classics. This volume presents four distinct visions of uncertain futures and evolving identities. Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth’s The Space Merchants (1953) offers a satirical take on a future dominated by multinational advertising. Theodore Sturgeon’s More Than Human (1953) explores the journey of damaged individuals toward a potential new stage of evolution. Leigh Brackett, one of the first prominent female science fiction writers, presents a post-nuclear world in The Long Tomorrow (1955), where anti-urban technophobes clash with the remnants of a destroyed civilization. Richard Matheson’s The Shrinking Man (1956) tells the tale of a man shrinking due to a mysterious cloud, facing humiliations and dangers that lead him to a surprising and transformative realization. Each novel opens new territory, reflecting the dynamic energies of an age grappling with the unknown.
Gary K. Wolfe Book order (chronological)
